Jeff

After I ordered my coffee, I gave the clerk $1.51 but she returned the coins and told me that McDonald's reduced the price of their small coffee to $1. "Even better!" I said with a big smile. It was a good start to my mcrbreak.

The beauty of talking to strangers is that I get to learn random things about people and their interests. For example, Jeff introduced me to his favorite band, Polyphonic Spree, which performs upbeat orchestra type of music; his favorite foreign film, City of Men; eateries like Pasta Lovers in midtown and Le Zie in Chelsea. I just checked Le Zie's menu to see what kind of ravioli they offer since Jeff is a ravioli devotee. I see that they have a fresh tuna ravioli. Sounds like an interesting ravioli twist but I don't doubt that the Italians can turn any (or most) raw ingredients into a palatable meal.

Jeff moved to New York City three years ago after graduating from college and finding his accounting job in this town. He lives in Queens and is particularly fond of a local coffee shop that he stops by 2-3 times per week. He loves living in this city but remains most loyal to the Buffalo Sabres, his hometown hockey team. It was nice talking to a stranger who was congenial and polite. He seemed pretty receptive to my inquiries so I asked some personal questions too. I asked him whether he would share the most traumatic time/event in his life. Jeff broke up with his girlfriend one year ago, after she cheated on him, not once but twice during their 3-year courtship. They maintained a long distance relationship during the last two of those three years. According to his ex-girlfriend, the long distance relationship was tougher on her .... The heartbreak, however, was probably greater for the unsuspecting. After the break up, Jeff surrounded himself with friends and slowly moved on. Perhaps, it was the fact that a year had gone by but Jeff seemed to be enjoying his singledom. Is a year enough time to heal the betrayal? It is enough time to forgive and forget? I don't think people can completely get over such wounds but I think that time helps relieve the anger, the disappointment, the confusion and re-opens the mind and the heart to new possibilities.

On a lighter note, I asked him if he could share one of the happiest moments in his life. This was during his first trip abroad when he visited Panama. He stayed in the Embera Village in Darien Province and spent his time in the jungle, staying and sleeping in the natives' humble huts. It was a fairly short trip but it was there that he was able to appreciate the beauty of a completely different and unhindered world. He will be going on a three week vacation to Peru in May. I wish him safe travels and the happiest of times.

Nadine

Nadine is visiting from Hamburg, Germany. Since she's staying in Staten Island for the week, she gets to greet Lady Liberty every day on her free ferry ride to and from Manhattan. This is her first time in NY City and she finds the NY subway system to be convenient and cheap in comparison to the cost of public transportation in Germany. $2.25 may not seem all that expensive but I remember paying just a little over a dollar per token when I rode the subway for the first time. There's no doubt that the subway fare was only one of many factors that have driven the cost of living in this city insanely high. That high cost of living, in turn, has driven 1.5 million New Yorkers or 8 percent of its population out of the state between 2002 to 2008. This, according the Empire State Exodus report, is the nation's largest loss of population to other states. Yeap, my family and I were part of the exodus too but the cost of living across the Hudson seems to be just as high ...

Speaking of the Empire State, yesterday, Nadine made it all the way to the top of Empire State Building, where she stayed long enough to view the splendid sunset. I remember heading home at around 6PM and noticing the beautiful hues of purple and red in the skies and wavy clouds. I can only imagine how much more beautiful the view was from atop the tallest building in the city. Today, unfortunately, the skies were not as radiant so Nadine was going to spend the afternoon shopping at Macy's, H&M and Abercrombie. In cold and rainy days like this Nadine may be craving some of her ultimate comfort food, Linsen & Spaetzle (noodles with lentil sauce). Just the thought of this dish brought comfort and glee to this cordial stranger.

Jessica/Christian

Jessica was sitting to my right and Christian to my left. There wasn't all that much interaction between the two strangers; however, as soon as I said the word "Yankees" Chris became ultra animated and big high fives flew over my head. It didn't take me long to realize that I was sitting in the midst of two big Yankees fans. Naturally, they were extremely disappointed at last night's loss but optimistic that the deal will be closed tomorrow night, during the sixth and possibly final game of the AL Championship Series.

