New York City

The first movie I saw that took place in New York City was The Muppets Take Manhattan, which is a great film. I remember thinking “wow what a great city where everything works out!”

As I got older, and saw more movies and learned more about New York City, the more I wanted to visit. So when I was about 20, me and my mom spent a few days in the city in December. The first day we were there, we walked out of the subway in front of Madison Square Garden and it was sprinkling. The sky was grey and I looked up and the buildings disappeared into the clouds. The smell of exhaust mixed with the smell of hot dogs, which reminded me of LA. And I hate LA. I know it doesn’t sound like a pleasant first experience of the City but it was great for me. The smell just works for NYC, you know?

It’s a wonderful, vibrant, fast paced city where after a week you almost feel like a New Yorker.

But don’t tell that to the locals because there is a test and you WILL fail it.

I love the city, the food, museums, plays, the people; it’s like the whole world has congregated on one tiny island. The United Nations meets here. It’s amazing in the winter time when it’s snowing and you walk past a museum and hear street performers singing and playing music and you can buy a bag of roasted cashews off a cart and enjoy the scenery around you.

I always tell people if you want to visit NYC go in the winter, tourism is down, prices are more fair, and there’s nothing like riding a double decker bus in the rain.

Do not go in the Summer if you can avoid it. It’s not magical. It’s hotter than Satans ballsack and you will start sweating like a Sinner in church with Jesus as the pastor the SECOND you walk outside. Not only is it ungodly hot in the summer, but there is not escape from the heat because all of the damned buildings have glass windows which just reflect all the heat back down onto you making it feel twice as hot.

Good thing pretty much everywhere touristy in summer has air conditioning.

In the winter time, pack a good coat and gloves. There are some places where their hours are altered but as long as you research what you want to do beforehand, you'll still have a blast.

The most beautiful moment I spent in New York was in December, it was raining lightly and I bought a CityPass with the double decker bus tour (i HIGHLY recommend it, the bus takes you all over and you get discounts everywhere). I was sitting up top, not bothered by the sprinkle, and we were driving through the diamond district. Suddenly, Rockefeller Center lit the christmas tree and I had the perfect view mainly because we were stuck in traffic.

With the rain making rainbows appear over the street lights, the tree lit flooding the center with light, people ice skating and singing carols.

Christmas isn't my favorite holiday, but that moment, I got to see strangers start singing simply because they saw a tree lighting.

I try to think of that moment when the general public p*sses me off.

The most 'New York' thing that ever happened to me was during my first visit.

I was at Serendipity with my mom, the frozen hot chocolate is DA BOMB. It was after midnight and we didn't want to take the subway so I told her I'd pay for a cab back to Queens. I hailed a cab (just like in the movies!) and we piled in and I gave him the address for the hotel.

Only, he didn't take us to the hotel. We were in some dark deserted industrial area of Queens and the driver who didn't speak good english told me to get out.

"No, this isn't the address I told you." I said. "Take me to the original address please."

"No, this your address, get out now." He pointed to the door.

"No, the address is --------------- take me there." I said curtly.

"No, this where you get out!" HE shouted.

"No, I won't get out here." I snapped back.

"You get out here!"

"You take me there!" I pointed to his meter that had our original address and the amount to be paid.

"THen I charge you more!" He said in a mocking tone.

"You charge me LESS!" I shouted back.

"You get out!" He shouted.

"You get out!" I shouted back.

We stared each other down.

Suddenly he threw the car in reverse and drove like a bat out of hell, and funny enough, got us to the original address in less than 5 minutes.

"GET OUT!" He screamed.

I shoved a $50 through the partition.

"FUCK YOU BUDDY!" I shouted as I slammed the door and flipped him off as he drove away.

"Ass hat." I mumbled as me and my mom walked into the hotel.

When we got settled, my mom stared at me for a moment.

"I think it's funny that people underestimate you." She said. "I was one of them, I apologize."

"What?" I asked her.

"I was about to argue with him but you just took over and handled it." She smirked. "When I was growing up, I was told that if anyone was arguing with me I had to do civilly and not yell; I didn't teach you that because you were always so quiet and didn't seek out fights. I was worried about you coming to New York alone but now I know you can handle yourself your own way."

That made me pretty proud, I won't lie.

I was probably on the verge of being trafficked now that I think about the whole situation with the taxi driver, and maybe my irrational screaming match I had with said driver was not smart; I basically annoyed him to defeat. Which is my personal superpower.

You have to stay on your toes, be aware of your surroundings, but New York City is worth it. The amass of different cultures, museums, parks, restaurants, and more are enough to entertain you for weeks if you had the time.

Walking through Times Square, the busiest place I've ever been, is like watching the world spin around you. Drinking coffee at 8 am in Central Park with basically no one else around you and finding the Balto statue, is the quietest memory I have of New York.

Seriously, in New York you can have an educational vacation, spooky, romantic, musical, historical, and I know some of you nerds will pull off a Hamilton themed vacation and if you do please invite me I know a ton of Revolutionary War places in New York we can go to.