The next day after getting out of bed early we strolled around town with Sofie and eventually made it to the New York University campus where Sofie completed her graduate degree. We could not pass up the opportunity to hit up a few of her favorite coffee shops where she spent many days studying hard, or at least so she says. After NYU, it was time to move on the ground-zero where the two twin-towers used to stand and pay some respect to all those that perished in that terrible tragedy. On the upside, it seems like the construction at ground-zero is progressing full force and the new towers as well as a memorial for the victims should be up in the next few years. Next item on the schedule was to take a peek at the Statue of Liberty. In my opinion there is an easy way to see the Statue of Liberty and a very painful way. The latter is to stand in the tourist line for hours, pay a hefty sum of money, and eventually get an up-close look at the statue while hopefully not completely exhausted. The easy way is to take the Staten Island Ferry that departs Manhattan every thirty minutes and is free – it must be the only thing in New York that does not cost a fortune. Sure it won’t get you all the way to the statue, but the view is respectable and you also get great views of Manhattan and New Jersey. Since we were on our way to Staten Island anyhow we obviously opted for the latter.
Shortly after arriving on Staten Island and taking the local train a few stops down to where Raffi’s parents live, we concluded one thing: Italian people in New York don’t die, they all simply move to Staten Island. In all seriousness, every other person there was of Italian heritage and speaking English with a Soprano accent – very cool. Once we arrived at Raffi’s parents’ house we were treated to an amazing Italian feast. From home made appetizers, salads, pesto, and most likely the best Lasagna that I’ve ever had the pleasure of tasting, to some absolutely superb grilling and of course some tasty and authentic Italian aperitifs. It goes without saying that we enjoyed some fabulous company, some spirited conversations, and had a simply delightful evening. Oh yeah, Raffi’s parents rock – nothing else needs to be said. After eating way more than we should have it was time to get back to Manhattan via the ferry once more. Taking the return trip at night we were offered some remarkable views of Manhattan and New Jersey once more but this time after dark when the city seems to take on a completely different personality. After arriving back in the city, we parted ways with our companions and proceeded to end the evening together with Sofie over a few drinks and appetizers at a quiet restaurant overlooking the harbor.
Trying to max out our last day in New York, we got up nice and early, and got on our way to Central Park. Central Park is humongous for a lack of a better word. It goes on and on, and before you know it you’ve walked more than thirty city blocks admiring its beauty – which can be a problem when you realize that you have no cash for a cab ride back, and there are not ATMs in sight. Anyhow, the park is very well maintained and a nice escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. We even managed to catch a romantic carousel ride, listen to a Japanese guy play the Spanish guitar and sing Spanish songs, and have an authentic New York hot-dog – all before lunch. We also squeeze in some shopping, although absolutely not enough according to Tina, before meeting up with Sofie for a final lunch at a small Thai restaurant just off Times Square. Sadly after lunch we had to say our goodbyes to Sofie as well as the city, and head on over to JFK for an uneventful flight back home.
Looking back, our New Yorkf trip was absolutely fabulous and we can’t wait to make it back there again. Big thanks go out to Sofie and Raffi who both made a grandiose effort to schedule us into their busy lives and show us all that New York has to offer. Looking forward to you guys visiting us in Austin next spring for SxSW!
NYC is the place to be - part 3
