We Ditched The Kids! - UPDATE (7/22 - NYC trip)

[Captain_Oblivious]

Well, what a freakish coincidence. Looks like we were in almost the same room! I stayed at the Sheraton Times Square in 2012. That was also a trip with DW for her birthday. Great minds think alike, I suppose? I thought it was a great hotel. Very close to walk to all the major places.

I couldn't help but post this picture of the view from my room (we must have had almost the same room). It's zoomed in a bit more than yours, but it's the same view. For reference, the billboard with the lights around it in your picture is the white one just to the left of the yellow one in my picture (at least I think it is).

Wow, look at that! Definitely the same buildings. Looks like your room was just a few doors down from mine. Crazy!

The hotel was nice, and the location was fantastic. I'd stay there again.

I only took a very short walk into the park, to say we were there. I regret that because it seems so nice. I enjoyed walking around the city. I especially like the grid layout of the streets because it's hard to get too lost.

I enjoyed it, too, especially the following morning. Didn't feel endangered at all.

Wise move. The frou-frou stuff is just decoration. Actually for me, the veggies are generally just decoration too.

My brother from another mother!

 

[glennbo123]

And with that, Julie and I were now in the heart of downtown Manhattan. I decided to go right away to get a slice of my favorite NYC pizza.

The Office!

"I'm gonna go get me a New York slice!"

I loved that joke.

 

[glennbo123]

That's the Steak 'n Shake that I went to (in the early part of my current trip report) there on the left.

Great pictures from that rooftop! Awesome!

 

[Poolrat]

I really hope Pat's not waiting on me to do the laundry............

I never have to wait, you always get it started before I even think about it.

Just don't ever start. You'll be safe.

too late.

I like Liesa's response to this one:

Even if you did start doing it, you'd be doing it wrong anyway. You can't win.

The only wrong way is to only pick your clothes out of the hamper and wash those.

It was a quick visit, but a lot of fun! I had always been a little intimidated about traveling to NYC. Mostly with kids--they like to run off.

Heck I grew up on Long Island and was very intimidated about going into the City. Even as a college student My parents were freaked out when I said I was going into the city to meet up with college friends over Winter break on the train.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

The Office!

"I'm gonna go get me a New York slice!"

I loved that joke.

Ding Ding Ding! We have a winner. That cracks me up every time. That was one of my favorite episodes.

That's the Steak 'n Shake that I went to (in the early part of my current trip report) there on the left.

Great pictures from that rooftop! Awesome!

Oh yeah--I forgot you spent time around that area too! How quickly we forget.

And thanks!

I never have to wait, you always get it started before I even think about it.

Whoa. Thanks, Marv, making the rest of us look terrible.

The only wrong way is to only pick your clothes out of the hamper and wash those.

Should I be taking notes?

Heck I grew up on Long Island and was very intimidated about going into the City. Even as a college student My parents were freaked out when I said I was going into the city to meet up with college friends over Winter break on the train.

I can imagine letting your child go to NYC by him/herself would be somewhat terrifying for a parent. I was surprised at how easy it was for us to get around the city, though.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

A McTour of New York City—Part 2


First, we needed breakfast. We’re so used to only staying in hotels with free breakfasts (one of the necessities of having a big family) that it threw us for a bit of a loop to actually have to go buy our own. Fortunately, we found a place only a couple of blocks north of the Sheraton: The Tisserie.


This was a tiny little pastry-and-coffee shop attached to a different hotel. Let’s see if I can remember why we chose this place.

Oh, right. That. Anyway, we placed our orders: I couldn't decide between an apple turnover and a chocolate croissant. So I got both, plus regular ol' coffee. Julie got a cinnamon roll and a mocha-frappalattespressaccino something-or-other. She was excited because they did the “draw a shape in the cream” thing that I guess the fancy places do now.

Then we dove in. Everything was excellent. Great coffee, and pastries that were so light and flaky and melt-in-your-mouth delicious that it seemed a crime to eat them. We were seriously loving life, wondering how the rest of the day was possibly going to top—


Hold on.


Is that…?


Oh, no. No! Not this place, too! I dug through the rest of my apple turnover and had my worst fears confirmed.

