Newfoundlander in New York - Chapter Two: "Daytime"

I decided to travel on a Saturday.  There was a method to my madness in planning this.  But that's for another discussion .. 

I travelled on Porter Airlines.  I recommend them without hesitation.  What a fantastic experience!  

If you haven't flown Porter, here's what you can consider:

- you have to arrive 60 minutes prior to trans-border flights, as opposed to 90 minutes at Pearson

- they have complimentary cappuccino, espresso, biscotti (should it be called "Porterini"?)

- free wifi

- complimentary on-board meal

- complimentary on-board cocktails (YES!  More than just coffee, soft drinks, and fruit juice.)

(All of this convenience outweighs the turbulence experienced in a prop plane!)

I managed to sit next to a traveller who seemed to further develop Tourette Syndrome with each occurrence of turbulence.  He was making odd noises and grabbing everything in front of him ... it was like prom night all over again!

Our flight landed almost a half hour early.  Yay!  More time in New York, right?  Wrong!  I don't know if you are aware of this, but there are a LOT of cars in New York.  A lot of cars means a lot of TRAFFIC!  It took less time to travel from Toronto to Newark (1 hour 10 minutes) than it did to travel from Newark to Manhattan (1 hour 50 minutes)!!

By the time I arrived in Manhattan, I'd lost some of the time I planned to use to outfit my room with the appropriate paraphernalia (American beer).  On the bright side, in the time I spent on the road from New Jersey to Manhattan, I'd almost managed to master the art of combining Mandarin with North American vernacular slang, courtesy of the people sitting in front of me on the Airport Express.  (Note:  Airport "EXPRESS" is a misnomer .... )

I was dropped off by Bryant Park, one of my favourite spots in New York, and set off to find my hotel.  Rather than walk around aimlessly, and inevitably end up in the Meat Packing District, I decided to ask for directions.  I stopped two ladies in their early to mid 60s and accordingly hip, by NY standards.  In light of the number of tourists milling about (did I mention that this is the Columbus Day long weekend?) I asked if they were actual New Yorkers.  Now, here's something to note:  you can apparently insult some New Yorkers by asking them if they are New Yorkers.  It seems that inquiring on such a subject indicates you feel that that they might, in fact, be from somewhere else ... that they might be tourists ... like you!  (It should be noted that these 60-odd-year-old New York ladies were dressed more "hip-ly" than Yours Truly, a less-than-40-year old Toronto-via-Newfoundland native.)  Having made a major tourist gaffe, I won the Gals over with my East Coast charm and they gave me the directions I needed.  New Yorkers are really nice ... kinda like Newfoundlanders!

I found and checked into the hotel, unpacked, got settled, changed, freshened make-up (the New York Gals made me feel self-conscious) and walked the 10-15 blocks to meet a colleague of mine and his partner, who were both in New York this weekend and with whom I had made plans to spend my first evening here.  

(See?  Told you I like company!)

Stay tuned for Chapter Three - the NIGHT that was.  The evening consisted of:

- "Jack" from Will and Grace

- Glinda, the Good Witch

- "I'm ... so ... scared ... "

- Freddy Mercury isn't the only "Queen-leader"

- How quickly can a karaoke bar become a dance bar from "Jersey Shore"?