An American Tale

Time flies and its 2016! Just looking back at some old pics reminded me of a solo trip I did back in 2013 at NYC.

It was the most exciting time of my life. I was afraid yet seeking adventure. Clueless yet curious.
It was one of those to-fulfill item in my bucket list of wishes - a trip that I could call my own. A trip filled with many of my ‘firsts’ (first musical alone, first tour alone, first etc).

I had put up at the Roosevelt Hotel along Madison Street and I still vividly remember those police sirens sounding throughout the day. Yes, that’s NYC for you. Busy Policemen and Policemen in every street. Quite a vast difference from Singapore.

Lobby of Roosevelt

Many had warned me that nothing out of Singapore is safe and I have to watch out for my bag and literally everything. I wasn't any nervous wreck as I thought it wouldn’t be all that bad in an English speaking city. And true to that, it was relatively safe.

So my first visit was to Times Square; it was billboards galore. Never in my life had I seen billboards of that measure. I am in America! My childhood dream from the movie ‘An American Tale’ came alive!

Billboards Galore!

A Date with Spider-Man

Day 2:
I went shopping at the Woodbury Premium Outlet (got tour tickets from viator.com). No pics here cos someone was just too busy shopping. Paradise, paradise: DKNY $5 deals, Cole Haan Loafers below $100, Coach Bags at below $200. Those were some of the top American Labels I snapped up at a steal.

The evening followed by the musical – Once. Once is not a mainstream musical where you get to see huge stage props, loud explosions of pyrotechnics or outrageous stage costumes. It was the most minimalistic stage I have seen with pure enchanting music from the cast that melted my heart. I left with such a good feeling.

Rainy Day at Broadway...loving those Billboards

Once at Jacobs Theatre

After my Musical, I roamed around Times Square and chanced upon M&M's World - Now in the US, when they say WORLD you can trust that it will be massive.

Getting Lost in Chocolate Land

Miss Liberty x M&Ms 

Sometimes I feel like I live in Grand Central Station. Tonight I'm not takin' no calls ' Cause I'll be dancin' I'll be dancin'
(singing to the tunes of Lady Gaga's Telephone) oh so, this is Grand Central Station!

Grand Central Station

Apple Store inside GCS

Day 3:
Tour of NYC - the iconic buildings and the world famous symbol of freedom - The Statue of Liberty.
A big green block of copper and steel that bears a simple meaning behind it. A symbolic gesture given by the French to the Americans as a celebration of Friendship.

My Touristy Pic

The amazing skyline of Manhattan

Empire State 

Donald Trump's Twin Towers

Rockefeller Center

Day 4:
At 6am, Tourist CheChe met a guide at the Hotel Lobby for a Tour. A RUNNING Tour! Nuts! Who goes on Running Tours during Holidays? I did and it was splendid! A 9.5K guided running tour from Madison Ave to Central Park with Running Guide, Cole from City Running Tours.

Central Park Run

'Race' Kit

Cole and Me at the Entrance of Central Park

Right after the run was chill time. I visited places from Movies/Sitcoms/Novels.
Call me a romantic novel or movie buff, there were some places in my must-go in my list...did I feel like a Star? Perhaps not. Just to entertain my little whimsical dream in my own Unicorn Land - to eat a cupcake like Carrie Bradshaw that is..

Dean & Deluca Flagship Store at SOHO

Buying Flowers for Me!

Sex and The City: Magnolia Bakery

Sex and the City approved Banana Pudding

Day 5:
A morning of creativity and inspiration. A day to indulge myself in ART. In my opinion, MoMA is a love or hate museum. It's collection of modern and contemporary art is not easy to fathom and appreciate. Yet if you have a penchant for quirky and the abstract type of art pieces, sculptures, design and modern architecture like I do, you would love it.

MoMA 

Space and Form

A ghostly looking me against Andy Warhol's famous Campbell's Soup Cans

The Courtyard

The afternoon was spent at the old-fashion retail Bleecker Street where I got lost...literally.
I was looking for iconic boutiques like Book Marc, Magnolia Bakery and the Flagship Marc Jacobs.
Little research and lousy map reading skills resulted in an extra hour spent. I counted that as extra calories burnt and discovered a bohemian side to the place. It was like shopping in Chinatown of Singapore, from shophouse to shophouse. Except that it was much more glamourous (yeah, *flips hair*).

Street Pianist

Book Marc by Marc Jacobs

Magnolia Bakery

And that marks my 5 days at NYC. An American Tale came true. I am looking forward to my upcoming trip in June!