" I'm always in a New York state of... " a New York City Travel Page by feline01

I have a New York City heart and a New Jersey wallet so I live in New Jersey and go to NYC whenever possible. It is a fantastic city with so much to offer. New Yorkers are a strong bunch and nothing can bring them down, only shake them to the core. I watched the towers burn after 9/11 from New Jersey and my husband and I were back having Sunday brunch in the city the following weekend, though it took many weeks before we made our first excursion anywhere below Houston Street. Everyone should visit New York City for something like they've never experienced before. I've seen loads of VT pages on NYC and everyone's impressions were completely different. Some loved the city, others merely like it while a few hated it. And that's the great thing about New Yorkers, they really don't care how you feel about their city. They know it's great and that's all they need to know.

My NYC VT page will not include all the traditional tourist meccas like Empire State, Statue of Liberty etc..You all have heard of them anyway. I will focus on things that people might have overlooked or didn't know about. As for restaurants, I have been a vegan since 2002 and vegetarian since 1996 so almost all of my restaurant picks are suited for the non-dead animal eating public. Or for those who are willing to try a vegetarian meal. I do recommend any of the vegan/vegetarian restaurants for an adventorous carnivore since you might be surprised. The vegetarian selections are astounding, not just beans and rice.

I know this is a travel website but I have to vent here to all the tourists who visit NYC. Ground Zero has become a major tourist attraction, primarily only to people who do not live in NYC or the environs. It is not a tourist attraction, it is an open gravesite even with the "clean-up" ending on 5/30/02. Thousands of people lost their friends and relatives there and I believe it is sickening to visit the site, take photos and gawk. Please respect this graveyard and let the victims' families and friends visit in peace. I know people who visit generally mean well but just the act of getting tickets, waiting on line and taking photos trivializes this tragic event. Plus, seeing sidewalk vendors selling 9/11 memorabilia contributes to the carnival-like atmosphere there. I've driven by and have been sickened. I know there are others who will read this and say I'm crazy, there's nothing wrong with going there to pay your respects. That is true but as I said, many people go there and treat it like a carnival or a "must-see" in NYC.

I have added a few photos that I found of me and my husband on top of the trade center, taken probably around 1999. We had a wonderful day on top of the world, playing backgammon and waiting for the sun to set.

You never know what you will see driving around NYC and we spend alot of time doing so. We followed this truck through the Holland Tunnel from downtown NYC into New Jersey. What an amazing business to run!!!

Feline hasn't had the opportunity to travel with us often but she did get to spend a long weekend with us in NYC in September 2003 while I was recuperating from a medical procedure at the Mayflower Park Hotel. She really did enjoy gazing out the window at Central Park, much more to look at than an apartment parking lot in New Jersey. She was very well behaved so we look forward to taking her on more journeys, especially once the twins arrive.