Big Apple, Boardwalk, and Beach - Bullies and Wrap-up (The End!) (pg 44)

[glennbo123]

NYC wrap-up


Outside of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, there were a bunch of street vendors selling prints and posters of mostly classical works of art. Marlene browsed through them and bought a Van Gogh print. I can’t remember what painting it was exactly, and I don’t think we’ve gotten that thing framed yet. One of these days.


While the ladies were looking through the sidewalk-sale of art, I was looking on Yelp for somewhere to eat. I narrowed it down to a couple of options and we decided on a place called Calista Superfoods. It was on Lexington Avenue, just 3 blocks east of the Met, so we walked there to get some take-out food for dinner (plus we still had some Bengal Tiger leftovers back in the room).


Our last night we went to Calista Superfoods for dinner. Not the best and not the worst I’ve ever eaten, but it wasn’t extraordinary either. I probably wouldn’t go back. Not a ringing endorsement from Marlene.

We got our food and I flagged down a cab like an old pro. All those years of watching it done on TV came in handy. Traffic was pretty bad as we got a little further south.

We ate back in the room. I got a teriyaki chicken wrap, Marlene got a bison cheesesteak wrap, Judy got a berry blast smoothie. None of us were as impressed with this place as the others we’d tried. Mine wasn’t very flavorful, Marlene’s needed more cheese and all of the jalapenos were at one end, and Judy said Jamba Juice’s smoothies are so much better.


Even the “food” setting on my new camera couldn’t make these look any more appetizing than this:

Makes me think of Jim Gaffigan’s “Hot Pockets” routine.


After that, we just watched TV for a while. Our legs were too sore to go out again. We could’ve seen a free concert by the NY Philharmonic in Central Park but we just weren’t up to it.


After days of walking around the city, I was hurting. But it was a good hurt, at least.

I was awakened at 2:15 in the morning to the TV in Marlene’s area of the room. It was off when I went to sleep. I walked over and saw that she was asleep, so I turned it off. She must have been sleep-walking, or at least sleep- TV-watching.


The next morning, I took a picture of the elephant prints on the wall next to the bed for our daughter Lauren, who loves elephants.

Marlene posted this picture on Snapchat. This is the view from our suite, the center of the building. (I’m not complaining, the price was right.)

One last picture on our way out, of the lobby. I didn’t think that I’d documented that yet.

We left the Manhattan Club at 9:30 and caught a cab to Penn Station. Actually, there was a cab letting some people out at the Manhattan Club as we exited the building, so the bellman just grabbed our bags, threw them into the already-opened trunk and told the cabbie to take us to Penn Station. When we got there, the girls got out and I paid the cabbie. Then when I got out Judy said, “He hasn’t opened the trunk”. Before he could pull away I quickly swung around, opened the door and said, “Hey, can you open the trunk?” Whew! That could’ve been a disaster! I realized that he probably didn’t even know that we had bags in the trunk since the Manhattan Club bellman had put them in with the cabbie sitting inside the cab.


Crisis averted, we made it onto the 10:01 train headed towards Trenton.


This is us on our way back home. Me eating some cheese and bread - leftovers from our hotel fridge. The last of the pumpernickel bread and cheese.

I think that Marlene really enjoyed her little graduation-celebration trip to New York City. I know that I liked it and the ease of taking the train for a good portion of the miles, ending up right smack-dab in the middle of the city has made me think that we should do this more often -- which is exactly what Judy said after her trip with Lauren a few years before. And now I believe her! Who knows if we ever will, but now we know that we can and that’s half the battle. Or something like that.


Oh, but I can tell you that Marlene will make it back to New York City. In fact, she’s on her way as I type this. As a member of the West Chester University “Incomparable” Golden Rams Marching Band, she’ll be in this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. They’re scheduled to be on TV at 11:44am, so be watching. She’s one of the couple-dozen mellophone players. She’ll have a white plume in her hat, so I’m sure you’ll be able to find her!



Up next: Our band is on the run

 

[afwdwfan]

Outside of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, there were a bunch of street vendors selling prints and posters of mostly classical works of art. Marlene browsed through them and bought a Van Gogh print. I can’t remember what painting it was exactly, and I don’t think we’ve gotten that thing framed yet. One of these days.

She bought it on a sidewalk. Surely the frame will be worth more than the counterfeit print...

(plus we still had some Bengal Tiger leftovers back in the room).

Now that is an interesting statement to read out of context.

