CK Link - Theatre of Dreams for Calvin

Interesting Facts about NYC (Episode III)

16 days more, I will be leaving New York City...it has been a great experience. I am going to miss the city for sure! Before it is too late, here comes my possibly last observations in the Big Apple:

1) Cellphones
- Walking on the street here, you might suddenly heard of a "doo" sound. When you turn around, you will see someone talking to his handset which is like a Walki Talkie! Actually it is very common here - thanks to Motorola. Many people, in particular for those who do our deliveries, they use it a lot when they're biking!

2) Busi-ness of NYC
- Given the privilege to live in the city, of course I do suffer from its "prosperity". When my air-conditioner was broken once before, I found that it was actually very noisy on the 7th Avenue, even I am not quite close to places like Grand Central or Times Square or night clubs. The cabs are running all night here, I do mean it, it is all night, even 3 or 4 am! And then certainly the famous AMBULANCES! Sometimes it drives you crazy, esp. when you do not fall asleep easily (unlike me ^_^)

3) Underground Train...STATIONS!
- A lot of people know that this is the 101st year of NYC subway (MTA), however not only the subway trains are run underground here. But even the inter-city/interstate trains! Unlike other cities, when you get to Grand Central Station or Penn Station midtown, you will not see tracks on the ground because they are all underground! Think about that, Grand Central has tens of tracks?!

4) Discounted Stores
- Attention ladies and whoever loves shopping, the Century 21 and Loehmann's and other discounted in town will be your paradise to get "cheap" (US standard) branded items from cosmetics to clothings, shoes to decorations and accessories...For people who like regular shopping experience, of course you are welcome to visit Macy's, Old Navy, etc...

5) US Flags
- Not sure if it is a decorative thing or a nation building effort, you will see a lot of American flags everywhere: on each subway car, fire engines, outside walls of most of the building, rental cars; you name it. (Before coming to the US, I would think China probably does more on that, however it is actually easier to see and buy a national flag here than in China!)

6) Dressing Code in NYC
- If you think of NYC as a financial hub, so business guys must be with their suits and ties, office ladies with all the nice outfits. I tell you this is called perception but not true at all. Indeed, in midtown, Wall Street, Downtown commericial areas, business casual have been a norm in the city. Meaning that males will wear shirt and pants without tie, and some companies even allow Polo Shirts, etc...

7) Regular Coffee please!
- Except from the fact that NYC has so many Starbucks (probably not as much as its origin Seattle), ordering coffee is an art somehow. When you hear people say "regular coffee", it means coffee with milk and sugar.

posted by CalvinCK @ 12:01 AM