How to get home?? Hmm...
1. Wake up early pre-packed
2. Take the subway to the bus to the airport.
Subway - not as fun with suitcases. It is quite a lot of steps to navigate a 42lb suitcase (plus a purse and a bookbag). We took the subway from near our loft all the way to Queens. The subway went from underground to above ground. Very weird. We then waited for the bus in queens, with about 20 other people and all of their luggage. Lots of yelling and hurrying to the bus stop, in many different languages (Italian, Mexican, Chinese)... Standing on the bus is not as fun as standing on the subway. The bus SLAMS on the breaks. My arms got a good workout.
Finally make it to the airport, and we have to go outside to get onto the tiny plane. Blah! And of course I get stuck sitting next to the weird smelly guy. At least on the subway you can scoot away, on the plane you really can't do anything about it.
What a great trip... I can't wait to go back! :)
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Friday May 22
Sleep in! NICE! :)
Got up and walked around Central Park.. nice little stroll, saw some birds (not my friends)... I forgot that we were in the middle of the busiest city in the USA. It's cool to see where movies are filmed, and we actually saw some kind of photo shoot or movie being filmed in the arena. Very neat place. I would be there every day if I lived in NYC.
We then took the subway to Wall street and walked around the Financial District, took pictures with the brass bull. Walked around a shop, Daffy's.
Came home and changed for the Little Mermaid on Broadway - oh my gosh it was amazing!! We got student tickets ($30) and we were very lucky ... we were FRONT AND CENTER! The lights, costumes, actors, set, stage, music... it was all amazing. I of course sang along (in my head) to all of the songs... and they had a few extras. The story was changed slightly in the second act, but it had the same happy ending!
Came home and packed - amazingly everything fit in the suitcase (I'm not quite sure how)... I have enough ornaments to decorate one whole side of my Christmas tree! It's the one thing I collect! :)
Got up and walked around Central Park.. nice little stroll, saw some birds (not my friends)... I forgot that we were in the middle of the busiest city in the USA. It's cool to see where movies are filmed, and we actually saw some kind of photo shoot or movie being filmed in the arena. Very neat place. I would be there every day if I lived in NYC.
We then took the subway to Wall street and walked around the Financial District, took pictures with the brass bull. Walked around a shop, Daffy's.
Came home and changed for the Little Mermaid on Broadway - oh my gosh it was amazing!! We got student tickets ($30) and we were very lucky ... we were FRONT AND CENTER! The lights, costumes, actors, set, stage, music... it was all amazing. I of course sang along (in my head) to all of the songs... and they had a few extras. The story was changed slightly in the second act, but it had the same happy ending!
Came home and packed - amazingly everything fit in the suitcase (I'm not quite sure how)... I have enough ornaments to decorate one whole side of my Christmas tree! It's the one thing I collect! :)
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Thursday May 21
Well - we tried to sleep in today.
We woke up and ate again at "Hidden Cafe" oooh yummy! It's cheaper to eat at a "cheap eat" than it is to buy food - a box of cereal here costs about $5 or $6! Yikes!
After breakfast, we went to Rockafeller Center again for a tour. The man spoke into a microphone and we each got a "receiver" and headphones. Our tour guide was a very strange man, and I don't think we learned anything about Rockafeller center except: that it was built during the depression, the way the elevators are built increases room for rentable space, there is artwork, Rockafeller Junior's wife started the Modern Museum of Art, they have a love story apparently, something about the union, something about the walls, the floors are made of the same stuff that bowling balls are made from, Rockafeller got his money from oil, and the thought of "underground" and connection to the subway was unheard of. Sounds like we learned a lot? He said all of that in about five minutes, and then babbled the rest of the time - I have no clue what he was talking about. I took of my head phones. He kept saying "Right?? Right, right. Huh. SO! Right, right. Right!" Straight up weirdo.
CHINATOWN! People follow you yelling "Prada, Gucci, Fendi, Tiffany, Rolex, you like?". They have these tiny tiny stores crammed full of anything you could possibly ever want. $5 tshirt, scarf, handbag, glasses, luggage, jewelry, etc. I have never seen so many chinese people in my life. I wish I knew how to speak Chinese, because they would mumble back and forth as I was trying to haggle the price. I got some sunglasses, a purse, and a scarf.
Poor Little Italy, it's being taken over by Chinatown. There were about five or six blocks of chinatown, and only one little street of little italy. When we walked down the street, the host's from the restaurants would come out into the street and try to walk us inside to a table. "NO thank you!"
