You're Welcome New York City.
I absolutely love visiting The Big Apple, New York City.
I have never been to a resort on a tropical island. I just hate the thought of just being still, wasting my time lying on a beach or by a pool while sitting in the hot sun. Yeah, I know I could spend a week at an all-inclusive resort in the Caribbean for less money than I would spend for just one weekend in New York City.
But why would I?
I have never been to a resort on a tropical island. I just hate the thought of just being still, wasting my time lying on a beach or by a pool while sitting in the hot sun. Yeah, I know I could spend a week at an all-inclusive resort in the Caribbean for less money than I would spend for just one weekend in New York City.
But why would I?
New York is such a blast.
I have visited New York numerous times over the years since my first visit back in September 2006. Yes, the city can be a very expensive place to visit, but I have figured out how to optimize the most from a three day weekend without actually going broke.
As much as I do love visiting New York, after three days I am done.
The World Trade Center Memorial and St Paul’s Chapel are both an absolute must see reality check for every visitor to NYC.
Central Park is massive 843 acre patch of greenery with a perimeter of six miles. I have walked to all four corners and I once rented a bike to explore the park, although I do much prefer walking. I have been to Central Park on every one of my visits to New York and there is no doubt my little park excursions will continue on my future visits. I always make a stop at the Imagine Circle in Strawberry Fields and The Dakota just outside the park not too far away. I still remember like it was yesterday the Monday night when Howard Cosell announced to the world that John Lennon had been murdered.
On one weekend trip to NYC, I actually mapped out the distance I walked with my GPS. I was not too surprised to learn that I had walked just under twenty miles in the two days. I always do an awful lot of walking whenever I visit NYC.
Although I am not much of a live theater buff, I did see The Jersey Boys on Broadway and I actually enjoyed it. I’ve also now crossed off going to a game at the Cathedral of baseball Yankee Stadium from my bucket list. I was able to visit the old stadium in 2006 before it got demolished. I scored a couple box seats just two rows from the field where I watched my hometown Blue Jays lose to the Yankees. Years later I visited the new Yankee Stadium where the Bronx Bombers began playing in 2009. I took the ‘D’ train up to watch the hated rivals from Boston play the pinstripes on a beautiful sunny afternoon from just over the legendary right field fence.
I’ve also crossed off seeing my Toronto Maple Leafs play the Rangers in an original six matchup at the world’s most famous arena. Madison Square Garden is a unique circular building built atop one of the world's busiest train stations. Penn Station is the hub of New York's transit system and on average well over a half million people pass through the station daily. Surprisingly the actual ice surface at MSG is located on the fifth level above the train station.
I have also been fortunate to see a few concerts at MSG including the piano man Billy Joel and one unforgettable KISS concert. If you have never been to a KISS show you would be amazed at just how many fans show up wearing full KISS outfits in full KISS makeup. So there I was, Buddy and me standing side-by-side just ten rows from the stage. Ten rows directly in front of Gene Simmons in all of his tongue waggling, blood and flame spitting glory.
Buddy was completely stoned having a good time while I was having a good time completely sober. The band jams into Rock 'n' Roll All Night and at the exact same moment literally millions of small pieces of confetti like paper rain from the ceiling of the world's most famous arena. Also at the exact same time buddy decides to spark up a joint, he takes a couple tokes then he falls sideways into my arms. Unbeknownst to me Buddy drops his joint on the now heavily paper covered floor and before I knew what had happened, the paper was starting to burn right at my feet.
What could I do?
Well before a fire started and began engulfing my pant leg or before a mad panic ensued with the KISS army screaming for the exits with no fire extinguisher in sight. I did what any true comic book hero would've done.
I quickly stomped on the burning paper and I most likely saved dozens of lives on that night.
How?
Because, with the floor so heavily covered in paper, there is no doubt that a fire would have spread very quickly. Then again maybe I just prevented my jeans from getting a bit scorched.
Who knows?
I do however like the idea of me being a hero and saving all those lives.
