Thankful.
I am especially grateful today. Why? Well, I finally made it to Macy’s.
You must be thinking, “Big deal Ameena! Why should I be impressed?” Well, I made it to Macy’s via public transportation. This is a huge accomplishment for me seeing as I’ve taken a bus or a train in Los Angeles about…zero times.
On my way I passed the Time Warner Center...
“Stop being cheap and take a cab,” Ali said when I informed him of my decision to head to Macy’s in Herald’s Square.
“No, no,” I insisted. “I want to take the subway.”
“You are going to get lost.”
“Have a little faith. I think I can manage to hop on a train. Just point me in the right direction.”
“Okay, whatever,” Ali said. “The entrance is across the street.”
And Cartier...obviously I was headed in the wrong direction...
After 3 attempts and 15 minutes of trying to find a subway entrance “across the street,” I finally found it. Except that when I went to buy a ticket the only ticket dispenser was broken. So, I had to find another subway station.
Easier said than done.
After encountering two people who gave me wrong directions and a man who disgustedly said, “I have no idea where the subway is, I never take it,” (he must have been from L.A.) I finally made it.
45 minutes later.
Macy's. Finally.
I may not be able to find my way via the underground but I certainly had no problem navigating Macy’s for 3 hours. And being that Macy’s takes up an entire city block that should count for something, right?
Right.
While I'm not going to win Mother/Wife of the Year Award anytime soon, I haven't killed anyone yet or shot myself in the head. And that, my friends, is how I calculate success these days. 
FANCY THAT FANCY THIS 
haha….i love your little replays. but Ameena, you have no idea how flippin’ jealous i am over here. even if it took 45 minutes, that would’ve been seriously worth the effort. hope you got some good buys! 🙂
What ultimately counts is that you got the shopping in. Everything else was just adding interest detail to the overall experience. 😉
Have a great Thanksgiving!
Oh my God – it is my dream to go to NY at Christmas time one day.
NY public transportation is so damn confusing, I find it so much easier just to go on foot (even if it is a long walk). Anyways, hope you found tons of lovely goodies to bring home — now that would be something to be thankful for no???? Wish I was there with u!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your lovely family!
*kisses* HH
p.s. did u go to Buchon Bakery at the Time Warner Center? They have some really yummy treats. I remember standing right where you where when you took that picture. Sometimes they do E! News from that spot too. I’ll always remember going there in the morning when it was really quiet and looking out that window … and eating (of course).
I didn’t make it to Bouchon HH. The Time Warner Center was crazy busy! There was always a wait for Bouchon and we all know that Maya doesn’t do waits. 🙂 Next time for sure. Except that you and I will meet there.
you are certainly more of a woman than me- never do I take public transportation. It’s just… dirty. 🙂
I related to every single word of this post. I still get lost in the building I’ve been working in for a year.
Happy Thanksgiving Ameena!
I’m not too impressed with the few Macy’s that I’ve been to in Metro Detroit. To me it’s just like any other department store. That said, I bet Macy’s in new york is awesome. Probably 100x better (I mean, it’s a whole BLOCK?! Crazy!)
When I used to live in Toronto my office building had underground access to The Bay store on Queen St (kinda like a Canadian version of Macy’s if you’re not familiar with it) and it was amazing. I would go every day at lunch to shop. In contrast, The Bay store in Windsor sucks.
I can’t even figure out Vancouvers public transit system. I can’t imagine trying to find my way around New York!
I love Herald Square! I stayed in Herald Towers once for new years!!! NYC is so beautiful this time of year. I ride the Boston subway ALL the time and I guarantee I’d have the same issues as you in new york. but so glad you made it to macy’s and had a good time there!
If I had any sense of direction, I’d be all over public transit. But alas… I do not. Cabs are usually my preferred mode if I’m somewhere new. I don’t really like having extra cash, anyways… lol
oh how i miss my beloved NYC subway! “stand clear of the closing doors – DING DONG!” have a very happy thanksgiving!
Lady, Minneapolis is not a Paragon of Public Transportation. But the one time I tried to take the bus with one of my guy friends, the driver and passengers actually had to help us because they thought we were tourists (we got SO lost).
But there’s just something about NYC (and most major European cities) that inspires The Spirit of Thrift and Mass Transit. So suddenly, we’re all on every subway/metro we can get our hands on. Way to put the effort in.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Oh gosh you crack me up Ameena! Kudos to you for not giving up. And at least you stopped and asked for directions (even though they weren’t very helpful ones). “Someone” I know would’ve refused to and gotten lost. He always says he got the map for me, but he knows damn well I’m hopeless even with a map 😉
NY is beautiful! I need to get out from under my rocks more. Enjoy the rest of your vacation, darling.
Oops…rock, not rocks. I only have one rock cause I’m cheap like that 😀
Lol the subway isn’t terrible but can be confusing. i enjoy taking it because, depending on the time of day, it can be much faster than taking a cab. i love the macy’s in herald square!!! there’s always so much to look at!
it is a HUGE accomplishment. I get confused just trying to take the trolley to a ball game here at home! The holidays in New York! How cool is that. Enjoy.
I’m so jealous! I’ve always wanted to go to Macy’s in New York!
Haha, so glad you got there! Besides, everyone must take the NYC subway at least once! Thank you soooo much for the great tip on GoNannies.com; I think I might have found someone! Happy Thanksgiving!
Your living my dream (mins the subway of course) always wanted to ‘do NY in December’ and wander around Macy’s. It looks wonderful, have lots of fun and a fab Thanksgiving.
Happy thanksgiving, and happy holidays 🙂
Two thumbs up for even trying to use public transportation! I’m really dreading it when I move to the city next Fall and have been thinking about just using my car.. because that’s easier for me too handle. Not just physically but mentally too. I really don’t want to overstress my brain by trying to figure out how to use public transportation or where to go.
