New York City Blogging – The Last Day

11/06/2022 ~ Mel ~ Leave a comment

fookin 34°? so glad I’m leaving
- NYC: lemme slap you back home with a humidity heat high
waffling about dressing because NYC is hot and in the airport/plane it will be cold
just put things to change into at the top in suitcase
check-out at 11am, flight leaves at 8pm
first stop, air-conditioned Starbucks with wifi
catching up with all the journaling
it’s nice to walk out into the humid heat after getting deep-frozen at Starbucks
it’s nice for, like 26,5 mins
need to get back into the freezer now, pls 😭
sitting in Sara D Roosevelt Park munching on the last dumplings and reading The Stardust Thief
my station being closed for the whole weekend and having to drag my suitcase to the next station
when everything is brainrot and your train goes through Chauncey Station
blessed cold in the metro
arriving at the airport real early but that’s okay because I still gotta figure out how to convince the peeps here my German vaccination passport is actually valid for my return to Germany…
Oh nein! Ein deutscher Impfausweis! Das wird Deutschland NIEMALS als Nachweis akzeptieren!!! 😱
airport train should be free, just sayin
not changing and only getting out an extra layer before getting in line to drop off luggage
line isn’t that long here, nice
airport person: when was your last vaccination?
Me: 28th April
APP: fine, move along
me: ??? le fuq? They didn’t even check if that was true?!?
longest line ever though security, managed to read half of The Stardust Thief (can recommend, excellent book)
meandering through the airport to kill time and maybe spend my last dollars
airports are cursed, like 30 bucks is nothing here and soda is 5 bucks 500ml
find a place to charge my phone, munching down super expensive food
ngl, intended to have a glass of wine, but I physically cannot spend 16 bucks on one
make way to gate and hear flight is overbooked 😬
go to lady at the counter and get swept away with relief because I do have a seat
start waiting
listen to the offer for changing flight climbing
board and have a window seat?!? ok, over the wing, but still
catering truck breaks down behind plane
1,5 hrs later: we are catered and ready to go but have now crew to push us out to the tarmac
2 hrs later – finally!
On the down side: got a transport to my car lined up at planned arrival time plus brekkers date
can’t inform anybody because it’s the middle of the night back home
was able to sleep, actually
waive breakfast sandwich
long trek along the whole length of Frankfurt airport to bus shuttle
- airport train is free here, just sayin
get on board though I may or may have lost my return ticket *oop*
long trek across the parking space to my car, it’s frying hot inside after standing in the sun for a week
brekkers date still standing *yay*
meet with Kezia at street fest and have a great time
it is nice war, not a lick of humid, NYC take notes
drive home two hours and keel over 😴

New York City Blogging – Mood

10/06/2022 ~ Mel ~ Leave a comment

wasting time before leaving the hotel
saving another pdf map so I won’t get lost
stepping out at Times Square and being lost immediately anyways
smaller than I thought though
oop, looks like Fashion Week Park doesn’t belong to Brian after all
hey, das ist eine völlig legitime Annahme, wenn man es nur gesprochen hört
lots of tents, will need to come back later and investigate
walk around like a lost tourist
enough metro stations around to keep my wifi alive
using goolge maps – still lost
found the correct street at least PARTY
so many fabric shops *hyperventilates*
even more trim shps CRY
somebody rich give me their credit card RN 🥺
going into a trim shop
- overload
- brain.exe stopped working
- no thoughts only sparkle
ogle clasps for Stede cosplay
wtf is mood?!?
spandex house?!?
so much sparkly fabric everywhere. I should learn how to sew blazers and make them all annoyingly sparkly
walked right past mood, yay
stern words with google maps
walk back on correct side of the street
found mood, ah no. that is the home fabrics part
found mood! (thx to Jaclyn for telling me about the elevator thing, might have walked right past again otherwise)
enter mood
Mel.exe stopped working, silk overload (if you buy all the silk, Mel.exe will work again?)
235923876§% love how they sort fabric by type and let me know what it is
so that is charmeuse? Yikes
so much silk, so little money 😔
so now the men’s section is too drab and ark for me?!? 😱
groping all the fabrics
GROPING them fabrics because feels, but also so I can gauge what I can make with it
wool
WOOL
*soft gasp* SUMMER LINENS!!!
falling in love with the most beautiful yellow linen blend 😭
- not sure what to make from it
- brainrot: SUMMERLINENS
- me: summer linen shirt it is
leather – smells SO nice, must not chew on it 😔
cotton wovens my love
why is all colourful prints flowery?!?
anyway, I take these 3 (orange, teal and magenta flowery)
head back for linen
get 2 buckles for Stede cosplay
wtf is the thread half the price from home?!? → buying thread for my fabrics
pay So Much Money (worth it, even if, actually, I do not have it)
do I want a bag?
Do I want a bag?!?

