Day 19 - First Afternoon in NYC

As I walked along the tree lined brownstone streets lined with rubbish bag, after rubbish bag with the honking horns in the background, people rushing by and the city noise it was so awesome and fantastic.

Broadway

As I walked further towards mid-town the hustle and bustle was more evident along with the tall tall buildings. 

the Tall Tall Buildings

Wow just looking back up them I was craning my neck to almost right angles to see to the top. It was so amazing… I think my status for that day was Squeal I am in New York City… 

Rockefeller!!!

I loved every second of it. Found my way past times square but decided not to stop but get to Brooklyn but then I stumbled onto Magnolia Bakery so I just had to make a quick stop for lunch… Damm Shame about that ....

Magnolia Bakery

So 2 cupcakes later and subway ticket I was on my way to Brooklyn to drop off the camera. The subway was noisy and humid as hell… 

My first subway stop

So took 45mins to get out there and found my way eventually to the office which looked dodgy as like they were about to pack up and leave. But they aren't used to walk ins so they just had to suck it up and deal with it.

Looking down 5th Avenue

But dropped it off and headed back to the city – I tell you though the area was dodgy as with guys sitting out the front of the shops and smoking, looking people up and down. Mind you riding the subway into that sort of area I didn't feel unsafe or worried. It was a whole new part of my adventure and I was having the most amazing time. 

Rockefeller Centre is a Massive Complex 

Headed back along 5^th avenue with a couple of things to do … eyebrows done, new moisturiser, memory cards and new luggage, so while I was wandering I stumbled onto 5^th Avenue heaven in a fabulous store called Sephora. It was the biggest one I had seen so far with 2 levels and they had a brow bar.

Looking down 5th Avenue towards Empire State Building 

So tried to find a moisturiser I liked… it is funny how staff don’t listen to you … I kept saying no to lotions and she would show me a moisturising lotion! Same Thing! So I went to another section and finally got some decent help when I explained that I sweat using lotion on my face and can only use creams or oils. She found me something that seems to work but I am still not sure if I love it.  I miss the Doir one that I was using but too bad they changed the formula! Why do they do that?

Just prove I was there!!!!  5th Avenue 

While I was there I asked if they knew if there was a brow bar appointment free and I got lucky! Nicely styled and groomed brows 30mins later…  I was a happy girl… 

See I really was there 

Also got introduced to the Sephora bonus card … every $100 you get a free gift… between the brows, moisturiser and make up I had my first free gift…  Make up heaven…  

M&M Shop in Times Square

Wandered down to times square.. to achieve the luggage and camera cards and OMG. The hustle and bustle was so well overwhelming almost like being in a whirlpool, but so exciting as I was on such a high. I can't believe how humid it was I really didn't need the jacket that I had with me so that was more weight in my pack that I was carrying giving me a sore neck and feet. I tried a couple of camera shops but they were soooo expensive.

Broadway

In some shops they were more expensive than Australia. Found one shop and the guys were so pushy but tried to sell me a lens and this is where it all went pear shape. While he was trying to sell me the most amazing camera card in the world that is “perfect” card for my camera because of the video.  He was being very smooth with compliments about the blue eyes and the fact I had a great accent. I was almost rolling my eyes at the falseness of it.

Times Square

He told me that he had a lens for me with wide angle and macro which I already had as attachments but the quality wasn’t as great. Anyway he was telling me how fabulous this lens was and being really pushy. 

with the Lens - Wide Angle Attachment

He told me it was $99 and the camera card would be $10 so it seemed like a good price then I went to pay and it was $559 with the sales tax. OMG what a liar…  It was either the accent or it was how they did it. So I refused to sign it and the guy argued with me and I stood my ground. So he voided the Sales instead of crediting it.... 

the normal 18-55mm lens

Then I said I wanted the camera card still which he was trying to sell me for $99 and I said hell no! that is triple the price I would pay in Australia. He said no you stupid aussie idiot that is $9.95 and would only sell to me if I came back at 8am tomorrow. Couldn't believe he was abusing me!!!! I have since done my research and it is common place in that shop! and I was missing $559 from the bank account which got returned about 10 days later. 

with the Macro Lens showing off my new watch

I said no because I was leaving at that time I wanted to do buy it now and was prepared to pay for $9.95 for it. He was a wank! So my advice to everyone don’t shop here! At 47^th Street Cameras they are rude and shonky as!!!!! 

47th Digital Cameras and Computers - Shonky AS!!!!

Also don't ever shop for cameras or similar at Times Square...  B&H Photo down on 7th Ave is the best or J&R, Best Buy are your best stops in NYC for Camera equipment 

Sunshine and the busy streets

So walked out of the shop feeling well deflated! That rudeness just killed my buzz about being in NYC for the first time. That rude Russian man made me question whether I could survive in the big city if I can’t even buy a camera card. I was so devastated and I don’t like being treated like a piece of crap by a retail assistant.

Times Square 

So I ended up just wandering around times square just feeling deflated. Got some photos and then decided to tackle the luggage and found the perfect pink duffel for $50 and 8GB camera for $50. I am still shaking my head at that one. So annoyed at price but I was over it and needed to get back to the hotel and unwind also to meet the tour director.

Around Rockefeller Centre 

Headed back to the hotel feeling deflated and tired and craving veggies but by the time I got back just before 6pm the tour director wasn’t there. As it turned out Remy told me the wrong hours it was 2-5pm.  So I checked in finally and got my bags, the rooms were a decent size with 2 beds and the best news of all I wasn’t rooming with anyone else. So I was happy with that. The concierge helped me with the bags but I didn’t have the opportunity to tip him, I did ask him for a suggestion for some Thai food and then he suggested a little place just near 9^th Ave and 49^th Street.

Just prove I was there - and my new brows
but feeling deflated after the mean man at the camera shop

I made my way down the street to find it and it was perfect. While the food didn’t have the same taste that we do … the freshness wasn’t there but it had veggies which I was really craving. The service was good and cheap. What would normally cost me $25 here in Qld cost me $10 so I was pretty happy. They don’t charge anything for rice which is better than here. But it was nice and finally good to have some veggies in me. But still wasn't enough veggies because it was only 2 or 3 veggies

Looking down 5th :) 

Headed back and finally had some change so went back down to pay the concierge for the bag earlier. So I filled out my paperwork for the tour, I learnt my lesson this time to do it before I get on the bus. Tried to sort out cords so I could power up computers and etc… but got bad service from the desk because they didn’t have a extension cord. It was so rude … given how much we pay a night to stay there I was surprised at the bad manners. I think because everyone deals with so many people every day that they get so rude because of the mental exhaustion of dealing everyone.

Times Square 

Packed up the bags and put the non-required items in to the pink duffel bag, all the souvenirs and my only dress with the high heels (which I would regret in Toronto). Washed and straightened the hair.  Uploaded some photos onto Facebook and tried to advise the insurance about the camera. Hit the sack about 11ish to the sound of taxis honking and rain falling. 

Walking back to the hotel