Posted on
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Sunday, January 27, 2008
At Its Core, Big Apple A Tasty Adventure
By CHASE COLSTON
Staff Writer
NEW YORK - The Big Apple giveth and the Big Apple taketh away.
Staff Writer
NEW YORK - The Big Apple giveth and the Big Apple taketh away.
What dost thou giveth?
Raging heartburn, near-death experiences, one adrenaline rush after another, a greater appreciation of other cultures and the experience of a lifetime.
Raging heartburn, near-death experiences, one adrenaline rush after another, a greater appreciation of other cultures and the experience of a lifetime.
And taketh away?
All your money, breath, patience and desire to live in such a place.
All your money, breath, patience and desire to live in such a place.
There's no better way.
With the hand of my fiancee of five days in mine, we took the big city head on during the biggest time of the year: New Year's.
With the hand of my fiancee of five days in mine, we took the big city head on during the biggest time of the year: New Year's.
Tourist mistake No. 1. DO NOT go to New York during New Year's.
It's a blast, but not worth it. We avoided Times Square on Dec. 31, but the crowds and drunken spectacles were overwhelming.
So unless you like being around 2 million more people than normal and drinking your weight, New Year's is overrated.
Otherwise, experiencing New York is a beautiful wonder. The lights, the people, the places - all intriguing to inhabitants and tourists alike.
FROM UP HIGH: From 86 floors up, the observation deck of the Empire State Building offers spectacular views from all angles of New York City.
We waited more than seven months for this vacation, my first self-financed trip. We survived our flight, successfully retrieved our luggage and (somehow) lived through a $30 cab ride to our hotel.
Now we had a job- almost real manual labor - in front of us.
A city branded with culture, diversity and expensive food showed it on every corner. We heard little English at this time of year, even in a city of 8 million people.
Headquartered at the Grand Hyatt on 42nd Street in Manhattan, we sat in perfect position to try and conquer the city.
Tourist mistake No. 2. DO NOT expect to see everything.
New York is a city that is a joy to take on the fly. Don't try and set an itinerary. You won't stick to it. Go to the places first you most want to see, enjoy your time and move on. It would take at least a month to take in what New York has to offer.
But you have to start somewhere, and these are must-dos:
If there's only time for one museum, this one's your best bet. Ben Stiller likely won't be there, but there is enough to keep you intrigued for hours. The dinosaur exhibits are exhilarating.
Don't waste your money to go up 21 more floors. The people look just as small and the buildings are still as powerful from the 86th. Go at night.
For an instant need for Lasik surgery, the lights will do the job. You could spend a day here, taking in the 100-foot tall advertisements and unique stores.
Seeing a show has to be on the list. It doesn't matter which one; just see one on Broadway. We saw "Rent,'' which would be a good choice if you plan on going before June 1, the show's last night on Broadway after 12 years. "The Little Mermaid'' just started its circuit, but tickets won't come cheap.
This was the culmination of my fiancee Jordan's trip. There's just something about being taken down secret staircases and behind hidden doors to shop for illegal designer purses that is breathtaking (or scary if you're the male).
The food is fantastic. The people are pushy and want every dollar you got, but it's the guilty pleasure part of the city.
Take a stroll or take a horse carriage - either one will offer a relaxed, magnificent view of one of New York's greatest wonders. The fiancee has a thing for horses, so I shelled out $40 to take a mile ride. Get your portrait drawn by the guys outside the park. They're good.
If modern art isn't your niche, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is for the classical types. You'll find the likes of Picasso, Matisse and Van Gogh at MoMA. Van Gogh's "Starry Night'' is on display here and it's more beautiful in person.
For the lower-to-middle class types, nothing but window-shopping goes on here, but it's a fun street to walk down. FAO Schwarz and the Apple Store are right next to each other where it ends (or starts).
St. Patrick's Cathedral is also on Fifth, and for the classical architecture or church-lovers, the Cathedral is awe-inspiring. Catholic or not, religious or not, just gracing the doors makes you feel all gooey inside.
This is the last year to see the House That Ruth Built. I touched the outside wall, saving the rest when I make another trip later in the year to see a game.
If you're the historical type, sporty or not, there's nothing more historical than Yankee Stadium.
As promised, we didn't see everything. The Statue of Liberty is just as good a view from miles away. We didn't make it to Ground Zero, Ellis Island and the Immigration Museum, Rockefeller Center or the financial district.
Don't ask for everything in New York.
Take what you can get ... and plenty of pictures.
Take what you can get ... and plenty of pictures.
---
Chase Colston is a sportswriter for The Tyler Courier-Times-Telegraph. He can be reached at 903-596-6325 or ccolston@tylerpaper.net.
Chase Colston is a sportswriter for The Tyler Courier-Times-Telegraph. He can be reached at 903-596-6325 or ccolston@tylerpaper.net.
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