The scene is set. We get into the cab and I'm with some good company this time around. The cab driver won't stop talking. I try to sleep so I can tune him out and true to my nature, I'm out like a light.
A slight nudge to my rib, Shahvir wakes me up and I hear Meherab talking to the driver again. Wake up, Shahvir tells me, you don't want to miss this. We'll get you something to take when we arrive. Yep, I'm sick. My first time in this great city and I'm too sick to enjoy it. We escape out of what seemed like an eternal drive to our hotel, dump ourselves and then Shahvir and I go to search for some water. Much needed water. You know, being sick really sucks. I couldn't hear anything, my sinuses were really effed and all I could stand to do was try, just once, to pop my eyes. Looking back on it now, I can only imagine what everyone passing by must have thought as I perpetually opened my mouth to pop my ears only to make weird ugly faces at them. Oh well, that's what I love about the metropolitan. You can do anything!
Over 2 years ago and I can't believe how vivid the whole thing was to me in my dizzy state. A day later and finally my ears popped (and then couldn't stop popping). The hunt was on for my dish.... the New York Original Cheesecake! Cheesecake you say? But Parizad, you don't like desserts. True, very true... but nothing was going to stop me from my adventure to reach the original cheesecake. So we set off...
The first day we decided to do a bit of walking around and we landed at the 30 Rock building. There was a lot more
walking around, walking around, all the while my eyes were shooting glancing from side to side. What I haven't mentioned is that I was also searching on some of the best knowns of the world... the New York street food, a sundried tomato bagel, the Long Island ice tea, and this amazingburgerjointyouguysgottatry that unfortunately doesn't serve a delicious chicken burger. We stumbled upon the Trump towers and the Playboy Enterprise which served as me for running into oncoming traffic every time I spotted a bakery that read BAGELS. Imagine if I had gotten lost! I'm sure they would have just left me there. a good way to kill time while my friends all stood in front of the building to takepictures. I think Afreed secretly hoped the Donald would walk out just as she was taking a picture but sadly, no luck. That night we went to a lounge called Sea (I think), took some pictures, you know. Day 1 was mostly a bit of able-walking sight-seeing. Sadly no luck with any of the above mentioned treats. That's not to say that I didn't have some near chances with my bagel but by the end of the first day, I was pretty sure my friends were going to put a leash on me.
Day 2 was a trip just for me. No matter how crazy I drive my friends, I know they still love me because they especially took the trip to Ellis Island for me to see the lady herself. Admittedly, being a NYC virgin until then, I'm pretty sure I nudged Afreed and asked if another name for this was Long Island. She laughed and told me it wasn't. Drats, oh well I tried. Here are some pictures of us setting off to see the Statue of Liberty all the while pointing in arbitrary directions asking, "is that Long Island?? is that Long Island??" until Shahvir just walked away.
The boat ride was great and seeing the Statue was great too but I don't know how people visit that island for so long! Shahvir and I decided to take one route around the island while Meherab and Afreed took another. Except that maybe Shahvir and I have longer legs or we walk faster because we didn't see the other two for a very long time. I mean, great, a few pictures here and there but then what? Then you wait until your friends have done all they ever could and come to see you. Or else you get on the boat and leave them behind... which was exactly what we were contemplating. Moohahaha. Sorta.
Finally a few hours later, the two hooligans show up and we decide to leave. But neither Shahvir nor I were all too happy to be stuck on this island with nothing but an audio recording of what everything is all about. Any longer and it could have felt like Alcatraz to a couple of restless bodies.
By now, we were all getting a bit hungry but decided to ignore our stomachs and do more sightseeing... and let me tell you, it was one of the best nights I had in the city. We did the whole Occupy Wall Street thing even before there was an Occupy Wall St, saw some other random buildings that Shahvir scolded me about because I didn't know or care to know what they were, then we ended up in Little Italy. It was in this crowded few alleys of Little Italy that I felt the most live in New York (notice how I haven't even once mentioned Time Square?) The crowd was amazing, the food was delicious and the place was just... alive.
That was also the same day I had my very first deep fried Mars bar, Afreed tried to get drunk from several hard slushies, and some random snacks. Had we thought of it then, it would be most fitting to have an Italian sausage in Little Italy!!! Later that night we went to Lombardi's for dinner for, wait for it... which claims to be the first place to serve the New York style pizza. If this is in fact true, then this was my bonus win for my blog. The pizza was great, I have to admit and definitely worth the hour wait to get inside. But there was nothing like waiting out on the streets of Brooklyn with nothing else to do but feed our hungry bellies.
On day 3, the 4 of us decided to go our separate ways. Shahvir and I split up and decided to wander Canal Street while Meherab and Afreed looked at other pretty things. God, am I glad we did this because little did I know that my day would be filled with the adventure of useless haggling with black market marketeers in the back of van, underground in the subway, and in a rickety old building which had bags that smelled disgustingly of must. I came out with nothing. My haggling skills are terrible... to the point that the seller never wants to even bother with me (I later did spot a great Coach knock-off which I somehow lost to Afreed). On our way back from Canal Street, Shahvir and I went into several random buildings where he... well, nevermind, I'll leave that up to Shahvir's blog (if he ever decides to make one). After much whining and complaining, we managed to stop at a few local street food stands where Shahvir had the worst hotdog he's ever had and I had some pretty gross roasted nuts. And they were a rip off. We decided to head back to what we knew, Little Italy, where Shahvir indulged himself with a hot Italian sausage in Little Italy! Yes, I was living that moment as if it were my own, for my blog, and delicious. Shahvir claims its one of the best hotdogs he's ever had. Does it count for my blog if someone else ate it?
We finally decided to make it back to the hotel with a small pittstop at Juniors. With enough Google searching, we managed to find the ideal spot for to sit down and enjoy what was a long awaited journey. Quick steps and before we knew it, we were a block outside of Time Square (there, I finally mentioned it), waiting on a table before we sat down to order. Rather, there was no need to wait for the menu... one cake, two forks, and two anticipating tummies. Drum roll please....
Here I sat, in the heart of NYC, having the original cheesecake. It was light and fluffy yet creamy and thick and one bite and your heart stopped. A half bite later and you could not eat anymore. Well maybe that's just me. But the two of us dug in and couldn't even finish it off. I contemplated taking the remainders home with me but I knew it would just sit there on the table, waiting patiently, while we had a staring contest with each other. I sat back and had a sense of accomplishment, not for the unfinished cheesecake but that the world was moving around me and all I had to worry about at that moment was cake.
Now it was time to leave and the boys had managed to trick us into believing that they had rented a limo to take us to the airport. Well, it was no trick and they are all the better in my books! Here's a thanks to New York. I haven't been back since but I assure you will be back soon again. Here's a view from the limo.