Don't mention it New York City, you're very welcome. What a great memory that KISS concert will forever be. It’s just one of so many great memories I have from my many trips to the city so nice they named it twice, New York, New York.
I highly recommend a trip to New York City for everyone at least once in their lifetime. There is so much to do, so much to see and so many memories just waiting to be made.
'Go ahead bite the big Apple'.
I have visited New York numerous times over the years since my first visit back in September 2006. Yes, the city can be a very expensive place to visit, but I have figured out how to optimize the most from a three day weekend without actually going broke.
As much as I do love visiting New York, after three days I am done.
'I'm in tatters, I'm a shattered'.
I just want to get the hell out of there ASAP. It then takes me a good year or so before I can even think about wanting to go back. Seriously, I could not even imagine ever living there.
'To live in this town you must be tough, tough, tough'.
I have now pretty well visited all of the major tourist attractions and points of interest with one big exception, the Empire State Building. Yet, I have been to the Top of The Rock a few times already.
Go figure.
I am sure that I will get to New York’s most iconic skyscraper eventually.
For me while I am in New York, there is nothing better than spending a sunny afternoon sitting on top of one of those hop-on hop-off double decker busses. I do it every time I am there. Those busses are by far the best, cheapest and most efficient way to see all of the city’s landmarks both day and night.
I have been up and down the 5th Avenue Diamond District, Broadway, Times Square, Hell’s Kitchen and the Grand Central Station areas. I have walked across the Brooklyn Bridge many times as well as it's not so nice sister to the east, the Manhattan Bridge. I have walked through most of the Manhattan niche neighborhoods. I've been to Soho and the Canal Street markets, Little Italy, Chinatown, and Gramercy Park. I’ve walked around Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village as well as Chelsea, Tribeca and Wall Street. I have also ventured into Brooklyn, Harlem, the Bronx and I've taken the free ferry over to Staten Island.
Yet, I still have never been inside a yellow NYC taxi.
I cried like a baby on my first visit to the World Trade Center site in 2006 just five years after 911. The area was still plastered with school children's drawings and memorials to the thousands of innocent people who were murdered on that day. I know that I can never forget the first time that I went to the site where the two 110 story towers once stood. I walked into St Paul’s Chapel and Cemetery, the oldest church in NYC. For eight months after 911, hundreds of volunteers worked 12 hour shifts around the clock, serving meals and offering beds. They also provided counseling and prayed with firefighters, construction workers, police and anyone else seeking solace. St Paul’s became a place of refuge during New York's darkest days of despair. It truly was a miracle that St Paul’s was still standing without even a window having been broken. The church is just a block away from where the two towers were destroyed.
'To live in this town you must be tough, tough, tough'.
I have now pretty well visited all of the major tourist attractions and points of interest with one big exception, the Empire State Building. Yet, I have been to the Top of The Rock a few times already.
Go figure.
I am sure that I will get to New York’s most iconic skyscraper eventually.
For me while I am in New York, there is nothing better than spending a sunny afternoon sitting on top of one of those hop-on hop-off double decker busses. I do it every time I am there. Those busses are by far the best, cheapest and most efficient way to see all of the city’s landmarks both day and night.
I have been up and down the 5th Avenue Diamond District, Broadway, Times Square, Hell’s Kitchen and the Grand Central Station areas. I have walked across the Brooklyn Bridge many times as well as it's not so nice sister to the east, the Manhattan Bridge. I have walked through most of the Manhattan niche neighborhoods. I've been to Soho and the Canal Street markets, Little Italy, Chinatown, and Gramercy Park. I’ve walked around Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village as well as Chelsea, Tribeca and Wall Street. I have also ventured into Brooklyn, Harlem, the Bronx and I've taken the free ferry over to Staten Island.
Yet, I still have never been inside a yellow NYC taxi.
