Whenever I need to escape...

... I find myself lured to the lights and sights of the Big Apple.  And you can stop rolling your eyes now and just accept my fabulous jetsetting life! (hi CG!! lol)   So where was I? Oh yeah, NYC - Gotham, the city that never sleeps, the capital of the world, the concrete jungle!

I think that's it right there - the concrete jungle.  I love New York because it gives me a feeling of insignificance.  Don't get me wrong, I mean it in the sense that I get lost in the craziness of city life and just go with the flow.  I think of nothing else but the concrete and glass skyscrapers, the crowds, the constant flow of movement be it taxis and cars or people or subway trains... it is forever flowing and moving, forever surrounding me.  And I'm in it, just for a few days, moving and flowing within it all.  No cares in the world.  Nothing to burden me.  No thoughts about the endless tasks to do.  Just there.

I've been twice now this year, recently going over last month to get away for a bit.  And as always, I had a fantastic time.  I'm quite blessed that two of my closest mates live there - hello free accommodation, free entertainment and craaaaaaaaaazy company! (hi jandalprint!)

There are endless things to do in NYC and on every trip, I have an extensive list of places to visit, shows to see, activities to do, restaurants to try out etc ....but mainly a lot of shopping heh!

Stage before the first scene. So fab!

First off, we went to see Priscilla Queen of the Desert on Broadway and OMG! if you EVER get the chance, you MUST see it.  It follows the movie plot to the letter and uses a lot of disco era music to tell the story.  The costumes are so outrageous and flamboyant they reminded me so much of the faafafine back home.  Not to mention, it is so hilarious!  It is a blast and a half and by the end of the show you are totally grooving to the music!
 Really, REALLY great show.

I spent the next day shopping like a madwoman.  I mean hello! my size TWO...pugi! is readily available in the US  unlike the bloody European shops where anything in L only fits my pinky toe! After a full day of retail therapy,  the madness continued with 5 Samoan girls (there's a few living there actually!) painting the town red that night.

Here comes the sun la la lala!

It was an epic night starting off with a jazz club, a hip hop club and finally, at 4am in the morning... we ended up in a karaoke bar in Koreatown and sang our hearts out until 7am (or in some cases, *cough jandalprint cough* we slept!).  Ended it with a hearty breakfast at a diner...cos that's how we dooze it in NY LOL!  And stumbled home at 9am.  Gone are the days when I used to do that regularly, so it was nice to know I can still party like a rockstar... but ai! ai! ai! the recovery is another matter! Damn you old age!

St Patrick's Cathedral after mass

What else can I recommend? Oh right! So my two NYC besties and I hit the road the following day with a very clear plan - mass at St Patrick's Cathedral (the NYC cathedral), high tea at The Plaza (yes cos that's how we roll!) and finally, strolling through 5th Ave to window shop. Mass was good for the soul (after THAT night out!) and we went to The Plaza expecting high tea only to find it out it's not until later in the afternoon.  So what did we do? We ended up having champagne brunch there... just like Carrie and the girls in Sex and The City!! (fia kagaka much?)

At The Plaza, Samoa's very own SATC (pootz!)

Fabulous did I say?  Yes indeed! In all honesty though, The Plaza makes money out of its reputation more than anything (note mediocre food & okay services) but yeah, still worth the experience.

Afterwards we headed to a lovely restaurant called the Max Brenner Chocolate Restaurant for dessert, and feasted on this:

Chocolate EVERYTHING

Yummy no? And this is how we felt after digging in whole heartedly:

Bryant Park ice rink

And finally, I managed to drag the coconut keos on my last night to try out ice skating.  Ice skating in NYC was DEFINITELY on the list of things to do.  Unfortunately, the Central Park rink was closed but we ended up at Bryant Park which is near Times Square.  It was a hoot.  Three of the five girls tried it out, the other two were too chicken! LOL.  And it was lots of fun.  Just imagine Samoans on skates... yes, VERY FUNNY!  *looks at jandalprint AGAIN*

 

Spot the skating Samoans!

 After our skating escapades, we ended up at a regular spot of mine whenever I go to the US - Outback Steakhouse (ironically, an Australian themed restaurant! ha).  And this is the ONLY reason why I LOVE this place:

The tastiest heart attack on a plate.  In fact, these beauties (better known as cheese fries) were once voted the unhealthiest food in the whole of the USA.  Thank God I don't live there!!!

Although... hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm... living in NYC is a tempting thought no?   *cheeky grin*

All in all, my latest escape to the Big Apple was an awesome adventure to be remembered!  I hope y'all will get a chance to visit it one day!  :)