Well hello there old friend, I’m sorry its taken me an inexcusably long time to complete these travel posts. No, I didn’t just stay in NY and live happily ever after, though it would have been grand. Since my return to New Zealand there have been many conversations over coffee, cake, tea, cake, wine and so on, the topic; whether I should pen these posts or just bury the hatchet. Burying the hatchet seemed rather attractive as who would want to revisit the fabulous memories of a holiday while their current lives consist of your average 8 – 5. I like to call this state a holiday hangover that no average OJ and panadol will solve, but rest assured I’ve concluded that the previously described life is not my own, obviously as here I am. By jouves you’re lucky.

Now I’ll take you on one of my holiday hangover adventures back to the 28th January, 2015, more informally known as my travel companions 22nd Birthday in wintery NYC. How often do people get to spend their birthdays in one of the greatest cities in the world!? Side note: Unless they live there or my niece who had her first birthday in LA, I guess I know lucky people.

First stop on a birthday is brunch. For us it was at local Brooklyn haunt Five Leaves, a highly recommended spot. It’s common knowledge that calories don’t count on your birthday – ever. The lesser known fact is this also counts for your company, or so I told myself… I’ve since enrolled at a gym. That well sipped coffee to my left is a delicious almond milk latte, a welcome delight for a lac-tard well over sugary soy milk and crappy USA brews.

Nothing beats a peruse of the post storm paper, puns galore and a few peeved New Yorkers.

As it was Elise’s birthday I partook in one of her favourite pass times and lost my manicure – ginity. I like to call it giving the therapist a better work story; these nibbled nails where quite the tax to file and I swear they were muttering and laughing at my attempts of pretending this was an entirely normal situation for me and that my stubs get this sort of treatment on the regular. Elise couldn’t convince me to get my roots touched by a polish grandmother but as I waited the hairdresser gave me chocolates along with her 4 terrorising grandchildren, which was nice.

Back to things I’m good at, cakes and candles ferreted from kitchen draws. Le custard bun thing, sourced from a local fave, the Bakeri. We ate there probably more than anywhere else so it was an only fitting surprise treat for our return home.

This day absolutely flew by and before we knew it we were re-bundled and hopping on two subways to Seaport, a port suburb (I kid you not). This is where the water taxi leaves from during the day and at night, the night cruise on the East and Hudson Rivers departs. That was our destination, a birthday cruise, with a complimentary champers. To see the sights we decided to venture to the top deck, big no-no. As soon as we were out on the water the winds took on an Elsa from Frozen icy chill and after removing my gloves for a couple of photos and oohs and ahhs at the sparkling Brooklyn and Washington Bridges the first important bit was over and I convinced Elise to move downstairs after some serious begging and pleading. I literally had to beg and plead… WERE WE NOT ON THE SAME BOAT??? Though it was her birthday voyage.

I had some very incredible guides throughout this trip and this one was no exception. Puns and appropriately timed music are my weakness and this had both. For example, empire state of mind played as we drove past the Empire State Building, closing time when we arrived back to shore, if you catch my drift. Last on the tour schedule was the Lady Liberty herself, I probably took 100 photos alone, she’s so pretty at night but out of focus iPhone photos is all you get as I’m still yet to find a cord for my camera.

As most people nowadays do, I instagramed a snap just to prove I was there and tagged the appropriate parties and then Elise received the following email:

I googled and my photo got twitter (somewhat) famous! Elise thought it was cool but is used to this sort of attention so wasn’t so shocked then peeved that I didn’t get credit as I was. Where’s their photo sharing integrity? But I’ve got them back now, I’m sharing their photo that they shared of my photo on here – take that!

After an awful glass of vinegar on board and a bit of pneumonia Elise and I were thoroughly in need of a birthday cocktail, a warm one at that. A minor issue to this plan is that Seaport is a ghost town, a freezing ghost town. Considering this city has the most cafe’s in the world you’d think one with a liquor liscence wouldn’t be hard to come by, turns out this is completely untrue and in stuttering frustration we gave up and trained home at a very respectable hour.

“I think this is my first sober birthday since I was 14” – Elise.

The next day we were both feeling under-the-weather so a movie day was called for. What!?, you may exclaim, we’re in the greatest city in the world and we’re camped inside!?! Well, to you I say; try travelling for two months and not miss the home comforts. Rabbit loved it.