Dead grapes! They did it again! Why on earth do people feel the need to ruin perfectly good apple pastries with dead grapes?? Once again, I was forced to perform emergency surgery in order to remove every last raisin and save the pastry. Thankfully, they at least didn’t feel the need to put dead grapes in the chocolate croissant, so the meal was saved.


From there, we walked another two blocks. Our friend had wanted to give Julie a birthday gift during her visit, so she’d made an appointment for Julie to have her hair done at a salon, just for a little pampering. On the way, we finally answered the age-old question: How do you get to Carnegie Hall?

Easy. You walk.


Now I had a choice. I could sit in a salon watching Julie get her hair done, or I could wander New York City in the morning sunlight.


I started walking. I’d never seen Rockefeller Center before, so I figured: why not? The walk was easy—several blocks east and a few south—and the weather was fairly warm, so it made for a gorgeous morning in the city. I enjoyed exploring the city.

Just before I got to Rockefeller Center, I saw St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The doors weren’t open, but the light and shadows were playing some neat tricks on the façade.

I turned the corner and found the famous Rockefeller Center skating rink, still going strong even in mid-March.

Nearby was a Lego Store, and although it wasn’t open yet, I could see a giant Lego re-creation of Rockefeller Center in the display window. Why would you want to look at the real thing when you could see the Lego version nearby?

I figured Julie was almost done with her appointment, so I started walking back. On the way, I noticed that the doors to St. Patrick’s Cathedral were now open, so I figured: what the heck.


It’s amazing inside. Incredible stone work and stained-glass windows. They don’t build places like this anymore.

Even though I only lingered inside for five minutes or so, it was time well spent. I was glad I got to see it.


I made it back to the salon and rejoined Julie. She was looking as gorgeous as ever.

Our next order of business was to get on the subway. You may have heard horror stories of the NY subway in the past, but it’s not a bad way to get around the city at all. It’s just an old system, so the stations themselves feel a little dark and dingy. But we had no issues whatsoever. The hardest parts are deciphering the map in order to figure out which train you want to take, and then entering the station on the correct side of the street, depending on whether you’re going uptown (north) or downtown (south). We did well with the first task, but messed up the second. In the smaller stations, there’s no way to cross the tracks to the other side. So you have to go back up to street level, cross the street, and find the other entrance to the station.


We caught the R train heading downtown. As we rode, I noticed a sign on the train I’d never seen before. Apparently this is a problem in New York?

I’d mentioned earlier that the last time we’d visited New York City, we’d been to the top of the World Trade Center, back in May of 2001. Now we were here to pay our respects to the people who had died in the terrible attacks in September of that same year.


We got off the train at the Cordtlandt Street station and had to walk a couple of blocks west to get to the WTC site. We could see the new One World Trade Center building now standing proudly over the memorial site.

That weird-looking…thing…at the bottom is part of the new train station they’re building. It had a special name, but it’s escaping me now.

The 9/11 Memorial encompasses several blocks, covering the area where both towers previously stood. There is a museum devoted to the history of the attack and the recovery, but unfortunately we didn’t have the time to go in and explore it. But we did want to see the memorial and just reflect on that horrible day and the lives lost.


I’m sure we all remember where we were when we got word of the attacks. I was at work—I didn’t even have any kids yet (Julie was pregnant with Sarah at the time). At first, I’d heard a plane had hit a World Trade Center building, and I thought it was probably a little two-seater propeller plane that had gotten too close and glanced the building or something. Not that they allow those planes over Manhattan, but what did I know?


Then I remember hearing word of a second plane, and suddenly the world shifted on its axis. I remember trying to get on CNN’s website, and it was so overloaded that it was completely shut down. Clearly, something major was happening.


Some of us in the office found an ancient tube TV and plugged it in, manipulating the antenna until we could get the over-the-air feed from ABC. And there we all stood, transfixed, as the news just got worse and worse as the day went on.


It’s weird, the things you remember at times like that. I distinctly remember watching the news when one of my co-workers asked out of nowhere, “Is Peter Jennings dying his hair?” I remember staring at her, incredulous, for several seconds.


Eventually, the office sent us home. Julie was teaching at the time, and her school dismissed early as well. We met at our house, still watching the news, wondering what kind of world we were bringing our baby into.


