Enn Why See

So it was Fall Break. 

View from the flat at night

I was sat in my lecture at 12.30, thought to myself, 'Dang, I'm going to New York in half an hour...I should probably go?!' So disorganised, myself and Olivia after a lot of manic phone calls about having the right visa forms for the airport were off on an adventure only having really planned the plane tickets.

May have been here 3 times..

I was staying with a friend, Steph, who goes to NYU and lives just of 5th Avenue and 14th (still not sure what that means - it's central Manhattan basically), amazing location and rooftop view of the Empire State Building. Olivia was just round the corner with her friend Janelle at the fashion school. The first day we hit the shops - fifth avenue and broadway. 

Questionable attire

That evening we went for a few 'casual drinks' with some of Steph's friends (of course the small world it is, one of the girls went to Uppingham and then Edinburgh - mutual friend galore!) Of course, there is no such thing as casual drinks. Upon leaving we decided it would be a great idea to head to the Meat Packing District to Le Bain. Let's just say there is a hot tub in the middle of the club....and we may or may not know just how hot the tub really is....

That's a story for another time. 'Ratchet' would be the appropriate description.

Spotted: O & M newcomers in Manhattan

The next day we felt we had to do a bit of tourist stuff. A picnic basking in the heat of Central Park was the way to deal with the hangover from hell. My mum was actually in NYC at the same time, so myself and Steph headed to Times Square to go and see her and her friends (shout out to Caroline, Lisa, Gilly and Amanda). We went to Bubba Gumps for supper- the Forrest Gump restaurant which only sells prawns (I didn't really register the prawn-Gump relationship!) The meal came complete with a Forrest Gump Triva round in true American style. All in all a hilarious experience. Times Square itself was cool, but full of tourists. I was probably only there for enough time to take a photo and go. I am sure my mum's crew were much better tourists than I was! That evening we went to some cool rooftop drinks at a friend's flat and headed out in the Lower East Side.

So what are New Yorkers like Vs Southerners? I would say slightly less friendly, but by no means like Londoners who would recoiling like an adder if they touch someone by accident on the tube. All in all I didn't manage to see as many of the sights as I would have liked but time literally flew by. I mean I saw someone dressed as the Statue of Liberty if that counts? 3 nights was not enough! Next time I need to head to Brooklyn and do some of the galleries. Had an amazing time regardless though. 

On Saturday we caught the bus to University of Pennsylvania to visit Haz from Edinburgh doing her year abroad there. It is pretty close, only 2 hours. Penn campus is like in the movies too - very green and with arches of trees overhead. 

with Perps and Haz in Penn

Being away from Chapel Hill just for a few nights made me really miss it...the concrete jungle of New York is certainly a change from the greenery of Carolina. Deprived of shops and clubs, we went overboard for a few days... although now it is back to reality and the papers that await! Shattered with less than an hour sleep for Olivia, (you should have seen her trying to get her shoes on at 6am) we crossed 3 states in one day, taking buses, cabs, trains, planes, and motorbikes (I wish), to get home. 100 percent worth the effort. 
Next post on State Fair and 21st! 
Lots of love to all at home, missing you all!! (Especially Murphy) xxx