Uptown Loving

I've mentioned previously how much of a fan I am of NYC and how periodically I act as a tourist in my own city. The thing about NYC (or the 5 boroughs) is that there is so much to explore. Just when you thought you've seen it all something new is built or some new trend has started. It's an ever evolving place with new things to always see.

Over the summer, I had one of those days. Didn't want to sit home, didn't want to stay in my neighborhood, so I got out with a few family members and took a ride Uptown. I love Uptown! It's full of culture, great food, art, and when compared to Midtown a lot more quiet and calm. Not all areas of Uptown are great (FYI) but if you know where you're going you'll be fine.

We headed to the Cloisters. The Cloisters is perfect if you're a fan of art, history, or are looking for a nice quiet spot to have lunch, take a walk or just relax with a bit of scenery. The Cloisters is actually a museum which contains artwork from the Medieval times. You can pay to see the museum and interior or you can just save your money and walk the surrounding area. The building's architecture looks like a fort and it overlooks the Hudson River. It's surrounded by gardens and is within the area of Fort Tryon Park which gives you plenty of areas to walk, sit, and/or relax. This time, I didn't go to see the art work but I have been there before. The interior of the museum is like a blast from the past, like walking right into history, it is amazing and definitely worth visiting if that interests you.

Entrance to the Cloisters

All Pictures Posted Taken By Miss_NYCity

When you get to the location you can continue walking and you'd be in the Fort Tryon Park area where there are benches for you to take in the scenery, grass areas for you to sit and have picnics, and there are views of the Hudson River and the George Washington Bridge. It's hard to imagine that in Manhattan you can get lost in areas that feel like you are NOT in the city but they exist you just have to find them.

Fort Tryon Park, Uptown Manhattan

All Pictures Posted Taken By Miss_NYCity

Subway Station  /  George Washington Bridge

All Pictures Posted Taken By Miss_NYCity

Enjoy,
Miss_NYCity <3 br="">

A NYC Christmas

I love everything about the Holiday Season in New York. You can feel the spirit in the way the people walk with shopping bags weighing down their arms. The way the stores are decorated with lights, trees, candy canes and more. The cold air makes you want to grab something warm to drink while the smell of warm roasted peanuts reaches your nose. The warm air that escapes the sewers down below is a visible sign that it is cold outside. Nothing will make you more in the mood for the Holidays than walking the streets of Manhattan during this holiday season.

I know many New Yorkers who don't go out and experience the city at any time of the year. People who've never seen the Empire State Building or gone to the South Street Seaport. Sometimes they even say it's not a New York thing to do. Well I disagree, since I was younger, my parents have always taken me out sightseeing. It's tradition and how else can you talk about being a New Yorker if you know nothing about it.

If you take a walk down Madison Avenue you will see all the shops decorated for the Holidays. By the first week of December, Rockefeller Center has had it's tree lighting ceremony so you are able to see the large Christmas tree beautifully decorated with lights. Across the Street, you can take a look at the Saks Fifth Ave window display which is usually a different theme every year. Something the whole family would enjoy. Across the street from Rockefeller Center is St. Patrick's Cathedral which is also always beautiful to visit. Down 5th Avenue, you can see the large Swarovski snowflake hung in the middle of the street. A few blocks away Radio City Music Hall is where many people go and see the Christmas Spectacular a Holiday show. I went once as a child but haven't been back since.

Whether you are a New Yorker or not, Christmas here is something you have to experience at some point in your life time. Dress warm and just walk. It will put you in the perfect mood to begin celebrating the Holidays.

With Love & Holiday Cheer,
Miss_NYCity

An Out-of-New York Experience

Hi everyone!

I spent my Columbus Day Weekend getting into the Halloween and Fall Spirit.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I've pretty much experienced most of what New York has to offer as far as Halloween/Fall festivities. I've done the corn mazes and haunted houses. I've done the parades and Halloween parties. So this year I decided to switch it up a bit and get out of NYC. I wanted a different kind of Halloween experience so I drove to Salem, MA.

