Last year, Nataliya and I went to New York just to see a show with Tom Hiddleston – her favorite actor.

I had visited the city once briefly in 2016 and Nataliya has been multiple times. It was a great weekend getaway, and I look forward to returning. We learned a lot about how to travel together, and it helped prepare for our extended trip to Las Vegas.

Part I – October 2019

Nataliya bought tickets to the show and the flight for us as a delayed birthday gift to herself in October. She was worried I might think she was being too impulsive, but it was a great surprise! We flew into LaGuardia on Frontier Friday night and came back Monday morning, which I think is a perfect amount of time in the city.

Our flight was delayed an hour leaving CVG which meant we didn’t land until 11 p.m. LaGuardia resembled a war zone with construction underway as far as I could see. We hired a rideshare van to take us to our hotel which was a great idea. I could never have found my way out of the chaotic labyrinth of construction barriers. It took a little wandering to find the rendezvous point, but we counted ourselves lucky – other people waited hours for their ride. It was about 1 a.m. before we finally stumbled into our room at Pod 51 in midtown.

The room was so small I could spread my arms and touch both sides at once. But I didn’t care – we were usually so tired we just collapsed in bed each night, and tonight was no exception.

On Saturday morning, we had breakfast around the corner at Le Pain Quotidien – a boulangerie. The ginger tea and French crème donut were tasty.

Pod 51 was only about a 5-minute walk from the 51^st street subway station, which made it easy to get around. The only difficulty came when we tried to figure out which train was the right one. Nataliya was much more eager to leap on the first train that came by while I preferred to try and decipher the system. While we were initially trying to figure out the subway system, Nataliya leapt onto the first train that came while I urged her to wait until we were sure we had the right one. It was a little frustrating at first, but we both learned a lot about each other and eventually struck a good balance between our two different attitudes.

Nataliya’s first instinct was wrong, but, after one brief detour, we reached our first destination – The Vessel (TKA). Nataliya had previously walked all the way to the top, but we just stopped for a picture this time. A reservation (free) is required to enter The Vessel, but we had not booked one. Plus, I probably would only have been able to climb up two or three stories without taking some anxiety medication due to my fear of heights. Usually, I’m not a fan of modern architecture, but it is a pretty neat piece that certainly adds some novelty to the city’s landscape.

The weather was a little overcast and the temperature was about 50 degrees which made it a pretty good day to visit the High Line. The High Line is an old elevated train line that has been converted in a walking path. It stretches about 1.5 miles along the west side of Manhattan. Lots of other people had the same idea due to the nice weather, so the path was crowded. The path was very verdant! I had expected only a few planters or maybe some small garden plots at best, but the High Line was quite lush. There were several colorful art installations as well, and we saw some more interesting architecture as well. There were several kiosks selling interesting artwork and other crafts, as well as a couple food stalls. I would love to see something like this in Cincinnati! The High Line is an excellent way to renew the city’s landscape, and I look forward to seeing how the Coulée verte René-Dumont (formerly the Promenade Plantée) in Paris compares when I visit later this year (hopefully!).

After our tour, we rushed overto the Bernard Jacobs Theater to catch the matinee performance of “Betrayal,” by famed British playwright Harold Pinter. The line stretched down the block and the crowd bunched up inside the theater too. Built in 1927 in a “modern Spanish” style, the theater’s interior is lavishly decorated with murals depicting the “Lovers of Spain.”

The play is set in the 1960s and 70s and features a main cast of just three actors, including Nataliya’s favorite Tom Hiddleston. Pinter based it on his experience while conducting an affair with a television presenter. Friends joked that Nataliya was trying to send me a message…

In addition to a small cast, this production featured a minimalist stage design with almost no props or furniture. Each scene featured two characters at a time, while the third stood silently and motionless in the background. The story also occurred in reverse chronological order. It was a very innovative approach.

Afterwards, Nataliya hoped to get an autograph from Hiddleston, but we were disappointed to learn the cast did not meet with fans after matinee performances. We had dinner at Max Brenner’s near Union Square Park. We shared an unremarkable chicken quesadilla, but the main attraction at Brenner’s is actually dessert! Brenner’s features dozens of chocolate desserts including hot chocolate, milkshakes, fondue, waffles, crepes, ice cream and pizzas. I love sweets and the variety was overwhelming! We finally settled on the Waffle Celebration with a trio of waffles including strawberries and cream, banana split and hazelnut. Unbeknownst to us, the Waffle Celebration is served with sparklers! The delight on both our faces is evident. The waffles were quite heavy and decadent, and the strawberry was my favorite because it was lighter than the others.

We stopped at the Forbidden Planet, a comic book store, and the iconic Strand Book Storewhich were both conveniently right down the street from Max Brenner’s. I found a couple back issues of a series I used to read at the Forbidden Planet, which was a delightful surprise. At the Strand, I picked up a “A Very Short Introduction to Cinema History” for myself and “How to Relax” by Thich Nhat Hanh as a very early Christmas gift for Nataliya. I kept it hidden in my coat pocket all weekend and managed to sneak it home unnoticed.

Before turning in, we had one last unexpected adventure. While walking back to Pod 51, we stumbled upon Greenacre Park, which unbeknownst to us, was located directly across the street from our hotel. As we approached, Nataliya and I heard running water that sounded like a waterfall. Curious, we followed the sound and were pleasantly surprised to find a quiet, verdant pocket amongst the towers of Midtown Manhattan. The park covers about 6,300 square feet and features a soothing 25-foot waterfall lit with lamps at night. The small refuge gave us a moment to escape from the city and be alone together (or nearly so). There are dozens of similar parks scattered throughout the city, so keep your eyes peeled! Afterwards, we crossed the street and finally crept into bed.

