1. Almost all major apparel brands have their global flagship stores here. Even the Japanese casual wear Uniqlo.



2. Security at Statue of Liberty and Empire State Building are on par, if not stricter than the JFK airport.



3. All American set meal portions are as large as the US continent. For an Asian like me living in a little red dot, one set is good for two.



4. Patience is not a virtue found in any drivers in Manhattan. Once the green light is on, so does the honking.



5. If you get homesick in New York and crave for that familiar taste of home, just look out for the Golden Arches.

. It pays to change your greenbacks from legitimate money-changers. All my crisp new $100 bills were subjected to scrutiny by the cashiers who would mark them with a special pen to determine whether that Benjamin Franklin is the real deal or a doppelganger.



7. Police officers are useless in pointing clueless tourists to the right directions. Street-vendor s are often friendlier and more knowledgeable.



8. McDonald's and sandwich shop Pret A Manger restricted me from taking pictures of their food preparation and display areas respectively. Are they worried that I'd report their poor hygiene practice to the authority or steal their secret recipe?



9. An apologetic smile goes a long way in defusing any awkward or embarrassing situations that NY first-timers find themselves in. Works every time.

10. On the morning when I was in front of my workstation after more than 10 days away on holiday, I momentarily forgot my log-in password. That put a smile on my face knowing that the money was well-spent. In life, we often forget that there are things not worth remembering.

More on my New York trip:

(Mis)adventures in New York:



