The rich culture, fascinating places and modern lifestyle had always gauged my interest to visit America one day....
travelogue
The rich culture, fascinating places and modern lifestyle had always gauged my interest to visit America one day. But being a journalist, what made me more interested to go to the USA, was its amazing journalism programmes. And finally I got that opportunity!
After a long tiring flight, my eyes opened to the serene beauty and chills of Washington DC. Just to let you know, Washington is known for its world famous monuments and museums. The first thing I noticed was the Washington Monument. It is an obelisk on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., built to commemorate George Washington. It is both, predominantly the world’s tallest stone structure and the world’s tallest obelisk standing. Also, it is the tallest monumental column in the world if all are measured above their pedestrian entrances. It was the tallest structure in the world from 1884 to 1889, when it was overtaken by the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
Since we had a five-day stay in DC, we only got to visit The Mansion on O & O Street Museum properly. With over 100 rooms and 70 secret doors, The Mansion is one of the most unique properties in the world. We were fascinated by the meticulously refurbished place translating style and imagination. It resides on a quiet, historic, tree-lined street in fashionable DuPont Circle, within walking distance to The White House, Embassy Row and The Phillips Collection-minutes from Georgetown and the Lincoln Memorial. Built in the 19th and 20th centuries, The Mansion retains many period details (including original tiffany stained glass windows) and incorporates into the architectural features all the modern conveniences you need - including state-of-the art technology.
Since it was my first visit to the US, earlier this year, I was quite new to its cities and wanted someone to guide me on things I should see. After I visited the museum with the fellow participants, my cousin gave me a tour of Georgetown which was an hour drive from the hotel I was staying at. Shopping isn’t the only thing to do in Georgetown. Washington, DC’s oldest neighbourhood is full of charm, Michelin-approved restaurants, fantastic events for the whole family and plenty of scenic views. Georgetown’s waterfront offers a wide range of on-the-water fun at the bank of Potomac. One can pick up a kayak or stand-up paddleboard at the Key Bridge Boathouse and enjoy Instagram-worthy panoramas of the DC and Virginia skylines while also getting a great workout. Although I couldn’t enjoy all of this as I went in the month of February when it was freezing, I could see what Georgetown holds for people during summers.
The local monuments were another attraction from the so-called dull city. I don’t know about the Americans, but I loved the calm environment that the city upholds. DC is as literary and artistic as it seems. The historic infrastructure and liberated streets welcome you with warmth (no matter how cold the weather remains most of the year). The White House, Lincoln Memorial, National Museum of African American History and Culture, National Archives Museum and The United States Capitol were a few places we had the opportunity to see.
One more thing that made our stay worth recalling was the visit to Voice of America’s office. As journalists, it was an experience of a lifetime to get to know about the place and how they operate. We interacted with the team and shared our beats with each other while exploring the office and take some notes on its history.
While binging on the most popular Georgetown cupcakes and roaming around downtown streets, we also explored some desi and Mediterranean restaurants which were renowned among the Americans too. Sakina Grill, Roti and Cusbah were a few we tried and spotted.
We also had a two-day training session at the National Press Club in the heart of DC, which is historic in its own way. It is known as ‘The Place Where News Happens’. Global leaders in government, politics, business, music, film and sport visit the club every day.
When in New York
During the five-day stay in DC, I gathered some courage to visit New York in a short span of time with a bunch of friends that I made on this trip. We had only one day to see the main attractions and do what the New Yorkers do, like having pancakes at IHOP, maybe? Guess what! It was the first thing we did right after entering the New York City...
NYC is an epicentre of arts, architecture, dining and shopping. It is a trendsetter and a multicultural place to live. This is the reason why the city wears many crowns, and spreads an irresistible feast for all. With its compact size and streets packed with eye-candy of all sorts - structural glory, Old World cafes, and atmospheric booksellers - NYC is a wanderer’s delight.
Luckily, we managed to touch base at all the best places. Even though it was not elaborate, it was totally worth it. The infamous Statue of Liberty, National Museum of the American Indian, Wall Street Bull that stands in Bowling Green in the Financial District in Manhattan, 9/11 Memorial & Museum, World trade Centre Transportation Hub, Time Square, Empire State Building, Central Park while touching the popular 5th Avenue (where most of the scenes from Sex & the City were shot), Long Island City (LIC) which is a residential and commercial neighbourhood located on the extreme western tip of Queens, at the western edge of Long Island and several other sites which included an awesome vision of the United Nations Headquarters and Brooklyn Bridge.
To have a complete taste of life in NYC, you should definitely experience its busy subway. It offers 24/7/365 service, though some routes may operate only part-time. We took the subway to reach Time Square and after clicking some pictures, we ended up at a local desi restaurant in Queens before returning to DC.
