My New York Travel Diary.

Central Park

Central Park in winter is not one of the best choices, not to say it is not a good idea. There is a very piercing cold as you walk through. There were heated horse carriages that charged arm and leg for a little ride. The park gave me Uhuru Park vibes (if you have been to Nairobi you’d relate). Depending on the day you visit, you might be lucky to enjoy a few street performances. Janet had one main agenda for us though, find the instant newspaper photographers. Happy to announce that our mission was accomplished and we got our picture in the paper for as little as $20. This was a really unique souvenir. We have it framed at home.

Itchiran Restaurant.

                We set to try out this restaurant on New Year’s Eve. As you’d have guessed, the restaurant was closed. We found this out after walking more than 5 blocks to try access it. Most streets and exit points from the subway were closed due to security measures that were put in place ahead of the New Years eve countdown at Times Square. They had a different location open about 20mins from where we were. I honestly do not know the cheat code for avoiding the long waiting line we got. We stood outside for close to 45 minutes just waiting for a table.

Once inside, each person gets to order their food before getting sat.  Itchiran is popularly known for having a solo-dining experience meaning if you are in a group and all want to sit close to each other, then it’s a longer wait time. The sitting area is divided into individual booths with an opening in front of you which opens when the food is handed over to you and other interactions with your server, otherwise it remains closed.

                Personally, I enjoy chatting while eating and this set up did not favour me. It is a nice set up though for solo dates and to just be in your own space. I did enjoy my spicy ramen soup though, the noodles not so much. Lately I have been leaning more towards the thicker noodles (udon) but I appreciated that one could choose how spicy they wanted their food to be. I would definitely come back, wouldn’t pass a chance for some good soup and trying something new on the menu.

Broadway Show – this was my first ever Broadway show. We got to watch Everything Goes Wrong. It was a really well-done show. The cast engaged the full house. The story line was simple and easy to follow, and it was family friendly. Need I say I enjoyed sitting in the warm theatre, we also got the perfect seats, right in the middle where we could see everything. They sold my favourite snacks; peanut M & Ms and a few others that had my hands full. I have slowly developed a liking for live performances. PS: Be sure to be on the look out for the street photographers in Manhattan, they give you a mini-photoshoot for a fair price. Depending on the amount of photos you choose, the price ranges from $30 to $60.

State Ferry – we did take the ferry right after the show. It was almost dark, but we got to the station just in time for me to enjoy the mangoes that were being sold right outside. They even came with chili (taking)! The night was peaceful and the lights outside the ferry gave a lovely ambience. The Statue of Liberty was well lit, and with the pace at which the ferry was going, we got enough time to feed our eyes with its majestic view.  I appreciated the fact that the ferries ran till late into the night and it was free! I was comfortable inside, it was neat and clean with a whole a lot of seating area.