Our last night we went to Calista Superfoods for dinner. Not the best and not the worst I’ve ever eaten, but it wasn’t extraordinary either. I probably wouldn’t go back. Not a ringing endorsement from Marlene.

Should have tried the Mexican place next door.

Even the “food” setting on my new camera couldn’t make these look any more appetizing than this:

When we got there, the girls got out and I paid the cabbie. Then when I got out Judy said, “He hasn’t opened the trunk”. Before he could pull away I quickly swung around, opened the door and said, “Hey, can you open the trunk?” Whew! That could’ve been a disaster! I realized that he probably didn’t even know that we had bags in the trunk since the Manhattan Club bellman had put them in with the cabbie sitting inside the cab.

Glad you caught that before he sped off!

Oh, but I can tell you that Marlene will make it back to New York City. In fact, she’s on her way as I type this. As a member of the West Chester University “Incomparable” Golden Rams Marching Band, she’ll be in this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. They’re scheduled to be on TV at 11:44am, so be watching. She’s one of the couple-dozen mellophone players. She’ll have a white plume in her hat, so I’m sure you’ll be able to find her!

Awesome! Good luck Marlene!

This seems like the perfect opportunity for mom and dad to try that whole train to the center of the city thing...

 

[jedijill]

Nice wrap up to a fun trip to NYC! I'll be watching for her Thursday!

Jill in CO

 

[franandaj]

You're posting like crazy, I didn't even get to comment on the Met part and now you've left town!

I liked the display of oboes, and that was a Contrabass Saxophone in case you were curious. Not many of those out there, and thankfully that's one of the few instruments that Fran and I don't own. But you're not aware of her shopping prowess.

Anyways, glad you made it home safe and the train is such an easy option for your folks! I hope you get back there again soon!

 

[Poolrat]

We saw Phanton; I’m sure your Les Mis mention was a typo...you probably had it on the brain from an earlier comment. Anyway, we had a great time at the show.

Doh- that 's what I get for reading and replying late at night or whenever I did that in my after work daze... I am glad you enjoyed Phantom.

Whoa. That’s quite an angle. Kinda makes you appreciate the beauty of a well-placed loincloth, that’s for sure.

Leave it to Glennbo to point that out. A correct observation though.

Marlene said something like, “See, we did get to see the Statue of Liberty! We didn’t have to take any ol’ boat tour.”

Well there you go.

That's why I took pictures of a couple of others -- are those more your style? The one with the black lace dragon down the back perhaps?

You are on a roll But I will say the gold one looks heavy but the lace dragon one...

Who knows where it would've been an hour later...once the bomb squad was done with it.

True. Glad she saved her backpack. and the restaurant.

Oh, but I can tell you that Marlene will make it back to New York City. In fact, she’s on her way as I type this. As a member of the West Chester University “Incomparable” Golden Rams Marching Band, she’ll be in this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. They’re scheduled to be on TV at 11:44am, so be watching. She’s one of the couple-dozen mellophone players. She’ll have a white plume in her hat, so I’m sure you’ll be able to find her!

For once I have good timing, even though I started reading yesterday. I will be watching and will be sure to look for her.
Way to Go Marlene!!!



As for your research , I can honestly say you know more that I do about the city and I grew up on Long Island.
As for the trains, I always went up to the booth and asked what train to go where. And they always told me right. Go figure.

 

[Clarf]

Wow, 2 great updates! I love the pictures from The Met. It's on my list of places I'd love to go someday. Those dresses, especially that gold one, wow.

So cool that they had an instrument exhibit, too.

I'm glad your bags didn't get left in the cab! Phew!

Sounds like a wonderful trip to NYC. I really hope to make it there one day.

We always watch the parade, so I'll look for Marlene tomorrow. Have a great Thanksgiving.

 

[Poolrat]

Oh, but I can tell you that Marlene will make it back to New York City. In fact, she’s on her way as I type this. As a member of the West Chester University “Incomparable” Golden Rams Marching Band, she’ll be in this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. They’re scheduled to be on TV at 11:44am, so be watching. She’s one of the couple-dozen mellophone players. She’ll have a white plume in her hat, so I’m sure you’ll be able to find her!

So now a where's Marlene Game????

 

[glennbo123]

So now a where's Marlene Game????

They were on CBS a little bit ago, I think they're supposed to be on NBC at 11:44. They're right after the Pillsbury Dough Boy.