I can't say that I am a huge Yankees fanatic but I find that watching their loyal (and eminently boisterous) fans is sometimes more entertaining than watching the actual ball game, especially if there are anti-Yankees in the crowd. Jessica was born and bred in the Bronx so she is a life-long fan of the Yankees. With the Yankees as her neighbors and favorite eateries like Full Moon in her neighborhood, Jessica has no plans to move away anytime soon. Right now, she's pouring all her time and energy towards earning an Associate's degree in paralegal studies and after school, she blends healthy drinks and smoothies at Jamba Juice. Mango Mantra is her beverage of choice. Jessica is a New Yorker but if she could live somewhere else, it would be in a town like Hartford, Connecticut, away from the hustle and bustle of the city life. On the other hand, Christian who is from Ecuador, would choose to live in the Hell's Kitchen section of Manhattan, right in the midst of all the commotion. Christian's favorite dish is pasta bolognese. I've had some great pasta bolognese at Figaro's, which is just a few blocks away, so I mentioned the place to Christian but he said he likes Olive Garden's. Like Christian, most of the strangers I've met during my breaks are big Italian food enthusiasts. It appears that regardless of where we come from, people seem to universally revere Italian cuisine. Outside of Italy, New York has got to be one of the best places to enjoy the prominent assortment of Italian bakeries, pizzerias and restaurants. A few months ago, I made a reservation at Del Posto. It would have been a night out without the kids to celebrate our wedding anniversary. A few days after making the reservation we were invited to a Yankees' game. Going to both was not an option. Without much hesitation, we decided to go to the game - it was free.

Enzo

I heard in the morning news that "Procter & Gamble Co. is looking for five people who will, in return for $10,000, spend five weeks in a Charmin-branded, Manhattan bathroom and blog about the experience. The five 'Charmin Embassadors' will work in the Charmin Restrooms in Times Square from Nov. 23 to Dec. 31." It sounds like an out of the ordinary job description but I am guessing that many people will find the $10,000 compensation charming enough. Enzo is a college student so I thought that he might be interested in the Charmin position, except for the minor fact that the holiday season coincides with finals season. When I told him about the gig, Enzo did not show the slightest sign of interest in working at a Times Square public restroom. I don't blame him but if I was a college student I may have considered auditioning for it. For Enzo, it wasn't that he couldn't fathom spending eight hours per day inside of a filthy or stinky bathroom, but he just doesn't need it (the money, that is). "Lucky him!" I thought. As far as I can remember, I was always stripped for cash during my college years and no part time job could ever keep up with the compounding monthly credit card dues. Enzo is fully vested in his studies. His goal for the week is to prepare for an exam that is coming up on Wednesday. His goal for the year is to complete 35 credits. With an ambitious target of 35 credits, I can understand why he would not entertain thoughts about extracurricular gigs, and much less a toilet toiler gig. Interestingly, Enzo is majoring in computer engineering but his favorite subject is psychology. Enzo may find the processes of the human mind and behavior to be more interesting than the intricacies of algorithms and circuit boards but he will, nevertheless, stay the course and earn his degree in Computer Engineering. After Enzo graduates from college he plans to return home to Libya. Libya, according to Enzo, is 75% dessert but after doing a quick fact check, I learned that more than 90% of the country is desert. Another interesting fact, their flag is a plain green flag, without any details or insignia.

