Task #1-Coney Island!

Today was one of those days in NYC that you just absolutely love. The weather was a picture perfect 82 degrees, sunny and not humid at all (this makes for really great hair). My mother in her infinite bag of sayings would call this a "chamber of commerce day". When NY is blessed with weather like this it puts everyone in a good mood including the most cynical of New Yorkers. I took this outstanding weather condition as a sign that perhaps I should start my first quest in the scavenger hunt given to me by Christina. So of course I started from the very beginning (a very good place to start).

I've been to Coney Island before. Actually when I went it was slightly colder, I remember I was in sweats and my hair was significantly shorter. Going during this time of year when it's still hot and this gorgeous out was perfect! I started my journey on the 2 train and switched in Brooklyn to the N... the train ride was about an hour altogether. Now here's the thing... taking pictures in the subway was not easy for me. As a New Yorker... I don't like looking like a tourist. Actually it makes me feel pretty stupid. However... for this mission... I sucked it up and got over the fact that everyone was looking at me saying "stupid tourist--its just an effing subway sign".



When I arrived I was immediately pulled to this beautiful mural that took up the wall just across from the subway and not far from Nathan's (which was my destination). For some reason, I've recently been pulled pretty heavily to random wall murals. There's something so intrinsically pretty about them.



After spending some time admiring the beauty of the wall my tummy reminded me that it was time to eat! I was pretty excited about it! Not only had it been a long time since I'd had a Nathan's hot dog... it had been over a month since I'd have junk food at all! Thanks to my Ecuador trip I've been a very good girl as far as food is concerned... so to say that I was excited for a hot dog smothered in ketchup and a side of french fries is absolutely an understatement! The line, which at Nathan's is never a line but a cluster of people trying to figure out where the line is, was relatively long which made my tummy yearn that much more for the food I was about to have. I think it's safe to say my drool glandes were in major action. Once I got my food I joined a table with 3 lovely women from NY. Actually they came down from the Bronx which is at least a 2 hour or more subway ride... that's some hot dog dedication if you ask me! We shared some laughs, great food and were even more entertained when 2 men from London joined our table. (It should be known that I'm a sucker for accents) It was a father and son duo and the father could not get over the fact that NY was a 24/7 type of place. Apparently, all their stores close by 10 and their metro-transit system shuts down by 12... can't be easy if you're movie gets out at 11:30 and you have to haul it to make the train. He also told us about Oxford Street in London. According to him, it was made literally to confuse tourists. This is a straight street that goes for miles... and has attached to it 29 different street names. When I heard this I vowed to myself that when I go to London I'll be taking a picture by all 29 signs. :-)



Once my food was in and everyone decided it was time to go on their way I decided to take a walk on the boardwalk and just enjoy the day. Did I mention how beautiful it was!? I walked along the boardwalk and then out on the pier... something I had never done.

As this is seeing NY on a budget it should be known that I spent a grand total of: $15.83
Roundtrip subway ride: $4.50
Nathan's Hot Dog: $6.53
Carvel Ice Cream: 3.80
Picture of Homeless guy: $1.00
An amazing day of picture taking, making new friends and introspection: Priceless :-)
(For the record... the next time I do this I hope to not be on a budget. I've never ridden the Wonder Wheel and I want to ride every single ride in Luna Park--even the kiddy ones!)

Now... this scavenger hunt... though fun... was missing a little something. Christina... I hope you don't mind... but I added a little element. On each of my journeys I decided that it would be a great idea to tag some part of the area I'm in with a message of love. For Coney Island... it was in a bathroom stall where I simply wrote "love yourself" in the girls bathroom. I figure it'll touch the right person during a time in their life when maybe they need to see that and given the circumstances in which I was endowed with this mission I thought it would be nice to pay the love forward. I've always said life is about loving and learning and within this hunt I've already learned a bit about myself.
One: I love talking to strangers... it always winds up so pleasant and I'm hoping to make new friends on each of these missions.
Two: I miss junk food! lol I won't be going back to it... but holy crap I miss it! :-)

Below is a video I made of all my pictures... I know I was only supposed to take a few... but typically I get a little out of hand with pictures. I took some of everything that was interesting to me! Please forgive the amateur-ness of my video... it's the first time I've done this sort of thing.

So... that's it! Task #1... completed! :-)

Until next time...

Coney Island from Cristina Ambrose on Vimeo.

The Tasks

1.) Eat a hot dog from Nathan's on Coney Island. If you can, eat the french fries with the little pitchfork. Take a walk on the boardwalk.

