New York in Review

I went to New York with one mission which was to learn as much as I could. I set out for the city a little shaky and with a few reservations but knowing that it was time to start something new. What I didn’t expect was what would happen along the way. The past four months have been nothing short of an adventure and learning experience for me. When I first got there I knew I wanted to soak up and experience as much of the culture as I could so I started making lists. I created documents of all the things I wanted to complete in four months so that none of my time in the city would go wasted. My original mission evolved into the following priorities:

Step 1: Complete my Certificate in Digital Media Marketing at New York University. What was supposed to take me 8 months in the city I managed to fast track and complete in 4 months! I found that the more work I had, the faster I would work through it just so I could get out and experience more in the city.

Step 2: Create the ultimate New York bucket list of all the things I wanted to do in the city and complete it! I would create schedules down the days and weekends of what would be completed and where I would eat. To prove how crazy I was about completing this list, I’ll break it down below.

Step 3: Find myself a New York family. A group of people who would help facilitate number 2 and ensure that the fun never stopped.

Four months later I can look back at these goals and say CHECK CHECK and CHECK. As you know, I’m a firm believer that our different experiences are what help us grow and New York was the perfect place for me to spread my wings. Too cliche? Yeah, I thought so too but I can’t begin to describe how much I’ve grown in the past few months. To me, that is the biggest success of all. Everywhere you travel and live will only continue to help you grow and become a more wordly person. This is why I love travelling to new places.

As for the ultimate bucket list I wanted it to be a perfect mix of exploring different places in the city, creating adventures and eating the best that the city had to offer. I wanted to get to the heart of New York and live like a local. I read that there are enough restaurants in New York City for a person to eat out every night for 54 years and never visit the same restaurant. I decided that I would never eat at the same place twice (which I eventually broke in my last month) and that I would try and eat my way through as much of the city as I could. And boy did I try. A few items on the list were closed down or affected by Sandy so I had to take them off the list but the hurricane was an interesting adventure all on it’s own. To experience one of the most robust cities in a time where everything had stopped was a little erie and having to live without heat, water, internet and cell phone service was a bit surreal in a time we have such reliance on these things.

Amira’s New York Bucket List:

• Walk through Central Park
• Watch a live show
• Visit as many jazz bars in the West Village
• Go to a comedy club and see a show
• Walk the High Line start to finish
• See the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade live
• Have an unlimited Mimosa brunch
• Visit seaport
• Walk along Chelsea piers and pier 40
• Go Black Friday shopping for my first time
• Go to a Brooklyn Nets game at Barclay Center
• Indulge in one of the many happy hours
• Go on a road trip (see my latest post for a summary of my road trip)
• Visit the Rockefeller Christmas Tree
• Shop at the Holiday Markets (Union Square and Bryant Park)
• Go to a rooftop bar and overlook the city
• Go thrift store and antique shopping

The Foodie portion of the bucket list

• PIZZA (as much of it as I could eat – Grimaldi’s, Artichoke, 99c slices)
• Chicken and rice on 53rd
• Any street food I could get my hands on
• Dos Toros for the best mexican
• Momofuku Noodle Bar
• Waffles and Dinges
• Ferrara’s for the oldest espresso in the city
• Lunch on Stone Street
• Eat in Korea Town
• Corner Bistro for the best burger in the West Village
• Bathtub Gin – hidden prohibition bar
• Smac for the best mac and cheese ever
• Ayza – wine and chocolate bar
• Murray’s Cheese Shop
• Japadog
• Fresh Baguette sandwich at Chelsea Market
• Lobster at Chelsea Market
• Dessert at Serendipity
• Dylan’s Candy Bar
• Marc Forgione
• Max Brenner
• Georgetown Cupcakes
• Dumplings in Chinatown
• Cannoli’s in Little Italy
• Kati Rolls and Mamouns
• A Salt and Battery for fish and chips
• Taim – best falafel in the city
• Crumbs and Baked by Melissa
• Mongolia Bakery
• Juniors Cheesecake
• Cacio E Pepe
• A New York Steak
• Brunch, brunch and more brunch

Things that were on the list but were no longer available due to Sandy: Beer Gardens, Atlantic City, Halloween Parade in the village and Hoboken.

The past four months can be best summed up into one line:

Here are some of my favourites from the bucket list.