1.
There's so many things going on! It's kinda like Tokyo but with more diversity and everything's in English ( or Spanish) .
2. Stunning architecture. All you have to do is look up. The buildings are amazing! You wonder how people managed to build such skyscrapers in the 20s and 30s! Some are older of course. I loved how each building seems to combine old European influences into the ultra modern ( at the time it's built), to create a unique yet timeless look. It's also very funny how all the buildings seem to flow seamlessly into each other, though they are all different styles, different era, different heights. It's a harmonious blend. Not quite like Beijing where you get a mish mash of buildings and the contrast between old and new stands out very clearly.
3. The city moves so fast! ( except for the traffic) I think I now understand the term "A New York Minute". I loved how things keep moving and changing. Nothing stays the same for long but somehow there's that sense of timelessness. I had this image of a city that feels as if never changes, despite the frenetic energy of change. Hmm... I'm not great with putting it in words but if you've been to New York oor ever go there, you'd maybe understand better.
4.
I loved loved loved the shops :) . You don't get huge shopping centres like in Singapore. Even
Bloomingdales felt small. I didn't go into Saks since I seldom buy luxury items. Nor did I go to Macy's ( I already shopped in one in Buffalo and was disappointed). But there were plenty of shops along every single avenue to keep you entertained as you walk. I was very willing to walk 20-30 blocks because there was a mix of sight seeing and shopping to do along the way. I think Dan and I walked over 5km each day. Back to the shops -
Sephora is a joy to browse. So many interesting skincare brands and products to pore over. Barnes and Nobles - the simple fact that there's no english bookshop in Beijing or library for me to go to makes Barnes and Noble a veritable literary wonderland! Of course, there's the usual suspects of Forever 21 ( there was a huge one on Times Square opening that I didn't manage to get into), Banana Republic, Gap etc etc. I hardly got any clothes after being disappointed at Banana Republic - the XS dresses were too big. But everything comes in nice small sizes. ooo...I got
Rock & republic Jeans - gorgeous! Dan's are from
7 for all Mankind
5. The musuems - I only went to the American Museum of Natural History to see dino bones and space centre. At the Met, the massive Egyptian displays got a bit tedious to go through . It was SO huge! We browsed through and it still took us 1.5hrs just to see that section. The armour and weaponry section was pretty cool and easier to "digest". MOMA was super crowded. I didn't quite appreciate the new art pieces such as one weird piece that featured multiple audio recordings of people saying Monday to Sunday. The modern design pieces were great! My favourite of the lot since you get to see uniquely designed home items - chairs, cupboards, keyboards, plates. Oh and of course, you get to see works by Picasso, Van Gogh, Warhol.
Starry night by Vincent Van Gogh
Campbell Soup by Andy Warhol
