I mixed equal shares of eating, shopping, and travel and created the perfect holiday season. Starting with the Christmas potluck at office which had an enormous dessert table, literally creaking under the weight of calories it carried to the Shrimp Quesadia at Baja Fresh, it was one long eating fest. Followed closely by shopping frenzy – from Northwoods Mall, Peoria, to Jersey Garden Mall, it was easy to be carried away by the press of humanity and the lure of deals and blow up a lot of money. And by traveling to New York, I made up for missing Diwali this year.
Silent Night at Wuthering Heights
Powder Hills, Morris Plains, NJ, had one thing in abundance this holiday season – mood. Swirling mists, dark wooded slopes, still houses, and gloom all around. I saluted the imperative by nursing a dark mood an entire day. It had its moments too – I tried to climb up an iced slope, slipped, and slid all the way down, ignominiously and inexorably. Luckily, no witnesses.
Tree and Me
Our Christmas pilgrimage was completed at the Rockefeller Center. The tradition of the giant tree is apparently 75 years old. The atmosphere was awesome – a larger, international version of the temple festivals I’ve attended. Festive spirit everywhere.
Room With a View
Apparently, the development of Newport, New Jersey, was a $10 billion project started in the 1980s. Well, it shows – a swanky neighborhood on the banks of Hudson, with Manhattan across the river, and PATH trains to take you across, it seems the perfect and relatively affordable place to stay while visiting New York. My one bedroom, fully furnished, luxury apartment with a view on the 15th floor cost me half of what two-star hotels in Manhattan were going at in the holiday season.
Look What I found!
This, Ladies and Gentlemen, is what I saw on Broadway.
Towering Over the Globe!
This globe at the Trump Tower at Columbus Cricle seemed like a fitting metaphor for the city.
Strawberry Fields
I once shocked a Rock musician by asking him who Jim Morrison was. The poor guy walked around me despairingly for three days, asking me at various points of the day, “You really don’t know who he is?” trying to catch me at my own incomprehensible game. Well, I really didn’t know who Jim Morrison was at that time. Thankfully, I was more aware this time when I visited Strawberry Fields, heh heh!
Russian Painter
I guess I went to the Village looking for somebody like Pini – a Russian painter, selling prints of his art for $5 each. He had a painting published in a magazine called “Satyam”, which had the pride of place in his display.
Unknown Musician
His appearance was as interesting as his music. He has brought out a few CDs on his own too. Hopefully he will get a break. Or he will continue to make music, which, along with a thousand others’, make up the unique voice of New York.
Here are some highlights.
Silent Night at Wuthering HeightsPowder Hills, Morris Plains, NJ, had one thing in abundance this holiday season – mood. Swirling mists, dark wooded slopes, still houses, and gloom all around. I saluted the imperative by nursing a dark mood an entire day. It had its moments too – I tried to climb up an iced slope, slipped, and slid all the way down, ignominiously and inexorably. Luckily, no witnesses.
Narcissist at Macy’s 
Ho! Ho! Ho! Santa Land at the Macy’s on Broadway was closed on Christmas Eve by the time we reached, but we had great fun looking at the window displays. That’s me trying to get my face on the TV at the far end. Hello New York! Other than the incredible size of the store, I really liked their old wooden escalators.
Ho! Ho! Ho! Santa Land at the Macy’s on Broadway was closed on Christmas Eve by the time we reached, but we had great fun looking at the window displays. That’s me trying to get my face on the TV at the far end. Hello New York! Other than the incredible size of the store, I really liked their old wooden escalators.
Tree and MeOur Christmas pilgrimage was completed at the Rockefeller Center. The tradition of the giant tree is apparently 75 years old. The atmosphere was awesome – a larger, international version of the temple festivals I’ve attended. Festive spirit everywhere.
Infectious Energy
Watched the skaters on the world famous skating rink at the Rockefeller Center abetted by a group of teenage girls and a Latin-American family. All of us had a great time, cheering the skaters and clapping for the first guy to fall down.
New York by Night
We have seen it a million stock photos, video clips, and movies – still, to discover that it is exactly like the pictures and movies is a special thrill!
We have seen it a million stock photos, video clips, and movies – still, to discover that it is exactly like the pictures and movies is a special thrill!
Room With a ViewApparently, the development of Newport, New Jersey, was a $10 billion project started in the 1980s. Well, it shows – a swanky neighborhood on the banks of Hudson, with Manhattan across the river, and PATH trains to take you across, it seems the perfect and relatively affordable place to stay while visiting New York. My one bedroom, fully furnished, luxury apartment with a view on the 15th floor cost me half of what two-star hotels in Manhattan were going at in the holiday season.
The Big Apple! 
Every single person on Times Square at this time of the year was a tourist from some part of the world. And all of us had the same expression on our faces – awe! The line for tickets for Broadway shows started at one side of the New York Marriott Marquis, Times Square, went around it, three rows deep, and came out at the other end on the next street and started doubling up. That is when I abandoned all hope.
