I went to New York City for the second time in November, 2010, for work. We had two days of intensive meetings and very little free time. However, I did my best with the little time I had and hit some highlights.
On Monday night, my country music counterpart, Chitquita, and I walked to Central Park and enjoyed the fall colors. The season was just past peak, so still gorgeous. We leaned on the railing and watched kids ice skating. I enjoyed the little glimpses of the city from the park, skyscrapers towering over the red and yellow trees.
We then walked to Rockefeller Center and saw the gigantic Christmas tree adorned in scaffolding. It was to be lit two days after we left the city. We also ran into Radio City Music Hall, which already had its Christmas decorations up.
We took a cab to Battery Park at the southern tip of the island and enjoyed the Statue of Liberty from afar. Seeing her lit up at night lifted the spirits. On the way back, we drove past Ground Zero and Times Square.
We ate at Gigino’s in Wagner Park. I had a pasta dish with broccoli and chicken, and a rosé wine. It was a touch bland, but good.
Tuesday was filled with HR meetings. We ended the day at Amsterdam Billiards in Manhattan’s East Side. We played pool, beer pong, and ping pong. My team won second place, no thanks to me and my horrible basement game skills. If there had been foosball, I could have helped, but alas, no such luck.
On Wednesday, we finished a round of meetings and went to the Museum of Modern Art. I was happy to get in free just for being a Sony employee. I was thrilled to see Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night in person. I don’t care how cliché it is; I love that painting.
We saw Picassos, Pollocks, Dalis, Matisses, and gigantic Monets. We then used the car service to head to the airport and make the flight home, exhausted.
It was a great glimpse of the Big Apple.
