After a late night in New York, it was about noon when I got out of bed. The first order of business had been determined at the suggestions of a friend who spent a summer living in Manhattan. So, with high expectations, I strolled into Shake Shack.

A delicious guilty indulgence later, I was ready to hit the town. It was a struggle to get around 5^th Avenue as New Yorkers and tourists swarmed the high-end stores. Perhaps folks were just eager to start with their Christmas shopping, but I’m also convinced that the endless sea of 5^th Ave. shoppers is a trademark of the city.

After walking 30 blocks to Central Park, I was glad to finally sit down and catch some free Wi-Fi courtesy of the Apple Store. The day eventually ended at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, one attraction on my NYC must-do list that I finally managed to cross off after 4 trips to the vibrant city. I went to a lot of museums when I lived in Europe yet the MET still managed to impress me with its beautifully curated Asian and Egyptian Exhibits. Somewhere between the Monet and Picasso galleries, for a brief moment, I forgot that I was in New York. Instead, I was transported back to this exact time last year, when I stood in front of paintings by the same artists in Musée D’Orsay in Paris.

I definitely miss Europe and hope to go back soon, but in the mean time, I’ll keep myself busy with more weekend travels like this one.