Could it be that New York is a City of Wretched Excess?

Wretched Excess

 

I love New York City. I lived in this city for only 18 months, 18 years ago, when I attended graduate school at New York University (NYU), and I miss it every time I leave. There’s something unique and invigorating about the smells, sounds, lights and action of the streets and alleyways. At the same time, I wonder, is it all really just wretched excess?

I would consider myself to be a rather understated person. I usually dress in a relatively simple manner, I wear minimal make-up, I’m not too loud (well most of the time!) and I live in what I believe is an elegant and sophisticated home. I wouldn’t use any of those words to describe New York. This is my first time in NYC in a number of years, and I have finally come to the realization that the most descriptive terms for my beloved city are wretched excess.

This trip is all about my daughter Julia, who asked me many times over the last year for a trip to New York. This weekend we are celebrating her 7th birthday and we are doing all the various activities that Julia wants to do. A visit to the Statue of Liberty and shopping at the Disney Store in Times Square topped her list (remember she is 7), as well as a Broadway show and Impressionist art at the MET.

We covered a lot of ground on our first full day in the city, as I acted as both guide and tourist with my mother and daughter. I love the hustle and bustle of the city and the activity and commotion at every corner. I don’t think I will ever get used to the pushiness of many of its residents, with their elbows out at the ready to shove me aside as the sea of people attempt to get through a crowded intersection. Sometimes I feel like all of humanity either lives in New York or is also visiting New York with me this weekend.

After our visit to Liberty Island, a ride up to the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal, a walk through downtown to pay our respects at the World Trade Center Memorial, a stop at NYU and Washington Square Park and some of my favourite low quality but tasty Chinese food on Bleecker street, we hopped on the subway to fulfill Julia’s dream to visit the Disney store in Times Square.  If you look in the dictionary under “Times Square” I believe you will see the words wretched excess.

wretched excess
She is quite an awe inspiring sight
Wretched Excess
A time for reflection as we pay our respects at the World Trade Center
Wretched Excess
I had to show Julia places special to me in NYC

Maybe because it was Friday night, maybe because the weather was a perfect 22 degrees Celsius (72 Fahrenheit) without a cloud in the sky or maybe I’m just much older than I was when I lived here. Oh my gosh Times Square was crazy! Between the flashing lights, neon signs, 30-foot high video screens, sirens, music, restaurants, bars, stores, tourists and cartoon characters trying to take a photo with my daughter (for money of course), I was overwhelmed. I say this from a position of being an experienced world traveler and a mother of three.

Wretched Excess
They embraced my daughter, I took a photo then they wanted money.

As we entered the Disney store on Broadway I could see by the look on Julia’s face that she had arrived at her utopia. Merchandise from every Disney movie and TV show, present and past, every prince and princess, hero and villain, were on display, ready to be sold to the child who could beg, plead and whine loudest to his or her parents, grandparents, guardians or unknowing adult who made the error to enter this establishment.

Wretched Excess
It flashes and beckons children inside
Wretched Excess
Would the Mirror grant Julia all her wishes?
Wretched Excess
She came, she shopped, she conquered

After checking out a few more places and spending too much money on items that all three of us felt we just had to have during a moment of weakness (including a 25,000 square foot M&M’s store) we decided it was time to escape the wretched excess and call it a day.  We limped back to our hotel, happy that we survived the madness of Times Square.

Wretched Excess
Giant screen outside the three-story 25,000 square foot M&M store.
Wretched Excess
World’s biggest wall of chocolate. Oh that’s right

I will say it again – I love New York City. It’s wretched excess at its best (or worst), but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Wretched Excess
Selfie with the Empire State Building on the walk back to our hotel after a long but wonderful day

Travel with a Smile, a lot of Patience and a Cute 7-Year-Old

Travel with a smile

 

 “I’m so lucky I get to go to New York. And I get to miss a day of school,” my daughter Julia announced as our plane taxied down the runway and took off for New York City. This weekend we are celebrating a special ladies’ trip with three generations – my mother, me and Julia. It’s a trip I have been planning for quite a while and I’m so glad to be back in New York. The greatest lesson I learned today is to always travel with a smile, a lot of patience and a cute 7-year-old.

Travel is both exhilarating and stressful at the same time. That fluttering in your stomach you feel the night before a trip is something I always look forward to, but I could easily do without the stresses that plane travel can bring. So this morning, as my mother and I went through the paces at Pearson Airport in Toronto we decided on a mantra: travel with a smile, a lot of patience and cute 7-year-old.

A Canadian traveler headed to New York needs to complete many steps at the airport after passing through the terminal doors on the way to strolling onto the plane. I highly recommend to use web check in (we did that) and pack only carry-on bags and travel light (we also did that and avoided the bag drop-off line) to avoid the first set of lines. We swiftly made our way to security and immigration. Armed with our Nexus cards we approached the first security check, where we smiled, said hello and pushed the cute little 7-year-old in front of us.

On we went, to get each of our carry-on bags x-rayed. We took our time as we pulled out our collection of electronics (not much this time, with only a laptop and two iPads), carefully placed our items on the conveyer, smiled at the security team and walked through the metal detectors, with a smile. A serious-looking security screener pulled most of our bags aside and started to go through them. We stayed calm, started some small talk, smiled and again put the cute 7-year-old in front. The screener smiled back, closed our bags and wished us a good day.

Travel with a smile
Yes this is really on display as you go through customs

We continued this practice as we worked our way through the Nexus area of immigration and customs where Julia even got a photo with the Statue of Liberty, as we boarded the plane and when we de-planed. We exited at the wrong place to find the shuttle to take us to our Lyft taxi, but we took our time, kept smiling and found our way.  The friendly concierge at the hotel check-in desk appreciated our patience as she rebooted her computer, our relaxed and smiling faces and also our cute 7-year-old travel companion. She upgraded us to a beautiful large room on the hotel’s 30th floor, and as we arrived in said room, dropped our luggage and finally had a chance to relax we knew our mantra worked – travel with a smile, a lot of patience a cute 7-year-old.

Our first day in New York was magical, with an early dinner at Alice’s Tea Cup, a stroll through Central Park and of course a bit of shopping. I didn’t realize until tonight how much I missed this city. I only lived here for 18 months, what seems like a lifetime ago, and I’m so glad to be back, to show my daughter my New York, and to share it with my mother too.

Travel with a smile
We had to take a selfie as our tea, sandwiches, scones and treats arrived
Travel with a smile
My mother was thrilled to see her favourite poem painted on the wall at Alice’s Tea Cup
Travel with a smile
She’s living a child’s dream to skip and play in a beautiful park
Travel with a smile
Thanks to the great folks at the NYPD Mounted Unit, Julia got close and personal with a new friend in Central Park
Travel with a smile
Even though it was silly, we just had to take a selfie
Travel with a smile
Taking a break as we walk down Fifth Avenue