Taylor works for an Austin-based ad agency in Manhattan and will only be there for a short time before returning to Austin (she had better keep her word--I'm keeping mine), so it was a perfect time for a visit. It was a great combo of touristy things and things only a "native" would do. We packed a LOT into our short weekend:
1) took a harbor tour and saw the Statue of Liberty, and most of the city skyline including where the Towers used to be
2) saw Marry Poppins on Broadway half price! It was supercalifragalisticexpialidocious (sp?).
3) ate at loads of great restaurants (some very late at night)--we recommend the "Blue Ribbon" tour.
4) went to Tim Keller's church--awesome!
5) went to ground zero
6) got my picture taken w/ a couple of very friendly NYC policemen who were helping us navigate the crowd at the "Spanish Heritage Parade" taking place on 5th Ave.
7) did LOTS of window-shopping. Beware: in NY, a $500 purse sounds reasonable after you've just seen a $16,000 purse at Bergdorfs...
8) ate a hot-dog on the street (not for breakfast, Mom)
9) grazed Central Park
10) navigated the subway all by my self (such a big girl!)--I actually convinced a few people I was a native b/c they asked me for directions!
11) went to Time's Squre (so overrated and anxiety-provoking)--we only went to get our Broadway tickets
12) drank lots of starbucks--it's a rule.
13) did NOT get to take my much anticipated tour of the Federal Reserve Bank because Monday was a bank holiday, thank you Christopher Columbus (the only disappointment of the weekend).
Here we are at Rockefeller Plaza. It was a beautiful weekend so we did lots of walking around. I actually went back Monday morning while she was at work and stood outside of The Today Show on NBC--Kyle saw me waving and holding up a picture of Owen. I saw all the cast (except Al--he was on assignment) and a few fun guests including Jim Cramer (mad money), Dakotah Fanning, and a kid who got his arm eaten by an alligator and now has a wicked mechanical prosthesis.
My mom and Sid and two of their friends were actually in town for the weekend too--so at Taylor and Sid's request (demand?) we went to Hillcountry BBQ to watch Texas kick some OU bootie. It was actually really fun...totally authentic. Lone Star, Blue Bell ice cream, Big Red, sausage from Lampasas, Texas/Austin stuff everywhere, including a couple hundred displaced Longhorns, or at least Texans. Not exactly what most people would in Manhattan, but it was really fun. I actually ran into a guy from high school who lives up there now. What a small world! (And yes, I'm wearing burnt orange, much to Kyle's dismay.)
Speaking of old friends, here I am w/ my old highschool friend Cara. We reconnected through Facebook (how else?) and got together for a very upper-west-side brunch. Super-fun. (Taylor actually knew her from camp too, so really really small world.)
Here I am w/ the doorman at the famous Plaza Hotel...this is NOT where I stayed. Taylor's efficiency (one-room) apartment is technically in Soho (south of Houston--say, Howston, St.) but in her words is sort of in no-man's-land. It's great...so quintessential New York. It's in a great old building, and she pays an arm and a leg for less than 300 square feet. Literally, an arm and a leg. :)
Here is my way-cooler-than-me friend Taylor musing some modern art by a famous guy whose name I've already forgotten. We went to the MOMA to see the visiting Vangogh exhibit and saw this guy's stuff too...you'd recognize it/him: An arrangement of drawings of cambell's soup cans, Marilyn Monroe, splatter paint...you know. Andy Warhol? Yes, I think that's it. Anyways, we weren't allowed to take pictures of the Vangoghs, but they were pretty impressive even for someone who knows nothing about art, especially modern art. I can see why Stary Night is in practically every dorm room in America.
All in all it was a FANTASTIC weekend. What made it even better was getting to come home to my sweet husband and hilarious little boy. They tell me they had a great weekend as well, which was music to my ears, and I actually believe. Kyle said it wasn't easy (which was also good to hear), but he really had some good male-bonding time w/ Owen. What a blessing all around!
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