Manhattan Re-discovery - Times Square and Around

Numerous neon lights and billboards bombard visitors in Times Square, busy delivering various kinds of advertising messages 7/24.

A wide variety of entertainments and shops is around. Do you wanna earn some profit from the investment market so you can make your trip more enjoyable?

















Colourful tableware in M&M store. There are many fun installations inside. Recommend to play a visit even you are not a chocolate fans like me.






















TKTS discount theater tickets booth where you can get discount tickets of some Broadway shows. Note that tickets of those most popular shows are hardly found here.

















No idea what to pick? Just look at the billboards around you. See Harry Porter has just become a young businessman.






































Something funny happened when my friend and me were taking photos around the Statute of George M. Cohan. A nice gentleman offered to shoot my friend and me together 360. Thanks for his shooting skill and the pictures are my favorites of the trip. Then, he asked my friend to take a picture for his partner and him. However, his partner was a bit more demanding so my friend tried a few more takes for them. Funny little things often make a trip more interesting.






















A Ferris wheel full of cartoon characters in Toys "R" Us flagship store.

















Superman and Spiderman, 2 of the superheros were busing saving the earth.


Yankees is the home team of New York.

















The symbol of the Times Square. I'd say it's a modern lighthouse to guide visitors to the destination.






















Welcome to the Broadway Theater District. Have your tickets in hand?

















Even the police station is equipped with neon lights.

















The area is safe for it is well guarded by the police.


And Batman. Pay a tips for a photo with the superhero.

















Take a ride to discover more.

Manhattan Re-discovery - Peter Luger Steak House

The name of Peter Luger pop up when I was searching the best steakhouse in New York. This authentic restaurant has won the best steakhouse from Zagat over 20 years in a row and one star from Michelin in 2006.

"Yeah! This is the one". I asked my friend in New York to make a dinner reservation for me. But they replied it was full booked till next month. Nevertheless, the resultant suggested us to try our luck during day time.

Awaiting a train to Brooklyn where the steakhouse located. Subway in New York aged over 100 years and some of stations look old.

















We got off at Marcy Avenue as suggested by the official guide. The station was beautiful. 


Arrived? Not yet.

















Here it is.

















I like the clean and neat environment.






















Complimentary bread basket. A good start of the meal.

















It is the signature porterhouse steak sized for 2 serving in medium rare. Steak serving is an art in the restaurant. A skillful waiter placed the plate inclined to one side so the fat run down the plate. Then, he put a sliced steak from each side of the bone onto my friend and my small plates. Finally, poured some warm fat on to our steak. The dish did smell great.
 
















Crispy surface, tender and juicy inside in lovely baby pink colour. The porterhouse was surely what meat lover to die for. And it really deserve for all the good reputation. The dish did make my day especially in a cloudy and cold one. I would visit the restaurant again when I am in New York. My friend was surprised that I finished hall (or a bit more) of the dish. Well, my friend had no idea about what a real steak monster was.

















The steak sauce on the left is also famous. Yet, it's for salad rather than steak. The Cesar salad was delicious too.

















A complimentary chocolate coin for each diner.

Remember Peter Luger only accepts cash, Peter Luger certificate or Peter Luger credit card and ensure you have enough cash before you go as there is no ATM machine around.
 

Manhattan Re-discovery - The Musem of Modern Art

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) offers free admission from 4pm to 8pm every Friday. A good news to budget travelers. Many people lined up to enter MoMA.






















Installations with plants at the entrance.





My beloved Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh. Great to meet you in person again. How valuable this masterpiece is? The museum assigned a dedicated security guard for it.

















My another favorite masterpiece - Water Lilies by Claude Monet. Reflections of sunshine and clouds enriches color of hte lily pound.

































Fulang-Chang and I by Frida Kahlo, a pretty passionate artist.






















A work by Jackson Pollock. My friend claimed know how to distinguish a real work by brushes direction.

















What are in the eye? What are in mind?

















My friend's favorite is a colorful painting.






















Some modern streamlined sculptures.





Harmony of various types art pieces.

















Reflection of shadows on wall. Can it be an art piece?

Manhattan Re-discovery - American Museum of Natural Hisotry

American Museum of Natural History is a large-scale museum which was found in 1869. This brick-built entrance serves as an official proof.

















Fierce rivalry for the crown of the museum. Both candidates look majestic.











































The newly renovated dinosaur hall were my favorite of the museum. The fossils are placed vividly and lively. Not sure if they will have a walk when the lights are out. 


































These 2 Alaska Brown Bears were counting number of visitors.

















A group of elephants was marching through the hall.

















Specimens of the beautiful nature. 

















Pretty shell of a snail.

















Human is part of nature so the museum also showcases human lives. For example, pyramid building in ancient Egypt.

















Influence of region in the past.

















There was a video kiosk in the museum. Visitors can stand in a set point so the camera will shoot them into a video with wild African animals as background. Try it out.  

Manhattan Re-discovery - Accomodation

My friend and me stayed at 2 hotels in different districts.

The first one was Comfort Inn Manhattan Bridge located in Chinatown because we would catch an early bus to Boston. The hotel provided simple hot breakfast which provided us sufficient energy to start our adventure in cold days. Yet, the room was pretty small, the bed was not too comfortable and the wall was pretty thin that I could hear big noise from another room. And the price was high for what it offered.

The second hotel was Candlewood Suites NYC Times Square Hotel located in Fashion district. Times Square and other attractions are in walking distance. The studio room was pretty comfortable and everything in room was handy. The hotel also provided self-washing services which my friend loved a lot. Note that it's not a real hotel but apartment so cleaning services was on weekly basis rather than daily basis.