Katerina and Ivan

After a week of unseasonably cold weather in NY, it finally warmed up and the temperatures reached the 60's. Katerina Doe and Ivan Doe (both aliases) did not mind the chilly weather and found it to be ideal for an ice cream cone and a McFlurry. NY was the last city they were visiting in their 12-day trip in the US. Previously, they spent a few days in Las Vegas and San Francisco. They were very diplomatic but reluctant to point out any favorite sites, tourist endeavors or other trivial facts. According to Ivan, the one thing that he noticed and regretted during his tour of the various cities was his inability to spot attractive American women. He was not impressed nor found women in the U.S. beautiful or sexually appealing. In his opinion, the most beautiful women in the world are in Russia and Ukraine. Fortunately for him, he was sitting right next to a Russian beauty with blue eyes, blond locks, porcelain skin and delicate manners. Katerina was naturally flattered and giggled a few times as Ivan described the characteristics of a Russian beauty: it's a combination of natural and inner beauty and her overall attention to details like her attire and make up. It may have sounded a little superficial but I welcomed Ivan's frankness. In the U.S., we are smitten by Russian/Ukrainian made beauties like Anna Kournikova, Maria Sharapova, Mila Kunis (That 70's Show), Milla Jovovich, Olga Kurylenko (Bond Girl), Karina Smirnoff (Dancing With The Stars), Oksana Baiul and many others. And the best place to admire the fittest and sexiest ladies from the largest country in the world and its neighbor: the annual Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. As I write this entry, I realize that Ivan's sentiment, or a version of it, is most likely shared by many if not all the men in the US and around the globe who subscribe to SI, including my husband. Up until my encounter with Katerina and Ivan who are both from Moscow; Russia meant vodka, shivering temperatures, matrioshka dolls (nesting dolls), tzars, Eastern Promises, astronauts, the intimidating grandmas/nannies in my neighborhood and my daughters' ballet teacher .... Now I may add hot women, but not necessarily the hottest, because notwithstanding what Ivan thinks, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.

Eric

Eric moved to NY from the Windy City one year ago in order to pursue his Master's Degree in Communications at NY University. While pursuing his advanced degree, Eric is also juggling a part time job in advertisement at MTV and a research job at Columbia's MBA School. Even though balancing two part time jobs and a full course of study can, at times, be a little overwhelming, he has embraced this unique opportunity to live, work and study in NY, because it is the epicenter of commerce, fashion, culture and the culinary arts. Eric hopes to be more marketable upon receipt of his Master's Degree, especially considering the tough competition he faces in the advertisement industry, which has been hard hit by the economic downturn. Most recently, Conde Nast announced that it will be shutting down four of its magazines, including Gourmet, as a result of the steep decline in advertisement. Similarly, The NY Times announced today that it is planning to cut 100 newsroom jobs by year's end due to the same reason. In spite of the somber news released by powerhouses like these publishers, Eric remains cautiously optimistic and welcomes small but promising signs of the financial recovery. During his limited and valuable downtime, Eric likes to catch up on the HBO hit series, Entourage. Eric Murphy, who plays the role of Vincent's Manager, is our real life Eric's favorite character. Like some of the young actors in his favorite TV show, Eric's overall demeanor was polished and casual, borderline metro sexual and he sported trendy jeans and a leather jacket. But surprisingly, the advertisement professional doesn't believe in spending hundreds of dollars on designer wear. He believes it is up to him and not for the industry to direct how and what he purchases. Simply stated, he likes to be hip but for less so he looks for bargains at places like Urban Outfitters, Century 21 and other local boutiques. As we were wrapping up our conversation I noticed that he had an iPhone so I asked him which one is the best application in his phone. He showed me how Shahzam works by identifying music tracks and then allowing users to buy them. The best part of this app is that it can be downloaded for free. It's been six months since I got my iPhone as a mother's day gift. It is the best phone I have ever owned but as usual, I only use about 40% of its features/potential ... may be Shahzam will be the first app I download.

