This has been such a long time coming but I'm finally starting my *long* travel series from my recent trip to the States! I was there for two weeks and I traveled from New York to Philadelphia to Washington DC, then back to New York and I will be sharing my travels in exactly this order. Let's begin, shall we?
We travelled for a total of almost 30 hours if you include waiting time for the transfer flight. However, I really want to note that traveling from Manila to New York with Asiana Airlines is legitimately a great way to go about it. From Manila, we flew to Seoul, then New York. We waited for about 5 hours for our transfer, but there's truly no better place to transfer than Incheon International Airport. Aside from being able to stock up on some of your favorite K-Beauty products at great prices (Personally stocked up on Laneige and Missha lol), they actually have free amenities such as napping areas, shower areas, and a great selection of food. Those 5 hours are going to fly right by, for sure. On top of that, Asiana has the best ticket prices and an awesome plane that's shockingly comfortable as far as Economy seats go.
I wanted to share this because I've been sort of dreading the idea of long haul flights since I went to California about 10 years ago. Sitting on a plane for about 12 hours is stressful. We used Philippine Airlines at the time and it was a memorably challenging experience... to say the least.
That aside! We arrived in New York just a bit after lunch. First thing on the agenda was to get to the nearest station that linked to the NYC Subway! I recommend hooking up to the airport wifi and getting all the info you might need. I *highly* suggest downloading an offline map of New York on Google Maps. This way, you can easily navigate to where you need to be even without a connection. The rates for a Sim Card at the airport are just way too high. The best and most affordable one to get is T-Mobile. It's half the price, has good deals for data, and works just as well. You just have to look for one that's nearest you. That's where the offline map is going to come in handy.
Anyway, to get to the station from JFK International Airport, you have to take a free shuttle to the station. You have to ask around, but it should be pretty easy to spot because it's the only place with a large number of people waiting outside. Once you're at the station, get a Metrocard! This will be your passport to everything related to getting around the city; whether it's a bus or the subway. You can get an unlimited subway pass in certain reload stations. If you're staying for about a week, I suggest getting the 1-week pass for $30+. Definitely not a bad deal since a ride is $2.75.
Being here was certainly surreal, because I never really thought I'd ever get back to States for some reason. Haha! I couldn't believe I was headed to the places I grew up watching! From Will & Grace, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, 30 Rock, to even, the Cosby Show (Controversy aside)!
First time riding the subway! Aaaaah! If I could sum the experience up with one word, I'd use "colorful" because it just truly was. I loved seeing this thorough melting pot of a city because there's truly so many types of people in one place - for better or for worse. I say this because it's a fun experience to do people-watching. Sometimes, you really do encounter strange people that you just have to get away from. There are homeless people that leave trash everywhere and have overwhelming smells. There are sometimes entertainers that go around to ask for tips. It doesn't really happen all the time, but you just have to be prepared for anything because literally anything can happen lol
We finally got off at Windsor Place in Brooklyn to head to our AirBnB. It was still quite early, so we decided to spontaneously find a place to get a quick snack to kill some time.
Brooklyn Brownstones! It still felt like a dream to be here. When you're from a third world Asian country, being in such a drastically Western environment is just a weird sensation. I'm constantly hit with the thought of "Am I really actually here right now?" and "Am I actually *this* far away from home right now?"
There are delis and pizzerias and all sorts of small and charming shops. Brooklyn now is very much a peaceful and beautiful place. It's immediately obvious why so many people lived there aside from the cheaper rent compared to leaving in Manhattan.
We decided to try our luck at a place called DUB Pies because it looked like a quaint little place lol
We tried the NY Shepherd's Pie and the Steak and Mushroom Pie. Both are savory, meaty, and juicy. A little bit overpriced for what they are. I wouldn't really say it's something you *have* to try. Nothing out of the ordinary for our first meal in Brooklyn. Haha!
We settled in our AirBnB and left to find a T-Mobile dealer because Wi-Fi is essential to get around. But honestly, when you have it, it's pretty easy to get around. No other guide necessary than Google Maps. It can even provide you with Subway routes!
It was honestly a long walk to get to the more bustling areas of Brooklyn but I didn't even notice because of the stunning buildings everywhere. The weather at the time was also absolutely perfect.
This building gave me FRIENDS vibes!
Brooklyn has a large hipster population - as seen in shows like The Last O.G. haha! And I was quite determined to try all the health foods that I hear about a lot on social media. I've been on quite the Kale Chips kick recently and I tried every brand of Kale Chips I saw in my whole trip! My absolute favorite is from New York Naturals which I could only find in Brooklyn. Never saw it when I was in Manhattan. It costs $8 but is absolutely worth it for the amount of Kale Chips you get. In the Philippines, a bag costs about 200 Pesos at about a third of this volume.
I immediately regret not trying all the flavors and just hoarding them. The Spicy Miso is *amazing* and I wish this was also more visibly available in Manhattan!!! You can find this almost anywhere in Brooklyn though! I got mine at a place called Awesome Organic Market but I also saw it at CTown Supermarket.
I also took a quick visit to CVS because I just wanted to see what a drugstore looked like lol. After watching so many Beauty vlogs, it's just a big point of curiosity for me. I do think Ulta is the place to be for all your Beauty needs and curiosities. The stuff at Sephora is waaaay too expensive unless you're there for the high end brands.
Before looking for a dinner spot, we ran into a small Pride parade! Completely forgot it was Pride month and honestly no better place to experience it than NYC!
This wasn't the biggest parade, but it was truly so beautiful seeing such a loving and supportive community!
We decided to get some Mexican food at Varrio 408 and the Pride Parade was happening just outside lol
We ordered two of the 1/2 pound set menus and were left incredibly full afterwards. There were just 3 of us so there was a lot to go around.
Each set comes with a side of Rice (Plain or Mexican), Beans (Black or Refried), Pico de Gallo, and Fresh Corn Tortillas.
We order the Pollo al Carbon which is a mildly spicy smoky blackened chicken which pairs quite nicely with the tart Pico de Gallo - or honestly any of the sides. Haha!
Next is the Carnitas Michoacanas - slow-roasted pulled pork which is smoky sweet and an almost chewy sticky texture.
Here are the sides we ordered! I recommend getting the Refried Beans more than the Black Beans! So much more delicious!
Then lastly, we have the corn tortilla and the Pico de Gallo on top. Fresh and simple!
Overall, I enjoyed Varrio 408! Not a giant food of this type of set-up but definitely a good meal.
Stay tuned for the next leg of my Brooklyn travel series!
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