Big Meetup in the Big Apple

2011 kicked off with a meetup between Jersey Iggy and Wander Iggy (formerly known as "Singapurple Iggy") in New York City! It's the second Iggy Meetup ever to occur in the City That Never Sleeps! Wander Iggy left her Singapore nest to fly to Amsterdam and then to New Jersey just in time for the holidays! From Amsterdam all the way to a city formerly known as "New Amsterdam" where a Holland Tunnel exists--The Becky thought that Holland is hot on her heels!

Here they are in Brooklyn Bridge, one of the most iconic structures in the Big Apple!

The Iggy sisters noticed that a little trend is forming a chain on the bridge...Fortuitous Faery likes to call them Padlocks of Passion, similar to the "Love Locks" seen in Cologne, Germany's Hohenzollern Bridge. Sweethearts declare their love and the fact that they reached Brooklyn Bridge by attaching padlocks with their names and sentiments etched on it, thereby keeping the public structure graffiti-free. But are they legal?

Miss Iggy was happy to meet The Becky and loco-for-Lomo husband Panelomo. They are such a fun couple to photograph! Here they are beneath the Bethesda Terrace in Central Park.

After a day of subway-hopping fueled by burrito bowls and cheesecake, they parted ways in Grand Central Terminal. Wander Iggy will wander off to Spain soon. Jersey Iggy can only hope for the best for her country-hopping, scholarly sister.

Miss Iggy at New York's Guggenheim Museum

Wander Iggy (formerly known as Singapurple Iggy) is currently in the Land of the Free and Cold Stone ice cream. Armed with a list of things to do, places to see and outlets to go to, one of her first stops is at the Solomon Guggenheim Museum (a.k.a. the Guggenheim) at Upper East side Manhattan. The Becky's brother upon seeing this picture can't help but point out the uncanny similarities of the building built in 1959,  with SM North Edsa's car park. Oh well, at least it pioneered on car park design. :)

Let's just say you wouldn't want to drop your coins from the highest level and chase it down the spiral ramp. 

Afterwards, wearing her special 'raincoat', Miss Iggy sauntered off at 5th Avenue. Special thanks for Panelomo for letting her hitch a ride. :)

Miss Iggy, being the art connoisseur that she is, can't wait to see the 'other' Guggenheims. In fact, she's booked a trip to another one in Bilbao (pictured below). Watch out for her museum-hopping in Spain's Basque Region soon.

Jollibee in Queens, NY

Back in April, Princess Ody & Conniechiwa met in New York City for the first time. For lunch, they decided to eat at this famous Philippine fastfood chain--currently its only branch in the East Coast US--Jollibee in Queens, New York. When hunger stings, this bee brings joy of the yummy kind!

This Jollibee branch is near 61st Street in Woodside. It's just minutes away from Manhattan via the 7 train. Queens is home to many Filipino shops and a very visible Filipino community pretty much like Jersey City in New Jersey, but with a resident red bee mentioned above!

Let's Hear It For New York!

Ever saw that music video for Jay-Z's song "Empire State of Mind" with Alicia Keys? There was a scene in which they sang in the middle of Times Square, on top of a big red staircase. Well, Miss Iggy stood on it here, along with other tourists basking in the sun last summer. The view was awesome.

She was surrounded by so many billboards of Broadway shows.

And from where she was standing, she saw this pineapple-inhabiting character and his BFF starfish hanging out by the subway station. If you see them, remember that they prefer tips, not krabby patties!

Yesterday

...was the great John Lennon's birthday. He would have been 70. Imagine that! Here, Miss Iggy stands near the entrance to his New York abode, The Dakota. This was where he met his untimely demise on December 8, 1980. It is also a National Historic Landmark. Just across the street is Central Park where Strawberry Fields, a memorial lovingly built for Lennon, can be found. Both are popular attractions for Beatles fans.

Statuesquely Pink

It's September! You know what popular color comes to mind? Pink! Because Miss Iggy will be joining a Breast Cancer Awareness Walk for the second time this Sunday!


Pink is also the color of this sculpture that Miss Iggy spotted at City Hall Park in New York City a couple of months ago. The aluminum piece is called "Big Pink" by Aaron Curry. It was part of an outdoor art exhibit called "Statuesque." Drop by if you find yourself in the City Hall vicinity in downtown Manhattan because this exhibit runs until December 3rd, 2010.

