Every year around the holiday Christmas season, my family and I travel to New York City to participate in one of the most anticipated highlights of the season- to see The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. Located in Midtown Manhattan, between 48th and 51st streets, Rockefeller Center attracts New Yorkers and visitors alike, who come to see the 65 -90 foot Norway Spruce tree that is adorned with over five miles of lights and topped with a multicolored star. The center also holds the world-famous Ice Rink that has become a quintessential New York City winter experience for generations. It wouldn't be winter without a trip to Rockefeller Center and this year proved to be no different. Our travel began at 2:00 p.m. and the sun was still pretty high in the sky. However, the sun did little to warm the frigid temperature. Dressed in layers and heavy outerwear, we took to the crowded streets of New York City and looked on in amazement at the decorations that decorated the windows of the stores along
Fifth Avenue. The walk to Rockefeller Center from 34th Streetproved to be a difficult task as the jam-packed streets were unhurried to welcome three baby carriages, and to maintain the group that my family and I traveled in. The sun had set by the time we reached Rockefeller Center and we were all feeling overly dressed and exhausted from the walk. We took a few pictures and managed a few smiles through our exhaustion and headed for the closest train going downtown toward the Staten Island Ferry.
For my twenty-fifth birthday, my boyfriend and I decided to go to Atlantic City for the weekend. We left on a Friday, around 3:00 p.m., the day before my birthday. After filling up our tank we started southbound along the New Jersey Turnpike through a flowing stream of traffic. After taking a wrong exit and getting lost for an hour we finally scout a sign for the Atlantic City Expressway. To make up for lost time, we drive at close to twenty five miles over the speed limit, we sped right past a New Jersey State Trooper parked off to the side of the road. With lightning speed the trooper began pursuit with flashing lights, signaling us to pull over. Once stopped, we waited anxiously for the trooper to approach us. He arrived and engaged us in a civil yet stern matter and requested the vehicle’s documents. Once received, he returned to his vehicle and as we sat slightly relieved yet filled with suspense, the ten minutes dragged out like hours. The trooper returned, still civil but with a concerned grimace, at which time he authoritatively instructed my boyfriend out of the car. He ruggedly frisked my boyfriend while spouting a few garbled words before placing him in hand cuffs.
After my boyfriend is placed in the back of the police car, the trooper abruptly gave me directions to the police station but refused to tell me why he arrested my boyfriend. After driving half a mile I finally find the main road and drive the mile back to the police station. When I got to the small police station, the same officer told me that there was a warrant out for my boyfriends arrest and that the computer wasn’t giving him the reason for the warrant. After many failed attempts, the officer told me that my boyfriend would have to wait until Monday, when the courts open, to go before a judge. After hearing this information, I began to panic and my thoughts of my boyfriend quickly turn bad. Thinking that I was dating an ex-con or fugitive, I took a seat in the waiting room to collect my thoughts and my boyfriend walks out five minutes later. Wondering if he had escaped, I quickly scanned the perimeter of the building, anticipating a hostile takedown. We sat down and my boyfriend wearily explained the warrant, which was for an unpaid ticket he got for speeding three years prior. My boyfriend was issued a court date and released on his own cognizance. Three hours behind schedule and feeling completely exhausted, we decided to continue our trip to Atlantic City. I got behind the wheel, put the directions into the GPS, and let my boyfriend sleep until he was awakened by a sea of flashing lights emanating off the hotels facade.
One of my favorite places in New York City is the Nuyorican Café. Located in the east village, the Nuyorican Café has been around since the 70’s and provides the city with a lounge-type atmosphere, which makes it a nice place to relax, enjoy great poetry and music. The entrance fee is inexpensive and the doors are open to people of all ethnicities. The crowd is always friendly and the place is always packed. Seats are on a first come first serve basis so come early if you want a seat. The café has different events going on during the week and every Friday night is poetry slam night. On that night, the host randomly chooses ten people from the crowd to judge the poets. The winner from that night usually competes with winners from previous poetry slams as well as newbies, and the competition continues until the best poet is determined. The finalist eventually goes on to participate in state-wide competitions and many poets representing the café have won. So, if you enjoy poetry and a good diverse crowd then check out the Nuyorican Café New York City is the Nuyorican Café.
My visit to the Black Wax Museum was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced in my child life. Located on North Avenue in Baltimore City, Maryland,the building looks far from inviting as condemned housing units neighbor this historical landmark. The inside however, is rather inviting and is an essential experience for anyone seeking to truly understand the plight that African Americans went through during that time period. The museum is occupied by a plethora of wax statues depicting different scenes starting with the early Slave Trade and extending to such times as the Civil Rights Movement The experience of actually seeing these events retold in this realistic manner transcends any writing you may have previously read and is guaranteed to bring you into a direct relationship to the pain and anguish of the time.
