New York, New York, Big City of Dreams... you are supposed to be able to do anything here. This is the land of dreams, where you can dream big and make things happen. However, there is something that you cannot do.... you cannot avoid the tolls! Tolls! Tolls! Tolls! I am telling, I paid more in tolls than I did for gas.... I kid you not. For a West Coaster not used to this, this was a little bit overwhelming... LOL!
Other than that though - BY GOD! I loved being in New York! I have been here before, however this was usually on business trips. So, I spent my time in Hotels in Manhattan and was driven from airport to hotel and hotel to airport. Or I would spend the time I a hotel. This time though, I got to just walk around and be part of New York.
So.... here I was. Finanlly on the other side of the country. I had done it - at least the first part of my trip. I was finally on the Atlantic Coast after departing from the Pacific Coast. How cool is that folks? Just how cool is that? It really was a surreal feeling. Words can't really express how I was feeling. I should have been tired from all the driving, but all I could feel was excitement that I was finally here.
The roads do leave much to be desired. They were pretty darn bad in New Jersey. Sorry Jersey, just have to say it.... I felt like I needed an assault vehicle or SUV to drive on your roads. Holy Cow! I was VERY appreciative of the new MEYLE suspension parts on my front end. I honestly wasn't sure they would be up to the task, but they were and passed with flying colours! WHEW!
My arrival in New York was pretty cool, at West 12th and 8 Avenue, I was able to park behind a nice shiny White BMW i8. I felt like it was just meant to be, I was meant to be in New York. As soon as I parked, I was approached by people on the street asking about the cars - that was so New York. People just come up and talk with you. It was uBer cool. Every where I went, once you made eye contact, you got a New York "Hello".
I was able to visit with family on W. 14th and from there I walked around... first visit was Chelsea Market. This further convinced me I was meant to visit New York. I am a Chelsea Football Club fan and here I was, 3000 miles away from home, finally on the other coast and I was standing in a place name Chelsea! How much better can it get?
I walked around for a bit. Of course took pictures and just breathed New York in. It was one of if not the hottest weekend of the year, but I was lucky that it had cooled down a bit to around 90 degrees or so. Yeah, 90 was cooler - go figure. I walked up to the new tower at One World Trade Tower. It was like something out of a Sci-Fi movie. I think it's gorgeous. As I walked there though, I had to relive in my mind one of the most tragic moments in US history - September 11, 2001. As I stood there, I could only imagine what New Yorkers must have felt that day. I could picture all what happened that fateful day - the horrific things wide eyes witnessed on that day and my heart felt heavy. My heart goes out to New York.
As I walked around and ran into various people, I felt a weird thing. I almost felt protective of New York,. I realized that this city not ony represented the diversity of this whole nation, but it represented the world as a whole. There was everyone here, every ethnicity, every social background, every kind of worker, this was TRULY the melting pot of the world. I felt it was a place to be treasured. I have given New York a hard time in the past, I have even talked about how I sometimes tired of the "New York Attitude". I had a new view and love of New York this day, oh how I wish I had more time to spend here. New Yorkers welcome you to their city with a sense of familiarity - you are not made to feel like a new person to the city, you are just part of the whole that is New York.
When I was on W. 14th with family, everyone just interacted with each other. It was just like a big school play ground. I truly felt my message of ALL Likes Matters was being lived out here. I went to bar around 13th and Hudson and had a nice chat with the cutest, friendliest girl from Belarus. We shared travel stories - mine to New York and her's to San Francisco. As I departed, I thanked the bartender who offered me a hand shake and bid me well. How cool is that. Thank you Natalie for adding to my New York moment and to the friendly staff at the bar. I will remember the name soon enough and post it. Forgive me for now.
So..... first and foremost, I will be back. I want to come back and spend more time here. I love New York!
" Out here in New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of There's nothin' you can't do Now you're in New York These streets will make you feel brand new The lights will inspire you Let's hear it for New York, NEW YORK, NEW YORK!' It's Just an Empire State of Mind.
