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My tryst with Uncle Sam
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Mar. 2nd, 2007 | 04:26 pm
mood: 
chipper
It has already been a week since I returned from the bitter sweet chills of the US of A. I’m still wondering why people are the same everywhere.
You “make” a turn in the US. You “take” a turn in India. You end up doing the same thing. There is no ground floor in the US. Level 1 is the floor above ground floor in India. That does not change the number of floors, does it?
People exchange pleasantries at the drop of a hat in the US. People may mistake extra courteousness for sexual overtures in India. It is these differences that make visiting new places so interesting. Nevertheless, people are STILL the same everywhere.
Well, what was I doing in the US? I was happily away on a short term business visit. The first week was spent in a sleepy town called Flint – a few miles away from Detroit, Michigan. The very first weekend was a “splurgey” one at the truly awesome Prime Outlets at Birch Run, Flint. I found this unparalleled by even Jersey Gardens, NJ, which I visited a week later.
Prime Outlets had these millions (excuse the exaggeration!) of shops spread over acres of land. You name the brand – and it was there. Unfortunately, they were all in an open expanse. Imagine my plight at -20F. So we ended up visiting every shop just to warm up – and I bought this and that at every such stop! Some of the outlets that caught my fancy – Liz Claiborne, GAP, VF, Nike, Chocolate factory, some random Kitchen shop where I bought a Chicago cutlery set, Perfumania (maxed my spending here) and so on. When our car broke down, we sought solace in a Golf store in which one of the wall hangings (apparently a wife’s epitaph) had this – “When I die, bury me in a Golf course so that my husband visits me eight times a week”.
The next week, I was in Detroit for three days and Southfield for two days – working :(
After a hectic 70-hour work week, I flew DTW-LGA. Spent a day at NJ – had lip smacking South Indian vegetarian lunch (Mysore food more specifically) at this Indian restaurant called Swagath at Edison. And then spent some time in Jersey Gardens, surprisingly did not shop much there. Sunday was the best day of my entire trip. NYC was like one soft boulder of fun hurled at me. And the boulders kept coming the whole day. After a quick sight seeing tour where we shown a spate of “cast iron” buildings, Chinese shopping areas, Parks and other landmarks, Vinns and I disembarked quickly. We had a Burritto bowl each at Chipotle and sailed to and fro in Staten Island ferry – catching a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge. We took the subway to Times Square. We clicked a few photos near the Empire State Building. I shopped some expensive watches at Macy’s (the first ever to be established I was told). Then we bought tickets for a Broadway musical called “I love you. You are Perfect. Now change!” We were trying to kill time when I chanced upon a souvenir shop – I bought some to gift and some to keep for myself. We dined at an exquisite Indian restaurant called Utsav and rushed to Westside Theatre on 43rd Street. The comical satirical musical comprising well woven sequences revolving around love, sex, dating and marriage - was almost mesmerizing – the actors were perfect and were fantastic singers too. Except for the last bit “Funerals are for dating”, I enjoyed every moment of the two-and-a-half-hour entertainment.
The final week was in Flint again. I did not fancy the Courtyard hotel as much as Marriott Residence Inn. However, I was “ok” with anything as I was joyfully preoccupied about getting back home.
Some thoughts and after thoughts:
NYC traffic reminded me of the traffic woes back home. I told you. People are the same everywhere.
Things I tried for the first time and absolutely loved: Flavored coffees (French Vanilla, Hazelnut, Caramel), Waffles.
Loved the snow. It is fun to observe and not to jump into. Just like matrimony(!)
I would certainly not mind going back to NYC for a day or two. This time around, I would shop a little bit more. And walk through every avenue of every street in Times Square. I don’t like to miss a thing.
You “make” a turn in the US. You “take” a turn in India. You end up doing the same thing. There is no ground floor in the US. Level 1 is the floor above ground floor in India. That does not change the number of floors, does it?
People exchange pleasantries at the drop of a hat in the US. People may mistake extra courteousness for sexual overtures in India. It is these differences that make visiting new places so interesting. Nevertheless, people are STILL the same everywhere.
Well, what was I doing in the US? I was happily away on a short term business visit. The first week was spent in a sleepy town called Flint – a few miles away from Detroit, Michigan. The very first weekend was a “splurgey” one at the truly awesome Prime Outlets at Birch Run, Flint. I found this unparalleled by even Jersey Gardens, NJ, which I visited a week later.
Prime Outlets had these millions (excuse the exaggeration!) of shops spread over acres of land. You name the brand – and it was there. Unfortunately, they were all in an open expanse. Imagine my plight at -20F. So we ended up visiting every shop just to warm up – and I bought this and that at every such stop! Some of the outlets that caught my fancy – Liz Claiborne, GAP, VF, Nike, Chocolate factory, some random Kitchen shop where I bought a Chicago cutlery set, Perfumania (maxed my spending here) and so on. When our car broke down, we sought solace in a Golf store in which one of the wall hangings (apparently a wife’s epitaph) had this – “When I die, bury me in a Golf course so that my husband visits me eight times a week”.
The next week, I was in Detroit for three days and Southfield for two days – working :(
After a hectic 70-hour work week, I flew DTW-LGA. Spent a day at NJ – had lip smacking South Indian vegetarian lunch (Mysore food more specifically) at this Indian restaurant called Swagath at Edison. And then spent some time in Jersey Gardens, surprisingly did not shop much there. Sunday was the best day of my entire trip. NYC was like one soft boulder of fun hurled at me. And the boulders kept coming the whole day. After a quick sight seeing tour where we shown a spate of “cast iron” buildings, Chinese shopping areas, Parks and other landmarks, Vinns and I disembarked quickly. We had a Burritto bowl each at Chipotle and sailed to and fro in Staten Island ferry – catching a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge. We took the subway to Times Square. We clicked a few photos near the Empire State Building. I shopped some expensive watches at Macy’s (the first ever to be established I was told). Then we bought tickets for a Broadway musical called “I love you. You are Perfect. Now change!” We were trying to kill time when I chanced upon a souvenir shop – I bought some to gift and some to keep for myself. We dined at an exquisite Indian restaurant called Utsav and rushed to Westside Theatre on 43rd Street. The comical satirical musical comprising well woven sequences revolving around love, sex, dating and marriage - was almost mesmerizing – the actors were perfect and were fantastic singers too. Except for the last bit “Funerals are for dating”, I enjoyed every moment of the two-and-a-half-hour entertainment.
The final week was in Flint again. I did not fancy the Courtyard hotel as much as Marriott Residence Inn. However, I was “ok” with anything as I was joyfully preoccupied about getting back home.
Some thoughts and after thoughts:
NYC traffic reminded me of the traffic woes back home. I told you. People are the same everywhere.
Things I tried for the first time and absolutely loved: Flavored coffees (French Vanilla, Hazelnut, Caramel), Waffles.
Loved the snow. It is fun to observe and not to jump into. Just like matrimony(!)
I would certainly not mind going back to NYC for a day or two. This time around, I would shop a little bit more. And walk through every avenue of every street in Times Square. I don’t like to miss a thing.