The city of lights (and social sin) can easily swallow you to shameless materialism, that you just really have to close your eyes and paint a picture of the millions of starving and homeless people around world who barely spend a dollar a day to make it through.
I am a poor student living off my parents' allowance budget and a little off my part-time campus school work, but I am still lucky enough to get little luxury perks New York City has to offer - and I get them free! I will now include a series in this blog and call it The Luxurious Things in Life Are Free, and will update it every time I experience anything luxurious - for the price of none.
1. The Fifth Avenue Apartment experience
A friend of mine's aunt is one of the wealthiest in New York City, and David and I were invited to dinner once at their beautiful, beautiful, beautiful 5th Avenue apartment. I cannot even begin to describe it as I may not bring justice to it. Basically, it's a doorman building facing Central Park. The doorman rides with you in the elevator and presses your floor (in Manila, this is NOT a luxury - and it is a different story here), and when you step out of the elevator, you are already stepping into the apartment.
An elegant console greets you, and as you walk inside - you realize that there are two full floors occupied. They have a butler (wow, they actually exist!), a stay-in cook, plenty of art on the walls, a beverage fridge filled with champagne, Bailey's (yum), Heineken, spring water bottles and sodas, it has a full kitchen, 6 bedrooms, great views, everything you can ever imagine. You look at the diplomas hung on the wall and see nothing but Harvard University. The toilet sink is (probably) made of ivory, and it smelled of pretty flowers.
We had a simple pre-cooked dinner and watched Closer on-demand at the den. It was a good experience - but that's just about it.
When we left, it was raining outside and the doorman hailed a cab for us (gosh, that was cool!). We talked about it and thought that a life like that is simply a "nice to have", but not an "end all, be all" of everything. Sometimes it is more fun and happier being just normal than anything else.
And then, as we quietly drove home, I remembered the life I lived back home. We had more than 6 bedrooms, our 4 fridges are always packed with food and drinks, our 4th floor balcony had a great view of Manila and our walls were filled with diplomas from the best universities and colleges in the Philippines. No, we did not have a doorman or a butler, but our dogs are our good (and noisy) guards and nothing beats the warm welcome of my mom. And of course, home is nothing like New York City, in ever sense of the word.
2. The Madison Square Garden Suites
David's friend works at Goldman Sachs and enjoys the perk of watching games from the lavish Madison Square Garden Suites. He had four free tickets to the Rangers vs. Thrashers hockey game and we did not hesitate to go at all. The box had about 10 cushioned seats, and about 5 tall bar stools. It had a fridge filled with drinks, a dedicated waiter to take your food orders (and the menu has a wider selection than the lower box's burgers and hotdogs!) and a fantastic view of the rink.
His friend's co-worker (probably a VP) came with his family and ordered food for everyone. We had chicken fingers, nachos with guacamole and Coronas. All free! I have never watched a real hockey game, and the last unofficial one I have seen was in the movie The Mighty Ducks - circa Joshua Jackson's adolescent cuteness. That's not counted of course.
At the beginning of the game, the people stood up and sang Star Spangled Banner. I got goosebumps. I know the Philippine National Anthem by heart and I will never forget it for the rest of my life. But will there ever come a time when I will have to know two national anthems? Maybe. In one condition: only if David knows Lupang Hinirang - in Tagalog. ;) hehe.
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