Yes, this is where I went last weekend. I absolutely LOVE New York City and I have the souvenir license plate/stitch marker to prove it! I am pretty sure I wouldn’t want to live there (well, at least not for longer than a couple of years), but it is a place that is awesome to visit!
One of my co-workers and I have been feeling a titch burned out. OK, I’m going to tangent for a second…..I had to lookup how to spell “titch” because I say it but have never written it….you get some really odd things with that search!! Back to being burned out…..so we decided about 6 weeks ago to plan a trip to NYC. I had been there about 1 1/2 years ago and she had been there about 20 years ago and we both wanted go back. Tickets, travel book and maps were bought (because I am a geek and the ones from 1 1/2 years ago needed some supplementing) and we were off.
Thursday evening started off with checking into our hotel in Times Square. The Doubletree is not the most expensive hotel in town, but it had a great location (see it on the corner), 2 beds, 2 rooms (yes a little living room AND a bedroom), and most importantly when 2 women are travelling together….2 sinks. VERY spacious for NYC. The lobby had crazy construction going on, but seriously who cares! We had no intention of hanging out in the lobby! The guy checking us in recommended a Mexican Restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen. Arriba Arriba was a short walk away and a great start to the trip! The food was good, the people watching was fun, and the margaritas were awesome! In the excitement of the first evening there might have been a couple too many margaritas…but we were on vacation and what happens in NY stays in NY!
Friday morning required a lot of fresh crisp NY air! And then we were off to the Financial District. Our first trip on the subway and I had to stare at the blue dot on the floor since the motion was about to kill me….UGH! (But, thank you subway! You saved my feet from lots of walking which result in lots of pain after 3 days!) Once we arrived at our stop, and since we work in the crazy financial world, the New York Stock Exchange was a given for our 1st sight to see.
Federal Hall, Trinity Church, and the Brooklyn Bridge were all also seen and appreciated and then we were on to Lady Liberty.
We had purchased our tickets ahead of time which I highly recommend! We didn’t have to wait in line to buy a ferry ticket, our ferry ticket line was quicker (like a FastPass at Disney World), and we got to go into her base…..so close we could look up her skirt!
We ran out of time (and energy) so we didn’t stop on Ellis Island where I could have seen where my great-grandfather signed the book when he arrived. It gives me a good excuse to go back.
That night we got to see the skaters at Rockefeller Center. I would love to go back at Christmas and see it all decked out! This just gave me a tease for what it must be like!
And one of my favorite sites at night is Radio City Music Hall. It fits in with my love of old movies and old musical movie stars!
Saturday started with visiting my favorite skyscraper in NY. The Flatiron Building.
The building’s shape fascinates me, and Madison Square Park is right across the street where you can catch glimpses of the building while you watch the dogs in the dog park. I think we got the most laughs trying to match the dogs playing together with the owners talking together. We then tried to go to Purl….for my yarn fix. Unfortunately it doesn’t open until noon on Saturdays and we were there at 11. WAY BUMMED!!! I stood outside with my face plastered against the window drooling over yarn I couldn’t touch. My co-worker does not understand my “knitting thing” and threatened to walk off and leave me there. Next time I will get pretty New York yarn!
The day ended with the musical Chicago which was fabulous! I want to be a teensy bit as talented as those people are!
Sunday started with Central Park and the Met.
There was ice cream at Serendipity. Then the day ended with Grand Central Station and the top of the Chrysler Building (I always think of the song from Annie… “You’ll stay up until this dump shines like the top of the Chrysler Building!”).
The trip was fabulous and I came home tired and happy. The next trip will involve WAY more shopping (I discovered my friend is not a big shopper), but that just means there will need to be a next time!