Linda

*I met Linda on October 16, 2009*

I've been walking on the "Great White Way" (stretch of Broadway that runs through NYC's Theater District") everyday for the past several years but I have only seen a handful of Broadway shows. On the other hand, Linda, who is from Fort Wayne, Indiana, has made the Broadway Theater trip at least once a year for the past 15 years. Given that she gets to see three shows per trip, she has seen shows and plays galore. On this trip, Linda was accompanied by her best friend a/k/a husband of 45 years, brother in law and five friends. Yesterday's show was 39 Steps and tonight's is Burn the Floor. Thanks to my theatrical ignorance I wasn't even aware of the existence of these shows. Her favorite show is Jersey Boys. There's one that sounds familiar!

Today, Linda broke away from her group and after a late breakfast, she caught up on her reading, strolled around the city and then stopped by McD's. In contrast to today's quick meal (McWrap and an appetizing iced tea), Linda tends to appreciate the slower paced lunches at places like Carmine's. During her latest stop at this festive Italian restaurant, she relished the generously portioned eggplant parmigiana. A few years ago, my husband and I took a big group of relatives who were visiting from out of town. After devouring several platters of their hearty and garlicky family styled pastas we ordered the Titanic for dessert. I will never forget the blissful look in the eyes of our young nieces and nephews at the sight of this gigantic mass of ice cream sundae covered in a cloud of whip cream. I think we managed to finish it all but it wasn't long until we realized that we had overindulged. Every time we eat at Carmine's, we vow not to order or eat as much the next time we visit but such intensions are always short lived. NY is like a good family restaurant. Whether it's the shows, sites, food, shopping, or the people, patrons can't get enough of all it has to offer and keep coming back to explore its menu. Some, like Linda, become regulars because after 15 years she continues to cherish the habitual late breakfasts, strolls around the city, laid back lunches, and a show and dessert afterwards.

William and Gator

27 and 40 - no, these are not the ages of the strangers I met today. Those are the number of years that William and Gator spent with their employers, respectively, before retiring several years ago. 27 years is a long time and I give William a lot of credit for his prolonged tenure but 40 years with the same employer?!?! That is the essence of loyalty. Gator worked for an engineering company and specialized in the design and construction of foundations for commercial buildings. He was routinely exposed to the hazards of working with ruptured gas and water pipes and experienced some life threatening electric shots. It did not sound like a cushy job. Perhaps, it was the very challenging nature of his work that kept him going for those 40 years. I am a person of habit and love the predictability of my routine (little surprises are welcomed every once in a while) but I can not foresee being devoted to one and only one employer for the rest of my working life. Every time the mega million jackpot reaches $100 million, I buy five tickets and dream of bidding farewell to my desk altogether, but those dreams are shattered when Yolanda Vega announces the winning numbers which, predictably, do not turn out to be my numbers. By the way, the mega million is now at $200 million. Time for a little dreamin.
William worked at a plant that manufactures baking equipment and machinery. Back in the days, William did not enjoy the luxury of working in a heated or air conditioned warehouse. During the warmest summer days, some of the pipes and equipment were too hot to touch bear handed. But above and beyond the basic working conditions, there were additional factors that were beyond his control. The company was bought out at least 4 times. As a result of all the changes in management and the economic downturns, William saw benefits and pensions substantially reduced; unions dismantled; hourly rates slashed from $12.60 to $9 and an unfair share of lay offs. But according to William, it was a job and you had to do what you had to do or you could walk out the door. William had already seen all the perils of corporate downsizing long before the global financial crisis of the past two years. He's been there and he knows that things will turn around in a matter of time. Today, the DOW closed above 10,000 for the first time in a year. Let us hope that it is an early sign of the recovery.
Nowadays, William's and Gator's favorite pastimes include poker and watching sports. Gator is a fan of Nascar. They are visiting from Richmond, VA. After spending a few days in New York they will be going on a 9-day cruise to Canada, may be to Nova Scotia (?) They were not sure about the exact destination since their wives made the reservations. But they know that they will have a memorable time regardless of the details. Because in addition to their wives, 200 of their friends are in town and will be on the same cruise ship. Family + friends + food + margaritas + poker + music = priceless. William and Gator are proud of their closely knit family. William has been married to his wife for 54 years. Gator is married to William's daughter. William was proud of his son in law. If it hadn't been through William, I may not have learned of Gator's 40 years of service at the same company since Gator was more reserved. I know it's not all about numbers but those numbers speak volumes of their self-determination and character. The boys were having lunch at McDonald's while the girls were catching a Wednesday matinee on Broadway. Per William, "Life is Good."