 

[glennbo123]

She bought it on a sidewalk. Surely the frame will be worth more than the counterfeit print...

You may be right about that.

Now that is an interesting statement to read out of context.

That's hilarious! I hadn't noticed that but I kinda like it -- yes, we were dining on all kinds of endangered species. Is that the plot to the second Ace Ventura movie?

Should have tried the Mexican place next door.

I think you're right about that one too.

Glad you caught that before he sped off!

I had visions of myself chasing him down the street. A 4-lane NYC street.

Awesome! Good luck Marlene!

They were just on...we didn't see her but the band looked great!

This seems like the perfect opportunity for mom and dad to try that whole train to the center of the city thing...

It kind of does, but due to other factors we're going different directions for T'giving unfortunately. She's staying behind to pick up Marlene and the rest of us are making the rounds of visiting extended family.

Nice wrap up to a fun trip to NYC! I'll be watching for her Thursday!

Jill in CO

Thanks Jill! I hope you got to see the band.

 

[glennbo123]

You're posting like crazy, I didn't even get to comment on the Met part and now you've left town!

I can honestly say that I've never been accused of that before!

I liked the display of oboes, and that was a Contrabass Saxophone in case you were curious. Not many of those out there, and thankfully that's one of the few instruments that Fran and I don't own. But you're not aware of her shopping prowess.

Ahh, makes sense. Thanks for the info!

Anyways, glad you made it home safe and the train is such an easy option for your folks! I hope you get back there again soon!

Thanks Alison. The train was a great option and I do hope to get up there again sometime...even a day trip is an option, although that would be a long day, but do-able.

 

[glennbo123]

Doh- that 's what I get for reading and replying late at night or whenever I did that in my after work daze... I am glad you enjoyed Phantom.

No problem. I knew what you meant!

Leave it to Glennbo to point that out. A correct observation though.

It was an observation that was pretty hard to miss.

Well there you go.

She was right, kind of.

You are on a roll But I will say the gold one looks heavy but the lace dragon one...

The gold one was my favorite, but I didn't have to wear it. And wouldn't, for the record.

True. Glad she saved her backpack. and the restaurant.

And quite possibly, the world.

For once I have good timing, even though I started reading yesterday. I will be watching and will be sure to look for her.
Way to Go Marlene!!!

Glad you were watching! Thanks.

As for your research , I can honestly say you know more that I do about the city and I grew up on Long Island.
As for the trains, I always went up to the booth and asked what train to go where. And they always told me right. Go figure.

But now you buy your ticket from a vending machine at the subway stop...there was actually no worker there for us to ask.

Wow, 2 great updates! I love the pictures from The Met. It's on my list of places I'd love to go someday. Those dresses, especially that gold one, wow.

You could easily spend a lot of time in there, I didn't realize what a big museum it was.

So cool that they had an instrument exhibit, too.

We lucked out on that one. But when Marlene saw "musical instruments" on the little map, that's where we were headed!

I'm glad your bags didn't get left in the cab! Phew!

Thanks, that would have been a major disaster!

Sounds like a wonderful trip to NYC. I really hope to make it there one day.

We had a nice time. I hope you can get there.

We always watch the parade, so I'll look for Marlene tomorrow. Have a great Thanksgiving.

I didn't see Marlene but the band looked great, hope you got to see them.

Thank you, you have a great Thanksgiving too!

 

[jedijill]

I saw her! She was the one with the white plume on her hat, right?

Jill in CO

 

[glennbo123]

I saw her! She was the one with the white plume on her hat, right?

Jill in CO

Yes!! You did see her!

 

[Clarf]

I saw her band! They were great!

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Outside of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, there were a bunch of street vendors selling prints and posters of mostly classical works of art. Marlene browsed through them and bought a Van Gogh print.

Cool! Did she also get a Rolex and a copy of Star Wars: The Force Awakens?

I probably wouldn’t go back.

That's the death knell, right there.

We got our food and I flagged down a cab like an old pro. All those years of watching it done on TV came in handy.

I just watched Steve Martin trying to hail a cab in Planes, Trains & Automobiles. Hopefully you did it better.

Even the “food” setting on my new camera couldn’t make these look any more appetizing than this:

Several phrases came to mind, none of them fit for the DIS Boards.

Makes me think of Jim Gaffigan’s “Hot Pockets” routine.

And then there's the vegetarian Hot Pocket, for those who don't wan meat but would like diarrhea.

he must have been sleep-walking, or at least sleep- TV-watching.

