I just got back from New York right after Christmas. I hit up Apollo Bagels, which is super famous there. The first location had no seating, and I didn't want to look pathetic eating a bagel sandwich outside in sub-zero weather, so we went to the second location. They say the taste is slightly inferior, but it has some seating. During this trip, so many places were packed that I had to hover around tables like a hawk to snag a seat as soon as someone looked like they were finishing up.
The bagel sandwiches are about 50% more expensive than back in my rural US neighborhood, but since they put toppings on both halves, you're basically getting two sandwiches. Plus, the prep work and ingredient quality make it totally worth the price. The tomato bagel had a drizzle of olive oil and some other seasoning on top.
Despite the chaotic atmosphere, the staff was really friendly. It's a different vibe from the 'mechanical' service you get at a crowded Myeongdong Kalguksu in Seoul. For example, when I was looking around for extra napkins near the counter, the cashier spotted me, smiled, and handed them over before I even asked. The area where we watched The Lion King turned out to be the most congested part of NYC. Since it was a weekend evening and packed to the brim, we had lunch at Jollibee (the Filipino chicken chain). We waited 30 minutes for our food, watching for any opening at a table with eagle eyes in that cramped restaurant. It was so chaotic I couldn't even take a photo of the food. I should've eaten somewhere less crowded and just taken a cab or Uber/Lyft to the theater. The streets looked like this—heavily salted, so the crosswalks were full of slush. Still, people were patient and didn't push each other while navigating the busy intersections.
This was my fourth Broadway musical. I've seen duds like Cats, but Mamma Mia years ago blew me away with the live vocals, and this time too, the stage production and singing were top-notch. I watch musicals in Korea and in my small town, but Broadway really expands your perspective on the genre. I guess it's because it's a big city where the best singers and directors compete. We took the subway back to our hotel in Long Island City across the river at 10:30 PM, and it didn't feel sketchy at all. Some Clien members said the NYC subway felt dangerous, but the high-traffic areas seem fine. Just like Korea has some sketchy, run-down industrial areas, New York is safe as long as you stick to the regular routes. This was my fifth visit to New York.
The NYC subway doesn't seem to have the same safety issues as Paris, where poor immigrants might snatch your phone. I didn't hear anything about pickpockets or snatching either.
The vibe is like sitting next to supporting actors from an American movie. The stations are much cleaner compared to my 2022 visit. The smell has improved, too. I only encountered one station that smelled like urine. Maybe it's because I mostly used the M and F lines connecting to Long Island City. In 2022, my hotel was downtown, so I used the older lines. The buses are also clean and decent. No graffiti, and people even moved over so our group could sit together.
One thing I noticed about NYC tourists and locals is that they seem very aware of their surroundings and try not to inconvenience others. For example, if my wife and I got on the subway, a guy would scoot over with a 'We're all in this together!' expression so we could sit comfortably. When we were confused because the subway Google Maps suggested wasn't running, a lady walking by overheard us and told us, 'The M line doesn't stop here at night during the holidays,' before moving on. People say Koreans are kind to foreigners, but it feels like New Yorkers have learned that K-culture too. Also, Nexen Tire is an official partner of the NY Rangers hockey team.
This is the tree in front of Rockefeller Center. It's massive—crazy to think they transported a real tree that size.
It was extremely crowded, but people gave each other space to take photos, so we managed to get a family photo with the tree. Behind Rockefeller Center (near the observatory line), they had heavy-duty barricades to prevent vehicle rammings. The gates are made of thick steel and heavy concrete blocks set at intervals that no car could pass through.
The NYC subway arrival boards now use TV screens, just like in Seoul.
The New York City Ballet performs The Nutcracker every Christmas at the City Ballet Theater.
I watched from the middle of the orchestra level. Closer would have been nice, but this was a good balance of price and immersion. One great thing about ballet compared to musicals is that there are zero English lines... it's a silent movie. Perfect for someone like me who struggles with English listening. I was amazed by the live orchestra, the high-end production, and the physical control of the dancers. I think the ultimate test for humanoid robots would be whether they can perform ballet. The precise acceleration, balance, and synchronization with the music were incredible. Back in college, there was a joke that Ewha Womans University's dance department only recruited male students to lift the female dancers. In The Nutcracker, there's a lot of lifting. But that 'lifting role' is insane. The restrained power, timing, and balance required aren't just about picking someone up. Could an average person do it? Absolutely not. After the lifting segments, the ballerino does a solo with incredible explosive power. As an engineer, I was mesmerized.
The first act of the NYC Ballet's Nutcracker is more narrative than dance. The lead this year was 11-year-old Dessa Lynn Turfs, who has only been dancing for two years. She acts in Act 1 and does a bit of ballet with other kids in Act 2. It's worth seeing if you're in NY. I watched some Korean explainer videos on YouTube beforehand. Even though I've never seen ballet before, the music, lighting, and movement kept me in awe. For lunch one day, we went to the famous L'industrie Pizza. The original is in Brooklyn; this was the second location. Even in the rain, the line was about 30 meters long. This photo was taken halfway through the wait.
This was the line only 15 minutes after opening. A few days prior, I saw it stretch over 50 meters. There's no seating inside, just small standing tables. Some people were even eating outside under the eaves.
We got lucky and snagged a standing table behind some people who were finishing up. It was cramped and uncomfortable, but the pizza was great. High-quality ingredients and perfectly baked. I think this is why tourists visit uncomfortable places like Gwangjang Market in Seoul—to see if the hype is real. NYC maintains its charm for individual travelers because everything is so densely packed with shops and street food that only small groups can really enjoy. Modernizing these markets or tourist spots might actually strip away that charm. Also, I noticed New York has semi-basement housing too.
Long Island City, where I stayed, is just across a small river from Manhattan, making it very convenient. However, the area near the subway station is old and dirty since it was developed long ago. The walk from the station to the hotel passes by some public housing that looks like the old Seosomun or Jinyang apartments in Seoul. There's a fair amount of trash, too.
But the people walking around seemed perfectly fine. Compared to 2018 or 2022, people seem more 'with it' and well-dressed. Whether it's people on the subway or those walking around at 11 PM, I saw young Black men and families who were kind enough to hold the door for me at the 50-year-old corner store. The area behind Seoul Square (old Daewoo building) where I stay in Korea is also an old, lower-income neighborhood that isn't exactly 'clean,' so LIC felt similar. It's a mix of shabby shops and ambitious new ones, with long-time Korean residents and new immigrant families shopping together at small supermarkets. I took a photo of LaGuardia Airport on the way back. Spirit Airlines uses the oldest Terminal A.
I saw a board displaying the airport's history, and the bottom left photo looked familiar. It's the same view from two photos ago!
This terminal opened in 1947... One thing I always notice about US architecture and facilities is that if it works well, they don't bother changing it. Same with the 50-year-old department store escalators in my town. Though those didn't open in 1947.
"Users are swapping 'war stories' about the NYC subway being scary in the 90s versus its cleaner modern state, while everyone got a good laugh realizing that the 'Korean uniform' of long black puffer jackets has officially taken over New York too."
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