That Friday, was an exciting day I finally got my sight seeing treat, a walk on the High-line. Converted old rail tracks into an elevated walkway, garden, art installation and busking stage.

Then my teeth got cold from the awful wind! Half way along the high-line you can take the steps down and visit the Chelsea markets. They’re a must visit, like the Riccarton Bush markets in CHCH on steroids and they sell Pic’s Peanut Butter!

Next stop, the Met Steps. With a detour through central park. The perfection of a crisp winters day.

Then the anticipated visit to the Met steps, why you may ask? Well I now feel comfortable to confess that I love Gossip Girl, I’ve watched the whole series twice and the opportunity to visit the very “lunch steps” was too good to pass up. We posed for a photo, the coffee was crap and the photographer was incredibly confused why I wasn’t looking at the camera.

I forced Elise to buy a pretzel because I couldn’t eat it and turns out neither could she but that’s becasue it was incredibly awful, would not recommend.

Dinner followed by a jazz bar, perfect finish to a fantastic day!

The following day we finally made the adventure back into town, not overly successful but we did discover M&M world!

We also met some incredible people on the subway this day, a pair of actors fresh from filming an advert for TV, we were the only ones in the car who yelled “All aboard!!” – great sense of humour. Turns out the pair were travelling the same route as us. Fun facts:

1. Richie offered to get us both Greencards in the future (probably will regret mentioning this here if I ever decide to cash in on the offer),
2. Never go into an empty train car, as we almost did, it’s air-con is broken or there’s someone in there that smells awful. Our case was the awful one, we got a whiff when someone without NY subway guides transferred cars.

The ride home we bumped into an Australian man, we were taking a new train so didn’t really know the stops, he helped us figure it out and was great chat along the way. These chances meetings added so much to our days, great memories of people you know you’ll never see again.

I have now come to the stage in my life where I have friends who live abroad and do incredibly intelligent thing’s like PhD’s. On  this particular night (or was it another night, I can’t remember) my friend from university was popping by NYC on his way to Baltimore and we met up with him for BBQ dinner in Queens (NB. American BBQ not NZ, we were disappointed too). Here is a photo story of the night:

After this we parted ways and Elise and I found ourselves in a ‘locals only’ bar for a boogie, we made some friends and ended up in a newly opened massive dance club, cutting our best shapes to some famous DJ or another. The toilets even had lollies and perfume, don’t use or eat these though as, you may be forced to pay money you don’t have or taken to the alley way – don’t say I didn’t warn you.

We were tucked up in bed for sunrise, a night out in NY done right if you ask me, and you can’t so I’m pretty much telling you this is how to do it.

The night of the day that was ages ago and which I didn’t sleep was SUPERBOWL! A tourists American dream. Bridie (my sister) and her partner Harry’s work mates were heading to a bar down the road, so we tagged along for chicken wings, nachos and a spot of much talked about ads and a smidgeon of football.

Our team was the Seahawks for no real reason other than Harry and Bridie had been to Seattle recently and the fact Every. Single. Person. in the town went crazy for them and it was only natural we went for the underdogs too… though they lost Patriots. Oh whoops that last sentence was a belated spoiler alert.

I can’t not mention the half time show, I’m pretty sure that’s why most people watch… And this year Katy Perry came in on a giant robotic cat, flew, sung with Missy Elliot and danced with sharks, incredible – but no doubt if you keep up with the news or social media you already know that, just a friendly reminder. I recommend Youtube for a reminder of it’s brilliance.

One of Bridie’s very talented very American friends stereotyped me, semi guessing that my parents were art, academic types and said I’d best be suited to the Upper West Side or Maine, Bridie agreed, I was ignorant. Turns out on googling the following morning that it was an intellectual comment and I’ll take it as an I’m meant to live in NYC, whoopee!

The following day was our last in New York, a sad day to say the least, we had one last breakfast at Eagle Street Traders with Bridie who had a late start and meandered home for a spot of packing. We got a little to complacent, turns out there was a storm rolling through, one they knew about but didn’t prepare for and the roads weren’t salted… considering a few days earlier they’d over reacted, I’d call this an under reaction and Elise and I were very near to missing our flight. We were both shocked/angry/unreasonable/desperate but begged and pleaded when only me (my person and not my bag) was the only one in our party checked in as the bag check closed in the process, fudge. But with a little bit of arguing we got on that flight to VEGAS!!

Such an amazing time and I can’t believe I’ll be back in a few short months… Keep your eyes peeled for a Summer NYC post!