FAB!

1. Wicked. It was a common phrase I heard from people who had been to New York before; "Oh, you have to see a show." Now that I've experienced a Broadway musical, I couldn't agree more. While I have no doubt that any production would be spectacular, I can only speak about the one that I sat through; Wicked. I don't think any adjectives I know could sufficiently describe Wicked, but I'll give it a shot. The actors and actresses are brilliant. The orchestra is mind-blowing. The script is phenomenal. Holyfreakingcrap. Go see it. Do it. I'd watch it 237 times over.

2. Top of the Rock. A few of the shots from my previous post were taken at Top of the Rock. It's name is quite befitting - the view is from the top floor (observation deck) of Rockefeller Plaza. Not that I have much to compare it to, but I'd bet big bucks that there isn't a better way to see New York City. We went at night (a choice that I would make again), and we were able to take in every bit of the glamourous, bright, magical scene NYC is known for. And as a photographer, I was drooling. No, really. I had to wipe off my camera.

3. The Warwick. Let me be honest for a second. Going to a place like New York City (or any new destination for that matter), I want to make sure that I'm staying some place legit. I'm no hotel snob, but I wouldn't want to end up sleeping in sketchtown. It's just a matter of logic. And the fact that I like being alive, really. So when we were searching for places to stay, we had some stipulations: convenient location, relatively spacious (there would be 3 of us sharing a room), and again - the non-sketchy factor. The Warwick was everything that we could want in a hotel. Friendly service, nice accommodations, great location (with a Starbucks across the street - hello!), and no super-creepy vibe. Win-win-win, across the board.

4. H&M. Oh. H&M. You rock my closet. I love this store almost as much as I love Pumpkin Spice Lattes and Ryan Reynolds (and seriously. That's a lot.). New York had eight - count them, EIGHT - H&M stores within walking distance. And those are just the ones that we hit up. I was on shopping cloud 9 - immersed in an atmosphere of skinny jeans, ankle boots, and adorable dresses. Florida, rumor has it you'll be acquiring one or two H&M locations in the near future. Though my bank account will suffer, I couldn't be more thrilled.

5. New York Niceness. I know this isn't necessarily tangible, and I can't link it to anything (though I contemplated attaching it to a Google image of a smiley face), but I think it is absolutely fabulous in it's own right. Thanks to media portrayal (well, and Naomi Campbell), we sometimes get the impression that New Yorkers are snooty, rude, and somber. In movies, often times they are strutting around in all black, Louis Vuitton bag in hand, and cell phone attached to their ear. It doesn't really scream 'I'm-a-warm-and-fuzzy-person.' But let me set the record straight. There is a lot of black attire. There are plenty of Louis Vuitton bags, and there is an abundance of cell-phone-attached ears. But, there is also a lot of smiling. And helpfulness. Politeness. Talk-to-a-stranger-on-the-subway niceness. New York, I don't want to ruin your too-cool-for-school reputation, but I can see right through those oversized shades.

1. No public restrooms. Seriously. With all the shopping and tourist-y activities, you'd think someone would have hooked this city up with more facilities. Not so much. If you do happen upon a place that houses a restroom, be prepared to make a legitimate purchase before they allow you to have a potty break. They will stay on you like a hawk, so don't even think you can sneak out. Been there, tried that - still ended up buying a drink.

....as if I could actually come up with 5 drab things about NEW YORK! Yeah, right. That city puts the 'fab' in 'fabulous.' I'd live there...in a New York minute. ;)

***

-Central Park: Well, duh. :)

-TV and Movie tour: For cinema buffs. Pretty fun (and fast) way to check out a large part of the area. Plus, you can say "I saw that [fill in the blank] while I was in New York!" every time you watch a movie. :)

-Subway transportation: It's really not that bad! And much cheaper than cabs.

-SoHo: Shopping central.

-5th Ave: Again with the shopping. :)

-Fashion's Night Out: This was a one night event while we were there, but it was incredible! Hundreds of stores throughout the city (and around the world) came together to promote and celebrate fashion by staying open late (until 11pm) and offering great discounts and incentives. 

-VMA's: Yep, it was a pretty fantastic week to be in New York. MTV's VMA's were hosted at Radio City Music Hall - just a couple of blocks from our hotel! The crowds were intense, but we caught a few short glimpses of celebrities...from a far, far distance. ;)

I can't wait to go back! I'm officially in love. <3