clutches bag, VICTORY!
Steps out and is immediately lost again
take more time than warranted to find Starbucks (a/c AND wifi)
it has no seating?!? so much for a/c but at least I still got their wifi outside
selfcare with matcha frappucino and chocolate cake pops
tweet victory
return to Bryant park to ogle tents
it’s a crafts market
ogle all jewellery stands for rings for Stede cosplay
find one good ring but it is too small 😔
return home for nap
leave for dumplings
der Unterschied zwischen Dumpling und Knödel ist erstaunlich groß
start snarfing down dumplings
realise the place is closing down
apologise hastily, pack up dumplings and retreat to hotel
inhale remaining dumplings
start packing
try uploading vaccination proof for 6^th time
tf you keep saying it is not an accepted vaccination in Germany? It is LITERALLY my German vaccination passport *le sigh*

New York City Blogging – Aquarium

08/06/2022 ~ Mel ~ Leave a comment

as usual awake early, on my way late
dared to go into the bakery and managed to to buy EVERYTHING
Mango cake! Lemon cake! Sausage inabun!
Got a chicken bun and two sesame balls to share with Em. I hope there’s red bean paste inside
looks like wifi on the subway is a Manhattan thing?
Waiting 10 mins at the penultimate stop because we’re early
nobody gets off, so I guess walking the last station would take longer than 10 mins
getting slightly wet on the way to the Aquarium, but I found it at first try PARTY
OCEAN!
Who cares about getting wet, when you’re at the ocean?
Note to self: maybe become a pirate because why would I be doing this, when I could be on a ship?!? 🏴‍☠️
not enough time allotted to put feet into the water 😔
apologies, lady of the Wind and the Sea
waited amidst 5 screaming classes/groups
why are children always screaming?
I understand the urge, tho
wtf dinosaur?
Getting antsy 3 mins after meeting time because I’m German but also there is no wifi and I cannot contact anybody
nein, es ist wirklich völlig normal 5-10 Minuten zu früh zu kommen
all groups vanish and blessed silence drizzles down with the rain
panic, as usual
arrival of Em, phew
forgot Miranda also joins us
yay for getting only 2 sesame balls *hangs head in embarrassment and shame*
we enter the aquarium accompanied by the screams of more children
FISH!
More fish, I am unhappy with the changing screens telling which fish are there
- later found out you can swipe back and forth yourself for info
fish didn’t leave a lasting impression, I’m not much of a fish person
seals! Unable to pet 😔
also sea lions and what the difference is – we’re learning things today
shark place was cool, could have been serene but for the screaming
underwater tunnel was nice, can’t say why I liked the on in Malta better
also, there was no screaming in Malta, so that’s hard to compete with
tunnel to crawl “through” the tank
caused quite the hubbub because children saw us crawl through
maybe next time check if tunnel shenanigans are visible from outside
dallied to pout space between us and the children
kinda worked, the last tank (HUGE) was rather calm
unless the sea turtle made an appearance, all the screaming for sea turtle super star
taking pics

_{Me with my special friend the Mantis Shrimp 😊}

lunch, surprisingly big servings for aquarium fare
ordered “Western” burger because I had no idea what that meant
- turns out they stick onion rings into it
- woah, I’m impressed – not
- am full so it’s fine
next stop: JELLYFISHES!!!
ok ‘spineless’ section has more animals, but I’m here for jellyfish
so many jellyfish? PLEAD
So. Many. Jellyfish! CRY
I love jellyfish and EM and Miranda can look at the red octopus for forever if they want because I will just be over here with the jellyfish RELIEVED
likely cause of death: diving into the water to untangle the nettle jelly’s nettles. Gotta smooth them fronds
Horror Crab. 😱 (old man crab) (old man spider crab) *cries in horrified*
if this is where carcinisation goes? Count me out.
Just looking at those give me the heebie-jeebies

