Our church was able to use the bus trip to raise money for our building fund too.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The day went something like this:
4:00am--need coffee.
5:00--hit the road.5:30--climbed on the bus, tried to get some more shut-eye but the rationale of that earlier cup of coffee backfired. Instead, shared an ear bud with my hubby and watched the sun come up to the sounds of Enya.
8:30 Started our day in Rockefeller Plaza. Saw the famous Christmas tree and iceskating rink. Kept walking south to admire the display windows of LORD & TAYLOR. We saw some of BERGDORF GOODMAN's too, but L&T's are more our style--traditional and not too crazy. In another life I could see myself creating window displays like that.
Further south, Bryant Park had lots of craft and food vendors set up around another ice rink. We were there before many were open for business, but since the little cubicles were walled in glass we could see their wares. One lady was selling Turkish food and it smelled so good we decided it was time for breakfast. We couldn't stop ooohhhing and aaahhhing over the borek we shared (layers of phyllo dough with feta cheese and fresh parsley inside, grilled and then rolled up). Perfect for a cold morning on the go.
Grand Central Terminal was full of people dressed like Santa, (and we saw rowdy bands of them throughout the day due to a Santa convention in town) a high school chorale group performing, and plenty of subject-matter for people watchers like us. I would have liked to take some pictures of the beautiful architecture but we decided to leave our camera at home. Didn't want to take the chance of something happening to it. Kind of regretting that, but oh well.
We braved FAO Schwarz Toy Store for a few minutes. There is only so much of the retail scene that we both can tolerate. I enjoyed seeing the large stuffed animals though and Pete was fascinated by the science toys. Surpised? Found it humorous to hear numerous salespeople claiming THEIR product was the best toy in the store. The store's doormen were so dapper in their toy soldier costumes.
My brother and his fiance Sarah had recommended a burger joint inside La Parker Meridien Hotel, so we decided to head there for some lunch. As soon as we walked in the doors and saw the lavish interior we began second-guessing ourselves. A burger joint? In here?! But, sure enough--down a dark, narrow hallway there was a neon burger. That apparently is all the signage they need! The eclectic music blend pulsing through the 24' square room, the freshly made patties on grilled buns, the signature graffiti covering the walls...it was so much fun! We made it just in time too because when we left, the line was stretched out into the lobby. Oh, and we saw the Denver Nuggets boarding their bus as we were sitting in the lobby, planning our next stop.
A quick subway ride and a beautiful walk through the swanky Upper East Side led us to the MET (Metropolitan Museum of Art), where we enjoyed a few exhibits. *If you ever go, the admission price of $20 is suggested. All you have to do is be brave and tell the cashier what you wish to pay. :o) They gave us no grief at all--not even a hint of condemnation.
By this point my comfy but dressy shoes were not working out so well for me. Apparently pounding NY pavement is different from Lancaster County pavement. I thought pavement was pavement. I was wrong. But, we were in no hurry and it was nice to sit and watch the world go by every now and then. Such a different scene from what we're used to.
Zabar's market on the Upper West Side (a few blocks straight across Central Park from the MET) was a feast for the senses. It's a specialty grocery and kitchen supply store that I remembered from the movie "You've Got Mail". There were like 12 kinds of olives, seemingly hundreds of cheeses, meats and pastries! And the samples were divine. I'm still smacking my lips over that cheese!
We could have indulged in a hotdog from Gray's Papaya, another NYC landmark north a few blocks, but it felt like we had nibbled all day. And we needed our Subway pass to cover our return downtown.
By the time we headed back to the bus, the sky was dark, there were lights decorating every possible surface it seemed, and the streets GORGED with people. I have never been in a mob of people like that! They had to shut down some streets because of the sheer volume.
With 45 mins. until departure and not wanting to stand on the street in that mob, we found a little park inbetween some office buildings, somewhat sheltered from the weather. The day had been cold, but sunny, so when evening came it was F.R.I.G.I.D.! While we sat on a bench freezing our tushies and listening to "A Prairie Home Companion" (being recorded a few blocks away--kind of surreal) four men arrived with their wheeled carts and stuffed garbage bags, and began settling down for the night. Suddenly my cold rear end wasn't worth mentioning.
I'm curious how many miles we walked that day. I'm sure we would have walked even more if my sore feet hadn't slowed our pace. We would have like to wander Central Park and the Upper East Side a bit more, and we didn't even venture downtown. Next time we'll have to work in the Ellis Island Museum, the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, and the Donut Plant.
What a wonderful day and Christmas gift--and I got to spend it with my best friend! :o)
I think I played with this more than the kiddos. :o)
