little girl in a big city
Can we say fantastic? I'm so glad I decided to go....when Amelia first asked me, I wasn't sure if I should because, of course, it's takes a significant amount of money to visit there, and also Amelia and I hadn't even hung out that often. But I've been saving money for these types of occasions anyways, and Amelia was a perfectly lovely traveling companion. She's so chill and her positive attitude made everything so pleasant. And, let me tell you, her laugh is simply marvelous and soo contagious. Wait, this is turning into an update about Amelia....but I guess a primary reason for going on this trip was so I could get to know her better, and she just really impressed me! You're wonderful Amelia!
Anyways....New York City, lower Manhattan to be specific. We arrive via airplane and then at Amelia's cousin's apartment via taxi, me lugging my too large red suitcase through tons of people and feeling kind of like an idiot tourist. But I was too excited and giddy from lack of sleep, so I didn't really care much and just laughed at everything instead. Amelia's cousin, Ben, a senior at NYU, met us at the corner and led us up to his very comfy and spacious apartment on Canal & Church, even though the door was semi-blocked by a bunch of people playing 3-card Monty on the sidewalk. He shares it with 4 people...Jeff, Chris, Eric, and Allison. All five of them were sooo very cool and hospitable and funny and basically just really great people. I loved it. I was a little nervous at first when Amelia decided to go to sleep early, because I didn't know anyone, but I ended up fitting in just fine. In fact, I felt perfectly comfortable after being there for only a couple of hours. That very night (Saturday), they decide to have a party, and some other very nice people show up, one who was generously providing shots of Goldschlagger's (sp?). Having never tasted this delectable liquor before, I was very happy with it and proceeded to get quite drunk. We played asshole (how ironic! i didn't even suggest it) with about 8 or 9 people, and hilarity ensued. We ended up leaving later to (try to) go to some bars, even though I'm only 19 and Chris had lost his ID. As it turns out, I got summoned in to this one bar while simply standing outside by this bouncer who motioned to me while saying "the small one" or something like that. Which is silly cause I was no smaller than a lot of the girls trying to get in. And I didn't think I looked that young. Oh well, it was cool anyways! He motioned in Allison too, and we tried to get Chris in with us but then the bouncer said no and told us all to leave. I didn't really care that much, because it was fun to get waved into a hopping NYC bar without having to do anything. And let's remember, I'm very happily drunk at this point. So we just walk around the city for a while, which is very entertaining in itself.
And that was only in the first 8 or so hours since I arrived! Imagine what else was in store! I want to give so many details, but there are just too many! I'd be writing all night (and I haven't even unpacked...stupid mildewy towel). I'll make a short list of highlights for now, even though I hate to leave so much out:
*John Lennon wall painting in the aparment mistaken for Harry Potter by a not-so-bright girl
*Spectacular milkshake made by Allison containing: french silk ice cream, kahlua, milk
*THE FOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-New York Style Pizza cannot be beat
-authentic Mexican food that beats every Mexican place I've been in Indiana...and cheap too, like Taco Bell cheap!
-Gray's Papaya!!!! I'll be craving that papaya juice for weeks, I know it.
-Tavern on the Green: wonderfully gaudy decorating and a fun experience with pretty delicious food, even if the servers did treat us poorly because of our age
-Cucina di Pesce: my last full meal! homemade pasta! so tasty!
-Ferrara's: delectable post-dinner restaurant that served only desserts....cannoli and fruit tarts and raspberry mousse and mango sorbet......
Note: I also drank a lot of alcohol (wine, shots, beer, 40s, a White Russian). And smoked. And enjoyed myself thoroughly.
*Family Guy, Seinfeld, Simpsons, The Daily Show, Conan....now this might sound pretty mundane for a highlight of New York, but I include this to illustrate how well I got along with all the roommates, who watch these shows frequently and make witty comments to boot
*The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Amelia and I went here the last day, and it was pretty amazing, even if we only got to walk through it for an hour (we didn't know it closed so early)...literally breathtaking, I need to spend a few days in it
*Amelia and I unintentionally closing our eyes for BOTH pictures that the photographer took of us at Tavern on the Green...I find this doubly hilarious because after she took the pictures, we were commenting on how unphotogenic we both are
*"Jesus H. Christ!!" -Amelia, to the paper towel dispenser at Ferrara's
*Post-party sing-alongs with Ben at the guitar....he could play all the songs we requested! (and very well, I might add)
*Spotting (very close to us in fact) Will Smith, Carson from Queer Eye, Elizabeth Berkeley, Danny Devito, and Rhea Perlman all in four days
*Being Amelia's bodyguard ("Where were you on that one??")
*the rooftop of the apartment building! great view! great hangout!
*the godforsaken 100-yr-old elevator, and our consequent trips up and down six flights of stairs
*being actively felt up on the subway by some mexican dude....it was quite disgusting, but a memory nonetheless
*the people in NYC...there are so many, I constantly thought I recognized someone I knew
*pure fun....the company was one of the best parts of the trip
*taxi cab wisdom (i should've bought it!!!!!)
*the weather....beautiful pretty much the whole time....I couldn't stop talking about it
That's all I can do. Thanks again, Amelia, for this opportunity. Time and money (very) well spent.
Tomorrow I'm off to the lake cottage for family togetherness. Sorry friends!! I miss you dearly. I'll call when I return, because signal is awful at the lake. And Happy Birthday, Miss Sarah! I'm so sorry I missed it! Love to everyone. EVERYONE.