_{Old Man Spider Crab (scientific name, obviously)}

back to jellyfish
world hard and cold, jellyfish soft and squishy

the sea lions were out in full force on our way back
TWO gift shops? 👀
too late for number two, we already shopped
the temptation to get ‘kraken’ themed merch *le sigh*
Em and Miranda scooting off for some pics with very specific benches
4D Cinema like: put away anything you don’t want to get wet, argh, ma’am where do I go?
It was nice and I didn’t get wet
time for crab

_{My foot next to a horse crab I have been told is big}

sun’s out, so beach time it is
yay for walking barefoot in the sand
more yay for walking barefoot in the ocean
note to self: no really, I need to be living by the ocean AT LEAST
- now accepting applications for my pirate crew…
so nice to just sit in the sun
Em IDing birds, naturally
what do you mean I’m already at the height of Stillwater Ave?
Bouncing about my quarter a bit after arriving and ending up in a different place to savour dumplings
miss that the orders are called on by receipt numbers
figuring out before they throw my food away
nice dumplings 😊

New York City Blogging – Statue of Liberty

07/06/2022 ~ Mel ~ Leave a comment

up too early still moving too late for sit-down brekkers
promoter making me flee into the bicycle lane at Bowling Green Station
took the long way around and had a crepe because hungry
you can just arrive early anywhere here, huh?
Caught in another class on my way to the boat
nice boat ride, too short, LOVE boat rides
how can 1 class be so loud?
- Cue banshee screeching
Possibly okay selfies with Statue of Liberty from the boat

it’s nice though there are too many people
journaling in the sun looking at the ocean → nice
no wifi on the island, how is that being free?
Construction work blocking the circuit
- makes the end nice and quite, few people, good view of the ocean, LOVE ocean
written most of my postcards while air-frying in the sun HAPPY
this is actually really nice?
I mean better views for half the price of Empire State Building
on to the pedestal (dafür zahle ich gerne extra)
192 steps? oof
but only two people are allowed per elevator ride which take 4 mins and an employee just cut in front of the three rides waiting before me
so stairs it is
huff puff
it passes a lot faster than expected
there’s nobody up here?!?
SO NICE (if only the choppers could maybe chill for a minute)
das Deutsche Wort is Heli und sehr viel niedlicher
prolly getting a sunburn

_{Hero Shot with my “polite and sophisticated mice” shirt}

crown is closed because COVID, only thing it’s good for, I would have HATED those stairs lolsob
love it
unfortunately, locked away everything but the phone so can’t journal on the pedestal SAD
free wifi at the museum? EYES
hoo boy, how do you expect me to get the e-mail with my password without wifi access?
Gonna have a look at food and souvenir prices
restrooms are nice enough
food didn’t look appetising so I didn’t even look at the prices
souvenirs were priced ok but ugly, very unfortunately, especially for the pocket watch I was ogling, you could have been mine…
just missed the boat back and now it’s another 25 mins sizzling in the sun
more sun on the top deck where I snatched the best seat on the ship
my skin is taking on the shade of a nice and crisp rotisserie chicken
OCEAN! I really should be on/at/in the ocean more
stop at Spicy Village for dumpling lunch and accidentally just went to bed *oop*

New York City Blogging – Chelsea Surprise Launch Party

06/06/2022 ~ Mel ~ Leave a comment

got lost in Central Park (again)
accidentally Balto Statue
burned some of my last mobile data for call for help in group chat
warum zur Hölle ich nur 60 MB bekomme und danach untergehen darf ist unbekannt
sizzled in the sun for 1 hour on the rocks, waiting for help
read The Stardust Thief and can highly recommend
got collected by Em (thanks Grama PLEAD)
joined group
tried not to feel awkward → failed
tried to catch and remember all names → failed
but I’m pretty good at just being there, so I did that
Chelsea arrived and hubbub ensued
so many pictures to be taken