Hopefully she wasn't sleep-buying things on QVC.

Then when I got out Judy said, “He hasn’t opened the trunk”. Before he could pull away I quickly swung around, opened the door and said, “Hey, can you open the trunk?” Whew! That could’ve been a disaster! I realized that he probably didn’t even know that we had bags in the trunk since the Manhattan Club bellman had put them in with the cabbie sitting inside the cab.

She’ll have a white plume in her hat, so I’m sure you’ll be able to find her!

Thanks for the tip! I'm sure I would have seen her if, you know, I'd watched the parade.

 

[Poolrat]

Glad you were watching! Thanks.

I bet it wouldn't surprise you that Marv and I both watched and slo-moed just to see if we could spot Marlene. The NBC version - nope although the CBS version was a bit more promising, we still had no luck. CBS caught the band dancing down the avenue to maybe "shut up and dance" I think they did a marvelous job.

But now you buy your ticket from a vending machine at the subway stop...there was actually no worker there for us to ask.

Well times change, and budget cuts and all. Old age and bad memory but I thought there was a guy, or girl who was in a box on the platform or somewhere that was just there to tell you what train to take?

 

[glennbo123]

I saw her band! They were great!

Thanks for watching Clare! I thought they were pretty darned good myself!

Cool! Did she also get a Rolex and a copy of Star Wars: The Force Awakens?

Close...she got a Rulex and a copy of Star Wars: The Force Awokened.

That's the death knell, right there.

It’s not looking good, is it.

I just watched Steve Martin trying to hail a cab in Planes, Trains & Automobiles. Hopefully you did it better.

I caught the last hour of that on the night before T’giving too. Lauren had never seen it before so she was howling. All those years of me yelling “You’re going the wrong way!” finally made sense. Unfortunately we missed the “Those aren’t pillows!” scene.

Several phrases came to mind, none of them fit for the DIS Boards.

I’m with you.

And then there's the vegetarian Hot Pocket, for those who don't wan meat but would like diarrhea.

“Remove from box, place directly in toilet”.

Hopefully she wasn't sleep-buying things on QVC.

I have not yet permitted her to get a credit card for just that reason.

Thanks for the tip! I'm sure I would have seen her if, you know, I'd watched the parade.

She was pretty darned hard to spot. See my post further down.

I bet it wouldn't surprise you that Marv and I both watched and slo-moed just to see if we could spot Marlene.

You guys are the best! Thank you for looking for her! More on how difficult she was to spot in my next post.

The NBC version - nope although the CBS version was a bit more promising, we still had no luck. CBS caught the band dancing down the avenue to maybe "shut up and dance" I think they did a marvelous job.

Yes, the CBS version was a little earlier in the parade route and they were just playing/marching. For NBC, they had a routine they did. We couldn’t find her either time. The second time around (NBC re-aired it in the afternoon) we did see a former student of Judy’s who’s also in the band. I have to agree with you, we thought they were really entertaining. Their practice time (I think at the NBC viewing spot) was sometime around 3am, so some of those kids who opted not to sleep before-hand were running on about 30 hours of no-sleep by parade-time. Marlene opted to get a little sleep prior to the practice time.

Well times change, and budget cuts and all. Old age and bad memory but I thought there was a guy, or girl who was in a box on the platform or somewhere that was just there to tell you what train to take?

I think they’re gone due to budget cuts. I certainly couldn’t find anyone.

 

[glennbo123]

Marlene in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.


Here’s a picture I posted on Instagram (glennbo123) of the freeze-framed shots where we were able to isolate Marlene with her help, looking at where she was and who was around her.


In the upper -left picture she’s behind the plume of the person in the foreground. She said she’s the Mike Wazowski of her band. Similarly, she’s the person obscured by the bell of that bigger horn, trumpet, and plume in the picture in the lower-left. The picture on the right is from the CBS broadcast, when they were just marching down the street (ie. not doing a routine). We had to slow-mo it and freeze it just at the moment when we could see her eye in-between the other mellophones.

 

[afwdwfan]

Hey! Awesome! I'm glad that you could kinda, sorta find her... maybe?

Congratulations, Marlene! It's definitely an experience of a lifetime and I'm glad that you were able to take part in the parade.

 

[Disneybuckeye]

So cool Marlene had that opportunity to March in the parade. What a neat experience!

Glad you enjoyed your trip to the big apple and you came home with your luggage.

Looking forward to the next phase of your adventure.