More Albany

That extravagant building is the New York State Capitol in downtown Albany as seen from the Empire State Plaza (ESP). Inside it is the New York State Legislature. This building was declared a National Historical Landmark in 1979. Miss Iggy vaguely feels like being somewhere in Europe.

Behind Miss Iggy to the left is the Erastus Corning Tower, a state office building, which has an observation deck that's free to the public. From up there you can see a bird's eye view of downtown Albany and nearby Hudson River. Miss Iggy has an old picture by that building from two years ago!

Then there's the New York State Museum (to the right) which also has free admission and offers various exhibits as well as a giant indoor carousel to delight your little ones. 

Egg-citing Time in Albany

 

Miss Iggy found herself once again in New York's capital: Albany. She had more time to roam around, and the weather was perfect.  Here she is by The Egg, so-called because of its half-eggshell shape. It's located at the Empire State Plaza and is a popular venue for conventions, concerts, and special performances.

Speaking of eggs, this post comes at a time when there is currently a salmonella outbreak in the States due to some bad eggs being sold in supermarkets. Make sure you cook your eggs thoroughly! Here's the list of recalled eggs by brand and box numbers!

Hotdoggity! Nathan's Coney Island!

Every 4th of July, Nathan's in Coney Island, New York hosts a most gastronomical event of astronomical proportions: the International Hotdog Eating Contest.

This year, the Hotdog Champ is the undefeated winner from last year, Joey Chestnut. He wolfed down 54 hotdogs in buns in 10 minutes!

Located on Stillwell Ave., Nathan's Famous Hotdog restaurant in Coney Island started as a small hotdog joint by Polish immigrant Nathan Handwerker back in 1916. Today, Nathan's is a beloved American hotdog brand enjoyed the world over. Your Coney Island Boardwalk experience just isn't complete without having a bite of a Nathan's hotdog! Miss Iggy was here back in April, when it was still too cold to even stroll on the boardwalk!

And if you're an athletic eater, "Man vs. Food"-style, you might find yourself immortalized here in Nathan's Wall of Fame!

Sunbathing in Central Park

Summer's just around the corner, and Miss Iggy is definitely feeling it! She's hoping to get some tan on her rather pale skin here at the benches in Central Park. But she decided it's better to do it in the Philippines, where the summer sun is currently at its most scorching hot! Bring on the sunblock! 

Bethesda Beckons

 Jersey Iggy was enchanted by the "Angel of the Waters" on top of the Bethesda Fountain, the same way the movie "Enchanted" (which was filmed here) made her feel. This winged guardian of the Bethesda Terrace in New York's Central Park was designed by Emma Stebbins in 1873. Stebbins was the first female to be commissioned for a major public artwork in New York City.

The Bethesda Fountain is an iconic part of Central Park that has been featured in many Hollywood movies. People also love to visit this place which overlooks the lake for a feeling of having been "touched by an angel." Bethesda Fountain has biblical roots because it was named after that incident in the gospel of John where an angel descended to bless the "pool of Bethesda," making its waters miraculous.

During Miss Iggy's visit earlier this month, however, the fountain was dry!

Happy Earth Day from Central Park's Boathouse

The tulips were truly blossoming around the Loeb Boathouse in Central Park. This iconic location by the Lake is sought after for leisurely boating trips and for its full-service restaurant. The Boathouse is featured in the movie "27 Dresses" starring Katherine Heigl as her dream wedding venue. To see other film trivia involving the Boathouse, click here.

Happy Earth Day! Hug a tree, smell a flower. Better yet, plant one or the other!

Imagine That!

It's not Miss Iggy's first time at Strawberry Fields in Central Park, but when Fortuitous Faery and Princess Ody met in New York City for the first time last week, she happily posed by the "Imagine" mosaic plaque...also for the first time!

This circular memorial for Beatles member John Lennon was made by Italian artisans, meant as a gift by Naples fashioned as a replica from a mosaic design in Pompeii. Beatles fans usually congregate here on Lennon's birthday on October 9th and also on his death anniversary on December 8th. It is often decorated with flowers and other objects, sometimes arranged to look like the peace sign. Here, a tourist flung a single rose on it.