2.) Go to the Cloisters and take a picture of the prettiest covered arch/bridge. Add a colorful flower to the picture. If you can, add yourself in the picture as if you were on Americas Next Top Model.

3.) If you don't already have one, sign up to get the NYC public library card. Once you do this, go to this site: http://www.nypl.org/locations/schwarzman/manuscripts-division, and arrange to look at some of the oldest manuscripts in the country. A picture taken outside is acceptable.

4.) Beginning in Brooklyn, walk across the Brooklyn Bridge to the Manhattan side. Take a picture of one of the arches with Manhattan in the background. You must find a way to add some sort of random stick figure/clay figure/ etc into the picture.

5.) Go to the Downtown Boathouse and go kayaking on the Hudson. It's free! For more details, go to http://www.nyc.com/sports/downtown_boathouse.76189/editorial_review.aspx#content.

6.)Refer to http://www.nycstreetfairs.com/sched.html to find a day or an event when you want to go and walk through one of the many street fairs nyc has to offer.

7.) Go to Caffe Reggio for a Cappuccino. Bring a book and sit and read for a bit. Make sure you find out why this is an important place to visit. Caffe Reggio - 119 MacDougal Street - New York, NY 10012 - Tel. (212) 475-9557

8.) Walk the High Line. Bring a sandwich, drink, and a book. If you can get a seat, enjoy the view. Discover what the last train carried when the railroad ran.

9.) Try out the Whisper Wall in Grand Central with a friend. It works like this: Go find the Oyster Bar in Grand Central. It's on the lower level near the food court. In front of the Oyster Bar, there is a stone chamber with glorious arches. Stand in one corner, make friends with someone quickly or have your previously acquired friend stand in the opposite corner. Now, this is the part that will make you look psycho... both of you turn to face into the corner and speak normally. Your friend on the other side will be able to hear you speak, but people in the room won't be able to. Does it work?

10.) Take a picture of yourself at Eddie's Sweet Shop: 105-29 Metropolitan Ave Forest Hills, NY 11375. What is the significance of this shop?

11.) Enjoy a free concert by Julliard students. http://events.juilliard.edu:8080/cal/main/showMain.rdo

12.) Go to Central Park and take a picture at every place seen in the movie Enchanted during the song "That's How You'll Know." You must be in the pictures :)

13.) Attend a show taping of a morning show. I prefer the Today show. If you carry a sign, that would be awesome.

14.) Dance on the keyboard at FAO Schwartz.

15.) Attend a live audience for LIVE on BROADWAY. It's every Wednesday at noon for SIRIUS XM LIVE ON BROADWAY with host Seth Rudetsky. The tapings are open to the public and take place at the Broadway Concierge and Ticket Center in the heart of Times Square. Don't miss interviews, live performances, autographs and photos with your favorite stars!

16.) Take a picture of yourself on the wooden escalator in Macy's in Herald Square. They are the oldest escalator stairs around!

17.) Visit the Woodlawn Cemetary and pay your jazz respects. I think they'd be ok with you taking a few pics of the jazz greats stones.

18.) Visit The Mahayana Buddhist Temple (133 Canal St.) is very beautiful, calming, gilded, and basically free to enter (I think it's $1 donation)

19.) Take a picture sitting on the giant toilet in the Charmin Experience in Times Square (it's a holiday thing. if they don't return, make an alternative picture in Times Square and post reason)

20.) Take a picture with the Thinker statue at Columbia University.

21.) Go to the M&M store in Times Square and take a picture of the most ridiculous expensive item in there.

22.) Visit all 5 boroughs in 1-2 days. Make sure you take a picture of yourself in each one. The name of the borough must be visible (or a landmark)

23.) The Prospect Park Carousel is offering free rides every Thursday in August from noon to 6 p.m. Otherwise, it's $2. Take a picture of yourself on the carousel. Extra points if you name which song the carousel plays!

24.) Take a picture with a Disney Character at the Disney Store on 5th Ave.

25.) During the holidays, take a picture of yourself with 5 classic NYC holiday icons. Example: the blowing up of the macy's balloons, macy's window display, floating snowflake on 5th ave, the rockerfeller tree, etc.

The Rules

Each task must be completed by Jan. 1, 2011. When a task has been completed, a post must be added to this site with a picture of the task being completed accompanying it. The tasks do not need to be completed in any particular order. When you post a completed task, please include:

-a picture
-the date
-a commentary about the task you completed
-which task you completed in particular

Ready? Go!