NYC Tips & Tricks from a Kansas Girl

To catch up, check out my NYC recap here:

 Part 1

 Part 2

Quickly after landing in New York, I realized this girl was no longer in Kansas. I also found out extremely fast that the Mid-West is way way way different then the East coast in almost ALL aspects! 

Here is a list of Tips & Tricks I compiled to help anyone navigate NYC.

1. bring cash
   It costs to do everything. To cross a bridge into the city it can range from $7-$15. To get on a beach or into a lake it costs anywhere from $6-$10. Also, to be quick {since everyone is always in a rush here} cash makes things ten times easier.
   
   2. bring small billsEach ride on the metro is $2.50. When paying with cash, it will give you back change in all coins. For some reason that just bugs me. I don't want a bunch of dollar coins so just bring small bills, ones and fives and it shouldn't be a problem.
   
   Also, in NYC {mostly in Chinatown, SOHO, and Little Italy} you can barter any and everything. I don't feel as awkward paying for something I just got down to a way lower price when I don't have to get change back or when they don't see that I have larger bills and really could have paid full price.
   
   3. your choice: wear or don't wear designerI made the mistake of carrying around my Michael Kohrs purse the first day we were in the city. Everyone and their dog tried to sell me something. "Coach, Prada, Gucci, Michael Kohrs"
   If you don't want to get bombarded, don't wear designer. If you want to attract that type of attention, go for it.
   
   4. bring an umbrellaIt rained on 2 different occasions while we were in the city, and it rained A LOT! We had 1 umbrella, but it was too small for both CT and me to both use it. We had to purchase one from a sidewalk shop and I swear they sold it to us with a hole. It lasted one day and we paid $5 for it.
   
   5. bring a book or ipod on the metroYou can tell all the people who ride the metro every day. They get on, whip out their book or ipod, and keep their heads down. Nobody makes eye contact, smiles, or talks to anyone.
   {My friends dad told some random guy on the metro that his bag was unzipped, and for thanking him for letting him know, he said 'don't talk to me, or I'll gut you like a fish}
   
   6. don't ask a cop for directionsI was surprised at how many cops were everywhere. They were on bikes, on horses, just walking the streets at all the major sites and in cars. They were everywhere! Just don't ask them for directions. They always give false ones, probably because they get asked soo much. My initial thought was that they would be the perfect person to ask: honest and good people. Wrong! Don't do it.
   
   7. remember: uptown or downtownThe metro can be a really daunting task to navigate. Make sure you double check if you are going uptown or downtown. And as long as you don't go through the exit turns, you can go up the stairs to the other side and you can find the right train to get on. If you mess up, get out on the next stop and hop on another train.
   It's simple, just don't freak!
   
   
   Hopefully these Tips & Tricks will help you out if you are going on a trip to the city anytime soon.
   
   
   Do you have any Tips & Tricks that helped you?
   

Linking up with Serenity Now

NYC Recap {Part 2}

So I originally had a post planned about tips and tricks to navigating NYC from a Kansas girl, but I think that will wait till the end of the week. 

But I changed my mind.

I want to finish recapping all we did on our trip up East.

Tuesday July 2nd: 

Our two year wedding anniversary! 

We were in NJ by 200pm, we drove to our friends house, explored the city we were staying in, had some bomb pizza, and planned our next day in the city.

Wednesday July 3rd:

We were in the city by 1000am. We took that path from Newark into the City. We visited the world trade center site, and the Freedom tower which is almost completed. We walked to wall street- where we were stopped by producers and asked to come back at 100pm to be interview on CNBC about student loans. We then walked to the Staten Island Ferry and took it to view the Statue of Liberty, walked back to wall street which we missed our interview by 15 minutes. Then we took the metro to Canal Street and walked through SOHO, Chinatown, and Little Italy in the rain and then had lunch in Little Italy. We took the metro to Central Park where I had ice cream and we met Jeff Gordon. Then took the metro back to time square where we walked around and went to the Hershey store. I really wish we would have had a little more time to go to the wax museum. Next time! Then we finished off the day walking to Madison Square Gardens and taking the path back into Newark.

{don't you love how I was protecting Michael}

 

Thursday July 4th:

We picked up my friends husband from the airport and made our way to the Mets game. It was a 15 inning game. FML! 

Luckily our friends know a guy who pitches for the Mets so we got to sit in the wives section way close. 

By the time the game was finished we were so wore out that we didn't want to fight traffic and the crowds trying to find a good spot to watch the Macy's Fireworks, so we made our way back to NJ and watched from them from the couch.

{super blurry}

Friday July 5th:

We went down to the Jersey Shore which is about a 2 hour drive from where we stayed. We went to SeaSide Heights {where Jersey Shore was filmed}, walked to board walk, and hung out on the beach. The water was 

f-r-e-e-z-i-n-g  so we just hung out under the umbrella. 

Saturday July 6th:

CT and I navigated the city on our own.

 We took the path into the city and visited the world trade center memorial {which was SO cool}. It's 2 big waterfalls into the holes that were the site of the two buildings.  We then walked from there to the Brooklyn Bridge and walked over it. Then we took the metro to Yankee Stadium, watched the game, went to Grand Central Station, walked down Park Ave and took the metro back to NJ. To end the night we went to Applebee's to watch the Silva fight.

Sunday July 7th:

Woke up at 300am to leave the house by 345am to make it to the airport by 445am to catch our 600am flight.

We got home around 1130am, had lunch with some of CT's friends, and then picked up Bentley from my parents.

