NYC: Let the Adventure Begin

“One belongs to New York instantly, one belongs to it as much in five minutes as in five years.” – Tom Wolfe

I have arrived. After working and flying, I grabbed a cab to my hotel, the Lombardy. According to Wikipedia, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, among other celebrities, once resided here.

The stale smell in the air indicated the hotel had been standing for awhile, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I meandered up to my room, and checked out my surroundings.

My room was extremely spacious. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised at how big it was for Manhattan. I have been here numerous times, having stayed at fancy hotels and with friends. Even super nice, expensive places have limited space. So, I was impressed.

The bed was huge and comfortable, a definite plus. The window was cracked open, allowing a warm breeze to enter my room. I decided to leave it open through the night, neutralizing the air in my room. It was a peaceful, quiet night in the city, and the stale smell from the elevator was absent from my room. I slept well.

In addition to the bathroom that had an amazing shower head, there was a small kitchenette and lots of closet space. Neither of these were of use to me for this trip, but they are also perks.

I was going to order room service, but they didn’t offer it. They did have a coffee shop, Ninth Street Espresso, and restaurant, Harlow, but these did not interest me at 9:00 p.m. on a Tuesday night. Although I was looking forward to a night of relaxing with dinner in my room, I figured I was meant to explore.

Note: The Lombardy provides a breakfast voucher for a free coffee and fresh pastry from their coffee shop. It’s much better than the complimentary continental buffets hotels often offer.

Still in my work clothes, I stepped outside of my comfort zone and ventured out to find dinner. Although I have traveled my whole life, I’ve never dined alone with the exception of eating at airport bars. Thus, I wasn’t sure what to expect… Would I like the experience? Would I feel awkward? Would people take notice of me? What would it be like to dine alone in New York City at a sit-down dinner?

Off I went. I took a right out of my hotel, which landed me on Park Ave. Lucky me, I ended up in a nice part of the city. I felt safe walking around as I looked for a place to have some dinner…

Travel tip: Be bold. Be flexible. Step out of your comfort zone. Yes, you may be tired after a long day of work and traveling. It’s natural. But give yourself the extra little push to go out and explore. You will be pleasantly surprised at how energized you will feel by breaking your daily routine and experiencing something new. After all, life is short, so play hard.

More NYC blogs from this trip:

• NYC: Inside Park at St. Bart’s
• NYC: Asiate, a Restaurant with a Spectacular View
• NYC: Fun Times at Whiskey Park
• NYC: Eataly, an Italian Dream
• NYC: The Sketchy Subway
• NYC: 9/11 Memorial… Never Forget
• NY: Le Jardin Du Roi

Pictures:

• View my New York City pictures.
• View more travel pictures.

Tags: city, dining, Elizabeth Taylor, Gina Pacelli, Harlow, hotel, Lombardy, Manhattan, New York, New York City, Ninth Street Espresso, NYC, Park Ave, Richard Burton, the Lombardy, The Lombardy Hotel, travel, Travel and Tourism