Every single person on Times Square at this time of the year was a tourist from some part of the world. And all of us had the same expression on our faces – awe! The line for tickets for Broadway shows started at one side of the New York Marriott Marquis, Times Square, went around it, three rows deep, and came out at the other end on the next street and started doubling up. That is when I abandoned all hope.
Look What I found!This, Ladies and Gentlemen, is what I saw on Broadway.
Holiday Shops at Bryant Park 
I stumbled into these European style holiday shops on my way to 5th Avenue. It was so charming and the merchandise was so enchanting that I stayed for a long time. Silk scarves from Indonesia, glass figurines from Russia, little embroidered and crocheted dolls and handmade jewelry – oh, it was heavenly!
I stumbled into these European style holiday shops on my way to 5th Avenue. It was so charming and the merchandise was so enchanting that I stayed for a long time. Silk scarves from Indonesia, glass figurines from Russia, little embroidered and crocheted dolls and handmade jewelry – oh, it was heavenly!
New York By Day
While New York by night is all dazzle, bright lights, and fantasy, by day it is so real and so quintessentially – well, New York. To me, it is nothing short of a miracle. It is the only city I have visited in which I’ve never got lost! Maybe it’s the grid structure and public transport options, but I can get around the city with perfect ease, hopping on and off trains and buses with impunity. And contrary to popular opinion, I always meet friendly people ready for a chat. From the Cameroonian tricycle operator and informal guide to Central Park who gave me a Hollywood special tour to the owner of the shop in the Village selling artistic posters and post cards, who patted by shoulder and wished me Happy New Year, it’s a city full of nice people for me.
While New York by night is all dazzle, bright lights, and fantasy, by day it is so real and so quintessentially – well, New York. To me, it is nothing short of a miracle. It is the only city I have visited in which I’ve never got lost! Maybe it’s the grid structure and public transport options, but I can get around the city with perfect ease, hopping on and off trains and buses with impunity. And contrary to popular opinion, I always meet friendly people ready for a chat. From the Cameroonian tricycle operator and informal guide to Central Park who gave me a Hollywood special tour to the owner of the shop in the Village selling artistic posters and post cards, who patted by shoulder and wished me Happy New Year, it’s a city full of nice people for me.
Towering Over the Globe!This globe at the Trump Tower at Columbus Cricle seemed like a fitting metaphor for the city.
Killroy was There! 
Well, after seeing every star worth his/her salt walking these environs enacting varying pathos, how could I resist this shot?
Well, after seeing every star worth his/her salt walking these environs enacting varying pathos, how could I resist this shot?
Strawberry FieldsI once shocked a Rock musician by asking him who Jim Morrison was. The poor guy walked around me despairingly for three days, asking me at various points of the day, “You really don’t know who he is?” trying to catch me at my own incomprehensible game. Well, I really didn’t know who Jim Morrison was at that time. Thankfully, I was more aware this time when I visited Strawberry Fields, heh heh!
Garma Garam Aaloo Paratha! 
It was a cold day in New York, although it didn’t snow. I was hungry, had been walking around for hours, and had been sustained only by dates (the fruit, duh!) all morning. Then I ran into Indian Bread Company in Greenwich Village, quite by chance. I remembered their parathas and dal from my last visit. And they had a nice toasty table next to the heater vent. What more could a person want?
It was a cold day in New York, although it didn’t snow. I was hungry, had been walking around for hours, and had been sustained only by dates (the fruit, duh!) all morning. Then I ran into Indian Bread Company in Greenwich Village, quite by chance. I remembered their parathas and dal from my last visit. And they had a nice toasty table next to the heater vent. What more could a person want?
Various Artists
They are everywhere – performing on the streets, subway platforms and railway stations. Meeting them is a special tour by itself.
They are everywhere – performing on the streets, subway platforms and railway stations. Meeting them is a special tour by itself.
Russian PainterI guess I went to the Village looking for somebody like Pini – a Russian painter, selling prints of his art for $5 each. He had a painting published in a magazine called “Satyam”, which had the pride of place in his display.
Tibetan Photographer 
Sonam apparently came to NY 10 years ago and worked for a photographer for a while. Then he struck out on his own. Now he sells his photographs outside Central Park, for, you guessed it right, $5 each.
Sonam apparently came to NY 10 years ago and worked for a photographer for a while. Then he struck out on his own. Now he sells his photographs outside Central Park, for, you guessed it right, $5 each.
Unknown MusicianHis appearance was as interesting as his music. He has brought out a few CDs on his own too. Hopefully he will get a break. Or he will continue to make music, which, along with a thousand others’, make up the unique voice of New York.
Comments
Had to show off, you understand. And I'm not even a Beatle's fan.