I also cannot find my way out of a paper bag, but I did live in Manhattan for ten years and let me congratulate you for navigating the subway system–this is a true accomplishment, Ameena. Hope you had a blast at Macy’s and Happy Turkey, girl!
Yay, Macy’s! Congratulations on making it to your destination. 😀
Congratulations on making your destination
I love your verve as you say exactly who you are
and I see myself ın you as well because I LOVE shoppıng vıa publıc transportatıon
ıt feels so connected ınto the greater spırıt of the place and experıence
I am ın Istanbul rıght now and LOVE the markets and can navıgate the Grand Bazar but not the hılls around the hotel
It mus be our fashıon sense, heh
Wow! Macy’s looks beautiful, with all that red decoration!! Hope you had a good time shopping… wait, what am I saying?! Of course you had a good time shopping! Who doesn’t?! 😀
Happy Thanksgiving!
So proud, so proud.
Oh, I bet NYC is just gorgeous with the Christmas decorations right now! So jealous. 😉 Macy’s looks so pretty all gift-wrapped from the outside like that. Hope you, Maya, and Ali had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
I HEART NYC. I wish I was there with you. I wish I could spend the whole afternoon in Macy’s. Alas, I’m in Texas. Mourn not, my poor heart. Thank you for sharing! I hope you have a lovely weekend.
I am so thankful you bothered to navigate the public transportation in NY. I sort of feel like it’s part of the experience…but as for me I would have not liked it, unless I was just following a NY veteran and didn’t actually have to figure it out.
I get sweaty palms on the LA freeways (and BTW how ironic we drove by you and you are in NY.
we said HI anyways on our way to Dad’s.
Happy Thanksgiving my friend and I am so happy you found Macy’s.
The pictures are beautiful…thanks for sharing!
I can totally understand! i sometimes get lost on my way home…:D
and that’s a “RIGHT” by the way…haha
lol for sure, it counts! happy shopping *and* happy thanksgiving lady! 7 for the record, i’ve *never* taken public transportation by myself. so i, for one, am very impressed! 🙂
I can’t wait to see/read about your fabulous purchases! I bet they’re totally worth getting lost for 🙂
That *is* something to be thankful for! What a glorious store Macy’s in NYC is. Hope you got some great goodies!
LOL, my sense of “orientation” isn’t overly useful as well in many situations. But I’ve already gotten lost in big stores as well.
Love you new design, btw. Very fresh and beautiful!
I would have started out in L.A. and ended up in NY. If I say left, everyone goes right. I’m just that bad when it comes to navigating around. Thank God for GPS is all I have to say. Glad you made it safe and sound! Hopefully you got a few good buys as well!
Macy’s = the mothership!
One day I would LOVE to see NYC during the holidays, looks magical 🙂
Jen
Hey Ameena, I think it’s really good that you went out of your comfort zone and took the subway. It’s good to know about resources like that around you/us. Plus, I happen to take pride in being cheap. You can tell Ali that if everyone was as cheap as I am that the world would be a much less polluted place (smile).
p.s. I would have told the guy with that tone that he was a douchebag, and that maybe he should take the subway to remind himself that he is a human made of dirt and sand just like the rest of us (smile but seriously). Ugh, I hate arrogance. I don’t think I would be able to live out there. South Florida is bad enough…
Ooh, I’m so glad that you tried pumpkin pie. I hope it was homemade and wonderful…:-)
Quite an accomplishment, especially in a different city. 😉 Hope you had a good holiday!
I am thankful you made it out alive! I have been to Macy’s around Christmas time and it is insane!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Hilarious, and I am so glad you made it. You should be super proud. Honestly though, I hate that Macy’s and especially this time of year. I usually get too claustrophobic, I feel the ground moving and then I start swaying and have even passed out there before. You are way braver than me.
hey navigating macy’s may even be harder than the underground subway so you did a great job. congrats.
That sounds beyond terrifying. I’m glad you made it – and yes, it counts for something navigating the big store. I’d never find my way out again!
Hee hee good for you, Ameena. Now, did you survive Black Friday too, or did you just stay put at home?
I was on a plane coming back from NYC so no Black Friday shopping for me!!
Live your dreams Ameena…way to go! I’m as stubborn as you, often stupidly so, but that’s me!
I love that you brought your camera and photographed your wrong turns! You are awesome!
And Macy’s…let’s hear a collective…sigh….
at least you made it. Now that’s an accomplishment.
I love this. I often forget that knowing the subway system by heart just isn’t normal – and I think it’s awesome you did it!
When I was in Thailand my friend and I decided we’d been there long enough and were familiar enough with the public transit system to get to the mall without a taxicab, to save money. We went forty-five minutes in the wrong direction, and ended up hailing a taxi to take us there. But it was an adventure indeed!
Love it! That macy’s is SO insane – i’m go glad you made it! 🙂
Doll! I love your new blog! Very sexy 😉
ok, back to the important stuff….MACY’S at Christmas?! How Gorg is this????
I love the decorations they have there…..sigh. So “movie” like, isn’t it?
I hope you are having a blast!
xxoo
I love this story! Hilarious and I’m sure exciting all at the same time. I would so be the same way.
Love this. Hope you had fun in my hometown 🙂 (Oh, and I live here and barely know how to take the subway. Perhaps should not admit this!)
3 hours? That’s it? That’s how long it takes me to rush through Target.
And you were at Macys.
In New York.
Wuss.
I am very impressed…plus LA transportation is not exactly a gauge for the rest of the worlds, so even if you had used public transportation I am not sure it would have helped, lol.
But on a more serious note, Macys in NY…so cool!
That was fun!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE to take public transportation in LA. I’ve done it probably twice, but I loved it both times.