CAKE! (delicious AND sparkly)
actual socialising happens 😱

_{me, George Jreije, Chelsea Abdullah, Jaclyn Hart}

detour because stupid period, can’t wait for those to stop
it’s fun, awkward, awkward fun but the awkward is on me
everybody talking fast an not leaving opening to chime in
das ist aber nicht sehr deutsch, meine Lieben
half-melted buckeye – but good
not really from the kind of buck I expected, ngl
moving on to empanadamama
no wifi
it is very loud → Mel.exe stopped working
menu via QR code on mobile like – ha ha ha ha, no
water tastes like pool again
overwhelmed and bale to bare minimum, hoping to coast by
the wave
bill posted in groupchat for calculating your cost like – ha ha ha ha, no
want my mobile data back
walking back to a train station we can all use
everybody boarding a different train
police accumulating behind me 😬
macht mich zu Hause auch nicht glücklich, aber eure Polizei ist echt creepy 🤷‍♀️
glad to leave them behind
Obligatory Group Chat Tee Pics

New York City Blogging – Empire State Building

05/06/2022 ~ Mel ~ Leave a comment

tl’dr

if you can pay the entrance from leftover peanuts and bring a friend? By all means, go for it
if you think tickets are fckn expensive for a view? Don’t. It’s exactly what you get – a very expensive view, not worth it SHRUG

Mel from shoulders up, slightly sunburnt and smiling. They're on the viewing platform on level 86 and Manhattan stretches behind them towards the ocean. — _{Is this view worth 40 bucks? You decide.}

long version

missed my station going there
extremely confused by the lack of helpful signs telling me where to go, starting with the best exit from the station to which way to go topside
tf if anybody knows where the ESB is
- can’t I just look up? bby, dude, luv, there be big-ass houses all around. I see nothing
had a chili-cheese hot dog and regretted it immediately
can’t recommend but at least no longer starving
found the entrance, was admitted 1 hour early
why is nobody wearing a mask?!?!?!?!
it’s French Day (ich spreche noch immer kein Französisch)
wtf is the floor made of? (scratches gently)
feels like an airport, but you can keep your drink
picture point at the entrance, I de-mask and wonder if that goes extra
fun little tour about the building’s history
- is it worth 40 bucks? I think not
elevator ceiling show to distract from how fckn fast this thing goes
schade eigentlich, ich liebe Aufzüge die HUIII!!!! machen 😔
a floor for views, people are not looking as they leave (not to self for later)
I spy with my bleary eye: the Statue of Liberty – hm, hab ich mir größer vorgestellt, maybe it’s the distance
nice enough views, bric-a-brac to look at, long queue out
10 mins into the wait a surge forwards
I claim the windows alongside the queue and thread my way back in later
another 10 mins into the wait the announcement that we do not have to wait for the elevator in this queue, we can also take the stairs for the last 6 floors (cue another rush)
coming to the conclusion that NYC can do with some more directive signs, arrows and such
stairs – huff puff, so many fckn stairs
why does floor 85 exist twice? 🤨
short existential crisis of having another 5 floor 85s
nah, we’re up
can’t sit on the shiny broad stairs 😔
bench miraculously becomes free enough for my ass as I approach. Yay
outside it fuckin wimdy
not as packed as feared
nice views, worth 40 bucks? I think not
walk around once, stare into the distance and down
good sir, are you sure you wanna hold the mobile over the edge for taking pics?
Need the number of mobiles dropped each year ASAP
going down the stairs is easier
once again Very Bad Beschriftung strikes
ESB: has gift shop out the back
me: that’s the guy I’m after
time to pic up that pic shot at the entrance – for 26 BUCKS?

Half body shot of David Tennant as Benedic from Much Ado About nothing. He is wearing a superman tee and holds a can of soda with a curly straw while he says: I think not.

another gift shop that hasn’t grasped the concept that I have burned all my money on the ticket already, smh
buying absolutely nothing again
ah, NOW we get to the pretty marble-y part
the hall is rather ostentatious
still, I am disappoint
do not recommend
heading to Starbucks for liquid pick-me-up

Close up of Mel looking underwhelmed and sucking matcha latte frappuccino through a straw from their cup. — _{The face of one underwhelmed Mel.}

