If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere....

Enough cannot be said about how fabulous my vacation to NYC was. I took way too many pics, especially at the top of the Empire State Building and of the Statue of Liberty (it's not like she was posing for me!), but the excitement overwhelms me when I'm there, so I couldn't help it. I'm going to try to break down the events for you.....

Saturday, June 21st:

We left about 6:30 in the morning and arrived in NYC before noon because we have a connecting flight in Memphis. We get to our hotel which is actually an one bedroom apartment in Washington Heights. This is in WAY upper Manhattan. It doesn't say that in the description. When we arrive in front of the apartment there's a roadblock with crime scene tape all around it. I'm thinking, great, where are we!?!?! I do a little investigation and found out that Washington Heights was once where the Irish commuity settled (interesting, huh?) and over the years has been sorta taken over by the Cubans. And not at all scary. The worst was the crime scene tape, but for the entire week we were there, police patrolled all the time, so it was super safe. And no one ever bothered us...and if you know my Mom and I, neither of us look cuban or african american or a cross between the two. People were very friendly, so that was great. The 1 train was 2 blocks from the apartment, so a quick 20 minute ride and we were in the middle of Times Square. I love the subway. Dallas needs something like it and I don't mean the Dart rail. So after we get settled in Mom and I head for Times Square to look around and find something to eat. We ate at Bubba Gumps. I had eaten there before in San Francisco. Let me just tell you not to waste your time in NYC eating there because it tastes NOTHING like San Francisco. Afterwards we walk down Broadway and come across about 4 blocks worth of a Street Fair. The most amazing fruit smoothies and slushes and fresh watermelon and pineapple. Oh it was Heaven. And lots of vendors. I got an I LOVE NY sweatshirt in purple. yay! So we spent the afternoon there and then headed back to the apartment because we were both tired. But before we headed back we stopped off at Roxy Deli (Deidre this is where you and I ate a few times when we were there) and got some pound cake, brownies, and some pecan thing my Mom wanted. They were yummy.

Sunday, June 22nd:

We left about 10 because we had to catch 2 different subways and the only connection I could figure out was to ride the 1 train to 59th & Columbus Circle and then walk over to 59th & Lexington to catch the 4 train to Yankee Stadium. The walk was way longer than I had anticipated, but we got there in plenty of time. The new Yankee Stadium looks gorgeous on the outside. So we go inside "old" Yankee Stadium and grab some hotdogs, a pretzel, and a coke before we head to our seats. The seats were great and I was just high enough to get some great pictures. We stayed until the end of the 5th inning when it decided to pour down rain. They kept announcing to stay until the rain stopped, but I looked at Mom and said, "I've seen enough baseball, lets head back." So we did. And we walked up Lexington Avenue to Bloomingdales and went in to "browse." I ended up buying some shoes. haha After that we headed towards Radio City Music Hall, then over to Rockefeller Center then back up to Times Square. We ate dinner (I can't recall where) and then headed back to the apartment.

Monday, June 23rd:

We got up early as I had spent the night before making an agenda for the day using my most fabulous map of NYC ever. We started with a stop at 125th street for a visit to Grant's Tomb and breakfast at McDonalds. Then we rode the train up to Central Park. It start raining of course. So we spent the whole time walking around Central Park in the rain. It was actually quite fun, since we had umbrellas. We were going to do the art museums too, but they are closed Mondays. Figures, huh? So we walked the 79th Street Transverse through Central Park and headed towards the Dakota (where John Lennon was shot and killed) then to Strawberry Fields to see the "Imagine" stoneway. It was very peaceful. Then we continued up 79th Street and ate at this bar-b-que restaurant. It was ok. Not my most favorite, but I was hungry! Then we headed back to the apartment to shower and change for our first musical, Altar Boyz. It was the most hilarious musical I have ever seen. I don't know if any of you watch "So You Think You Can Dance," but one of the boys from last season, Neil Haskell, was in it. That was quite a nice surprise. I did, however, pick out a favorite Altar Boy. I refer to him as my favorite gay musical boyfriend, Ryan J Ratliff. I don't know that he's gay, but his character was. But who cares, he's cute and has amazing blue eyes. My seat was front row and the seat right next to the front of the stage. I felt like I was in the musical. I highly recommend this musical to anyone! It apparently has a touring cast, so I'm thinking I'm gonna watch for it to come to Dallas and go. haha We ate at this salad place by the theater. It was so yummy! Then, by this time it was after midnight so we headed back to the apartment.

