Leah's Guide to the Second City (New York City)

     New York City is not for me. I daytripped last Saturday with a friend, and I have confirmed that it is not The Greatest City in the World or The Center of the Universe like many arrogant New Yorkers like to assert to us Chicagoans. It reminded me of Vegas. Granted we were dropped off in Times Square but still, my first thought was 'Wow, this is like Vegas all over again.' I do have to note that it was also 45 degrees and rainy and the First Saturday in December which must be a holiday or something in Manhattan. Yeah, that probably had something to do with it. My curiosity for the Second City is pretty much all gone but I did learn some valuable lessons that day: 

1.  Have a plan. Maybe, you know, ask people what to do before you go? 
2.  Do not think there won’t be a line at FAO Schwarz on the first Saturday in December. There will be.
3. Rockefeller is cool, I guess. 
4. There will a line at Starbucks, too. But when you're there you can chat up some cute older couple wearing Navy gear and learn about their grandson who went to the Naval Academy and wanted to fly planes but is colorblind and isn't sure what he wants to do. 
5. Beware of umbrellas. Especially short people carrying umbrellas. They will not realize that their umbrellas hit you right at eye level. They also don’t realize that umbrellas are wider and taller than them. Beware of the umbrellas wars.
6. Don’t wear Converse even if you have inserts in them. They aren’t good walking shoes, especially when you’re jumping over puddles. Also it's normal if the next couple of days the bottoms of your feet feel like the first layer of skin was pulled off. 
7. Be aggressive with cabs. If the cab has pulled up in an ambiguous position between you and another party, act like its yours unless they look like dangerous people. If that’s the case, just let them take the cab.
8. Bagel and lox will be expensive as hell but it’s completely worth it. 
9. Lastly, text your brother that you are in NYC because there's a chance that he might be there too and neither of you know that the other is there.