New York City Blogging – Chelsea’s Official Book Launch

04/06/202205/06/2022 ~ Mel ~ 2 Comments

nervous af because do I know anybody at the event? no
but do I feel we’re friends because twitter? also no
but do I believe they’ll be as happy to see me as I’m scared to meet them? definitely no
my people-ing skills strike before I even leave my hotel *le sigh*
but ready or not, here I come, people will have to endure my presence for the evening
should probably have had dinner before the event
swimming to the station, high-humidity to the max 😔
can’t see much when crossing the river 😔
arrive at destination station in Brooklyn, start walking in the right direction before uncertainly bumbling about in the rain like a drunk bee for 10 mins before getting back on the right track
now this looks like a place where people actually live, I like it
street food guy on the corner but I am to nervous to stop, what if I’m late
Probleme die man als Deutsche nie los wird – Überpünktlichkeit 🤷‍♀️
find the bookshop, enter – get recognised? welp
recognise Chelsea, Jen & Gabe
talk a little to Chelsea, bought another copy of the book, stand around awkwardly, trying to look as if I belong
failed at small talk 101
the reading was good, wished the fooking birds had shown some respect for my hearing problems and shut tf u *le sigh*
also: CHELSEA HOW DARE? 😭
- book starts my fave way with the introductory adventure going right
- will it also be the cause of all problems in the book? Too early to tell, will love finding out
got book signed
tried to socialise
probably failed
had pics taken that will hopefully surface somewhere
managed to actually talk to people because OFMD cosplay
awkward goodbyes
prolly spoiled the surprise event the next day somewhat *oop*
this area really doesn’t look as if I need to be walked to the station, it’s a people area, people live here?!?
hungry enough for courage to get chicken burrito from street food guy
it was a very good burrito
also: BUY THE BOOK! (it is very good, is2g)

New York City Blogging – Brekkers with Gates & Em + Central park Zoo

03/06/202205/06/2022 ~ Mel ~ 2 Comments

getting up early like, no problem (it’s already 11am at home)
load omny card with the wrong package
run card through reader twice, because why not?
Arrive at Union Square
surprisingly no wifi at station
go out again
send Em pic of location I’m waiting (read before arriving)

send Em pic of myself (didn’t read before arrival)

wait for Em and sweat by just standing in the shadow (fckn humidity)
successfully meeting with Em
not so successful ticket-buying on her side, pay for her instead
dragging her out of the subway one station early
try to keep up with 1 very fast Grama
find brekkers place (Bonjour Crepes & Wine) but they’re closed yet
wait for Gates
place not open even after Gates arrives after opening time
- turns out they have problems with the stove and won’t open up for quite a while
Gates says there’s another place nearby, so we move there
turns out this is a chain and they were meaning an actually same cafe
had wondered why we go so far when there’s food all over everywhere in Manhattan
the mortifying ordeal of choosing only one dish
can’t go wrong with 3-cheese-omlette and huge smoothie
hand out chocolate
water doesn’t taste the badly of pool, still glad for smoothie
food is really good, fried potatoes are a surprise

next stop: coffee for Em
next stop: Central Park (guess who didn’t get lost this time 😁)
meandering around until we hit the zoo
getting tickets, Em gets mine to get even
zoo is kinda small but hey
likely cause of death: petting extremely fluffy bear ears
can’t find the snow leopards 😔
tropics zone – in this weather? 😬

E, E! Do you really think going into the tropical house is a good idea in this weather?
- Too late, she’s already inside
- dissolving into goo in 3.. 2.. 1.. splootch
- rarely did I want to leave a place so urgently
not even bat can keep me in this place
outside feels cool afterwards, not sure that’s worth it *sweats like an undignified pig*
split up because Em wants to look for Balto statue, Gates hat a foot and I desire to be cool

New York City Blogging – Central Park

02/06/2022 ~ Mel ~ 2 Comments

blue sky! 🥰
still fckn humid 😭
so many joggers
ok, maybe those two guys make it worth it 👀 (not respectfully)
just sitting in Central park and feeling sticky
why are there so many Germans here?
Oh nein, ich spreche kein Deutsch, oop, ich muss weg
also French. So many French. Would prefer Frenchie, ngl
getting lost in the park
realising the iced tea is a fizzy alcoholic drink by chugging half a bottle
- before getting lost
- might be causality somewhere in there
sitting around again because it’s just too sticky to move
fizzy cocktail is not helping the sticky situation