December 17, 2024
Shopping at Trader Joe’s
My friend and I went to Trader Joe’s(see on map) to look for souvenirs.
Trader Joe’s focuses heavily on private-label items, and the prices were clearly more reasonable than in many other stores. It instantly put me in a good mood.
Waffle Chicken for Lunch
My friend had a personal mission to “let me experience a memorable New York food,” so she treated me to waffle chicken.
The Uber delivery brought a box with exactly that: waffles and fried chicken eaten together. It also came with a habanero honey sauce that I poured over the top. It was surprisingly tasty.
The waffle was buttery and sweet, the fried chicken was crispy and salty, and the spicy-sweet honey sauce brought everything together. Delicious, but definitely a high-calorie bomb.
Visiting SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
In the afternoon, I headed to the observation deck SUMMIT One Vanderbilt(see on map).
I had bought a ticket on the official website the day before. The sunset time slot was more expensive, but I convinced myself with the classic phrase “Since I came all the way here” and booked the 2:30 p.m. entry ticket.
Online reviews said sunglasses were essential, so I borrowed a pair from my friend. That turned out to be absolutely right. The observation deck was extremely bright, and without sunglasses I probably would have left early.
I arrived at the entrance around 2:15 p.m., but after a security check, putting on shoe covers, and scanning my face at a kiosk, I didn’t reach the actual viewing area until after 3 p.m.
The mirrored spaces were beautiful.
The Empire State Building and the New York skyline spread out in front of me.
The Chrysler Building looked stunning in its Art Deco style.
There were Yayoi Kusama artworks on display and a room filled with floating silver balloons, which was a lot of fun.
The sun slowly set over New York.
The Empire State Building at dusk was beautiful.
The sky after sunset was beautiful too.
At night, the skyline had even more presence.
Grand Central Terminal
I left SUMMIT One Vanderbilt after 5 p.m. and walked to nearby Grand Central Terminal(see on map).
I looked at the famous clock. Its face is said to be made of opal, making it extremely valuable.