That's it for the day so far... we are meeting up with Jeremy in a little bit... Jeremy lived in the dorm the same summer that Johnathan and I met, and we were all in the same circle of friends. He moved to GA after graduation and worked for Abercrombie, and is now in NYC working for either Abercrombie or Hollister corporate something or another. Yay!
One more day... should be exciting! :)
We woke up and ate again at "Hidden Cafe" oooh yummy! It's cheaper to eat at a "cheap eat" than it is to buy food - a box of cereal here costs about $5 or $6! Yikes!
After breakfast, we went to Rockafeller Center again for a tour. The man spoke into a microphone and we each got a "receiver" and headphones. Our tour guide was a very strange man, and I don't think we learned anything about Rockafeller center except: that it was built during the depression, the way the elevators are built increases room for rentable space, there is artwork, Rockafeller Junior's wife started the Modern Museum of Art, they have a love story apparently, something about the union, something about the walls, the floors are made of the same stuff that bowling balls are made from, Rockafeller got his money from oil, and the thought of "underground" and connection to the subway was unheard of. Sounds like we learned a lot? He said all of that in about five minutes, and then babbled the rest of the time - I have no clue what he was talking about. I took of my head phones. He kept saying "Right?? Right, right. Huh. SO! Right, right. Right!" Straight up weirdo.
CHINATOWN! People follow you yelling "Prada, Gucci, Fendi, Tiffany, Rolex, you like?". They have these tiny tiny stores crammed full of anything you could possibly ever want. $5 tshirt, scarf, handbag, glasses, luggage, jewelry, etc. I have never seen so many chinese people in my life. I wish I knew how to speak Chinese, because they would mumble back and forth as I was trying to haggle the price. I got some sunglasses, a purse, and a scarf.
Poor Little Italy, it's being taken over by Chinatown. There were about five or six blocks of chinatown, and only one little street of little italy. When we walked down the street, the host's from the restaurants would come out into the street and try to walk us inside to a table. "NO thank you!"
That's it for the day so far... we are meeting up with Jeremy in a little bit... Jeremy lived in the dorm the same summer that Johnathan and I met, and we were all in the same circle of friends. He moved to GA after graduation and worked for Abercrombie, and is now in NYC working for either Abercrombie or Hollister corporate something or another. Yay!
One more day... should be exciting! :)
Wednesday May 20
Statue of Liberty!
You think airport security was just for airports?? I have been through more security monitors in the last four days than in my entire life!
With our special "New York Pass", we got free tickets to the statue of liberty as well as ellis island - we were unable to go up inside the Statue and to the museum however :(. But we got some GREAT pictures. The statue of liberty is on "Liberty Island" - so we got there by ferry. It was a very cool experience - although I wonder when they are going to wash her again... she is dirty from the sea water! Everything about her attire is significant - the seven points on her crown signify the seven continents, the broken shakles at her feet signify freedom, her tablet states July 4, 1776 - Independence day, the torch is to signify liberty and enlightenment. It used to actually give light (like a lighthouse).
Ellis Island is another ferry ride and is where the immigration museum is located. We spent more time than we thought in the immigration museum - it's crazy to think of the process each immigrant to the united states had to endure in order to be accepted into the United States. Families were separated. Women were not allowed into the country alone and could not go with a man that was not related to them. Each person endured a: Health Exam, Mental Exam, Literacy exam, Occupational screening, etc... and was never quite in their favor. After the museum, we went to the wall of all of the names of the immigrants in the book - I found Mahaffey/MacPhie, Camp, and Raby.
Afterwards, we went to the TKTS booth - no luck for us today on the shows... perhaps again on Friday. We happened upon a very CHEAP store, "KARA". If you see it, they have very good deals!
After resting for a bit, we went to dinner uptown and went to "Top of the Rock" at rockafella center. What an amazing view at night!!!! I took some pretty cool pictures. The good thing about the top of the rock is that it is in the middle of the city, AND you can see the Empire state building. (Changes the sky line from when you're in the Empire state building). It's crazy to think how many buildings and people are crammed onto this TINY island! You don't realize how grand the city is until you take a step back and look from above. Quite inspiring.
After Top of the Rock, we went to a place in Union Square called "Side Bar" and met up with my friend Shawn - she was an ADPi with me at ASU and was in Val's wedding... it was great to see hre. She told us about work and how her apartment looks... it sounds TINY and she pays as much as I do for my townhouse in North Carolina!
After all that walking, we are sleeping in tomorrow!
You think airport security was just for airports?? I have been through more security monitors in the last four days than in my entire life!
