A Bite of The Big Apple

A city that doesn't sleep needs to eat.

That's a fact. How else can one keep up with the fast-paced lifestyle of New York City?

It seems that at this particular spot in Uncle Sam's land, everyone is in a hurry. The citizens rush by you like they're perennially late and missing an appointment will cost them their lives. Time must be a premium in this state. You certainly will know who is the tourist and the local by the speed of their gait.

Well, I am a tourist. Along with the rest of the Dabawenyo's, we strode the streets of The Big Apple leisurely, enjoying and savoring the details of the scenery with each single step. If our pace do get faster than the usual, it is because: 1. We are riding the crowd's pace on the rush hour, or 2. We have to get out of the up-sized cold and seek heated shelter. Caught up in this condition while walking along Fifth Avenue seems to be best. The warmth of the beautiful shops seem to be very comforting.

Although the newly purchased "dream" item (the dream list is endless, of course) gives you the rush, the body will eventually ask for the real sustenance it needs to keep up with your sight-seeing/shopping tour- food. And there is no other place to be than NYC. This city is a foodie's haven.

There is much more to bite on other than the recommended apple. New York is known to be a societal melting pot. With the rich multi-cultural environment of the state comes a melange of sumptuous cuisine. From the no-frills to ritzy, authentic to fusion, a couple of Washingtons or several Franklins (though your handy plastic will gladly be accepted anywhere), name the country from around the globe, there will be something to suit anyone's palate and wallet.

The best thing about traveling with a certified foodie is you get to be taken along the culinary adventure. Our host, Tenny, grew up in a family with the credo "try everything." So as not to be oblivious of the must-try's, much heard and always seen on TV (those chefs, master and master to be, can surely work your appetite), he made reservations to NYC's popular restaurants long before we stepped on its soil. On the list were: renowned steak house Peter Luger in Brooklyn; Nobu for Japanese; and, Master Chef Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill for nouvelle Southern cuisine; his favorites that we, NYC virgins, must experience in China and Korean Town; and the city's popular sidewalk hot dog, pizza and corned beef joints.

@ Max Brenner

@ Mesa Grill

It is true that more than gratifying the sense of sight, the satisfaction of taste makes the traveling more memorable and worthwhile. There were certainly a lot of firsts for me on this trip and they were not even on my bucket list. The Universe is indeed generous. I am asking to be back soon and delight in more sensory experiences this vibrant metropolis has to offer.

I♥NY. More than donning that pasalubong t-shirt, I can now profess my love to the city having an understanding how one really feels living, or even just visiting, this place....which leads me to proudly declare that on this trip to the famed American state, I can truly say that I had the ultimate pleasure of taking more than one bite of the Big Apple.