Seven years ago I tramped the streets of NYC with my friend Caoimhe (not unknown to this blog!), underage and unprepared for the biggest smoke. My most abiding memory of the trip is of a woman working in the subway handing us a wet wipe, because according to her our faces were dirty. But they definitely weren't! It was weird and embarrassing and pretty funny in retrospect. What the hell was she up to?
So older, wiser, only very marginally wealthier and with a bit of more of a clue, I took it on again. Our journey was a bit of a proverbial 'mare, immigration took us two hours to get through, the massive queue culminating in a bored looking woman asking us if we knew which side of Central Park the upper east side was on. Eh I dunno, the left? Convinced that we had missed the connecting flight from San Fran up to New York we raced through the airport, only to find it was delayed and we would make it. Sweet! I got a drink and some fries before boarding and the woman in front of me asked for a diet coke, "with a splash of regular coke". Oh America, you're gas!
So finally we got to JFK, felt the rush on seeing the lights of Manhattan, the density, the life of the city rising up like a million eyed monster in front of our knackered eyes. And there are only two things that can be a tonic to the soul at a crazy hour in a crazy city, a slice of doughy pizza and the melodic lilt of a familiar Donegal voice.. and well maybe a few cold beers! Another friend not seen in over a year, we all found it hard to quit chatting and give in to sleep.
The next day, one by one they arrived.
First came Cian, then Kev, then John, all jetlagged, but excited and full of news and craic and after finally making it out the door to a bar we found another actuary, Damien's ex colleague, and his girlfriend, and sure then we were a raucous lot altogether! At the end of the night, we stumbled into a brilliantly New Yorkish diner, where a lady with an unusual accent (part Pole, part Bronx) dished out burgers and beers at alarming speed. Yum.
The next morning we did what all unemployed travellers with rapidly contracting bank accounts should do on a hungover Friday morning.. go for mimosas and brunch dahling! To be fair, we have a lot to learn from the restaurant industry in NY, a huge entree and two mimosas for $14?? Take note Dublin!
After getting schtuk into the drinks we all felt way better and took off rambling through Central Park, down to Times Square and round a few shops. I was curious to see the World Trade Center site as the last time I was there in 2005 (dirty face et al) it was a gaping hole in the ground, fenced off and ugly. The finished monument is stunning, carefully and thoughtfully conceived and reading the names of the lost souls engraved in the black stone around the waterfall chasms somehow brought you closer to the real people whose lives ended that day. There's a deep hole in the ground where each of the towers stood, with water gushing into two containment pools endlessly.
The next few days were brilliant, we did bus-tours and rooftop bars and brunch every freakin morning (because that's how we roooooll!) but our last day in NY was my favourite, hands down. Early enough we took off and walked the high line, a dilapidated old train line that has been regenerated and turned into a gorgeous stroll through the lower west side of the city, with views out over the river and down the busy streets. A mingle of tourists, lunching professionals and arty types meant an interesting crowd and an enjoyable walk.
Then it was lunchtime and at Damien's request we were hitting up one of New Yoik's oldest and most legendary Jewish delis.. Katz's. Featured in loads of movies and TV shows, visited by loads of celebs, AND with a pastrami sandwich the width of your fist, we were all quite happy to add it to the itinerary! The decor hasn't changed in decades and even though it's unashamedly a tourist spot, it's authentic and the cold meats are just cracking.
Obviously eating huge sandwiches builds up a thirst and so Seamie took us to an amazing bar overlooking the river for lengthy sundowners.
Then not satisfied with the awesomeness of that, we went and climbed the Rockerfeller Center and took in all the twinkly winking lights of the city from an amazing height! I felt a bit sombre by that stage, our last night of hundreds, in different countries, looking at different skies and it was ending momentarily. All good things, I guess.
Then the final final FINAL day arrived. Luckily we had an evening flight, so in the morning we separated and I had an extremely enjoyable few hours wandering and marvelling at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the second time in my life. It is an incredible place, I happily could lose a day there. We said our goodbyes to Seamus in the same diner we patronised at 4am in the morning of our first night out! I think a tradition has been firmly made, so we'll see you there soon Seamie.
And then Kev and Damien and I hopped in yellow taxi and made our way through the streets of Manhattan, over the flyway to Queens and onto an Aer Lingus flight back to the green fields of home, the drizzle and the very welcome faces of two sets of parents and real life.