With our special "New York Pass", we got free tickets to the statue of liberty as well as ellis island - we were unable to go up inside the Statue and to the museum however :(. But we got some GREAT pictures. The statue of liberty is on "Liberty Island" - so we got there by ferry. It was a very cool experience - although I wonder when they are going to wash her again... she is dirty from the sea water! Everything about her attire is significant - the seven points on her crown signify the seven continents, the broken shakles at her feet signify freedom, her tablet states July 4, 1776 - Independence day, the torch is to signify liberty and enlightenment. It used to actually give light (like a lighthouse).
Ellis Island is another ferry ride and is where the immigration museum is located. We spent more time than we thought in the immigration museum - it's crazy to think of the process each immigrant to the united states had to endure in order to be accepted into the United States. Families were separated. Women were not allowed into the country alone and could not go with a man that was not related to them. Each person endured a: Health Exam, Mental Exam, Literacy exam, Occupational screening, etc... and was never quite in their favor. After the museum, we went to the wall of all of the names of the immigrants in the book - I found Mahaffey/MacPhie, Camp, and Raby.
Afterwards, we went to the TKTS booth - no luck for us today on the shows... perhaps again on Friday. We happened upon a very CHEAP store, "KARA". If you see it, they have very good deals!
After resting for a bit, we went to dinner uptown and went to "Top of the Rock" at rockafella center. What an amazing view at night!!!! I took some pretty cool pictures. The good thing about the top of the rock is that it is in the middle of the city, AND you can see the Empire state building. (Changes the sky line from when you're in the Empire state building). It's crazy to think how many buildings and people are crammed onto this TINY island! You don't realize how grand the city is until you take a step back and look from above. Quite inspiring.
After Top of the Rock, we went to a place in Union Square called "Side Bar" and met up with my friend Shawn - she was an ADPi with me at ASU and was in Val's wedding... it was great to see hre. She told us about work and how her apartment looks... it sounds TINY and she pays as much as I do for my townhouse in North Carolina!
After all that walking, we are sleeping in tomorrow!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Tuesday May 19th
Happy Birthday Kaitlyn! :)
Early start to the day. We headed uptown in hopes of a Rockafeller Center Tour as well as a Tour of Radio City Music Hall and NBC studio's. We were able to complete two of our three missions, and we will visit Rockafeller center on Thursday morning! :)
We walked around the gift shop of NBC studios, and had lunch at a street vendor. Almost attacked by pigdeons again...
NBC Studios - who had any idea!? First thing - they showed us a video of the history of broadcast networking, beginning from the first radio broadcast. They did a scope across the ages, introducing the importance of radio, television, and newscasting in each era. We then toured NBC studio - were able to see the set of MSNBC newsroom (it's a much smaller space than I had imagined). He told us about the cables, green screens, etc. Each reporter has a double high-def monitor with access to any television station IN THE WORLD - so they can stay on top of the stories. The main news reporter for MSNBC stays in the station over 15 hours a day to make sure he does not have to report any urgent news. We also toured the set of the today show (again, much smaller than I imagined). You have to be very creative with space when you have a tiny location!
Radio city music hall - an amazing experience (well, minus the high school group of boys we got stuck with - they were very immature). We toured the majority of the facility - the grand entry hall, the foyer, the bathrooms, the auditorium, etc. Our tour guide provided excellent history about every minor detail and the actors and political figures who visited the music hall. We again watched a movie about the history of radio city music hall and the rocketts! After the video (where the high-schoolers fell asleep), we were able to meet a rockett in person! She told us the secret of the straight line... (each rockett must stand tall between 5"7 and 5"10.5... the tallest one stands in the middle and it gradually decreases on each side) She was very friendly, talked about her career and allowed us to take pictures. When I took my picture she said "wow, you'd be a center girl!"
After radio city music hall, we went home to change for the Ballet. We went to dinner at a sushi restaurant (no, i didn't eat sushi), and then saw Romeo and Juilet at the New York Ballet... it was very nice!
Off to bed for another action packed day! :)
Early start to the day. We headed uptown in hopes of a Rockafeller Center Tour as well as a Tour of Radio City Music Hall and NBC studio's. We were able to complete two of our three missions, and we will visit Rockafeller center on Thursday morning! :)
We walked around the gift shop of NBC studios, and had lunch at a street vendor. Almost attacked by pigdeons again...