It's a 4 hour drive from NYC to Salem, Ma. We headed out around 8:30am. I made a stop in Connecticut to pick up my cousin and then from there headed straight to Salem. Just like any other road trip we hit a few bumps in the road. Minor traffic, stop for gas, restroom, and snacks so we actually didn't arrive till 3pm. The ride was long but we got there with just enough time to walk around, grab something to eat and visit a few museums. The weather gave us the perfect ambiance, it was cool, cloudy, and began to drizzle.

For those of you who don't know, Salem is known historically for the Salem Witch Trials which began in 1692. At this time, many women were wrongfully accused of being witches and were hung or stoned to death. Regardless of how you look at it, whether you believe these women really participated in witchcraft or not, you can easily understand what makes this town so creepy. If the women did in fact participate in witchcraft, the town can be perceived as having a supernatural ambiance (either good or bad). For those who were wrongfully accused (or believed to be) they were tortured and innocently murdered over strict, religious beliefs. As I said, either way it gives the town a very creepy feel. 

The Witch Dungeon --- All pictures posted were taken by @Miss_NYCity   

When we arrived, the first place we went was The Witch Dungeon. They began with a 10-minute play that re-enacted the Salem Witch Trials. They then took us down into the basement where there was a recreation of what the prison cells looked like for the women accused of witchcraft. All I can say was it was wrong on so many levels. The cells were only big enough to fit one person standing. There was no way you could lay or even sit down. They explained that when it rained, the water would flood the area. They would crowd the women in there and there were no bathrooms or no lights. So you can imagine how terrible the conditions were...it was really crazy.

The Witch House --- All pictures posted were taken by @Miss_NYCity   

After we went to The Witch House. This was the actual house that belonged to Jonathan Corwin who was one of the judges responsible for investigating the witchcraft claims. This house, with direct ties to the witch trials, was preserved and you can tell immediately when you enter it. The house is small. The uneven floors creak when you walk on them. It smells old and feels moist. As you walk the house you can imagine how these people lived, cooked, slept, etc. It literally was a walk back in time. The house overall creeped me out. It had some witchcraft artifacts including a voodoo doll that was kept behind glass. There was a list with the names of the victims of the witch trials hung on a wall. I could imagine how cold the house would've been in winter and how creepy it would be at night.

Salem, MA --- All pictures posted were taken by @Miss_NYCity   

The next stop was the oddities store. OMG! All I will say is I won't be going into an oddities store again. It had the weirdest things from bones to the skin of an anaconda. This store gave me the goosebumps so I definitely didn't stay long. Once we left we walked further into town. Everyone walked around in witch hats, witch outfits or other costumes (real or not). We saw a man with horns and the creepiest eyes. All I can say is, they take Halloween really serious in Salem! The irony came when a very religious man began ranting about how everyone should "repent" for participating in these activities. It reminded me of the movie Elvira. We went into a witch shop which was fully equipped with all things witchcraft. From candles, to sage, to stones, Egyptian relics, and other things I had no idea the purpose of....maybe it was best that I didn't know. We entered a mall and were followed by a copper colored witch, dressed from head to toe. She didn't talk, she just stared and walked behind us. CREEPY! People took part in tarot card readings and other similar activities. I couldn't get myself to do all of that. Being in the town was enough. There was more that could be experienced in this town. Hocus Pocus Night tours, seances, cemetery visits, and even a magic show in the famously haunted Hawthorne Hotel. But I had to pass, because I personally have a limit when it comes to the "experience" and the town itself was enough.

I will say that it was definitely an interesting experience. Everyone in that town claims to have no idea where the actual hangings and stoning of the witches occurred. I personally think they know but refuse to share. I wouldn't want to know anyway. I think if you like Halloween and want to get into the spirit this is definitely an experience.  The town has a lot of history, just remember and be prepared for how real it is. 