Tori

Tori's favorite book, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, is the story of a shy and unpopular high school student who writes letters to an anonymous person about topics like drugs, sexuality, adolescence and similar subjects. They sound like profound topics for a teenager but I understand that whereas many of us struggled with some of these subjects, we didn't discuss them until later in our teens or adulthood. I was a very sheltered teenager, therefore, smoking was the forbidden vice and fornication a deadly sin. Kids are now enlightened much earlier, a little too soon for my personal preference, so I better catch up and see what all the Perks are about. Today, it was a half-day at Tori's school so instead of having lunch at the school cafeteria, Tori and her friends were having a jolly time at McDonald's. In addition to being an avid reader, she is a fan of the series True Blood. Tori is an aspiring Graphic Designer and she is "definitely" going to pursue a higher education after graduating from high school. In contrast to the main character in her favorite book, she did not seem shy and exuded the confidence of a teenager who knows where she is going. I hope she continues to pursue her goals. And by doing so, kids like Tori will help raise the NYC high school graduation rate to new highs. Because regardless of the speculation surrounding the accuracy of the NYC HS graduation rate, it is below the national average of 71%. Tori may become another statistic but I hope that she will go beyond HS and become a successful artist.

Jaya

Before meeting Jaya, I had a brief encounter with Lisa and her husband (will refer to him as John Doe) who are visiting from Raleigh, NC. When I saw that John, the one sitting closer to me, was checking his iPhone, a chain of questions flew through my mind (What's your favorite app? What feature would you improve? Do you like viewing the fall foliage? According to climatologists this is supposed to be the perfect weekend for it, at least in the Northeast, etc.) But I asked Lisa and John what they thought about President Obama being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Just as John began to overcome his reluctance to talk to a blabbering stranger and said that "it is premature," their friend (or relative) arrived and swept them away. As they were leaving I realized that my first chance to speak with a stranger from the heartland was slipping away. While I thoroughly appreciate speaking to strangers from foreign lands, I was really looking forward to a conversation with someone from the US - I just haven't come across them often enough at this particular McBreak venue.
After a few minutes of solitude, a girl carrying several backpacks, some of them over sized in comparison to her tiny but tall frame, settled next to me. Jaya is here from Korea on a month-long trip and made her way from California to New York all on her own. Jaya struck me as an unusual Korean name. It means "ye-ppeun ahee" or pretty child. She looked very young but her height (may be 5'8) and sensible demeanor threw me off. So I dared and asked her how old she was. She didn't seem to mind the question and asked me, instead, whether I wanted to know her Korean or American age. I told her it was completely up to her so she soft-spokenly said 20 (American age). I continued to indulge my curiosity and asked her how is it that she was not in school? Why did I assume that a 20 year-old would or should be in school? It comes from the age-old bias that Asians are nerds and from an ambitious desire that my kids will be off to college by that age, and hopefully a college that we can afford. By the same token, I hope my daughters will grow to be as confident and adventurous as Jaya. For now, let's hope they're not talking to strangers.
Jaya took some time off from school to undertake this trip across the Pacific and while spending only three days in New York, she managed to squeeze in the Broadway Musical Hairspray in her schedule. This was after a failed attempt to get tickets for Billy Elliott. As the latest Tony Award winner for Best Musical, Billy is indisputably in high demand these days. Billy the movie, ranks high in my list of all time must see films.
As Jaya wraps up her brief but hectic stay in New York and gets ready to head home, she is looking forward to a hearty simmering pot of "Denjang Jigae" – Korean bean curd (miso) stew (best made with mom's TLC). But aside from this favorite comfort food, she is an enthusiast of crispy fried chicken. When it comes to fried chicken, I like it the traditional KFC way or with a Korean twist a la Boom Boom/BonChon.