NBC Studios - who had any idea!? First thing - they showed us a video of the history of broadcast networking, beginning from the first radio broadcast. They did a scope across the ages, introducing the importance of radio, television, and newscasting in each era. We then toured NBC studio - were able to see the set of MSNBC newsroom (it's a much smaller space than I had imagined). He told us about the cables, green screens, etc. Each reporter has a double high-def monitor with access to any television station IN THE WORLD - so they can stay on top of the stories. The main news reporter for MSNBC stays in the station over 15 hours a day to make sure he does not have to report any urgent news. We also toured the set of the today show (again, much smaller than I imagined). You have to be very creative with space when you have a tiny location!
Radio city music hall - an amazing experience (well, minus the high school group of boys we got stuck with - they were very immature). We toured the majority of the facility - the grand entry hall, the foyer, the bathrooms, the auditorium, etc. Our tour guide provided excellent history about every minor detail and the actors and political figures who visited the music hall. We again watched a movie about the history of radio city music hall and the rocketts! After the video (where the high-schoolers fell asleep), we were able to meet a rockett in person! She told us the secret of the straight line... (each rockett must stand tall between 5"7 and 5"10.5... the tallest one stands in the middle and it gradually decreases on each side) She was very friendly, talked about her career and allowed us to take pictures. When I took my picture she said "wow, you'd be a center girl!"
After radio city music hall, we went home to change for the Ballet. We went to dinner at a sushi restaurant (no, i didn't eat sushi), and then saw Romeo and Juilet at the New York Ballet... it was very nice!
Off to bed for another action packed day! :)
Monday, May 18, 2009
Monday May 18th
Empire State Building! Takes FOREVER! We waited in line, after line, after line. It's like going on a roller coaster, without the stomach thrills. With our special "New York Pass" we were able to go on the "sky ride" - if you ever go, it's not worth the money, but it was free for us. It was a 3D adventure with the "moving seats" for an aerial and street view of NYC. Different. Voiced by "kevin bacon". It would have been more helpful to watch a movie about the history and purposes (or perhaps the names of buildings). Even though the movie was new, a lot of the views still included and compared pre-9/11 footage which was pretty neat.
The observation deck on top of the Empire State Building was FREEZING. I packed a jacket, but it was left in the back of the car :(
It's pretty cool, you can see New Jersey, Pennsylvania and all of NYC. The chrysler building and central park were two easily distinguishible landmarks, as well as the tiny statue of liberty and "flatiron" building.
Shopping, shopping, shopping! Zara, H&M, Forever 21, GAP, American Eagle - you name it they have it. In just about every neighborhood in Manhatten. And don't ask how many Starbucks or McDonalds we've seen - literally almost one per every 5 city blocks (at LEAST!)
We had lunch at a small local brewery. Cool place, HORRIBLE waitress. She was very sweet, but we did not get service until we sat there for 15 minutes, she forgot half our food, and was chit-chatting to her friend on the side. I had a greasy philly cheeseburger with onions and redpeppers, it was good... I'm really trying to branch out. Now I have heartburn!
Madamme Tousseaus... wax museum. I don't think any of us charged our camera's enough. They look so realistic, it's frightening. So today I met Oprah, Jennifer Aniston (who is very short and tiny), Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Jennifer Lopez (and I told her my glasses that she designed are horrible), Babe Ruth, Maralyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, and many, many more. I also met Christopher Reeves, Dali Lhama (sp?), Ghandi, Rosa Parks, and Einstein.
I am so tired! Four more days of action-packed adventure! :)
The observation deck on top of the Empire State Building was FREEZING. I packed a jacket, but it was left in the back of the car :(
It's pretty cool, you can see New Jersey, Pennsylvania and all of NYC. The chrysler building and central park were two easily distinguishible landmarks, as well as the tiny statue of liberty and "flatiron" building.
Shopping, shopping, shopping! Zara, H&M, Forever 21, GAP, American Eagle - you name it they have it. In just about every neighborhood in Manhatten. And don't ask how many Starbucks or McDonalds we've seen - literally almost one per every 5 city blocks (at LEAST!)
We had lunch at a small local brewery. Cool place, HORRIBLE waitress. She was very sweet, but we did not get service until we sat there for 15 minutes, she forgot half our food, and was chit-chatting to her friend on the side. I had a greasy philly cheeseburger with onions and redpeppers, it was good... I'm really trying to branch out. Now I have heartburn!
Madamme Tousseaus... wax museum. I don't think any of us charged our camera's enough. They look so realistic, it's frightening. So today I met Oprah, Jennifer Aniston (who is very short and tiny), Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Jennifer Lopez (and I told her my glasses that she designed are horrible), Babe Ruth, Maralyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, and many, many more. I also met Christopher Reeves, Dali Lhama (sp?), Ghandi, Rosa Parks, and Einstein.
