Adventures in the Big Apple

Kevin and Paije are in the Big Apple.

We bought Paije tickets to see "Wicked" on Broadway for her 18th birthday. (It is a birthday/senior trip combo.)

We have a Fodor's book about New York so I looked through and placed Post It notes on the pages of things I thought they would want to see. I arranged a night at a hotel with valet parking in East Manhattan. They could park and walk pretty much everywhere they want to go.

They drove to the city, well, almost. Kevin made a last minute decision not to drive into the city - so he parked somewhere in New Jersey - at a train station. They took the train into the city via Penn Station. Only one little issue - he didn't know where he was when he got to Penn Station. (How far is the hotel? how does he get there?) He decides to take a taxi to the hotel - which worked out pretty well - I mean how far do you really want to drag suitcases around anyway? It was only 2.5 miles - so $10 covered the cab fee.

They arrived at the hotel and were able to get a room early - which made a nice place to gather their thoughts and make plans because apparently they didn't have enough time to talk about a plan on the 6 hour ride to New Jersey. (Yes, you detected a note of sarcasm there.)

They decided to do a little shopping on 5th Avenue and then go to the Museum of Natural History - as seen in A Night at the Museum. They ate lunch at a NYC hot-dog stand and then headed over to Times Square for the evening.

They shopped at the new NewYork Hershey and M&M's stores and Kevin asked a police officer for a recommendation to get some NY style pizza for dinner. They are making the "NYC food" rounds. Too too fun!

On their way back to the hotel they stop to watch ice skaters at Rockefeller Center. Kevin calls me and tells me they are just a couple of blocks from the American Girl Doll Store. Alexis has been to the store in Chicago but, she has been begging to go to the NYC store for over a year. Anyway, earlier she told me about a dress she wanted from the store. Of course, I never dreamed that Kevin would see the store. (I think may be Alexis has "the secret" working for her.) Kevin is going to surprise her with the dress when he gets home - just in time for Easter Sunday!

He sort of owes Alexis the dress because last time we were in NYC he told her she could buy an outfit in the city. She was disappointed when we ended up driving though some very crowded and sort of sketchy parts of town, with no parking, on our way to the Cloisters and I didn't want to jump out of the car to run into Children's Place and shop while Kevin drove around the block. (Heaven only knows what might have been lurking around that block!)

DAY 2:

Kevin called at 7:30 this morning to tell me they were at the Rockefeller center again. He wanted to know where they put the big Christmas tree. He and Paije saw "them" doing the early morning NBC news show (Good Morning America?) It is Saturday so Al wasn't there. They peeked in the windows anyway.

They are going to Grand Central Station - a must see I think, and then to the Empire State Building. Then it will be time to return to the hotel to get ready for the musical. Are you a little jealous? me too : )

Paije in NYC - Time Square