Mark

I have noticed that people who are from the Caribbean usually convey that they are from a specific Island or nation but Mark simply said that he's from the West Indies. Isn't that where Columbus landed 517 years ago while searching for India? I am confident that when he landed in the island of Hispaniola (comprised of Haiti and the Dominican Republic) half a millennium ago, Columbus and his ship mates enjoyed plunging into the tepid and translucent waters of the New World as much as we do today, albeit under somewhat different circumstances. Like Mark, I too, enjoy the warmer months of the year and when walking through the wind tunnels of the Big Apple (top it off with some slush) numbs my toes and ears; my mind takes a quick detour to the affable waters and exhilarating banana boat rides in the beaches of Puerto Plata. But for now, we better gear up for the possibility of another fierce winter. I asked Mark whether he was planning to get the flu shot. Like most healthy man between their 20's and 40's who believe that they are invincible and that flu shots are for the immunologically weaker types, Mark will not succumb to it. That or he may be getting plenty of vitamin C and antioxidants from the home made West Indies' meals he favors. Either way, I should have predicted that his answer was going to be "no." As for me and my household, we are scheduled to get the flu shot this month. Let's hope that there are plenty to go around.

Gildete

When Gildete told me that she is from Santa Catarina, Brazil, I had a flashback to my childhood in Buenos Aires. Our neighborhood carnavales were very modest in comparison to the sophisticated productions in Rio de Janeiro. But they were, nevertheless, the last and most anticipated celebration before the end of the summer. The best part of carnavales as a kid was filling up water balloons and aiming them at unsuspecting passersby. Since practically all the kids in the neighborhood were doing the same thing it is hard to believe that people were caught off guard. But you could still witness the pure delight of those teenage boys at the sight of a soaked mamasita who was conveniently wearing a white t-shirt. Ok, we all enjoyed that sight but for girls it was a different type of appreciation. At night, neighbors would gather on the streets, dance to the music while watching the parade and admiring the men, women and transvestites dressed in provocative customs. Then we would go home and watch more Brazilian carnival on TV. We simply couldn't get enough of the festivities.
Flash forward to the present and Gildete tells me that it's not all about carnivals in Santa Catarina. Blumenau, which is in Santa Catarina is home to one of the biggest Octoberfest celebrations in Brazil. Gildete is of German and Italian decent. And even though she spoke to me in Portuguese and I responded in Spanish, I could understand that she spoke proudly of her mixed European ancestry and the fact that she was on a family vacation. Gildete, her mom and 10 additional members of her family had made the 9-hour long voyage from Santa Catarina. Most of those family members were having lunch at McD's too.

Lorraine

Lorraine is visiting NY for the second time in her life. During her first visit thirty years ago, she was on a road trip from the Midwest en route to Long Island. At the time, she drove by Harlem and most likely continued her journey without stepping out of the safety of her car. It's unlikely that the Harlem of the 80's was a must see sight for tourists or even for New Yorkers as it boasted some of the most dangerous blocks on the map. In spite of such reputation, Harlem was the capital of Black America and remains one of the richest cultural and artistic neighborhoods in Manhattan. Over the decades, some of those dangerous blocks have become the foundation of fancy properties and home to many lucrative real estate developments in NYC. For someone like Lorraine, who spent 3 days at the Metropolitan during her present visit and who evidently enjoys history and the fine arts, perhaps venturing uptown once again may not seem like such a bad idea. And the next time Lorraine speaks to her best friend back in New Zealand, she may be able to illustrate how thirty years have culturally and socio-economically transformed an American city. I think it is time for me to explore that part of town as well because yes, I am guilty of driving by Harlem and failing to make a stop to appreciate the stark difference between Ralph Ellison's Harlem in the Invisible Man and today's must see destination ... all the while enjoying some of the most celebrated soul food in the country.