I've always told myself that the first place I'd ever visit outside of the Philippines would be New York City.

Of course, that didn't happen because I first moved to Canada but nonetheless, it's always been on my bucket list.

It's hard not to be fascinated with the iconic city when you see so much of it in your beloved books, movies and TV shows. It's not just a place—it's a culture, a sense of identity, a catch in time where the old and new mix merrily, a world with its own beat.

I was lucky en...