If I can make it there....

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There’s just something magical about New York City. I’m not sure if it’s the glimmering lights, the busy streets, or the 5 for $1 dumplings in Chinatown, but there's this crazy aura surrounding the city. I’m a born and raised New Yorker, so I’ve grown up surrounded by skyscrapers and dirty fish water on the street. I'm constantly telling my kids at work that we have such a huge advantage to be living in NYC, simply because you can never say there’s nothing to do. Hungry? Head over to Chinatown, Little Italy, or spend a day searching for your favorite sketchy basement restaurant with questionable health ratings. Looking for some adventure? Brooklyn Boulders is a great indoor rock-climbing center with even better prices ($19 all-day pass for students!) Feeling artsy? Check out our endless list of museums, ranging from the Metropolitan Museum of Art to the Museum of Sex. A bored New Yorker is a lazy New Yorker, this is where you have the world at your fingertips.


The city that never sleeps is truly buzzing at all hours of the day. I was given the amazing opportunity to see Beijing’s Red Poppy Ladies’ Percussion Group in Mulan at the Ellen Stewart Theater in Chinatown. They’ve performed all over the world, even at the Athens, Beijing, and London Olympic Games! Before my trio went to the show, we HAD to stop at my favorite spot in Chinatown, Wo Hop. This basement restaurant gem (not to be confused with their more obvious neighbor, Wo Hop City Inc!) has been featured in countless magazines and news articles raving about their soup, dumplings, and noodles. After the food coma subsided, we hopped on the bus and made our way over to the theater. 

There is one word to describe that performance: stunning! From the legend of Mulan to the mind-blowing speed of their drums, these ladies always left the crowd wanting more. I was completely absorbed by it, and I’ve been telling everyone to go see it (they’re only in NYC until September 13th, 2014!) After the show, we walked on over to SoHo and stopped by “Vive La Crêpe” to have the best Nutella and strawberry crêpes my tastebuds have ever been blessed to come into contact with. The endless options for food is one of the main reasons why I’m so in love with my city!

The only downside to this great night was knowing that by the time I’d get home by bus and train, I’d have less than 6 hours of sleep before my first class of the semester. Even though I was sleepwalking to campus the next morning, my exciting night has made me 10x more grateful to live in the incredible city that I live in.