The Bronx is Up

I have dreamed about going to New York since I was old enough to compose my first Tony/Emmy/Oscar acceptance speech. I planned to live in SoHo, work on Broadway, and shop on Madison. When Hubby and I married all those years ago, he promised me a trip to New York City as my wedding gift.

It only took 11 years but Hubby finally took me to New York. Of course, he didn’t go with me but he is keen to point out that since he set forth a generous budget it should still count. That is how I found myself on the direct Toronto to Cairo flight via New York and Dubai.

My hotel was located in the heart of Times Square which may seem touristy but was perfectly situated for the site-seeing, shopping, and theatre-going I had in mind. One of the first things New Yorkers warned me of when they heard where I was staying was to avoid eating anywhere near Times Square since the prices would be double what could be found only a handful of blocks away. I heeded this fine piece of advice and soon found myself enjoying an amazingly yummy cup of Frozen Hot Chocolate at Serendipity 3. Yes, it was still touristy and probably over-priced but it was worth every penny!

I received lots of great money saving tips from locals during my trip. Suggestions like taking the free Staten Island Ferry to float past the Statue of Liberty saved me about $20 and an hour of standing in the rain. The oft-heard suggestion from the guides on the Grey Line to avoid the Empire State Building and head for Top of the Rock instead sounded less and less sincere each subsequent telling, however.

Speaking of rain, it rained virtually every moment I was in New York and since I’m the world’s most stubborn blogger, I refused to buy an umbrella during my first day in the city. “I don’t melt!” I would laugh to the vendors. Five hours and countless miles of walking later, I sloshed into my hotel room and realized why I was on the receiving end of such pitying looks. To say I looked like a drowned rat was an insult to drowned rats (needless to say, I broke down and bought an umbrella the next day).

The great thing about New York is that in just a handful of days I was able to dine at a four star restaurant, take in a Broadway play, buy yarn at a knitting landmark, and still have time left over to do some damage to my credit cards. And in those stores where I couldn’t afford to shop, I took photos of things I would have bought!

Stay tuned over the next few days as I gush about the fabulous meal I enjoyed on Monday night, the amazing musical I took in on Wednesday night, and how I spent the various hours in between.