The Big Apple

The past two days, Nicole, Marcie, Cory and I have been trekking nonstop across New York to cover as much ground as possible during our short stay. Yesterday morning we took the subway from Newark, New Jersey into NYC. We took the subway all the way to the WTC stop where we took a quick look at the pile of rubble that exists as the only remains of the two tallest buildings in the world. Hopefully a meaningful memorial will someday take the place of the gaping holes that still remain and serve as a lasting reminder of the detrimental power of hatred. Next we headed to the Statue of Liberty, where we took a ferry out to the island. We did not go to Ellis Island, and I would like to go back sometime in the future. Next stop on the list was the TKTS booth, where we proceeded to purchase discount Broadway tickets for a mere $61.50 each, a great bargain in the Theater world, trust me! I would have liked to have seen South Pacific (in addition to all the other shows on Broadway) but Mary Poppins was truly remarkable. Before attending the show, we walked along 5th avenue and went shopping in SoHo (which I did not realize stood for South Houston). I found an adorable bohemain dress as well as a pair of white sandals. We ate pizza before heading to the New Amsterdam Theatre, reminded me of the Orpheum back in Wichita. However, this theater offered side pocket seats where couples could sit to enjoy the evening in a slightly more intimate-not to mention more romantic-environment. Each tiny intricate detail of the show, from the elaborate costuming to the extraordinarily dynamic use of the smallest of props, contributed to the superb quality of the show. After the show, it was raining. We made it back to the subway station just in time to catch a bus back to Newark. My feet have never felt so sore in my entire life; they truly ached from top to bottom. However, despite our high level of exhaustion, we managed to wake up the next morning ready to head to the Today Show in our matching "I Love NY" T-shirts. Unfortunately, we got a slow start and ultimately decided that it wouldn't be worth it. Instead, we sipped coffee in Times Square, did a little shopping, and explored the area before heading to Central Park for lunch. Nicole and I climbed atop a huge boulder, and the others soon joined us. When attempting to climb down, Cory accidentally dropped his cell phone which tumbled down to the ground, bouncing off rocks as it fell through mid air. Somehow, it still works! Not only did we walk through Central Park, but we ate hot dogs and marveled at Mother Nature. The weather was beautiful and there was even a slight breeze. After this, we moseyed on over to the Museum of Natural History, where we learned about some African & South American culture, watched a show narrated by Whoopi Goldberg about the creation of the stars, and traded pictures with a group of three boys from Germany who sat down across from us in the dinosaur section and started snapping pictures of us. After the museum, we literally half-limped (due to our intense foot pain) all the way to 60th street to eat at Serendipity. The 30-minute wait was well worth it, even if the deserts ended up costing $15.00 a piece. I ordered to Insanity Sundae (or the "Nutty" Sundae) which consisted of pecan pie, vanilla ice cream, caramel syrup, and sprinkeld with 3 kinds of nuts. I as so glad that I did not order a full meal, as I would not have been able to eat anything else. The pink walls and the chandeliers drapped with beads and semi-gaudi pieces added to the whimsical atmosphere and unique character of the tiny two-story restaurant. After ice cream, we wandered around to a few shops before stopping to get some snacks; Marcie and Corey got Chipotle for dinner. Through our deep dinner discussions as well as our time together over the past couple of days, we learned a lot about each other and became better acquainted. It was nice to establish a bond of trust between us before leaving the country together.