New York New York
12-07-2007
I’m in a New York state of mind – whatever people exactly mean with this expression I feel like it. I arrived last weekend and I will be interning at a fashion magazine for three months in the craziest, most amazing city in the world – New York.
When you are in a city like New York for the first time you are excited for the big sights: the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty and the city’s green lung the Central Park. My trip started with a sunny weekend, warm weather and an incredible day at Central Park. Just off the skyscrapers of Rockefeller Center, the park is located between Eighth Avenue and the shopping Mecca of Fifth Avenue. Whether you come for roller-skating, a ride in a horse carriage or just to enjoy the calmness of this oasis – Central Park welcomes tourists and locals alike. The great thing about the USA is that you literally meet people the second you sit down on a bench. And what could be better than having your own personal guide through the city’s biggest green space?
‘Would you like a little more tea?’ – ‘Well, I haven’t had any yet, so I can’t very well take more…’ (Abstract from Alice in Wonderland)
America’s most famous children’s book Alice in Wonderland is represented by a sculpture at the Northern end of the Conservatory water. The stories behind the red-tailed hawk of Fifth Avenue that has been nesting since the 1990s and the history of the so-called sheep meadow – that it was actually inhabited by sheep until 1934 are open secrets to true New Yorkers. While some places it takes a time to fit in at the end of that day I heard the magic words: ‘You’re a New Yorker now.’ And I’m proud to be one.
{mosimage}If you are interested in fashion and convinced that shoes are a girl’s best friend, there is no better TV series than HBO’s iconic Sex and the City. Apart from the story several newspapers ran on the much-anticipated movie that will start filming this autumn, there are quite a few places that incorporate the charm of the series. I decided to go to Magnolia, the bakery that serves the creamiest cup cakes in Manhattan. After about twenty minutes (!) of queuing I indulged in the choco-licious experience of my life.
Last week was also the week of America’s greatest bank holiday, Independence Day. And how could I have missed the fireworks? Guided by ever-present policemen I went to the East River to see the most spectacular bangers – planets, cubes, flowers and golden rain. Luckily the real rain had stopped right before the firework started. The only thing that made me tremor that night was the echo of the explosions that sounded like an execution commando. I guess there just has to be some thrill in a thrilling city like New York!
There’s still a lot more to discover. For example my neighbourhood, that is Williamsburg in Brooklyn, went from being a quite run-down and unknown place to one of the hippest hotspots in New York. Why? I’ll tell you next week.
By Christa Catharina Muller