I am so tired! Four more days of action-packed adventure! :)
Sunday May 17th
We kept thinking it was a Monday!
We woke up early and braved the subway to go pick up our tickets at Planet Hollywood. We bought tickets online called the "New York Pass". It was $140, but is entry ticket passes to things all over NYC (including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the MoMA, Bodies, Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, etc).
The subway was slightly confusing, moreso at larger terminals with multiple subway stations in one area. The jerking of the subway leaving the station was an experience, and everyone knew we were out-of-towners. We are now experienced subway passengers, I'm sure we look like New Yorkers (taking pictures of everything, haha).
Sunday was packed. We went to the "bodies" exhibit. This was really cool for the "PT school nerds"... we were able to look at muscles, nerves, arteries and internal organs dissected and displayed in various positions. It was very neat. We spent a long time reviewing muscle innervations, heart valves, positioning, etc. We looked very smart. :)
We had lunch at an upscale looking fish place, that surprisingly didn't sell a lot of seafood. I "ventured out" and ordered a chicken alfredo... it was really good!
We then walked around the piers nearby, and I was nearly attacked by a one-legged pidgeon, Nikki has a picture of the possessive bird. My scream scared the lady sitting on a parkbench nearby. We also saw a contortionist man put himself in a box, to techno music. Very strange.
The piers were near the brooklyn bridge, so of course we had a photo op. We then ventured towards ground zero, but unfortunatly everything was closed off for construction. We did randomly happen upon St. Paul's Cathedral which had gravestones from the 1700's. When looking around, they had pictures posted from where rubble fell in the graveyard. The church is right across the street from where the towers stood, and amazingly suffered no damage. The church provided host and refuge for those volunteers and fire fighters seeking shelter, healthcare, and food/beverage. The church is now a memorial, and I'm guessing will be returned to church function once the memorial and museum is built.
We then went shopping at Century 21 department store. It is like a TJ Maxx times a million. There were people in there stealing things if you simply glanced at them, and it was at least four stories high. We only stayed in there for a little while, and Nikki ended up buying things (Kristen and I were overwhelmed) :)
We then returned to the loft and hung out for a bit, and went to a texas restaurant called "Rodeo" and a few irish pubs. The loft is in Midtown, and is very close to multiple restaurants, bars, and shopping on third avenue.
We woke up early and braved the subway to go pick up our tickets at Planet Hollywood. We bought tickets online called the "New York Pass". It was $140, but is entry ticket passes to things all over NYC (including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the MoMA, Bodies, Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, etc).
The subway was slightly confusing, moreso at larger terminals with multiple subway stations in one area. The jerking of the subway leaving the station was an experience, and everyone knew we were out-of-towners. We are now experienced subway passengers, I'm sure we look like New Yorkers (taking pictures of everything, haha).
Sunday was packed. We went to the "bodies" exhibit. This was really cool for the "PT school nerds"... we were able to look at muscles, nerves, arteries and internal organs dissected and displayed in various positions. It was very neat. We spent a long time reviewing muscle innervations, heart valves, positioning, etc. We looked very smart. :)
We had lunch at an upscale looking fish place, that surprisingly didn't sell a lot of seafood. I "ventured out" and ordered a chicken alfredo... it was really good!
We then walked around the piers nearby, and I was nearly attacked by a one-legged pidgeon, Nikki has a picture of the possessive bird. My scream scared the lady sitting on a parkbench nearby. We also saw a contortionist man put himself in a box, to techno music. Very strange.
The piers were near the brooklyn bridge, so of course we had a photo op. We then ventured towards ground zero, but unfortunatly everything was closed off for construction. We did randomly happen upon St. Paul's Cathedral which had gravestones from the 1700's. When looking around, they had pictures posted from where rubble fell in the graveyard. The church is right across the street from where the towers stood, and amazingly suffered no damage. The church provided host and refuge for those volunteers and fire fighters seeking shelter, healthcare, and food/beverage. The church is now a memorial, and I'm guessing will be returned to church function once the memorial and museum is built.
We then went shopping at Century 21 department store. It is like a TJ Maxx times a million. There were people in there stealing things if you simply glanced at them, and it was at least four stories high. We only stayed in there for a little while, and Nikki ended up buying things (Kristen and I were overwhelmed) :)
We then returned to the loft and hung out for a bit, and went to a texas restaurant called "Rodeo" and a few irish pubs. The loft is in Midtown, and is very close to multiple restaurants, bars, and shopping on third avenue.
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