30- The Best Ways to Spend New Year's Eve in New York City
Lindsay: This is an All Ears English Podcast, Episode 30: Meeting Monday.
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Gabby: Welcome to the All Ears English Podcast, where you'll finally get real, native English conversation. Now here are your hosts, Lindsay McMahon, the ‘English Adventurer' and Gabby Wallace, the ‘Language Angel,' coming to you from Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Gabby: In this episode, find out about four different ideas for what to do on New Year's in New York City.
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Gabby: Hey Lindsay. How's it going?
Lindsay: Hey Gabby. What's going on?
Gabby: Well, here we are, Monday, and it's almost the end of the year. Can you believe it?
Lindsay: I am so excited to celebrate New Year's.
Gabby: I know. 2014 is coming up soon.
Lindsay: Yes.
That's so exciting.
Gabby: It is.
Lindsay: Aw man. What are you gonna (going to) do this year for New Year's?
Gabby: Well, you know what? I know what I'm not gonna (going to) do. I'm not gonna (going to) go out and party like crazy ‘cause (because) I've kinda been there and done that, and (you know) there's (there are) so many clubs where you can go out dancing and get crazy, but there's (there are) a lot of different things you can do that are fun and, (you know), where you get to spend time with your friends. (Um), like just watch the ball drop either on TV… Lindsay:
Right.
Gabby:
or in New York City itself.
Lindsay:
Yeah.
So today we're talking about what people do in New York, specifically, on New Year's Eve. How could you spend – let's imagine that you're living here in Boston, maybe you're living in Washington, DC and you wanna (want to) spend New Year's Eve in New York City.
Gabby: Uh-huh.
Lindsay: To ring in the New Year.
Gabby: Yeah.
It's (like) the iconic experience.
Lindsay: Absolutely.
Gabby: To be there in Times Square…
Lindsay: Yes.
Gabby: …in New York City.
Lindsay: So yeah.
Gabby: I mean people all over the country, maybe all over the world, watch this celebration in Times Square to see that ball drop and start the New Year.
Lindsay: They do, but one thing I would warn you is that if you want to meet New Yorkers, you won't meet them in Times Square because actual people who live in New York don't – they stay as far as they possibly can from Times Square.
Gabby: It's more popular with tourists.
Lindsay: For sure.
Gabby: And I'm sure New Yorkers feel that “been there, done that” kind of thing. I mean – well, I mean Times Square is there. You can go there anytime (I mean), and New Year's Eve, is super, super crowded.
Lindsay: Definitely.
Gabby:
So just going down there and having to deal with all the people might be kind of a headache for a native New Yorker…
Lindsay: Yeah.
Gabby: …I suppose.
Lindsay: Yeah.
I think native New Yorkers, in general, avoid Times Square all year.
Gabby: Umm.
Lindsay: Like they never – you don't go there.
Gabby: It is such a cool place. I was just there yesterday.
Lindsay: Uh-huh.
Gabby: (Um) I took a trip from Boston to New York City with a friend of mine and of course we went to Times Square. We had to go take pictures (you know). It's a, it's a must see…
Lindsay: Cool.
Gabby: …if you go to New York City, but anyway back to New Year's Eve. If you do want to go to Times Square, it's really important to plan ahead and have a strategy to stay comfortable because you do have to stand there for several hours. You need to go early, find a spot, and then there's really not a lot of movement allowed, so you're gonna (going to) be standing in the same place for maybe up to six hours.
Lindsay: Right.
Gabby: (Um) so you need to have a plan, like bring some snacks, bring some water. (Uh) maybe find out in advance, if there is (like) a place where you can go, (you know), to use the facilities. Yeah, so (um), it can be exciting, kind of like a once in a lifetime experience, but definitely plan ahead and you might wanna (want to) go with some friends. You know, you don't wanna (want to) be walking around alone. It probably wouldn't be as fun, but (um) just…
Lindsay: And dress warmly.
Gabby: Oh that's right.
Lindsay: New York at New Year's Eve.
Gabby: Cold.
Lindsay: Right now it's the end of November, and its 25° (degrees) Fahrenheit, which is about 0 Celsius. Right?
Gabby: Yeah.
Lindsay: So, and it's only early November.
Gabby: So. Yeah.
I feel like we should be specific about what it means to dress warmly because to my students it means wearing (like) fashionable jeans and a hoodie…
Lindsay: Oh boy.
Gabby: …outside.
Lindsay: Okay.
Gabby: So yeah, wear long johns. Wear (like) at least two pairs of pants. (Um) wear about five layers on top. Wear a big winter coat.
Lindsay: Down coat.
Gabby: Hat. Yeah.
Down coat.
Yeah.
Big down coat.
Lindsay: Wool hat.
Gabby: Wool hat, gloves, scarf, maybe even something that covers your face. (Like) it is cold.
Lindsay: Get the right materials.
Gabby: Yeah, yeah. Exactly. (Um), so yeah, so if you don't go to Times Square, what are some other things that you could do for New Year's Eve? Like around New York or even in Boston or another big city.
Lindsay: Yeah.
(Um), so when I lived in New York, I just went to a house party on New Year's Eve, I think a few years in a row. So that's something that's typical.
Gabby': Yeah. I think that's one of the best things you can do is, (you know), if you have friends, (uh), nearby, (uh) see if they're having a house party or host your own house party if you have space for that.
Lindsay: Right ‘cause (because) the problem that you run into, and this is true in Boston and New York, a lot of the bars or restaurants – sorry – will offer the fixed price menu. Right.
So you'll see that everywhere. So you're gonna (going to) end up spending a lot of money if you wanna (want to) go to a restaurant. Even like your average, (like) I think there's a restaurant here in Central Square that I tried to go to on New Year's Eve and they had fixed, a very basic burger joint…
Gabby: Okay.
Lindsay: …where they had a fixed price menu…
Gabby: Okay.
Lindsay: …which I thought was crazy so…
Gabby:…It can be nice though. I mean if it's like…It's like a special celebration and that's where you want to go and maybe you don't have a great space to entertain with at home. It can be just more convenient to go out with your friends and, (you know), get (um) a fixed price menu or (like) go to a club or bar or whatever, whatever you're interested in. But I know (um) Lindsay there's (there are) other things you can do. You said you're gonna (going to) do something totally different.
Lindsay: Oh yeah. So this year – so the past few years, I actually, (um), I study meditation, so I've been going to my meditation center here in Cambridge Mass, (um), just to kind of ring in the New Year in that way, kind of reaffirming my commitment to meditation. But that's my own thing. I don't know. What about you?
Gabby: Oh gosh. Well, I haven't decided actually what I'm gonna (going to) do. I was just remembering last year, I was actually out of the country. I love to travel and I was in Brazil, in Salvador and they have this awesome outdoor concert that's free for everyone, so it gets crazy.
Lindsay: That sounds fun.
Gabby: It's a lot of people. But, yeah I love (um) Brazilian music and (uh) being there was great because it was summer time down there so…
Lindsay: Yeah, it's so different.
Gabby: Yeah.
Lindsay: Different seasons.
Gabby: Yeah.
Lindsay: Wow.
Gabby: It was very cool. So yeah, I hope everybody has a great New Year's. Stay warm. Stay safe. And just have fun.
Lindsay: Just enjoy.
Gabby: Yeah.
Lindsay: Happy New Year!
Gabby: Happy New Year! Well not yet. Soon. All right. We'll see you guys tomorrow for Teaching Tuesday.
Lindsay: Bye. Gabby: Bye.
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