A Typical Friday in New York

     Our day started like any other New Yorker's day: exercising at Central Park. Well, we didn't really exercise; we walked. Actually, we just took in the sights. It is a wonder how such a large city with so many buildings can have such a large park smack in the middle of it. There are multiple bodies of water that make beautiful scenes: nature in the foreground, city in the background. If we had more time, I really would want to be like a New Yorker and really exercise in Central Park.

     Afterwards, we walked to the American Museum of Natural History. (It's right next to the park.) There were lots of interesting exhibits: dinosaurs, planetarium, mammals of different continents, animals found within New York, reptiles and amphibians, and ocean life. Not only is the natural history portion of the museum interesting, but learning about how the dioramas and presentations came to be are interesting too. We walked around and questioned which of the dinosaur bones were real and which were fake. As mentioned in earlier posts regarding museums, you must give yourself enough time to walk through and fully enjoy it. Otherwise, it becomes rushed. We had to skip the human portion of the museum... Again, I didn't get a chance to take too many pictures because I was busy enjoying the museum itself. (On a side note, as so many tourists were taking pictures of all the displays, I wondered to myself, "Does it matter if they have the pictures if they DON'T have the information and history to go with it?"

I spy the museum.

There it is!

 
     After the museum, we were all famished. So we crossed the street and had (what we thought was) some good New York hot dogs.

It was pretty good (that could have been my hunger talking). We had expected something a bit more lavish....

If you're hungry, make sure to get seconds. (Warning: if vendors know you are tourists, there is a likelihood that you will get charged extra.)

Salty pretzel and yummy chicken kabob hot dog

   
     After our little moment of being New Yorkers (enjoying a New York hot dog in Central Park) we headed off for the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). This (along with the Natural History Museum) was included in our city pass, so we felt somewhat obligated to go. There were a number of Van Gogh's and Picasso's (which was exciting to see in person). However, that is only a part of the entire exhibit. While Van Gogh and Picasso may be considered "modern" (especially when compared to time periods such as the Renaissance) there are so many other art pieces under the label "modern." While I cannot deny that one mans trash can be another mans treasures (and that something I consider questionable others can consider beautiful) I found it difficult to enjoy the rest of the museum. If you are a fan of modern art, this place is for you. If modern art confuses you, then you might feel like you are wasting your time. I have a personal vendetta against modern art not because of the art form itself, but what it means to the people observing and participating in the art form. Our Western mindset teaches us that what we think is the only thing that matters. Therefore, when looking at modern art, the question becomes "How do I feel about this piece?" or "How does this piece make me feel?" While I cannot say that such questions are bad, I do ponder whether such questions cause us to be individuals or isolated. Do these questions allow us to think for ourselves or try to make us (the observers of the art) the masters of the creaters of the art? I apologize for my ranting about modern art. Again, everyone is entitled to their own likes and dislikes.

     Afterwards I ventured by myself to Lincoln Center, the place that oozes the cultural arts. It is the home of the New York Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Ballet, Julliard, and plenty of other performing arts. While I couldn't enter into any of the venues, I still enjoyed the vibe of Lincoln Center. This could also have been affected by the events of Fashion Week, which took place right in Lincoln Center.

     My friend Justin, whom I had not seen is almost 6 years, lives in New York. When he heard that I was in town, he asked to meet up. It was great seeing an old friend. We had the opportunity to catch up, eat together, and share with one another our deepest darkest secrets (heehee just kidding ^^). He took me out for some sish kabob at this hole-in-the-wall restaurant, which turned out to be super delicious. He took me to Washington Square Park, where I got to see not only wierd street performers, but also the giant archway. In the night light, the white of the arch really stood out. While our meeting was short, I really enjoyed my evening with Justin. Like a typical New Yorker, I enjoyed an evening with an old friend.

Thanks Justin!

My delish sish kabob sandwich

There are so many people out on this Friday evening

Look at how it shines!

He even took me to Korea Town!

(Actally, rather than a town, it's two blocks)

We also saw the largest Macy's in the world

     Afterwards, I met up with the other girls and we headed to the top of the Empire State Building to have a beautiful evening view of the city.

     Also, I forgot to mention yesterday, in front of the Met, there was a war veteran. He was still a relatively young man who was apparently stationed in Korea. I was shocked when this veteran, an African American, was playing Korean folk and traditional songs and often singing along. It was very uplifting to hear music of the motherland being sung by someone who might not be considered Korean by blood but someone who definitely loves the country. Go you!

Tomorrow is our last full day in the city, so we better make it count!