Life is a highway...

After sending our dealers off to go back to Vietnam, my auntie, colleague and myself headed off to New York!

But as our flight was at night, we had a whole day to wander around LA just a little bit more....and we took a drive down to Long Beach...it was really pretty...

Drove past this road where they had these rainbow lamp post buntings....

On closer inspection....it says 'Long Beach Pride'.....Rainbow flags...Pride...hhmmm....Is Long Beach like San Francisco?

Arrived in New York and this was the first picture I took....

And the first signboard that caught my eye....H&M was in New York! And Madonna has her own line of clothing! Happening...

After checking into the hotel, we embarked on a journey to tour around Manhattan City... Here's me trying to navigate my auntie.... Didn't do too badly if I must say so myself.... hehe...

Caught some famous sites such as....The Empire State Building...

The World Trade Centre site.... lots of police hanging around, not sure what had happened tho'...

Went pass this super impressive buidling while driving along....Don't know what it's called but had to take a picture 'cos it looked so grand and imposing....Anyone any idea?

Here's Chinatown....looked really runned-down... think Singapore's Chinatown is sooo much prettier and attractive....

Passed by some interesting shops too.....like this one....Spy Shop! If only I went in and got some cool gadgets....

Saw this funny poster on a bus too.... GottahavaWAWA....hillarious!

We wanted to go see the Statue of Liberty but my auntie didn't want to take the ferry so we tried to get as near to the island as possible to see if we could see the statue from afar.... Can you see it?? hehe....

There was this other structure in the waters right by our viewing area....don't know what it's for...maybe some art installation?? Or something left over from the past?? Hmmm...

It was quite exciting walking around the city because we walked right into a protest! Yah, there were all these people waving flags and boards and so many policemen and cars surrounding them....

Was a little afraid that it may turn chaotic but it actually turned out to be a pretty peaceful demonstration....and we found out that they were demonstrating about immigrants' rights or lack thereof....

Headed to Times Square in the night to catch its beautiful lights and splendour....Don't know why but Times Square always left a deep impression on me whenever I watched any movies that had it as their location or when viewing photographs....I think the lights and screens just seem very attractive and exciting....

Went into the M&Ms flagship store....and boy was I in heaven!!! Chocolate!!! Yummsss.....

Soooooo many colours and variety.....how to choose lah? Headache....

And they had this display where they packed the chocolates by the colours of the countries! So cute...

They had some really nice installations such as the M&Ms race car and the M&Ms Statue of Liberty...

And of course we had to strike a pose with the Night Fever M&Ms! Hehe...

And it started to rain....so I could only look from across at the Hershey's flagship store...sigh...

There were some other interesting things which I did or saw....

Had Wendy's fast food....I remembered eating this when I was really young back in Singapore but it disappeared for many years.... Eating this kinda made me reminisced the past a little...

As we had to park our car to walk around, I thought that the parking meter machine was damn cool! You just have to choose how long you want to park, pay by credit card, get the receipt, place it in the car and you are set! Don't need all the parking coupons lah, make sure you have enough coins or notes lah...just a credit card and you are set! Can park liao!

This other billboard at Times Square also caught my attention...

I didn't quite get the message.... "Are you wondering what all the drama was about or...WHAT?". Is there supposed to be another 'akan datang' billboard?? What did you think they were trying to convey?

We had lunch at this Korean restaurant and I walked by their fish tank on the way out and asked "What the hell is that??!!" Looks like a human heart or something!! But I guess it has to be some underwater creature that the Koreans like to eat... Can anyone enlighted me on what that thing is??

All in all I had a nice time in New York but as I only had like one and a half days there, I didn't really get to do much...Would like to visit the city again sometime....

Woke up bright and early...again...going on tours ain't quite my thing I guess...all this waking up bloody early...no good.... But since we were going to Universal Studios, I guess I had to drag myself up!

Saw this car in the hotel parking lot....so cute! It had the 'Speedy Gonzalez' sticker on the hood...and it's a Corvette! Must be a lady driver?? :)

Headed to Hollywood Boulevard first to catch the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Chinese Theatre....

And there were a few actors who came as characters of certain movies to make a quick buck from tourists....each picture you take with them, you 'tip' them like a dollar...and being tourists, of course we had to have our picture taken right!?!? hehe...

Here's my auntie with Charlie Chaplin...

And us with Gandalf...a big one!

There were a lots of souvenir shops around and you can get your own Academy Award for under US$10!!

And get your own 'Star' for under US$15! Now we can all be famous! :)

So we finally reached Universal Studios.... and I have it in my hands! hehe...

First attraction was at the fountain area just as you enter.....can you tell which statue is fake?

He looks so real right!??!?! Quite cool....

And as we walked further in, Shrek was out doing his 'patrol' too....and everyone couldn't wait to have their picture taken with him...it...whatever...

Had our picture taken at the famous HOLLYWOOD signage....or rather a backdrop of the signage...

Went on to take the tour around around the studio....had to wait and queue on on these stars for our ride... I was star no. 41...

We drove around the indoor sets first then the outdoor sets.... Here's the set for Heroes...

The set for Ghost Whisperer and from way back....Back to the Future!

Set of Desperate Housewives...

Set of War of the Worlds....They really bought an old airplane and destroyed it! Expensive...

And this was a really cute set, can't remember which movie it was for but all the houses and cars were actually made from styrofoam! Can you believe it? It looked so real too...

Went by the 'garage' where they parked all the famous cars from various movies such as Fast & the Furious, Back to the Future, Magnum PI etc....

Then we entered this special set where they had the cars from 'Tokyo Drift' do a little performance for us...

We also passed by this set of a Mexican village to show us how they create rain and flood....

And jun jun I was sitting on the outer side of the carriage so kenna splashed by the water! Soaked I tell you! Even my eye make-up ran! Soooo unglam...sigh....

We also entered an underground set where they simulated an earthquake....had a gasoline truck collapsing, explosions and another avalanche of water! Lucky the water hit the other side of the carriage so I was safe! hehe...

Finished our tour of the sets and we were off to catch all the rides!

We went the Revenge of the Mummy ride...and had our picture take with THE MUMMY!

Then we went to 'Jurassic Park'....

Here's excited me getting ready for the ride!

We also went into the House of Horrors....not scary, just lots of 'ghouls & ghosts' jumping out in front of us....

And caught the performance at the 'Underwater World' set.....again....lots of water being thrown at the audience....luckily I sat quite far away! :)

Phew....it was another looong day... all the excitement....had to rest and eat! hehe.... Check out these chocolate caramel apples!!! Wah lao....super yummy or what!??!?