On Sunday morning, we went back to Le Pain Quotidien for breakfast. This time, we had fragrant apple cider with cinnamon and shakshuka with quinoa (which was an interesting variation). I also tried a bowl of Greek yogurt with speculoos, harissa, cranberries and apples. It was tasty but had too many competing flavors. I liked the speculoos which is a Belgian Christmas cookie with ginger and nutmeg.

Then, we strolled up 5^th Avenue towards Central Park. The wind was whipping down the road which made it very chilly. But when we arrived at the park, things warmed up and we had a very pleasant stroll. We sat down and snacked on a leftover pain au chocolate from breakfast. I enjoyed the small moments of respite we found, while it seemed like Nataliya enjoyed being on the move.

Then, we hoped back on the subway for a minute and then walked up to the USS Intrepid aircraft carrier which is housed on the Hudson River. While crossing through Hell’s Kitchen, we had our first, and luckily only, encounter with human excrement lying in the street. An unfortunate, but quintessential, New York experience. New York is fun to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there. It’s too crowded and way too expensive!

We only had to wait in line for 20 or 30 minutes before we could enter the Intrepid, an Essex-class aircraft carrier constructed during World War II. The tickets were a little steep ($33 each) and we also added a guided tour for an extra $15 each. But I’d been itching to go since I first saw the Intrepid while visiting the city in 2016. I also look forward to comparing it to theUSS Yorktown when we visit Charleston in 2021.

Our tour provided a general overview of the history of the Intrepid and lasted about an hour. I would have preferred the other tour that focused on the ship’s role in the Pacific Theater of World War II, but it was almost 2 hours long. Nataliya wanted something shorter, and she thought the guide was very engaging and knowledgeable. My main complaint was that the tour tried to squeeze in too much information in a very short amount of time.

However, going on the guided tour meant we got to ride up to the flight deck on the exterior elevator which was pretty cool! We also went behind the cordon and stood next to planes that were on display, which was an unexpected bonus. We couldn’t figure out how to get up to the flight control tower which was a little disappointing. Instead, the elevator took us down again. We stopped at the small deli onboard and shared a tasty roast beef sandwich that was only somewhat overpriced ($15).

Several other attractions are included with the price of admission,including the USS Growler, a Cold War submarine, and a space exhibit. Other activities are available for an additional fee including 3-D films ($7), flight simulators ($10) and a Concorde jet exhibit ($7). Members get free admission to the Intrepid, discounts at the museum store and reduced prices on additional exhibits. We did not visit the Growler, but I’d like to the next time I visit the city. If we hadn’t been in a hurry, we might have stuck around longer.

But we jumped on the subway again and headed down to Chinatown. The main goal was to see a movie at the Metrograph – a combination retro movie theater and restaurant. I like classic movies and the Metrograph specializes in old 35mm pictures. I also found the retro décor appealing as well. The cinema also includes an eclectic candy selection and a small collection of books for sale. The book corner is misleadingly described as a “store” but really is not much more than a few shelves.

However, the film we wanted to see was sold out, and the other choices were unappealing. Instead, we wandered around Chinatown for a while which was very enlightening. I thought that Chinatown had begun to gentrify, but it still felt like entering a foreign country. Nataliya and I suddenly became the minority and all the street signs were in Chinese. There was even a statue of Confucius in a small park. We decided to stop for dinner but ran out of luck. Every restaurant we stopped at was cash only and we didn’t have enough money on hand to pay. Rather than wander around looking for an ATM, we went back to Pod 51. It was quite a surreal experience!

We eventually ate at Le Bateau Ivre (translation: the drunk boat) a French restaurant right next to our hotel. Nataliya is more budget-minded, but she let me indulge in a pricey dinner here with coq au vin for her (chicken stew – $29) and cotes d’agneau for me (lamb chops – $42). It was a slight letdown because my lamb chops were quite small and Nataliya was disappointed in her chicken.

The next morning, we got up early so the shuttle van could take us back to LaGuardia. Our flight back to CVG was smooth. Overall, it was a very successful and fun trip! Nataliya and I both learned a lot about each other. For instance, she prefers to jump in and take action instead of deliberating too much (which is my preference). I prefer to stop and savor the moment, while Nataliya likes to keep moving. Regardless, we learned to rely on each other and work together. The trip was also a good introduction to traveling together and helped prepare us for our weeklong trip to Las Vegas in December.

Part II – July 2016

I had previously spent about 36 hours in New York in 2016 which was also very fun but too brief. The American Museum of Natural History had an amazing collection of dinosaur bones. However, “Sleep No More” was the real highlight. This immersive play allows spectators to wander through the massive five-story converted warehouse that spans more than 100 rooms and 100,000 square feet. Tickets aren’t cheap ($140), but it’s worth it. About 25 actors move throughout the space, called the McKittrick Hotel, and perform a loose adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth in a 1930s era setting. The story resets every hour for three hours and allows spectators to see different parts of the massive performance each time. The totally immersive setting enables spectators to rummage through drawers in search of clues since performers do not acknowledge or interact with spectators, except in special moments called “1:1.”

I was lucky enough to have one such experience. One of the performers, a man in suit, was standing in front of a mirror talking to himself. I stood behind him and watched. We made eye contact and the performer grabbed my hand as he dashed out of the room. We ran together down the halls towards the dramatic, horrific conclusion of the performance.

I’d love to go back again, and the Tenement Museum, which documents immigrant life in the city, is at the top of my list. Hopefully, we can also make it to the Metrograph on time.