Manhattan from the Sky
I haven’t blogged in ages. I stopped ever since I went to New York. Things have been a bit weird lately; I’m going through some kind of mid-life crisis. I realize that I’m 15 and I’m not middle aged yet, but I reckon if I die at 30 and 30 divided by 2 is 15, I’ve reached the middle of my life. Who says I’m not good at Math?I’ll pick up where I left off since I didn’t write much when I was in New York. New York was great but I’m not one of those people find themselves mind blown when they arrive. If you live in the suburbs, arriving in New York would be like walking into Jurassic Park. As a city person, I know how city life works. New York is exactly like Hong Kong, only neater. I don’t know about the rest of New York, I mostly hung out in Manhattan. We didn’t get around much because we woke up at 11 every morning and when my mom got up, she locked herself in the bathroom to do god knows what. I ended up having to wait for her so I slouched off on the couch watching Degrassi on Nick. You’d think that they’d have more TV shows in America but nope, the channels are filled with the most ridiculous teen comedies. I basically started my mornings with a daily dose of cliche teen woes like bulimia and teen pregnancy. Degrassi actually reminds me of Skins only it’s set in Canada and more family-friendly.
We visited most of the tourist attractions; Rockefeller Center, Times Square and Central Park. Central Park was snowed over so it didn’t look like a park. It did have a winter vibe to it, though. But I had to sacrifice the feeling from my toes to feel the Christmas spirit. I was wearing a pair of cheap ugg boot knock offs (my dad got them from a factory in China) and they weren’t exactly waterproof. So an hour of touring around Central Park was basically dumping bucketfuls of water onto my feet. Unless you wear knee high rain boots, it’s suicide. My feet were so cold and wet from the snow they practically grew icicles. We had to take refuge in the Apple Store or my toes would’ve fallen off.
I had to take the subway to get around the city (no fancy limos for me, unfortunately) and I had doubts about getting into that dingy boxcar. There was a large contingency of shady characters wearing gangsta hoodies and they kept their heads so low you couldn’t see their faces. These types of people always seem to be the ones that pull back their hoods and whip out a gun in the movies, which is why I knew to stay clear of them. I managed to get out of there unscathed but it was still an unpleasant experience. I witnessed three skinny men who claimed that the world was going to end, they even proceeded to recite pages from the holy bible. You could tell that the guy sitting next to them was smothering the impulse to laugh. He kept shaking his head and then he turned to his friend and said, “I wish I brought an iPod.”
We also managed to watch two Broadway musicals in Time Square; Phantom of the Opera and Wicked. I liked Wicked more than Phantom, it was more light-hearted and easier to get. When I was watching Phantom of the Opera, I spent half my time trying to figure out what was going on. I get the gist of it, but the way they sang the dialogue like it was opera made it hard for me to hear. Instead of saying, “I’m about to eat this hamburger”, they would turn it into “Lalalala I aaaaam about to eeeaaat this hammmburrrrgerrrrrr oooh lalalalaa.” Now Wicked was more of a family-orientated musical, there were no creepy masked psychos trying to stalk girls. It’s about a green faced girl who befriends a popular blonde girl so it was something I could relate to on an intellectual level.
On Christmas day, we drove around New York with my cousin and his girlfriend. We ate lunch at The Palace and my cousin dutifully noted that Gossip Girl was filmed there. I don’t know how he knew that, I guess my 29-year-old male cousin watches Gossip Girl or something. He even asked me if I watched Gossip Girl and I said yeah (I’m a 15 year old teenage girl so that makes it acceptable). Then he said that his cousin, who’s a 32-year-old male, loves Gossip Girl. I couldn’t keep myself from imagining the two of them, a 29-year-old male and a 32-year-old male, discussing Gossip Girl at a bar or wherever middle-aged men hang out.
After lunch at The Palace, we went to Battery Park to look at the Statue of Liberty. All I can say about that experience is that I froze my butt off for a tiny black statue looming in the distance. I could hardly see a thing from where I was standing. We stood there, staring at this tiny black speck for 3 minutes until we decided that the tiny black speck was no longer worth our short attention span.
As nighttime drew near, we had our Christmas dinner to look forward to. My cousin doesn’t have a homey home because he lives like a college frat boy. I don’t even think he has a kitchen. So we couldn’t exactly grab a frozen turkey from the supermarket and bake it in his non-existent oven. All the Western restaurants were either fully booked or closed for the holidays so we had no choice but to go to Chinatown and eat soup dumplings for Christmas dinner. I wouldn’t put up with it because Chinese food for Christmas dinner is just blasphemous.
