Finally! Downtime muna here in our rented apartment in New York. It's 12:50pm December 31 palang dito kaya rest muna ng onti before the "Ball Drop" New Year salubong tonight. Nakapag open ulit ng laptop! ;p
We had three nights na here in the "city that never sleeps". Aside from my Crazy Gonzales family, we are also with my Espejo cousins and Tito and Tita, sharing 2 rooms, a sala-slash-TV room, and a small but decent kitchen. The area is far from the hustle-n-bustle of Times Square, but I really enjoy our daily commutes of 2-block walks to the nearest Subway. Everyday, every pasyal, I am falling more and more in love with the Big City. < 3
Navy Coat and Maroon Tights - Old Navy | Boots - Shoe Dept Encore | Umbrella - Nyc | Bag - Suy
We left Baltimore ng morning of Saturday, and arrived nighttime na in New York. Akala ko kelangan pa mag plane, but instead, we rode a bus na no stop-overs na. Nakakagutom, but I slept most of the time till we saw a lighted city na. Kinilig ako looking through the glass windows of our bus. We walked from the final bus stop with our huge maletas looking for the nearest Subway. With the help of this friendly Cuban security, we bought our Metro Pass na UNLI and good for the whole duration of our trip (30 dollars - xPhp44), and then off we go to look for our apartment.
Kilig to read the street signs in each station--The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan... Parang hindi totoo! These are places na I see in movies lang or series! ;p
When we arrived in our apartment, I went out with Ate, dad, and my two cousins to look for the nearest grocery / minimart and load our kitchen with jugs of water, juice, milk, cereals, breads, instant noodles, delata, and junk foods (hehe). We also went to this Chinese takeout place and brought the hot meals to the apartment for the whole family--first dinner in the city!
Ang epic nung takeout boxes, noh! :D
Back when Nyc was just a dream, may nag sabi sa akin na ang apartments (syempre di ko naman afford mag hotel dito! ;p) daw dito halos nakatayo ka nalang matulog (lol). Ok naman the rooms in our rented place. Maliit, pero kaya naman! We also have solo restrooms per family.
GOOD MORNING NEW YORK! Outside our place, on our way to the Subway for our official first day of exploring Nyc.
Enjoy na enjoy ako sa commuting dito, though I need a map and "asking skillz" pa to get to a destination. Actually, sunod-sunod lang muna ako kay Ate coz hindi pa ako nag ttry to go out alone! Sulit the Metro Pass samin, lalo yesterday when we were able to go to "spots" here like the Liberty, Central Park, Empire State Building, etcetera... more kwentos on that nalang bukas! Or follow me on Instagram @anagon - madaldal ako jan haha! ;p
One of my uploaded IG vids: singers and performers of the New York Subway! Ang gagaling nila, and entertaining--while waiting for our train hindi ka mabobore. Naalala nyo ba si Phoebe of the FRIENDS series? Ganyan sha sa Subway rumaraket, kung kumakanta lang sana ako! Haha! This girl ang pinaka nagpa nga-nga saming Gonzaleses. Watch my Instavid, panalo sha!
Timing nga naman, Sunday nun... Our first stop was in the St. Patrick's Cathedral na under construction. Maganda padin sha kahit panay steel bars--melting pot nga naman ang New York--mapasaan ako lumingon iba-ibang nationality ang makikita mo.
When we went out of the church, umuulan na! Nakakainis and ang messy, nung una ok pa ako ng bonnet and coat lang, but eventually I gave up na and bought the classic black NY umbrella they sell sa streets for 5 dollars (asa P200ish ba naman ang payong, singkwenta lang yan sa Pinas! Lolz). Anyway, ok nadin sakin maranasan ang maulan na New York! Adventure!
First stop was in this epic Christmas Tree in Rockefeller. Naalala nyo yung Home Alone scene? :D
After family photo ops, Chinese food nanaman for lunch! Fortune Cookie:
Split na ang 2 families after eating, para kanya kanyang gala na! We went to Time Square, na very magical ng feeling. Ang sarap simpleng tumawid lang, kinikilig ako! Feeling ko makakasalubong ko nalang si Barney Stinson, or makikita ang Tiffany & Co. of Breakfast at Tiffany's, or mamimeet ko si guylaloo from Serendipity! ;P Hahaha.
Explore na!!!!
Broadway's dark toniiiight! Signs of several shows happening that night posted here and there! Akk! Gusto ko makacatch ng kahit isang show lang, though it costs 100ish dollars! :p May sale daw na chambahan so I am hoping maka kita kami before we leave!
Pati ito, picturean! Haha!
Dahil MALAMIG sa labas, we always go in establishments like shops and cafes from time to time just to take advantage of the heater. We entered this coffee shop Pret one time for CR break nadin, so I got a cup of Light Roast coffee nadin (na lumamig naman ng wala pang 5 minutes. :p). Ibang level yung lamig dun, baka kayang 3 coats ang suotin to keep warm, but di na ako makagalaw nun haha!
Busy sa free Wi-Fi, haha:
Weather forecasts are super accurate! Buti sunny na sa coming days!
Rent a bike? Cool naman!
One thing I realized (though di ako nagsasalita ng tapos) is that wala na kaming shopping shopping dito, parang quota na ata ako from LA to Vegas to Baltimore. Dito sa Nyc, souvenir shops ang dinidiskitahan namin, para sa magnets collection (hehe) and to get those I (heart) NY white tees. In one souvenir shop na we entered, I saw this:
Panorama shot of one of the greatest cities in the world! Ang ganda nya sa gabi!
Stocks! Kahit dito naamaze ako! ;p
Rode the Subway going to our last stop before ending Day 1...
...Destination: Shake Shack! Haha! Learned about this popular East Coast burger place in Chuvaness' blog, and kahit sila Ate gusto din matry! So perfect lang to end the walkathon day! Meron silang Shroom Burger--vegetarian treat! :D Ang sarap niya, first bite palang napapikit talaga ako hahaha!
After bestdinnerever, OF COURSE! We had to take photos in the Grand Central station before riding the subway home... Feeling Serena lang of Gossip Girl! ;p
Hey there Delilah, what's it like in New York City?
I'm a thousand miles away but girl, tonight you look so pretty
Yes you do.
Times Square can't shine as bright as you
I swear it's true.
-Hey There Delilah, Plain White T's
Read more of my USA 2013-2014 posts.
I'm a thousand miles away but girl, tonight you look so pretty
Yes you do.
Times Square can't shine as bright as you
I swear it's true.
-Hey There Delilah, Plain White T's
Read more of my USA 2013-2014 posts.
4 Comments
It's always been a dream of mine to skate at Rockefeller! Hope you're having a wonderful time. Happy New Year!! :-)
ReplyDeleteXoxo,
Ysabel of Pleasantly Chic
dapat you took the time to explore the subway katulad nung whispering wall nagawa ninyo , look at the ceilings painted by Da Vinci , locker of letters and pati yung old version nung subway . Tip lang yung flash sale ng mga designers diyan katulad ng chanel , prada .
ReplyDeleteOMG Ana! Makes me wish I was back in NYC. :) parang dream come true being there no? and during the holidays pa! :) Hope you're having a great time! :)
ReplyDeleteWOW! New Year in New York. Girl you're epic!!!
ReplyDeleteYour turn! Always excited to read your comments! :)