Tuesday, June 24th:

I met up with a friend from high school for lunch in SoHo. I hadn't seen her in 15 years, and it was as if we see each other all the time. We instantly started talking and didn't stop until we said our goodbye. It was great to see her and we made plans to see each other again when she comes home for Christmas. yay! After lunch Mom and I headed to Chinatown because I wanted a fake purse. So we are walking along and this lady comes up and goes, "coach purse?" I said yes and she motioned for me to follow her. So I did....up a block, around the corner, up 4 more blocks to where I was handed off to guy, who I followed another block, who then handed me off to another guy, who I followed to this big white deliver truck. He opened the door and then slid open this door inside and made me crawl in and then slid the door shut. All of a sudden I'm in this truck filled with 4 other poeple with 12394823419 purses in it from Coach, Dooney and Bourke, and Louis Vuitton, etc, etc. My head was spinning. I was so nervous about the stupid truck pulling off while I was in it that I quickly started looking through the purses and other stuff and picked out 3 things from Coach and paid a grand total of $55. Then the door slid open and I crawled out and was on my way. I crawl out and my Mom goes, "So what did you get me?" I said, "nothing." I mean if she wanted something she could have crawled in there with me, right? But she chose to stay outside so she got nothing. I offered to crawl back in there, but she told me no she was only kidding. So, I got the purse I had actaully wanted at the Coach store plus 2 other over the shoulder wallet/purse type thing. One for me and one for Deidre as she had asked me to get her something. After that we caught the train to Little Italy. It's so pretty there and quaint. I was looking at my map trying to figure out where the other train was we needed to catch when this guy walks by and asks if he can help me. I tell him no because I had figured it out but thanks. So he says to me, "well I was born and raised here and I know everything about it but if you don't want my help fine, just be careful." Really? I didn't ask for him to say that to me. I just sorta roled my eyes and walked back up the street to SoHo and caught the train I needed. It was just really unnerving, you know? So we go back and change clothes and catch the train to the Amsterdam Theater for "Mary Poppins." We had front row seats for this too, right behind the conductor (who was super cute!). Words cannot express how absolutely AMAZING this musical was. It was almost 3 hours long, but who the heck cares, the way it was done you would never have even felt you were sitting there that long! The singing was amazing. The tap number to "Step in Time" was amazing. They do "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" different from the movie....it was spectacular! I told Deidre when this comes to the Dallas Summer Musicals we were going because she has to see it! Afterwards, we ate at the Hard Rock cafe where I had the most wonderful chicken dinner ever. Then it was really late so we headed back to the apartment for bed.

Wednesday, June 25th:

We got up thinking we would do the whole 5th avenue walk then head over to the Radio City Music Hall tour, but the only tour we could get on started too late, so we nixed the idea of that. I took Mom to see Carnegie Hall and Carnegie Deli. We found this cute little Christmas ornament shop and bought some stuff. Then we went to eat at this really nice deli and had the most delectable sandwich and cheese cake. YUMMY! We had tickets to the 2 pm matinee of "Young Frankenstein." This musical would have been way better to me if we hadn't seen "Mary Poppins" first. It didn't live up to what I thought it was going to be. And there were a lot of young people at this show and a lot of foul language coming from the stage. It was a little uncomfortable. It was, however, good. And the dancing number to "Putting On The Ritz" was exceptional. Megan Mullally was great (just imagine Karen from Will & Grace with singing), but it was Andrea Martin who stole the show. (she was one of the aunts in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding) Afterwards we went to The Chrysler Building, Grand Central Station, and the Empire State Building. Then we ate at this Italian Restraurant I spotted and it was really good. I had ravioli. Scrumptious. We headed back to the apartment because we had to be up by 4 am the next morning for......

Thursday, June 26th:

4 am came really early, but we headed to the Times Square studio of "Good Morning America." We got VIP status so we got to go inside ahead of everyone and be placed right in front of where the cameras were going to be and stood there for and hour. We got a tour of the studios...we got to be side stage during the 1st hour of GMA and we got to go into the control booth. Then in the 2nd hour Mom and I were celebrities on GMA as we were standing right behind the hosts when they came back on air! Then at the end of the show we were on there just a few seconds more. It was so exciting! My Nana called us and said, "I just saw you on tv! Ya'll looked great!" Then Deidre texted me that night and said she saw us too. haha After GMA we went and did the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island ferry and tour. That took most of the afternoon. Then we came back and took a nap then went in to Times Square and walked around and bought some souvenirs and then ate at this Cuban Restuarant. I had this Cuban Chicken meal. It had a ton of garlic on it, but it was so freakin' good. There was a Cuban band playing too. It was quite magical in there. I had a lot of fun. By this time it was late so we headed back and packed our suitcases and then flew home the next day.

If you would like to look at my pics, they can be found by clicking here.

NYC was fun, and I will go again in a year or 2 for more shows. I definitely want to see "Gypsy" when I go. One thing I don't like about NYC is that you have to pay for every drink, there is no such thing as refills up there. I mean I like coke, but $2 for every glass is ridiculous.