"I believe in New Yorkers. Whether they’ve ever questioned the dream in which they live, I wouldn’t know, because I won’t ever dare ask that question."
~Dylan Thomas
"One belongs to New York instantly, one belongs to it as much in five minutes as in five years."
~Tom Wolfe
"There is something in the New York air that makes sleep useless."
~Simone Beauvoir
"How physically demeaning is traveling?"
~Annie Darling
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| The city is exhausting - in a brilliant, vibrant way |
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| Sleeping in NYC is a waste of time |
Soaking up the sun and smoothies we had breakfast the next morning, passing countless rnb soul-singing buskers on the way.
"Everybody ought to have a lower East Side in their life"
~Irving Berlin
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| Got some fine thrift shop specimens |
As we took the ferry to Staten Island it became apparent to my traveling companions that here was NO WAY I was going without my Liberty headband. Like a toddler in a train station, Annie held my hand so I wouldn't get lost. It's cool to think that I've now visited the most 3 photographed statues in America now; Liberty, Lincoln and Harvard (aka wee-stick).
We wined and dined and then had a quick pit stop at our hostel (and I had a sneaky nap on the couch).
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| Christmas is in the air |
"The glamour of it all! New York! America!"
~Charlie Chaplin
"I get out of the taxi and it’s probably the only city which in reality looks better than on the postcards, New York."
~Milos Forman
"I go to Paris, I go to London, I go to Rome, and I always say, “There’s no place like New York. It’s the most exciting city in the world now. That’s the way it is. That’s it.”
~Robert De Niro
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| New York pizza |
"When I’m in New York, I just want to walk down the street and feel this thing, like I’m in a movie."
~Ryan Adams
"New York ladies all look immaculate."
~Zac Posen
"I didn’t know the city at all, but I was so happy to be in New York I cried. I was so excited."
~Greta Gerwig
Then we headed out for the infamous ice-skating in NYC experience. Everyone had been so excited about it for weeks..and I had kept discreetly quiet about it - which is unusual for me. When Annie finally realised, she drew it out of me that I am actually terrified of cie-skating because Iam terribly clumsy, not elelgant, and the iceskates add extra heigh to my frame which all in all unbalances me alltogether. The last couple of times I've done it - it has been a disaster. In Austria a couple of years ago my travel buddies will remember I was SHOCKINGLY uncoordinated and couldn't go very fast at all...which is kind of ironic because I am a total gun on rollerksates. I don;t care what anyone says...they are NOT the smae thing! Annie then publicly announced she imagined me as a spider on rollerskates on the ice and har di har har that was all the rage for a long time. When I finally did get on the ice - it was magical. My friends will laugh as they remember how in Austria I was terrible - but this time it was different and I was basically an Ice Queen.Swan Lake was also a favourite term to desribe me gliding gracefully along the ice.
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| Looks like I'm posing...actually had a sneak fall and made the best of the situation |
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| Not proud. |
Pedro's justification for crashing into all the small children on the ice was "I can't stop but they can, so..." I was also likened to a helicopter propeller when my arms went flailing around to try and regain my balance.
The atmosphere on the ice rink was really nice. They played Christmas music, NYC was lit up before us and in the company of friends, everyone always had a shoulder to lean on (literally and metaphorically). Forgive me when I say it was truly 'magical'.
Then the best thing in the world happened. I met Chris Lilley! He was totally chill, just hanging out at a cafe on the side of the rink, with his two brothers. I was with Chris at the time and she said I was totally casual and cool in approaching a famous person...as I've watched all his stuff and think he's hilarious I think he's basically an Australian comedic icon so...
We chatted for a bit and talked about his upcoming series and then I decided to stop imposing so we chipped off. Liz came skipping up to us at the coffee shop later, she was all like "GUYS GUESS WHO I SAW?!" And I was like "Chris Lilley Liz, old news man."
But alas, Liz got a photo with Chris Lilley and I was totes jealous so we went back and I was like;
*cue casual mode*
"Oh, hey Chris, I heard you met my friend Liz, yeah? She had a photo...so I was...uhhh...wondering..."
*cue social awkwardness*
"...if I could ahh have a photo too..? Maybe..if that's ok..I mean.."
And Chris was totally chill about it and Bridget obviously tagged along to get in the photo and then I cracked a super hilarious joke about Chris' brothers being called Nathan or Daniel...and they were like, "No, our names aren't Nathan or Daniel." So then I saved the situation by sliding in a smooth comment about ice-skating and Australians and then we left (for the second time) and it was ok. In the end. I think. I hope. *deep breath*
So that's it. Another day in the big city been and gone. And I never want it to end.
"It is often said that New York is a city for only the very rich and the very poor. It is less often said that New York is also, at least for those of us who came there from somewhere else, a city for only the very young."
~Joan Didion
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