Chicago, The Windy City...
‘When in Rome do as the Romans do’, but I must say that when in Chicago you enjoy a bustling urban hub without the stress of a bigger city. Chicago is the largest metropolis in the Midwest; it still has a touch of humbleness in its roots. You can easily meet new people, and the Windy City is not just known for its wild winds and Lake Shore Drive along the Michigan Lake, but you can have the authentic Italian Beef from Portillo’s too!
The Magnificent Mile
When we left for Chicago, we heard great things about it. It’s cheaper than DC and New York, the food and shopping is amazing and has an affordable living. About food, Chicago has star chefs; world-renowned, Michelin rated restaurants; and cuisine inspired by every culture imaginable. The city is a culinary mecca-home to celebrated food festivals. We were intrigued by the food choices we had in the downtown. First up, was a dinner at Purple Pig restaurant that had a great variety on its menu. Also, we had world famous deep dish pizza at Giordano and Italian beef burgers along with cake shakes at Portillo’s. Not to forget, the city’s famous Garrett Popcorns that I had a chance to try because of my housemate.
Interestingly, we were staying in downtown, where you could shop till you drop while roaming around The Magnificent Mile. This cosmopolitan, history-packed strip on downtown Michigan Avenue between the Michigan Avenue Bridge and Oak Street leads you from department stores to multi-story megamalls to luxury boutiques to brand name retail chains - all in a row.
Millennium Park & The Bean
Millennium Park is an award-winning centre for art, music, architecture and landscape design. Its prominent features are the Frank Gehry-designed Jay Pritzker Pavilion, the most sophisticated outdoor concert venue of its kind in US; the interactive Crown Fountain; the contemporary Lurie Garden designed, Piet Oudolf and Robert Israel; and Anish Kapoor’s hugely popular Cloud Gate sculpture, The Bean. Millennium Park is located in the heart of downtown Chicago.
The Millennium Park ice skating rink is a popular attraction for tourists and locals alike. It’s especially beautiful after dark, with the tall buildings to the west, and Cloud Gate reflecting the city lights to the east.
The Trump Tower
The Trump Hotel and luxury residential building is both the newest member of the Chicago skyline, completed at the beginning of 2009, and the tallest after the Sears Tower-indeed, it is the fourth tallest in the United States. Donald Trump intended for it to be the tallest in the world, but decided to scale back to a mere ‘second tallest in North America’ (after the Sears Tower) following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The design features three prominent setbacks at the height of nearby buildings: the Wrigley Building, Marina City, and 330 N Wabash, which, combined with its singularly reflective exterior, allow this super tall to blend into the skyline. Regardless, you will not miss this building, and it’s interesting to examine - its asymmetric form ensures that you will see something quite different from any different vantage point.
The Baha’i House of Worship
As I am interested in knowing about several religions, I knew before coming to Chicago that the Baha’i House of Worship is a place I should visit. It is a temple in Wilmette, Illinois. One of the ten dedicated temples of the Baha’i Faith, it is the oldest surviving Baha’i House in the world. It’s very popular because of its architectural value and beauty. The House is a domed structure surrounded by gardens and fountains. Since nine is the last number in the decimal system, Baha’is believe that it symbolises perfection and completion. Nine is also the value of the word Baha (Arabic for ‘glory’) in Abjad numerology. Thus, many elements of the building occur in groups of nine. For example, there are nine entrances to the auditorium, nine interior alcoves, nine dome sections, and nine fountains in the garden area.
The suburbs of Chicago
I believe that if you want to go deep and understand the values of a place, you should definitely visit the villages apart from its metropolitan cities and the hustle bustle they come up with. Gurnee is a village in Lake County that we got to roam around before leaving Chicago. The village borders the city of Waukegan and lies within the northernmost reaches of the Chicago metropolitan area. It is best known for being the location of Six Flags Great America and Gurnee Mills, together drawing over 26 million visitors annually. Gurnee is notable as being one of the only major Chicago suburbs that has a calm life with all available resources and outlets. We visited Gurnee’s Ulta beauty and ate at Steak n Shake which had an amazing variety of steak burgers and shake.
Being a part of the programme was incredible. It not only gave us all a good exposure to our respective areas, but it also gave us a taste of American culture and environment. It is a multicultural place with people quite casual in their dealings. It’s a place of opportunities and great architectural design. My 12-day visit was really productive as I learned that America was a lot more than what I saw on screen and magazines. I was exposed to an environment polar opposite to mine, but I made some amazing friends along the way. It was short but totally worth it!
