New York #1

There’s definitely something about New York. I don’t even have to wear the latest Manol Blahnik’s shoes to feel different when walking around Manhattan. When I used to work for La Femme Magazine in Slovakia, I often felt like a Slovak version of Carrie Bradshaw (or maybe I just wanted to be like her). I was writing about men, friends and relationships, about the nightlife in my city and new trends. I loved fashion gadgets and dreamed of a career of writer. And here I am, a woman who is not chasing guys anymore, neither new fashion trends, but still having a special relationship with New York City…

My date with Big Apple starts at Long Island, where we are accommodated. A bit far from the city and in addition, in the hotel (Long Island Marriott), which is said to be haunted. On the eighth floor, two flight attendants hang themselves under unexplained circumstances, independently of each other. Some gossips say that it wasn’t random suicide, but something that made these girls to commit such a desperate act… But I don’t believe these crew stories. And I can get these spooky stories out of my head so perfectly that the fact that I have a room on the eighth floor I’ve realized when I’m in bed already. I rather lock the door and leave one small lamp turned on… just in case…

When I open my eyes in the morning, I realize I’m still in New York, whole, healthy and alive. It’s time to go to the city! First, I have to take a taxi from the hotel to the local train station. And from there by train to the famous Penn Station in the heart of New York City. Return ticket – $ 25. Uff! In about 50 minutes I get off in the underground maze. Even though I find the Tokyo subway to be the most confusing, the underground network of New York would be the second. It is worth holding a city map in your head and having a rough overview of what is located north from you and what’s south, or “uptown” and “downtow”, if you want, otherwise you may be moving the wrong direction. With the help of a map of underground lines, I find that the best way how to get to the Brooklyn Bridge, my first planned stop, is via lines A, C and E (while E runs only at night) in “downtown” direction. I get off in the park, just a short walk from the bridge. It is cold outside, still early morning, so the famous bridge is quite empty. An ideal opportunity to make photos without disturbing elements. On top of the bridge I meet one young man with a professional camera in his hand. As I find out, he is a hairstylist from Arizona who has just left Fashion Week to check out some top New York’s sights. When I enjoy the views of Manhattan enough, I go back to station and continue with line A, C, E (this time in uptown direction) back to Manhattan, to14th Street Station…

Why 14th Street? Because from here it’s just a few blocks to 66 Perry Street where Carrie Bradshaw Apartment is! Just walk on the 8th avenue, turn onto Bleecker street, walk two another blocks and you are there – on the well-known stairs where Carrie was kissing (not only) Mr. Big. The current owners of the house are not very excited about tourist visitors, so they put a sign in front of the house that forbids entry to the stairs. Despite that, there are crowds of fans who come here to pose as their heroine Carrie. But in the middle of February there is nobody, just me. I have to wait a few minutes to stop some random people passing by and ask them to take a picture of me. When I told the hairstylist from the Fashion Week on the Brooklyn Bridge where I was going, he didn’t get it: “And what’s there? Just some apartment?” JUST some apartment?! No way, it’s Carrie Bradshaw’s apartment! But guys can’t understand…

From Carrie’s house I continue with line A, C, E up to the Central Park. The frozen lake, snow cover and bare tree branches give the park a completely different look than we know from American movies. But for me it still has its charm. I cut it through the park eastwards to the main gate that leads to the ice rink and the Plaza Hotel (where Kevin from a movie Home Alone spent his Christmas adventure), then continue down to the famous 5th Avenue. And this one you definitely know! There is Tiffany store just like from movie a Breakfast at Tiffany or the Rockefeller Center with its magnificient Christmas tree, under which Jovie and Buddy had their first kiss in the movie Elf. However, in February you can see only the Prometheus’ golden statue instead of the Christmas tree.

Getting around Manhattan is no longer difficult. The streets do not have the names of the national heroes, as they do in Europe, but they are simply sorted by numbers. So if you are at the corner of 5th Avenue and the 47th Street and need to reach the 7th Avenue crossing 43rd street, you know that you just need to go two blocks to the right and four blocks straight. And here we go, Time Square in front of us! You can’t miss this crazy place full of illuminated banners! What would New York be without Time Square?! As I start to feel frozen, I go to defrost myself into my favorite American Eagle store. Later I have to restrain myself to not buy half of the store. But, what would America be without a shopping? From Time Square, it’s a short walk to Penn Station. When I’m passing by famous Macy’s shopping mall, I rather look to the other side to avoid all the advertisements promising SALES and -70%. It’s time to get back to Long Island and have a bit of rest before my long flight back to Abu Dhabi…