Staffers land in New York City, explore new territory

The low rumble of the plane sounded throughout the cabin of the Jet Blue plane, drifting snores of sleeping Feather staffers resonated between the seats. An abyss of darkness glimmers behind each window. The start of a long journey begins with a plane ride, taking The Feather across the country.

After an extensive 6 hours on a plane, feather staffers were eager to undertake the city. From 10:00 pm in San Jose to 8:00 am in NY, an adventurous day lay ahead. Once arriving, staffers were off to the Hotel Edison. From the airport to the hotel students “ooh’d” and “ahh’d” over the enormous structures from afar.

Bustles of people strode through the streets with flashing miscellaneous propaganda above them. The smoke of cooking hot dogs on local stands swirled through the air once again reminding us of our hunger.

Once bags were dropped off, it was time to explore the endless streets full of excitement. While wandering the streets, staffers decided to try a well known donut hotspot, Donut Plant. This out of this world donut location supplied unique flavors as well as America’s favorite foods combined into a donut. Staffers tried Creme Brulee, Orange Lavender Blossom, Chocolate Chip and Oatmeal.

Out of the many donut stores that Opinions Editor, Olivia Quebe, has visited, the Donut Plant proved to be unlike others with it’s taste and performance.

“The Donut Plant was something I had never seen before,” Quebe said. “They took the sugary breakfast pastry to a whole new level. My personal favorite was the Crème brûlée doughnut which consisted of a petite pastry with a cream center and caramelized top. It was a very unique treat for the staff.”

As lunch time came around, the search for New York’s best became a challenge. Taking a subway to Chelsea (location for many food stops), stores after stores of food lined the streets. From Italian cuisine to traditional , staffers headed over to Los Tacos. From the ordering counter, workers could be seen making fresh tortillas. Tacos were made quick and layered with guacamole and salsa.

Co-Editor in Chief, Joshua Carter, believed the tacos were a real delicacy for those living in New York, however to those who are used to Mexican food on the West coast, it was nothing special.

The Donut Plant was something I had never seen before. They took the sugary breakfast pastry to a whole new level. My personal favorite was the Creme Brulee doughnut which consisted of a petite pastry with a cream center and caramelized top. It was a very unique treat for the staff. — Olivia Quebe

“As I bit into the first taco from Los Tacos the first thing I recognized was how juicy the meat was,” Carter said. “It was difficult to eat the small yet appetizing taco without using a large amount of napkins. However as I compared it to tacos from the San Joaquin valley, they just could not compare to the traditional food truck tacos which are in fact just as delicious, and also quite a lot cheaper.”

After emptying the plate of tacos, staffers explored Chelsea’s Market. The market still had original brick from its meatpacking days; it also held an array of stores to shop from. From clothing stores to seafood markets, this indoor market was the epitome of urban destinations.

Although there are many locations to capture pictures, staffers headed over to the Flatiron. With it’s unique narrow design, it makes for a perfect picture. Standing tall at 307 feet and 22 stories, the Flat Iron was designed by Chicago architect Daniel Turnham in 1902. The Flatiron building was designed perfectly to fit at the intersection of 5th Ave. and Broadway.

Out of the multitude of places and structures to take pictures of, photojournalist, Jarrod Markarian wanted to seize a picture of the anomalous structure of the Flatiron.

“The Flatiron building was taller than I thought it was,” Markarian said. “As a photographer, I wanted to capture the 3D angle of it. The building was just all inspiring and flattering at every angle.”

With the many sights to experience in NY, staffers made their way over to Wollman Skating Rink in Central Park. With the quick assemble of skates, staffers raced to the ice, with towering concrete buildings twinkling around them. With Central Park in the core of NY, a colossal concrete jungle crowds around.

Skating in Central Park was a first among the events the staff completed. For Photo Editor, Kylie Bell, she enjoyed the moment when she skated on the rink for the first time in New York.

“It was a very surreal moment,” Bell said. “When I realized I was ice-skating where I have seen people do many times in movies it was awesome. I could not have asked for better people to do it with.”

While the big apple has an array of tourist attractions, ice skating among America’s most well known park seemed like the perfect selection. With its picturesque lights at night, this experience of ice skating was like no other. During the 1960’s the Wollman rink became one of the most popular visits for many visitors around the city.

[rev_slider alias=”Feather NYC Day 1″]

This writer can be reached via Twitter: @jennypenny8835 and via Email: Jenny King.

For more on the Feather in New York, read FC hits NY: Day 1.

Check out the corresponding column, COLUMN: First impressions of New York, unrealistic expectations.