New York, New York: A day in the Big Apple.

Got up excited about that I was heading to the Big Apple. Today is a big day.

I said goodbyes to Joga and Alice. Thank you both for being wonderful hosts, taking me out for lunch, showing me around Montclair and hosting a wonderful dinner with friends at Raymonds... and giving me a place to stay. I am most grateful for your generosity. 

I head to my friend Tito's place  in Union, New Jersey. Park my car at his guest parking lot and head on to New York City.

At the New Jersey train station, I meet two Swedes: Kristoffer and Emelie who are visiting New York for the first time. We have a great conversation about traveling. I hope to run into them in the future - perhaps when I visit Sweden sometime.

Within an hour I am in the city and walk out of Penn Station - New York, and the first thing I see is the beautiful American flag and the Eagle.

I look at the time and it is 1 hour before the kickoff for the US-Germany game. I decide to head down to the nearby bar that I read about online to watch any US soccer game at: Jack Demsey's Pub. Apparently the local US fans get a little excited about the games. My kind of atmosphere!!

While standing inline I talk to two people who are also traveling a little across the country: Alex and Amanda from Phoenix, Arizona. A few moments later we all walk into the bar.

Everyone is glued to the TVs and ready for the game.

I get treated to a beverage, courtesy of my new friend Alex.

Unfortunately, the game does not as planned. The Germans were dominant throughout the game. The US had very little movement on the offensive side, and managed to stall any Germany attack and then got unlucky with a deflection that went to an open man. Fortunately the score was 1-0 only but the US defended really well given the strength and chemistry of the mighty Germany team.

The only consolation was that Portugal won but a very small score margin so the US were in the next round and got to play Belgium. Go USA!

Right after the game, I walked towards the MoMA: The Museum of Modern Art and purchased a ticket.

One of my favorite displays - which I found out later that I couldn't take a picture of. Whoops!

Open to photography sculptures:

 Some art work that I was definitely captivated by:

 

Card Player by Pablo Picasso

Ma Jolie by Pablo Picasso

The Olive Trees by Vincent van Gogh

And the most famous painting I noticed in the exhibit was The Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh.

This is an actual a light projection on a wall. Any by walking towards the projection you cast your shadow on the plants.

The class Street Fighter arcade video game (interactive one).

This was a live video shoot of someone painting time from 04:37 to 04:38 every minute.

Photography

After a tour of all 5 floors I head outdoors for some sun and more interesting art.

The rose view from inside.

I make a plan to meet with my friend Elyse around 7 PM ish for dinner. But in the meantime I head over to the Apple Store in NYC to have them look at my iPhone 5. My battery keeps dying randomly. I schedule an appointment, charge my phone, make a backup copy of my phone on my laptop and head out to meet Elyse.

Elyse and I have known each other since 2005 (maybe late 2004). We met on the set of War of the Worlds which was partially filmed in the Rockbridge Area. Elyse, I and her friend Sonia were extras on the set. Elyse and I have kept in random touch via fb/text during the years and accidently bumped into each other when she lived in DC.

We met up and walked to a Thai restaurant that she loves, but since it was closed for renovation we decided to eat at an Afghan restaurant nearby: Ariana Afghan Kebab Restaurant.

As I was talking a panorama of the room, Elyse asked me what I was doing. She has an iPhone but never tried taking a panorama picture, so I guess it is time for me to showcase my profound 'picture panorama skill sets' at the dinner table with his iPhone.

Below is Elyse's first panorama. She deserves a cookie! :D

But the Afghan food will do for now..

It was great food and conversation. After dinner we say goodbye, and I head over back to the Apple store for my appointment. It was sooo good to see you Elyse.

The store is definitely busy and my appointment starts 45 minutes later. But after 20 minutes of conversation with Lisa, she gets me a new iPhone and I begin transferring my stuff over.

Towards the end of the service request, Lisa complements me on my really nice tan. Unfortunately, after I inform her my skin tone is naturally this color and I don't actually go to a tanning bed, she gets a little red in the face. Whoops! 

Only at an Apple store one of the biggest multi-cultural cities in the world: New York City. There is a first for everything.

After I get my phone fixed, I head on over in a cab to Penn Station, New York and then get a ticket to Union, New Jersey. One hour later I am with Tito, chilling for a bit before bed time.

Thank you Elyse for the wonderful dinner suggestion and spending time with me in New York City. Tito, thank you for hosting me again.

Expenses: $107.29
Gas: $38.79
Train: $13.50
Museum of Modern Art Tickets: $25.00
Taxi: $10.00
Dinner: $20.00