I Heart New York- Part 1

It's been years in the making, but we finally got to take a trip to New York. A big thank you to Verizon for locating their headquarters in Basking Ridge, NJ, and requiring Fernando to be there this past week. An even bigger thank you to our parents for being willing to come stay with our kiddos while we enjoyed a few extra days in the city.

We arrived at Newark airport around 4:30 Saturday and took the first of many death rides into the city. The shuttle dropped us off at our hotel in the heart of Midtown and we checked in. Upon our arrival we were greeting by swarms of "New York's Finest" who had blocked off the street alongside our hotel in the aftermath of the "America's Next Top Model" stampede that left at least one model hopeful unconscious. Welcome to the city! :) That night it was off to a little Italian restaurant around the corner and a stroll down to Times Square.

Sunday morning we engaged in our own walking tour of the city as we headed down 5th Ave. We enjoyed seeing in person Rockefeller Center, NBC studios, Radio City Music Hall, St. Patrick's Cathedral, and Bryant Park. I quietly revelled in the glory that was Saks 5th Ave, Prada, Cartier, and Ferragamo (insert blissful sigh, here), and mentally began planning the shopping trip of a lifetime. We chuckled as we past stores like Best Buy, Staples, and Babies R Us sprinkled intermittently between the iconic New York scenes. By the time we had walked 14+ blocks we decided to return back to the hotel and rest for a bit before lunch.

That afternoon, my aunt and uncle picked us up at our hotel and took us for lunch at a trendy French restaurant in the West Village. After that, we embarked on a historical tour of the entire island, courtesy of my Uncle Bill. Seeing as how he was raised in New York and currently works there, he was just the man for the job. We cruised around "the horn", through lower Manhattan and up the east side. There was a moment of quiet as we passed by Ground Zero and so many scenes of that day flew through our heads. The day before I had a strange glimpse of what I can only imagine people seeing on September 11th. I happened to glance up between the buildings and saw a plane heading toward one of the airports. It was well above the city still, but from my point of view, watching it fly overhead and disappear into the skyline sent chills down my spine.

We drove up along the East River to see Wall Street, the UN, the Brooklyn Bride (and Brooklyn itself), and the Upper East Side. We ended up on the upper West Side where we parked and strolled over to Central Park.

It was a chilly day and much of the city is still showing the signs of winter, but the park was still a wonderful place to be!

After returning to our hotel, we changed and caught a cab down to the East Village to see the show Stomp. It. Was. Awesome. There is no other word to describe it. After that it was a quick slice of pizza (or two!) and took another "death ride" back to the hotel. It was a long day and we were officially exhausted.

Monday morning we got off to a slow start, but managed to head across the street and have lunch at the Carnegie Deli before heading back to New Jersey. There's nothing that screams New York more than a pastrami or corned beef sandwich on rye, complete with a chocolate egg cream and a black and white cookie, of course!

Most of what is truly wonderful about New York would be overlooked by the average visitor. It's the attitude, the energy, and the history that make it so unique and so special. Gertrude Stein once said, "America is my country, but Paris is my home town". That's exactly how I feel about New York. Not only is my family history deeply rooted in this great city, but there is something about it that runs through me- in the marrow of my bones. I feel at home when I'm there and miss it terribly now that I'm gone. I can't wait to go back. It's not just a novelty to me, it's a necessity.