Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Things to Do: NYC 2013

Mornings are times of energy and clarity. I have expended most rigorous and tenacious efforts over the last 25 years to turn nocturnal permanently. It does come naturally, I work better late at night, under stress etc. Mornings have always been groggy, difficult times for me. But I have to grudgingly admit that the days that I do manage to open my eyes and roll out of bed without injury, the feeling of having the day ahead of me (instead of just a couple of hours till sun down) fills me with enthusiasm and energy.

Today is one such day. 8 a.m. is early for me, really early. Cursory morning facebook flipping has served to be the real motivation for this post, though. A friend's status message reminded me that 2 years ago, today, India won the World Cup. Another flew a plane, and crossed off an item on his before 30 bucket list. I am not entirely sure how the two tie together, but in any case, filled with nostalgia, hope, excitement and a strong cup of tea, I have decided to make my own list of sorts.

Thing is, time's flying by. I have barely 2 months before graduation - while that's usually a happy thing, it's filling me with fear because it marks the end of the sabbatical-from-work period of my life, at least for now. And worse, it's a painful reminder of everything I still haven't managed to do (or need to do again) in New York. So here goes, let the crossing off begin!

Things (left to do in less than 4 months) in New York:
1. Watch one of the high-flying Broadway shows.
2. Walk down Brooklyn bridge and get that damn pizza.
3. Go to the top of the Empire State building and the viewing deck in Rockefeller (yes, cheesiness and pop culture have played a big role in my life. Also, God, this is embarrassing, but in the interest of full disclosure, I haven't done either)
4. Finish a book in NYPL's Bryant Park branch.
5. Get that pastrami sandwich and that salmon cream cheese bagel.
6. Spend a day at Paley's center.
7. Raines Law Room.
8. Bar-hop along the river.
9. Contemplate life in Central Park for an entire day.
10. Find a good Indian restaurant that I can recommend to friends when they ask where to go for Indian food without caveats and hesitation.
11. Try one of the famous chef restaurants.
12. Soul food at one of the historic restaurants within a 2 mile radius of my house. Clearly, I've been studying too much.
13. Get a photo with either Batman or a Disney princess at Times Square.
14. Go to the zoo.
15. Take the ferry to somewhere.
16. Be mesmerized by a dangerous Russian at the Russian Tea Room. Or just get tea there. Or vodka.
17. Do a class of something, anything.
18. Swim in the Columbia pool.
19. Go to the Brooklyn cemetery. I am really curious about why it has made so many lists.
20. Pay the Highline a visit.
And I'll keep adding stuff as and when I think of something. Hopefully, that process will be much slower than the striking off.