NYC Day 1 and 2

So I deserve a massive slap on the wrist for having not posted in an entire month! I know, I know. Just started college (for make-up, of course) so that is very fun but very busy. I was also busy during the month of September with one little trip across the Atlantic Ocean to New York City.

First time in New York, first time in America, I ventured off with my mum and aunt for 6 days for the holiday of a lifetime. I fell in love, the sounds the people, the food, the STYLE. Not the smells, definitely not the smells, but New York is my kinda fast paced place.

We stayed in Row NYC which is at the heart of the city, 1 minute out the door and you're in Times Square. You're definitely in the more 'touristy' quarter of the city around here, which when it was myself and my mum's first time there that's kind of what we wanted.

Day 1 was moderately boring, just getting our bearings, we ate lunch in Dos Caminos and I had the best guac of MY LIFE. After that we just soaked up the atmosphere, went into the shops on Times Square, Inglot, Forever 21, Disney. You know yourself. The three of us opted for an early night as we were so exhausted (New York is 5 hours behind Ireland) so headed back to the hotel where I sampled some of the food in our hotel restaurant a place called Woolys which sells 'shaved snow'.  Mine was melon flavored and boy, was it strong. The snow was texture wise probably the strangest thing I've had, like a slushee, sorbet, ice cream hybrid. It just dissolves in your mouth straight away, I'd really recommend it.

Dos Caminos guacamole

Shaved Snow

Day 2 got very interesting very quickly. That morning we saw Joseph Gordon Levitt being interviewed on Times Square, as 500 Days of Summer is one of my favourite movies you can imagine that I was only delighted to see his handsome little face in the flesh.  For breakfast we went to Dominique Ansel's Kitchen, I got a blueberry with brioche and it was so delicious, Dominique Ansel's is known well for their cronuts, so naturally we forgot to get one.

Blueberry Brioche

L-R: Pear Yoghurt with Hot Granola and grapefruit juice, Blueberry Brioche and iced coffee, prosciutto and Boursin croissant  

 We went on a walking tour of Downtown New York, for me this was one of the highlights of the trip, our tour guide was called Jimmy, a real New Yorker, or as he described himself as a 'knickerbocker' which is apparently someone from New York who constantly brags about how 'New York' they are. We were brought all around the different areas Greenwich Village, SoHo, NoHo (which I didn't even know existed), Chinatown (not vegetarian friendly :( really couldn't cope ) , Little Italy.   Meanwhile Jimmy was telling us stories about all the history, the people who lived there, showed us the cafe where Bob Dylan wrote 'Blowing in The Wind' all this fascinating information being thrown at you for three and a half hours was definitely heavy going but it's well worth it.

that right there, is the dream. 

On Jimmy's recommendation after the tour we ate in Forlini's, a gorgeous, authentic Italian restaurant. I mean old guys with gelled back hair in pinstripe suits, I expected guns to be pulled out any second, it was basically The Soprano's. The pasta here was exquisite and really light, so we weren't too full. Again I would really recommend this, our waiter was a hoot and a half too.

Ravioli at Forlini's

We ended the day at the World Trade Centre and 9/11 Memorial, there was an eerie silence present the entire time, a mutual sense of respect. The memorial with the two large pools with the names of all the victims is really quite something, each pool is the size of one of the towers so you really see how truly giant they were. After we went to the museum, the museum I found to be more upsetting than beneficial, they have fire engines that were damaged and pieces of metal which is pretty cool. And then you see things, personal things that remind you that the 3,000 that died that day, they all had family, had people they loved and who loved them, had aspirations and futures that were stolen from them. On display you can see goodbye letters, emergency service uniforms, and what was the most upsetting of all, a Peter Rabbit toy that a little girl had with her on one of those flights. The remains of the victims are stored in the museum behind a wall which reads 'No Day Shall Erase You From The Memory of Time' which I just think is so powerful.  I'd definitely recommend visiting the site of 9/11 to pay respect, but the museum, I think is too much

I'm just going to leave it there, days 3 and 4 will be up at the weekend
Love,
Laoise, Just The McGinning