We were in Manhattan on Friday. We started on the subway with some wedding gifts that Jason needed to return. It was a little awkward since one of the items was a big wall-mounted candle holder that was already difficult to carry and now we were boarding the subway with it. So the first stop was the Bed Bath & Beyond. Once that was taken care of, we had lunch at Republic, which is a fusion noodle place in Union Square. The ambience was very cool and the food was decent but more for a yuppy whitey crowd.

Right outside of the restaurant was the Farmers’ Market. We picked up some hot apple cider and walked around a bit. There was a guy who was standing on the corner sketching the scenery with a magic marker and I really liked his style. So as I passed him, I gave him a compliment with a thumbs up. About 10 paces past him, he called me back and offered one of his drawings (a copy) and said that he was giving these away for a small donation. I nodded and Jes handed him the change in his pocket and we were on our way. Some may say that I got conned but I felt it was actually worth the 75 cents. His style caught my attention, he was very professional (having a flyer with his email address), and he was very courteous/humble with his sales pitch. After taking my painting class I definitely have a higher sense of appreciation for things that are created by hand.

Afterwards we took the C Train up to the Museum of Natural History. It was really big and really crowded. There were a variety of exhibits including a big dinosaur display in the entrance, a butterfly conservatory, animal replicas in glass displays, and different cultural tools and clothing. The best part of it all was that we got in free, thanks to Jason’s friend who met up with us.

In the evening, we met up with Jia in Times Square where she was studying. They went to Good Friday service while Jes and I explored the rest of Times Square, Rockefeller Center, and Fifth Ave. We visited the Peninsula Hotel and had drinks at the Top Bar. It had a nice view but the drinks were really pricey. Dinner was at Golden Chicken & Ribs (on Ninth & W. 41st), a hole-in-the-wall that makes a mean grilled chicken.

Here are photos from Friday.