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Stuarts Farm, Upstate NY--- All pictures posted were taken by @Miss_NYCity   

My next fall experience was my traditional upstate apple picking. This year we headed to Stuarts Farm which was in a town upstate called Granite Hills. It took about an hour to get there. It was a beautiful, relaxing ride. The fall foliage was visible as you drove. There were red, orange, yellow, and green trees. It was beautiful. This farm was huge. It was uphill so the view of the rest of the town could be seen. They had a bakery which baked fresh pies and the best donuts EVER!! They were freshly made and came out warm from the oven. So delicious!!!! The apples were great also. If you happen to be in the area or want a good place to go apple picking definitely go there! And don't forget to try their donuts you won't regret it!

Happy Fall and Happy Hauntings!!

Love,

Miss_NYCity

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October in NYC

It's finally Autumn in the Big Apple!

I absolutely love Fall. The weather is cool, the leaves are falling everywhere. The colors are gorgeous. Many people love the pumpkin flavored everything. I prefer my "cawfee" or hot chocolate. So what's happening in NYC. I'll share with you some of the things I like to do.

1. Apple Picking- Tis' the season for apple picking!!! Who wouldn't want to take a ride and grab some fresh apples right off the tree? I can guarantee that if you haven't done this you are missing out. The apples from the tree taste so much better that the ones you get at the supermarket. I usually take an hour ride to Upstate, NY. The ride is not too long and very relaxing. The scenery heading Upstate is gorgeous and the fresh air is a perfect break from the city air. You'll come home with a 10lb bag of apples to eat, share, and cook apple everything. Most apple farms have pumpkins too!

2. Central Park- If you are a fan of Fall and the leafy scenery head over to Central Park. It's simply gorgeous. You can ride your bike (don't worry if you don't have one you can rent one check out citibikenyc.com for locations all over NYC), have a horse carriage ride, rent one of the canoes, have a picnic, or just walk. The scenery is gorgeous, the weather is perfect, and I promise you won't regret it! Don't forget to take pictures!!

3. New York Botanical Gardens- When you live in the city, your daily views consist of people, buildings, and streets. If you're lucky you can look out your apartment window and see the skyline, if-you-are-lucky! So it's always nice to take a break from the usual scenery and get a bit of nature. Thankfully, every borough in New York City has a "Botanical Garden." The NY Botanical Gardens is a huge area dedicated to flower and plant life exhibitions. Every season they showcase the plants and flowers of that season. It's so relaxing to walk around, smell the fresh air, and look at the beautiful plants and flowers. I like to go every season but fall is my favorite! Visit nybg.org for more information.

4. Columbus Day Parade- The Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria!! As a native New Yorker, I vividly remember this being one of the most important holidays taught in school.  If you don't mind a crowd, want to celebrate the Italian culture and the discovery of America,  find a spot on 5th Avenue (between 44th St to 79th St). This year it starts at 11:45, pack a lunch and get there 3-4 hours earlier for a perfect spot to watch the parade.

5. Halloween- I left Halloween for last because not everyone celebrates or enjoys this holiday. If you are a fan of Halloween like I am, there a so many things to do in NY. If you want to go on a haunted hay ride or walk through a haunted corn maze you can head either Upstate or Long Island. As for haunted houses, there are so many everywhere. One of the most popular being Blood Manor on 163 Varick Street. You can visit  bloodmanor.com  for more information. And ofcourse, who can forget the very famous Halloween Parade in Greenwich Village. Once again if you don't mind a large crowd and enjoy dressing up in costumes you will enjoy this. You will see a variety of costumes store bought or home-made. You will see literally every thing imaginable as a costume. People are usually friendly and don't mind if you take pictures with them or of them in their costumes. So tweet, IG, and fb those pics away! Tweet me your costumes @Miss_NYCity.

So what are my plans for this fall?
Well... I will be going to Salem, MA. I've done many of the NYC events so I want to get out of the city and see something different. I will also be going apple picking  because it's tradition and one of my favorite fall activities. I will be at a concert on October 28th. Last, I will spend the first weekend in November at the Botanical Gardens to enjoy the fall scene and take pictures of the beauty of nature. Don't worry I will share via pictures and posts. You won't be left out!!!

So what are some of the things you like to do in Fall in your town? I would love to know. Share, comment, and leave your questions below.

Love,
Miss_NYCity