I’m going there tomorrow (!)
I’m going to meet my agent and my editor for the first time, and visit the Penguin offices, and also probably be forced to overcome my phobia of hailing cabs, unless I can coerce the desk attendant at my hotel to do it for me.
Maybe I can walk everywhere. I do have a map . . .
Brenna Yovanoff 
Hailing cabs was not as scary as I thought it would be, except when I got a really sketch one. But that was just one time.
Also, while at AASL I realized that if I were ever in a hostage situation, I would like you to be the negotiator. This is all. :)
In order to avoid the sketch, I’ve made a rule in my head not to get into any cab that kind of just looks like a car with a guy in it.
while at AASL I realized that if I were ever in a hostage situation, I would like you to be the negotiator
I can only assume that Maggie was regaling you with tales of my legendary inability to Just Pick a Side ;)
That’s what hotel desk folks are FOR. You can probably even ask them to do it the night before, at a certain time!
I love that hotels provide a person whose whole job is to act like an adult FOR me :D
Just in case, don’t forget your sensible walking shoes…
I’m carefully planning everything so that I don’t get blisters, and I don’t get cold :)
And there are subways . . . they are relatively easy to understand (I managed them and I have awful at such things) and they are an experience. Great story ideas (or just stories to tell) come from my subway experiences in Atlanta (I lived there 5 years). But don’t take them during rush hour times . . . they get CROWDED.
Walking is great. New York is a great walking city. Have Fun. And I don’t know if you like baked goods, but Magnolia Bakery is the place to go.
I actually *love* taking the subway in Manhattan! (I tend to like anything where I can pretend I’m in a secret lair. Or the Apocalypse.) The taxi situation is a perfect example of my tendency toward Planning Fail.
I selected my hotel based on price, decor, and the fact that I somehow got it into my head that I really, really needed to stay in the Village. I failed to account for my hotel being located directly on a line that runs parallel to . . . everywhere I need to go.
(I rule!)
00 you are going to be so close and yet still so far away from me! Have a glorious time.
so close and yet still so far away from me!
Don’t I know it! It’s going to be great and exciting and business-y, but it still feels like this whirlwind where I hardly get to see anyone. I’m grabbing dinner with two cousins, WHO DO NOT KNOW EACH OTHER, just so I get to see both of them!
Walking in NYC is amazing, but you should take the metro/tube/whatever they call it there underground trains! They’re really cheap and so so great for character trait collecting. Cabs are boring and predictable and there’s always that awkward moment where you wonder if you’ve tipped enough — even though you just paid $40 for a 1 mile ride.
I am in love with the subway in Manhattan! But . . . I planned very poorly when choosing a hotel. Short version: I cannot actually catch a subway and have it take me where I need to go. Now, in addition to awkward-tipping moment, I’m looking forward to awkward asking-for-a-receipt moment.
I’m not sure if this qualifies as social phobia, since I’m only scared of cab drivers. No offense to any cab drivers that may be reading this–it’s not you, it’s me.
Have fun, Brenna!! I walked everywhere :)
Oh man, I’m so excited! Here I go, out the door . . .
Have a lovely time, I always dream of going to NY. I have the same problem with the tube in London that you have with cabs, I’m fine on short journey but once I have to start changing lines I get a bit angsty so find myself going so far and walking the rest!!
I’d love to go to London someday! I have no idea what it’s like there, but New York is really wonderful to walk in (as long as it’s not bitterly cold or obscenely hot).
Have fun :)
This is such a late response to your comment that I can definitively say, it was awesome!
Lol. that’s good to hear :)