New York is Filling

I just got back from NYC and hot damn am I full.

I like doing things on a whim:

Want to see a cowboy opera?

SURE!

Want to spend a weekend in Old Orchard beach with many quebecers in tiny swim trunks?

SURE!

Want to work with the mafia and hopefully not cross the line into danger and stabbings?

Why not?

Want to go to Stockholm for halloween?

Who doesn't?!

Want to go to NYC for a weekend to spend time your Ottawatonian friend (ottawatonian = a friend from ottawa)

Duh.

Though I've agreed to all of the above this post is mostly concerning the last whim I've agreed to:

Finding a ticket for $120 round trip, leaving immediately after work on a thursday I couldn't say no.

Here are some awkward and wonderful moments that followed:

Arriving in New York I assumed we would be staying at a swanky hotel, because all Canadian city planners on conference get to stay at the "W" right? Wrong. We get to couch surf at Asian Dave's. For the record, I recommend everyone stay there, it's $50/night and it's a pretty sweet set up, and you don't get sold into the sex trade, which is always a nice bonus.

MOMOFUKU: having recently tried a noodle bar in my current location and being horribly disappointed we made the 20 block walk to noodle mecca, MOMOFUKU...glorious pork buns, delicious ramen, a-hole New Yorker's who pushed me to the back of the line so they could plop their pretentious butts down first, it doesn't taste better if you order sooner, and doesn't being rude leave a bitter taste in your mouth?

After eating what we can only assume was an entire pig and all of it's parts, we promptly passed out.

The next morning was spent drinking espresso with old friends, shopping, eating lunch with more friends

having a hooker compliment my boots, watching a delivery man get destroyed by a taxi and having the hookers shout STAY DOWN...the day you take advice from a hooker is the day you...well I can let you finish that sentence.

The day was spent by more shopping and MILK BAR, oh delicious MILK BAR and your cake truffles, and crack pie, though your cereal milk was underwhelming...

The evening was spent with double dinners, one at a Thai Wine Bar...the second at PRUNE. I had to convince my lactarded friend that sweetbreads and monkfish liver were amazing, because they are. We ate, and talked and drank, simple food, done perfectly. Now what's wrong with that?

Back to Asian Dave's at midnight, only to realize we had to be up in 4 hours. Here are some early morning flying tips:

1. 5am is too early to be a swarthy southern sugar daddy to be using the line: Is it hot in here or is it just me? Must be me.

2. 5:15am is too early to be paying $11 for coffee and a bagel

3. 5:30am is too early for a finance call in show with an irritating host

4. 6am is too late to realize you could have slept in and not woken up at 4am for your 10am flight

I won't say I heart NY, but I will now safely say I'm now more moderately comfortable with NY than I was before.