I cried like a baby on my first visit to the World Trade Center site in 2006 just five years after 911. The area was still plastered with school children's drawings and memorials to the thousands of innocent people who were murdered on that day. I know that I can never forget the first time that I went to the site where the two 110 story towers once stood. I walked into St Paul’s Chapel and Cemetery, the oldest church in NYC. For eight months after 911, hundreds of volunteers worked 12 hour shifts around the clock, serving meals and offering beds. They also provided counseling and prayed with firefighters, construction workers, police and anyone else seeking solace. St Paul’s became a place of refuge during New York's darkest days of despair. It truly was a miracle that St Paul’s was still standing without even a window having been broken. The church is just a block away from where the two towers were destroyed.
The World Trade Center Memorial and St Paul’s Chapel are both an absolute must see reality check for every visitor to NYC.
Central Park is massive 843 acre patch of greenery with a perimeter of six miles. I have walked to all four corners and I once rented a bike to explore the park, although I do much prefer walking. I have been to Central Park on every one of my visits to New York and there is no doubt my little park excursions will continue on my future visits. I always make a stop at the Imagine Circle in Strawberry Fields and The Dakota just outside the park not too far away. I still remember like it was yesterday the Monday night when Howard Cosell announced to the world that John Lennon had been murdered.
On one weekend trip to NYC, I actually mapped out the distance I walked with my GPS. I was not too surprised to learn that I had walked just under twenty miles in the two days. I always do an awful lot of walking whenever I visit NYC.
Although I am not much of a live theater buff, I did see The Jersey Boys on Broadway and I actually enjoyed it. I’ve also now crossed off going to a game at the Cathedral of baseball Yankee Stadium from my bucket list. I was able to visit the old stadium in 2006 before it got demolished. I scored a couple box seats just two rows from the field where I watched my hometown Blue Jays lose to the Yankees. Years later I visited the new Yankee Stadium where the Bronx Bombers began playing in 2009. I took the ‘D’ train up to watch the hated rivals from Boston play the pinstripes on a beautiful sunny afternoon from just over the legendary right field fence.
I’ve also crossed off seeing my Toronto Maple Leafs play the Rangers in an original six matchup at the world’s most famous arena. Madison Square Garden is a unique circular building built atop one of the world's busiest train stations. Penn Station is the hub of New York's transit system and on average well over a half million people pass through the station daily. Surprisingly the actual ice surface at MSG is located on the fifth level above the train station.
I have also been fortunate to see a few concerts at MSG including the piano man Billy Joel and one unforgettable KISS concert. If you have never been to a KISS show you would be amazed at just how many fans show up wearing full KISS outfits in full KISS makeup. So there I was, Buddy and me standing side-by-side just ten rows from the stage. Ten rows directly in front of Gene Simmons in all of his tongue waggling, blood and flame spitting glory.
Buddy was completely stoned having a good time while I was having a good time completely sober. The band jams into Rock 'n' Roll All Night and at the exact same moment literally millions of small pieces of confetti like paper rain from the ceiling of the world's most famous arena. Also at the exact same time buddy decides to spark up a joint, he takes a couple tokes then he falls sideways into my arms. Unbeknownst to me Buddy drops his joint on the now heavily paper covered floor and before I knew what had happened, the paper was starting to burn right at my feet.
What could I do?
Well before a fire started and began engulfing my pant leg or before a mad panic ensued with the KISS army screaming for the exits with no fire extinguisher in sight. I did what any true comic book hero would've done.
I quickly stomped on the burning paper and I most likely saved dozens of lives on that night.
How?
Because, with the floor so heavily covered in paper, there is no doubt that a fire would have spread very quickly. Then again maybe I just prevented my jeans from getting a bit scorched.
Who knows?
I do however like the idea of me being a hero and saving all those lives.
Don't mention it New York City, you're very welcome. What a great memory that KISS concert will forever be. It’s just one of so many great memories I have from my many trips to the city so nice they named it twice, New York, New York.
I highly recommend a trip to New York City for everyone at least once in their lifetime. There is so much to do, so much to see and so many memories just waiting to be made.
'Go ahead bite the big Apple'.
