New York: Fall in the City

People do lots of falling in the city.

Especially during fall.

I like to focus on the more romantic-aspects of falling - like the slow flutter of yellow and red leaves from a branch to the ground.

Or falling in love.

I certainly fell in love with New York all over again that day.

Despite having been to the city several times, I still had not gotten around to many of the touristy attractions.

I started the morning with a solitary hike across the Brooklyn Bridge.

There couldn't have been a more perfect day to be outdoors. Despite it being late October, the air was cool without being chilly, the sun a gorgeous partner to to the cloudy blue skies.

You could see across the Hudson River to Staten and Ellis Islands, and wave to Ms Liberty although her back faced you on the Brooklyn Bridge.

Standing right in the middle of the bridge, striding both Manhanttan on one side, Brooklyn on the other, and the Statue of Liberty in plain sight in front of me, a strange feeling of serenity overcame me.

Here I was, the skyline of the world's most sought-after city within reach (literally, if I did some creative photography), the symbolism of freedom and democracy right smack in front of me. Cars rushed endlessly beneath my feet, the famous yellow cabs zipping across boroughs, a sign of the life that never ceases in this city.

But I was on vacation, in a country I treat as my second home, and I was perfectly at ease.

No rush, no stress, just on holiday.

As it neared lunch-time, it was time to say goodbye to Brooklyn Bridge and head over to Union Station-NYU to meet up with some friends for food.

One of my girlfriends is up at NYU doing her grad studies, and she introduced me to this hole-in-the-wall (I'm not kidding) Cambodian sandwich shop that served up fantastic grub for cheap.

I mean, notwithstanding the fact that Cambodia isn't exactly famed for their sandwiches (in fact, they are more known for their hunger in all gravity), and that this supposedly Cambodian shop was staffed by Caucasians and Latinos. No Cambodians in sight. The only Asians were in the queue for food, including me and my half-Asian friends.

Then again, that's globalisation right at work for you. And where better else than in the heart of Manhanttan.

Num Pang is located at 21 East 12th Street, between 5th Ave and University Place. You could practically walk right by it without noticing, seeing that it's situated next to a parking garage entrance, except that the lines snaking outside the storefront would stop you in your tracks.

I had the signature Pulled Duroc Pork sandwich (USD7.50) with a homemade fresh blood orange lemonade. The grilled corn-on-the-cob (USD2.25) came highly recommended too, so I added that to my meal as well.

Wow.

That was one damn good sandwich.

Num Pang's Pulled Duroc Pork Sandwich

Toasted, warm bread, generously stuffed with honey-marinated pork, fresh cilantro and cucumber, pickled carrots and a delicious chilli mayo, this was one meaty punch to contend with.

There's so much going on in the sandwich all at once - the sweet and spicy kick of the chilli mayo, the aroma and meatiness of the pork, the sour tang of the pickled veges and the crisp yet soft texture of the bread.

It's magic. My tongue certainly wasn't confused; it was savouring every bite.

The corn-on-the-cob was another taste explosion and adventure on its own.

Who would have thought that good ol' bbq corn actually went well with chilli mayo, coconut flakes and chilli powder? I'm pretty sure there was some cinnamon in that mix too. It sounds all very strange, but I took a bite and it was like nothing I had ever tasted before.

Num Pang's Grilled Corn-on-the-Cob

It was both sweet and salty at the same time, with that perfect slightly-blackened taste and smell to create a sensory experience all at once.

Beautiful.

After a satisfying meal, it was time to walk it all off at Central Park.

If there's anywhere to capture how beautiful nature is during autumn, Central Park really is the place to be.

Awash in beautiful golden shades of yellow, red, brown and some greens still, the air was crisp and cool in the shelter of the foliage, and the trees engulfed one in a quiet peacefulness despite the busy buzz of the city just along the perimeter.

Fallen leaves were everywhere; couples in their wedding togs were posing for pictures, children were throwing up piles of leaves amidst playful giggles; Sex-in-the-city-type mums were sipping their Starbucks and pushing their baby prams.

Everyone was happy in their own world.

I could have sat there all day just daydreaming.

No wonder they call New York the concrete jungle where dreams are made of.

As late afternoon set in and the sun decided to slowly call it a day, it was time to hit up the last tourist attraction for the night.

The Observatory. At the Empire State Building.

The popularity of the attraction is evidenced by the rows and rows of cords put in place for crowd control at various points in your journey towards the ticket counter, then through several waiting areas before finally arriving at the elevators that would take you to the 86th floor (or 102nd floor if you wanted to pay more).

Thankfully (and quite fortunately, really) we didn't have to wait too long that night at 8.30pm.

We found ourselves at the top in about 30 minutes. And boy, was it an experience.

Not least because it was freezing frostbite-strong-winds-that-could-blow-your-camera-away at that altitude.

But as I sought warmth in the crowds that thronged the deck, the 360-degree view of the Big Apple simply just took my breath away.

No wonder Chuck Bass wanted to declare his love and rekindle the passion with Blair Waldorf up in the skies. (If you watch Gossip Girl, you'd know which episode I'm referring to!)

From every angle, the entire life of the city throbbed beneath me.

Rush-hour traffic looked like trails of red-hot lava flowing through the gridlines of the city; bright lights pulsed from every building and edifice, a sign of the city that never sleeps.

It's absolutely mesmerising. And you could get so caught up in the captivation of the moment, just taking in the heartbeat of the city, until the harsh cold wind bit at your fingers.

I stayed out on the deck for as long as my shivering body could withstand the cold, before battling a quick (though regretful) retreat into the semi-warmth of the indoor observatory.

New York gave me its best that day, and I was pretty sure that I fell asleep exhausted, but with a smile on my face.