After 10 minutes of complaining on my part, we ended up eating our Christmas dinner in Little Italy instead (Little Italy is right next to Chinatown despite the geographical inaccuracy). The Italian restaurant was your stereotypical Italian place; black and white checkered floors, yellow wallpaper and shiny red countertops. We ordered soup, spaghetti bolognese and chicken but we forgot about the Italians and their affinity for large food proportions. The waiters came out with huge plates of spaghetti and meatballs the size of my fist. As we ate, a band comprising of two aging Italian men played over us in the dim light. The family sitting next to us requested they sing ‘White Christmas’, so they sang ‘White Christmas’ while strumming away at their banjos. The Christmas atmosphere was great, much better than sitting in a run down Chinese restaurant eating soup dumplings. After we ate, talked, laughed and abused each other in the friendly way we do, we heaved our bloated stomachs out of there. My dad was so full; his already fat stomach was fatter than usual. He had to unbutton his jeans to keep himself from bursting at the seams.
The day we left, my cousin ordered a car for us (it wasn’t a limo, just your average sedan car. I’m not upper east side enough for that). The doorman helped us load our luggage onto the car. Just as I was about to get on, the doorman came up to me and did that thing African American guys do with their ‘brothers’. Like when you jump up to someone and bump them? I don’t know if this is your typical day-to-day American life but it was weird all the same. Don’t you only do those kinds of things with your guy friends, like your homies? Anyway, he did the body bump thing and said, “You’re leaving us?” I was like uh yeah I guess. I don’t know what I should’ve said, I barely knew the guy and there he was getting over affectionate on me.
Well, here I am. Back in the land of the normal where people don’t talk to strangers or exchange small talk when they’re in the elevator. You just stare at your feet and hope no one notices your awkwardness.
Also if you haven’t noticed already, new layout! Took me ages to get this done. It’s cross browser compatible and everything. It even looked decent in IE6 the last time I checked but you never know when IE6 decides to make your layout go haywire again.
I love the new layout - blue and brown always go fantastically together. I never expected it until a friend suggested it to me! I think it looks great though.
It seems that you haven’t blogged in months and months. I can see you were really really busy though, and you were even out of your home country so it’s explainable.
I would love to go to America. I live in Australia and since I met such lovely people online from America, it really makes me want to go there. New York - I see it in the movies and everything. I can’t believe it was so cold; I definitely wouldn’t be able to stand it. It doesn’t snow in Australia except for in the mountains. I wouldn’t be used to it but it would be much better than the hot summers in Australia which are horribly, horribly hot.
I would be like that guy too, wishing I brought my iPod.
I like to see musicals - well, I know they would be something I like - but I haven’t seen many at all. I have heard that Wicked is really good.
I don’t watch Gossip Girl - I’m not a television person really. But the thought of those men watching it and chatting about it when they meet up is hilarious! Grown men on about a show like that. At least they’re young at heart?!
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This new layout looks lovely ^_^ So professional! I’m jealous x)
Ahh cool beans your went to New York? I went there in April, I thought it was absolutely wonderrrrfulll
I loveddd it and I miss it :’) But I guess I live in London which is more simple than New York so seeing Time Square and all the yellow taxi’s that you see on TV was pretty exciting for me, haha xP But there were people getting even more excited than me o_O
The group of us that went got te subway around xP We could have hired like a bus or something but our teachers wanted us to have the full experience xP The subway is really just like the underground over here :s
I thought the people in NY was pretty friendly, and when I returned to London I thought that same as you really; here I am back in the place where most people are pretty cold, other than some old people who start random convo’s about the weather or the bus they just missed xP
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Sounds like you had a wonderful time in New York. I’ve always wanted to travel there but London is definitely on the top of my list. I found your blog really interesting too, it was a long post but read every bit of it…I’m proud of myself for that…haha random. I adore this layout too, by the way, it’s lovely
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Thank you!
Haha, no, I’m graduating from a much lower grade.
Yeah, to be honest, I’m getting a little bored with web-designing now.
Yeah, I don’t visit my website as much anymore.
Oh, that’s kinda around mine, but I go back to school in September. :]
Haha, I know what you mean about New York. Its so busy and crowded. You will never see it not crowded. I guess why its called the city that never sleeps.
Woah, seems like you had a great time in New York and went to a lot of places.
Woah, I love the new layout! Its so pretty. (:
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I love this layout (: Very classy. ^_^
Two years ago I went to New York city.
I’m a girl from the suburbs although I do live never a city and my school is near one soooooo I’m also a city girl. I’ve always preferred the Suburbs though. The busy-ness of NYC made me wish I was back home.
I love New York City though it’s just I would never want to live there. I like the quiet of where I live, it’s the perfect balance of city and rural.
