NYC Trip

Well, I am finally making time to share some details about my New York trip! I was exhausted when I got home Sunday night and all day Monday, but I think I have recovered now.

I landed in NYC on Friday morning and took a cab to the hotel in Manhattan (Marriott Marquis Times Square). What a wild ride that was!! Let me tell you a little about NYC cab drivers – They are maniacs!!!! Lots of lane changes and jockeying for position, stomping on the gas when there is any break in traffic at all, stomping on the break only when necessary, lot of horn honking…. Just wild.

I got to the hotel and managed to check in and get to my room, and I immediately felt overwhelmed. I even called Mike and told him that I was afraid that I would not have the nerve to leave my room!!! But after several deep breaths, I headed out into Times Square. I cannot put into words what Times Square is like – The pictures barely do it justice. Right off the bat I spied the Naked Cowboy across the street – He’s an icon, you know!!

So I set out walking, discretely peeking at my street map as necessary, and made it to Rockefeller Center. I enjoyed an awesome lunch at Rockefeller Center Café – Some sort of red snapper dish. Very fancy and yummy. Then it was 5th Avenue for me!!! Big wow!!! After some shopping for Ian at FAO Schwartz, I skirted by Central Park, then headed back to Rockefeller Center for my trip up to Top of the Rock (the observation deck on top). I decided to do that rather than the Empire State Building since it was closer. The view up there was truly incredible!!

The pain conference started that evening. It also took place most of the day on Saturday.

Saturday afternoon I briefly went through the Sephora store in Times Square, but wasn’t very impressed. I made a pass through the huge Toys R Us, again shopping for some things for Ian. I also trotted to 5th Avenue again, this time going into Saks, hoping that I could perhaps buy something off the sale racks. I saw a skirt on a sale rack for $650.. Needless to say, I did not buy any clothes, but I decided to treat myself to a $25 tube of red lipstick by Chanel.

Saturday evening was awesome. I met up with some friends who live in Brooklyn (Candie and Lewis). They took me on the subway, which I never would have done by myself. We ran into a really interesting homeless philosopher in the subway station who ranted to me about “the independent woman”. I actually found him to be charming. We went to a marvelous vegetarian restaurant for dinner, then walked all over Greenwich Village and East Village. Really neat, quirky neighborhoods. Washington Square Park was neat. We had coffee at some tiny, very old coffee shop, then headed back.

Times Square on a Saturday night is a very, very crowded place….

Sunday morning I got up early and headed back up to Central Park. I found a nice bench and sat and read a book for a long time. Then I went to brunch at Norma’s in Le Parker Meridian Hotel, and it was AWESOME!!! I had the Very Cheesy French Toast, and it was cheesy indeed!!!!! Maybe too cheesy – I won’t want cheese again for a while. Then I walked back through a street festival on 6th Avenue and back to the hotel to check out.

I was just so overwhelmed with the city!!! The buildings were so tall!! There were incredible billboards and video screens in Times Square. There were street vendors everywhere selling food, pictures, pashinas, headbands, purses…. The people that I encountered were very friendly for the most part.

I cannot wait to go back!!