09 November 2012

New York City 2012

I heart SANDY

Last week, we were in New York City visiting Keov. Keov is a significant person in my life. She was an answer to my dreams and prayers last year and I hers. Together we traveled to Cambodia and Thailand and fulfilled one of our life goals, living and volunteering in Cambodia. My encounter with her was anything but coincidence and perhaps our latest encounter in NYC during Sandy was the same. We seem to find ourselves in life-changing, environment-altering situations and I'm glad the universe has deemed her my partner for moments like that. 

John came along which I'm so happy about. It was his first time in the Big Apple and we ate it all up together. We covered most of Manhattan, spent a day in Queens, and shopped in little Brooklyn. Like Keov, John is an excellent travel partner as he has traveled throughout Europe and Peru. He gets the best deals, loves to talk to new people, and carries my bags. Also, if it weren't for him several international tourists, especially the French-speaking ones, would never have known a hurricane was on its way. Thanks for being so friendly and helpful and bringing out the best in public transit users.

Four days turned into seven days because of Hurricane Sandy. We made the last three as memorable as possible. We covered a lot of ground in Harlem and Queens. Keov has the privilege of living around the corner from Harlem, so we walked there one day for some great shopping and Sylvia's chicken and waffles. While walking toward the bus, an egg splattered six inches in front of us. It didn't just splatter, it smacked to the ground. It had to have been chucked from a window in the high rise adjacent to us. As we looked down at the sidewalk then up to the sky in shock, a man next to us assured us that "that is what happens when you walk past the projects in Harlem." So I ask myself was Harlem worth it? Definitely. Two pairs of shoes, cacti, and one Harlem-balanced meal later and I would welcome more eggs to be hurled at my head. Thank you, Harlem.

Highlights of the trip:

  • Shake Shack
  • Ni**as in Paris
  • Spa Castle
  • The Walking Dead
  • The 1 Line
  • Kuru Karma Cafe
  • Pisticci's
  • Guggenheim
  • MOMA
  • Barbara Walters's personal driver

LDS Manhattan Temple after piano competition at Julliard

Keov and I in Times Square

Adirondack tour of Central Park

Everyone has a dog and a friend in NYC. [Brooklyn]

Biggie Smalls

Lady Liberty [Staten Island]

9/11 Memorial

Morningside Park and St. John's Cathedral

Sandy's remnants

St. John's

Columbia University's 24-hour library


Guggenheim [I got in trouble for this picture]

Near Julliard 

Central Park Fifth Ave. [handsome]

9/11 Memorial near Survivor Tree [my survivor]