I LOVED Phantom of the Opera. I watched it when we went there and I absolutely adored it. It was my first Broadway musical, like LEGIT Broadway musical. I have yet to see Wicked but I have sung the songs for it in my choir at school. It was showing locally but I have yet to see it. i want to though.
Haha, that overaffectionate guy sounds like a creeper… If someone did that to me I’d back up behind my mother. Hahahahahaa. “Mommy, that guy just body bumped me….”
Sounds like you had an amazing trip (: NYC is super fun to go to.
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I feel like I compete with myself too… not always a great feeling.
But sometimes it’s what I resort to. -Sigh-
Well, I feel like I’ve been giving myself breaks and that’s why I’m slipping. So, I don’t know. Step up or give myself yet another break? I’m thinking step it up. I blame myself for my fall down.
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Rainie! Oh boy! How I’ve missed you so much! ^^ I visited yor site everyday just to check if you’ve been online but you haven’t, but youre back now so yay~
I really love the new layout, it’s very classy!
Awesome as always for sure!
Sounds like you had an awesome time in New York! I’ve always wanted to go to America but never got the chance to.
Which really sucks, I hope to go in the future though.
Times Square! I really need to go there hehe.
Gossip Girl, eh? I blogged about that show a few months ago, I don’t like it that much since I’m still young (13), there are a lot of kissing and sex and… I just don’t like it. Hehe. ^_^ I prefer watching Asian Dramas like ToGetHer or Devil Beside You or Hi my sweethert haha!
But I guess it was still cool to see where they filmed! ^^
WOAH. That’s just strange, srsly. If some random stranger went up to me — I would either scream or run… Or both. Lulz. :))
I have a new Twitter by the way! ^^ I want to keep in touch with you again~ (^o^)
http://Twitter.com/pablobobchann
Take care~
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I’m pretty much IN LOVE with this layout! It’s freakishly awesome
Ok yeah I’m so jealous of your New York, hahaha. I’m from the suburbs/country/whatever, so going to NY is basically a dream come true for me.
It sounds like you had an altogether good time, though? Yesh, there are SO many teen dramas/reality shows over here. It is absolutely ridiculous. It’s embarrassing, actually >__<
Oh my gosh, Phantom of the Opera is one of the greatest musicals ever! To me, anyway, hahaha. Though I’ve never seen it on Broadway, only the movie :’( You lucky duck! And I’ve heard Wicked is a good one as well.
LOLOL @ the body bump thing… that’s nothing out of the ordinary, really. It’s just kind of like… I don’t know what to call it, really. But it was a friendly gesture
I would expect the “fist bump” more than the “body bump” though.. that is kind of odd o.O
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Hey, thanks for the comment! New York sounds like lots of fun.
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I absolutely adore this layout. It is sooo great. The footer’s font is a bit too dark though. It kind of blends in a bit but seriously, this layout..is amazing. Gahhh!! teach meee..
Haha don’t take this the wrong way, but your blog on New York is definitely what I’d expect from someone your age. Phantom of the Opera is hands down, one of the best musicals ever & is a classic. Wicked is a good musical as well but it’s no Phantom of the Opera..I mean, Phantom of the opera is an original..Wicked is just a twist on the Wizard of Oz. But I mean, obviously we’re all entitled to our own opinions. But opinions tend to change when we grow older which is why it doesn’t surprise me that you favored Wicked than Phantom. But then again, if you’ve never heard of the musical’s storyline, it would be a bit difficult to understand. Although it should be obvious because of the way the scenes switch around & the acting. If it helps, you should watch the movie that’s a bit recent. It stars Emma ..something..not Watson but like B..or Rossum..or something. Yeah anyway it might make the story a little more clear to you.
There are tons of television shows but they don’t show 24/7. They have certain show times. I haven’t watched anything on Nickelodeon since I was like 10 though so I honestly don’t know what they have. But you’re 15, girls your age would be watching stuff like Glee, Gossip Girl, House, 90210, The Office, etc. That stuff. But I’ve never watched Gossip Girl before. I think it’s too cliche..I guess. haha.
It’s funny that you encountered friendly people in NYC. People in NYC are normally the biggest assholes. I love the city but I hate the people. Every time I wanted to strike up a conversation with someone, they would just be complete dicks..so yeah…they’re known as the most unfriendly people too! So that really surprises me. & about the doorman’s gesture, it’s not seen often with strangers, but perhaps he was just in a good mood.
I’ve been to HK before! Food was delicious, of course. But I definitely love NYC. The food is amazing. Central Park’s hot dog stands…for only $2…aghh so delicious. & the Shake Shack…omg they have the best burgers in the world…In-N-Out doesn’t even come close. Sigh. It’s too bad you didn’t get to do a little more while you were there though.
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