New York Day 4: Chelsea Market & the ultimate souvenir

Since I did so much walking again yesterday and the game caused me to be in bed far past midnight I didn’t want to do too much today. My hotel is located in Chelsea and here you can find the famous Chelsea Market. This food market started as a cookie factory in the late 19th century, but was quickly turned into a place to get some of the best food in New York City.

Chelsea Market

The market has a ton of different room and here you will find anything from gourmet eateries, bakeries, delicatessen and a book store. The building is great too as some of the original features of the factory are still exposed.

Chelsea Market interior

Chelsea market: eat & shop

Chelsea Market: elevators

Eleni’s @ Chelsea Market = delicious cookies & cupcakes

After going back to my hotel and set up an appointment with a taxi company so I can go to the airport tomorrow, I set out for Midtown to set up an appointment of a much different kind. I went and did something that I wanted to do since I was 16 years old, but had never gotten round to doing: I went to get a tattoo. They didn’t have time for me straight away though so I first went uptown and went to see another movie (The Avengers this time) and had some food at ShakeShack. And then it was time to go to the tattoo shop.

I had researched a few places online and read some reviews and before setting up the appointment I had also visited the two places that sounded best online. I decided on going to Red Rocket and I was set up with Marcus. I had printed a design of the symbol I’ve been wanting to get for more than 10 years. That’s how long I’ve been holding out for! I had two designs of the same symbol and I wanted them to be combined into one for the tattoo. Marcus consulted with me on what and where I wanted to get the tattoo done. He went back and remodeled the design a bit and then prepped his work station. He was really nice and asked whether this was my first time. He instantly made me feel comfortable and explained how things would be done when he found out it would be my first tattoo.

Getting it done was definitely not as bad as I had expected. I wanted the tattoo on my back, a bit lower than my shoulder blades, right in the middle. Meaning it would be located directly over my spine, which can be a painful spot. However, the procedure felt a bit more like scratching. My muscles twitched a few times when he was doing the outline, but once it got going and I relaxed a bit more it was good. In the end Marcus even told me I handled everything very well, considering I was a first timer. The tattoo hurt more once it was done. It sort of stings, like you are very badly sunburned.

Tattoo

The reason why I finally decided to do it, was that right now I feel would be a good time. The design had been on my mind since I was a teenager and I always told myself: if I still like the design 10 years from now, I’m gonna get it done. Ten years went by and I just didn’t do it. I chose to do it now, in New York City, because I love this place and so, even if I end up hating the design in the end I will always remember NYC. Sort of like the ultimate souvenir.  So what is it? It is a West African Adinkra symbol depicting Siamese crocodiles connected by their stomachs and means ‘unity in diversity’.

So that rounded up day 4 in The Big Apple. Tomorrow is my last day here and I will fly out late at night from JFK. I do have time before I leave though so I will still visit the South Street Seaport and if I have time I may even take the Staten Island Ferry to get a view of the skyline and the Statue of Liberty or maybe I’ll head out the other way, to Brooklyn and walk the Brooklyn Bridge. Who knows?