So older, wiser, only very marginally wealthier and with a bit of more of a clue, I took it on again. Our journey was a bit of a proverbial 'mare, immigration took us two hours to get through, the massive queue culminating in a bored looking woman asking us if we knew which side of Central Park the upper east side was on. Eh I dunno, the left? Convinced that we had missed the connecting flight from San Fran up to New York we raced through the airport, only to find it was delayed and we would make it. Sweet! I got a drink and some fries before boarding and the woman in front of me asked for a diet coke, "with a splash of regular coke". Oh America, you're gas!
So finally we got to JFK, felt the rush on seeing the lights of Manhattan, the density, the life of the city rising up like a million eyed monster in front of our knackered eyes. And there are only two things that can be a tonic to the soul at a crazy hour in a crazy city, a slice of doughy pizza and the melodic lilt of a familiar Donegal voice.. and well maybe a few cold beers! Another friend not seen in over a year, we all found it hard to quit chatting and give in to sleep.
The next day, one by one they arrived.
 |
| Kev's here!!!! |
First came Cian, then Kev, then John, all jetlagged, but excited and full of news and craic and after finally making it out the door to a bar we found another actuary, Damien's ex colleague, and his girlfriend, and sure then we were a raucous lot altogether! At the end of the night, we stumbled into a brilliantly New Yorkish diner, where a lady with an unusual accent (part Pole, part Bronx) dished out burgers and beers at alarming speed. Yum.
The next morning we did what all unemployed travellers with rapidly contracting bank accounts should do on a hungover Friday morning.. go for mimosas and brunch dahling! To be fair, we have a lot to learn from the restaurant industry in NY, a huge entree and two mimosas for $14?? Take note Dublin!
After getting schtuk into the drinks we all felt way better and took off rambling through Central Park, down to Times Square and round a few shops. I was curious to see the World Trade Center site as the last time I was there in 2005 (dirty face et al) it was a gaping hole in the ground, fenced off and ugly. The finished monument is stunning, carefully and thoughtfully conceived and reading the names of the lost souls engraved in the black stone around the waterfall chasms somehow brought you closer to the real people whose lives ended that day. There's a deep hole in the ground where each of the towers stood, with water gushing into two containment pools endlessly.
The next few days were brilliant, we did bus-tours and rooftop bars and brunch every freakin morning (because that's how we roooooll!) but our last day in NY was my favourite, hands down. Early enough we took off and walked the high line, a dilapidated old train line that has been regenerated and turned into a gorgeous stroll through the lower west side of the city, with views out over the river and down the busy streets. A mingle of tourists, lunching professionals and arty types meant an interesting crowd and an enjoyable walk.
Then it was lunchtime and at Damien's request we were hitting up one of New Yoik's oldest and most legendary Jewish delis.. Katz's. Featured in loads of movies and TV shows, visited by loads of celebs, AND with a pastrami sandwich the width of your fist, we were all quite happy to add it to the itinerary! The decor hasn't changed in decades and even though it's unashamedly a tourist spot, it's authentic and the cold meats are just cracking.
 |
| Please note my "Katz" tee-shirt. Ha ha! (Well I thought so anyway) |
Obviously eating huge sandwiches builds up a thirst and so Seamie took us to an amazing bar overlooking the river for lengthy sundowners.
Then not satisfied with the awesomeness of that, we went and climbed the Rockerfeller Center and took in all the twinkly winking lights of the city from an amazing height! I felt a bit sombre by that stage, our last night of hundreds, in different countries, looking at different skies and it was ending momentarily. All good things, I guess.
Then the final final FINAL day arrived. Luckily we had an evening flight, so in the morning we separated and I had an extremely enjoyable few hours wandering and marvelling at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the second time in my life. It is an incredible place, I happily could lose a day there. We said our goodbyes to Seamus in the same diner we patronised at 4am in the morning of our first night out! I think a tradition has been firmly made, so we'll see you there soon Seamie.
And then Kev and Damien and I hopped in yellow taxi and made our way through the streets of Manhattan, over the flyway to Queens and onto an Aer Lingus flight back to the green fields of home, the drizzle and the very welcome faces of two sets of parents and real life.
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