The "Imagine" memorial is easily accessible from the Central Park West entrance on 72nd St., just across Lennon's former residence, the Dakota Apartments.

"Imagine" is a song written and performed by John Lennon and was the opening single for his album of the same name and its timeless message of world peace rings true until today.

Nobody, Nobody But Cute (NBC)

Miss Iggy wanted to tour the NBC Studios at Rockefeller Plaza recently, but tickets were sold out for the next three days! She would have seen the sets of such shows as "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" and "Saturday Night Live." NBC is the network for hit shows like "The Office," "Heroes" and "Chuck."

Stop & Smell The Easter Bunny

Miss Iggy felt Easterrific at Rockefeller Center recently when she found the Easter Bunny made not of chocolates or marshmallows, but of ivy and colored daisies! This floral bunny wanted to impress because it had a giant egg on its nose!

All around were easter lilies and azaleas that just screamed "Spring!," although the weather has been more summer-like in the city lately.

Miss Iggy Says Happy Easter with (The Real) Winnie The Pooh & Friends!

Ever wondered what the real Winnie The Pooh looks like? Just visit the Children's Center at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building of the New York Public Library on 42nd St. and you'll see the original bear that inspired the works of A.A. Milne! Since 1987, Winnie and his friends have called New York their home.

Winnie the Pooh was a gift by A.A. Milne to his son Christopher on his first birthday on August 21, 1921. He was bought from Harrods department store in London and was originally named "Edward." Later on, more stuffed toys followed which became Winnie's group of friends. Each toy was well-loved and well-played by Christopher throughout his childhood that it shows in the tattered appearance of the bunch.

Can you spot where Piglet is on the display? For more fun facts about the Real Winnie the Pooh, hop on here!

Miss Iggy Is Having A Ball

Jersey Iggy was mesmerized by the chameleonic colors of the mini-version of Times Square's famous New Year's Eve Ball inside the Times Square Visitors Center. The real ball is made of Waterford Crystal, and its glorious moment begins at 11:59PM on December 31st every year. Ringing in the New Year at Times Square is a New York tradition attended by a multitude of people and witnessed the world over as everyone toasts to a better year ahead.

Pausing to Pose by "The Pond"

Miss Iggy got a glimpse of Bryant Park's skating rink called "The Pond" a day before it closed for the winter season last month. It's a "Winter Wonderland in the heart of Manhattan," your alternative to the skating rinks in Rockefeller Center and Central Park.

It was empty that time because it was early Saturday morning when she dropped by. Miss Iggy decided not to linger because the frostbite was starting to numb her fingers!

The Pond's first year of skate-xistence was made possible by this financial institution. Cool!

Let's Hear It For New Yoooork!

Jersey Iggy is celebrating with Yankees fans all over the world and cheering "Hip-Hip-Hideki!" (as coined by Sreisaat for World Series MVP Hideki Matsui) as the blue-and-white pinstriped team from New York won the 2009 World Series in the brand-spankin' new Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. This is their 27th time winning it, the last time was in 2000. Here's Jersey Iggy outside the entrance to a sporting goods store which proudly displays the Yankees logo.

Inside is the most coveted official Yankees World Series shirt:

Fortuitous Faery and Sreisaat were Facebooking each other like crazy as the monumental Game 6 was airing on Wednesday night, New York time (Thursday morning, Cambodia time). At the big moment when the Yankees struck out the Phillies and won the World Series, Sreisaat's electricity went out. Strike out...Lights out! :P

New York Public Library's Main Reading Room

Jersey Iggy didn't have to try hard to be very, very quiet inside the NY Public Library's Rose Reading Room on the third floor. Its grandiose appearance was enough to fill her with silent awe.

The interiors exuded a solemn, church-like atmosphere with rows of study carrels for "pews."

This grand library was featured in that classic Audrey Hepburn film, "Breakfast at Tiffany's," in that scene where Holly and Paul (George Peppard) looked up his author card in the library's catalog.

And who wouldn't want to read with these elegant, golden lamps? By the way, tourists do come here, so I'm not the only one snapping away in the reading room. If you visit the NYPL, remember to disable your camera's flash. Let Photoshop do its magic with your pictures later on.