I laid down to take a nap at 330pm and didn't wake up till 6am the next morning.

Like I said yesterday, I was CRAZY exhausted. Such a busy trip but we literally saw everything we could see. 

 

If I could recommend 3 things to definitely do in NYC:

1. World Trade Center Memorial {duh!}

2. Central Park {so pretty and so much to do}

3. Time Square {most 'NY' feel with the people and things to do}

  

For all who have been, what were your favorite parts of the city?  

NYC Recap {Part 1}

Exhaustion. Complete and utter exhaustion!

I loved the experience and everything we saw, but honestly it wasn't your typical relaxing vacation. 

No sleeping in. 

We had to get out of the house each day by 9 so we could make it into the city by decent time and to avoid traffic.

{We were lucky and stayed with some friends in NJ, but with that luck came an hr long drive to get to NYC}

Tons of walking. 

The first day, when we knocked almost everything out {World Trade Center, Wall Street, Staten Island Ferry & Statue of Liberty, SOHO, Little Italy, China Town, Central Park, and Times Square}, we probably walked a good 13-15 miles. No joke. My body didn't start to feel it until we were on the train back to NJ. Thank goodness for cute and comfy flats. 

Not nice people like in the Mid-West.

No one talks to anyone.  No one looks at anyone.

CT held the door open for a woman and it could have made her month! I wish I could have got the look on her face on camera, it was priceless.

 And when we tried to give away our three remaining metro cards that still had $7-$10 bucks on them, no one would take them. They all thought it was the strangest thing. When we let them know they were going to be trashed because we were going back to Kansas they gladly accepted. It's like they all thought we had different motives.   

Definitely a once in a lifetime trip and we did it pretty cheaply, but I am totally satisfied and have no need to want to go back for a LONG time! 

 

Check back in tomorrow for some tips and tricks to navigating NYC from a Kansas girl. 

 

Five for Friday {co-host}

Happy Friday everyone!! 

This week I'm teaming up with the lovely ladies below to co-host 

Five for Friday! 

Since my blog is a lifestyle blog, here are 5 things going on in my life!

1. I am currently in route to the Big-D {Dallas} and I'm looking forward to checking out the Container Store, H&M, and Charming Charlie. 
My husband and my wallet may not like it, but I'm a newbie to their stores and I'm excited to check them out!


2. I am patiently awaiting the arrival of my new chevron Erin Condren Life Planner. Each time I step foot into Hobby Lobby, Michaels, or Walmart I'm spending a little too much extra time in the scrapbooking/office supplies section. 
Since ordering my planner I have purchased new pens, new washi tape, new stickers, and new stamps to help decorate it! 
I'm obsessed. 

3. CT and I just finished up round two of fertility treatments which unfortunately was ineffective this cycle. Through all of this, Jeremiah 29:11 has been pulling on my heart strings. 

 Some day I'll write a post about the process we are going through, but I don't think I'm there yet. 
I just gotta keep on truckin' and have faith that our time is coming! 


4. This week I tried a new recipe thanks to Pinterest! 
{Click here to follow my boards}
Taco Spaghetti was what I experimented with via So, How's It Taste?

CT is extremely picky with his foods but he ate this with no problems!
I followed the directions exactly except I added half a can of rotel and skipped the olives. It was delicious and we had left overs for days!


5. I'm counting down the days . . . 
4 days until our 2nd wedding anniversary!
 We will be celebrating in NYC for the week and I couldn't be more excited!
Shopping, baseball, fireworks, and food. 
What more could a girl ask for?  

Feel free to click the pictures below to check out the other hosts.
Thanks for stopping in!  

NYC Planning

After a few hours work, I have come to the conclusion that planning a trip like this is a hard task.

We have so much to fit into the 4.5 days we are in New Jersey/New York because we know we won't be back for a LONG time. 

We had a bucekt list of things we wanted to do before we got pregnant and had kiddos. 

- Go to Vegas

- Go Skiing
 - Go to NYC

 Hopefully we make it through the list before our time for babies comes, but if not I'll be so glad we did this trip!

So... back to planning. 

This is all I've got so far.

As of right now, I am planning two action packed days in the city around a Yankees & a Mets game. It's a little difficult because the Yankee's stadium is in the Bronx north of Manhattan and the Met's stadium is in Queen's which is west of Manhattan. 

On our to do/see list are:

SOHO

Chinatown

Canal Street

Ground Zero

Brooklyn Bridge

Statue of Liberty - by Staten Island Ferry

Dinner in the meat packing district

Fireworks from Hoboken 

{This will probably be our itinerary on July 4th when we are going to a Met's game mid day. Early morning in the city, baseball game at 1pm, evening in the city, followed by fireworks at 930pm.}

Times Square

Empire State Building

Central Park / Upper East Side

5th Ave

Bronx Zoo 

{This will probably be our itinerary on July 6th when we are going to a Yankee's game mid day. Early morning in the city, baseball game at 1pm, early evening in the city because we have to be at airport by 430am the next day.}
 

Thankfully we are saving money by staying with some friends in NJ, but with that being said we will have to take a train into the city each time.

 We might have to end up going in on Friday as well if we aren't able to get everything done in those two days.

My fear is over-doing it because I hear the city can get pretty exhausting. 

I guess you only live once huh? 

Is it weird that I'm getting nervous?

Riding trains and the metro, trying to navigate around a hugely populated city by foot. 

 It gives me butterflies just thinking about it.

Any recommendations on things to do, places to eat, or venues to shop?