The 9/11 Memorial is a masterpiece of simplicity. They preserved the footprints of both towers, marking where they once stood. In place of the towers is a massive square, forever leaving the space empty. Water flows down the sides of the square foundations, collecting into a pool and then draining into the center, flowing down and out of sight. Etched on the sides of each foundation are the names of those innocents who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. I found it incredibly moving and appropriate. In several places, family members and friends had left white roses within the names of their loved ones.

I was going to continue on, but I don’t think there’s any way for me to gracefully or appropriately continue on in my usual goofy tone. I’ll pick up the next chapter with the rest of our NYC visit.


Coming Up Next: A bit more WTC area wandering, lunch, and Aladdin!

 

[Dugette]

I'm loving hearing about your NYC trip. Brings back memories of our visit a couple years ago. That ice rink was still going strong in April too, which surprised me, thinking it was only a winter thing. We visited the WTC memorial too and it was really incredible to be there. They did a great job creating a fitting memorial. I look forward to hearing about the rest of your trip.

 

[jedijill]

Way to hit it out of the park with your grand romantic gesture!

Jill in CO

 

[pkondz]

But only just barely, I'm sure. Thanks to the Bacon Flight.

True dat.

I needed a birthday gift for Julie.

Oh God. Every DH's nightmare.

Whenever her birthday rolls around, I usually ask her what she wants, and she’ll usually give me one or two ideas, like a necklace or a skirt she liked, or a gift card, or (sigh) yet another Vera Bradley bag. She struggles to come up with ideas, mostly because she isn’t materialistic and doesn’t feel like she needs much. And I have to admit, I usually look at her list and feel…bored.

Ah. This sounds scarily familiar. Except Ruby just says "Let's not give each other gifts this year." And then I ignore her.

because like the windmills, Julie does not really have a romantic bone in her body.

So she would have you believe....

Mind you, this is not a criticism. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t thank the Good Lord for making her a low-maintenance woman.

Ditto.

Valentine’s Day? I’m off the hook.

I could be. I chose not to be.

And yet, because I am wired the way I am

Or...

(or because I’m an idiot)

... there it is.

So I floated the idea past Julie as an early birthday present, and the unthinkable happened:


I got a reaction.


“Oooh, I’d love to!” she said. Sounds like a green light to me.

ding! ding! ding! We have a winnah!

well, sorry, kids. Mom outranks you.

I like to refer to this as a “McTour”, or the fast-food of vacations.

Very good.

We drove two hours up the New Jersey Turnpike (and lived to tell the tale

I've never been near it... but even I've heard stories.

And I don’t want to say parking fees are exorbitant inside the city, but it may actually be cheaper to just leave your car there and buy a new one for the ride home.

whoa. Dude. That's a might bit pricey.

Generally speaking, when planning a trip to New York City, expect to be gouged at Disney-level prices while dealing with much surlier Cast Members.

No, I suppose they're not trained by the same department.

I currently drive a Hyundai P.O.S., so I wouldn’t even have been heartbroken if it wasn’t there when we got back.

Don't pay the $15 and maybe it'll happen.

And with that, Julie and I were now in the heart of downtown Manhattan. I decided to go right away to get a slice of my favorite NYC pizza.

Just kidding. Any guesses as to where I stole that joke from?

Phew! You had me doubting you there for a second.
And nope. No clue on the joke. Noticed you mentioned Steve Carell, so I Googled. Must admit I've only seen one or two Office episodes.

When I say it had been a long time since we’d been in New York City, I mean it had been a different world back then. We had last visited in May of 2001, and we’d gone to the top of the World Trade Center that day. Four months later, it was gone.

Wow. That must've really shook you guys.

this enabled us to pack only a single backpack and walk around the city,

Nice!

For now, we walked from Penn Station north through Times Square.

How far of a walk was that?
Yeah I could Google... but I already did that once this update.

Times Square gets a bad rap from native New Yorkers, and I can see why: it’s loud, crowded, obnoxious and crammed wall-to-wall with every national chain brand you can think of. And yet, I also have to point out: it’s distinctly New York. Where else in America could you see a place like this? So I get that it is a tourist trap, but I don’t mind visiting as a tourist, because I can’t see something like this at home.

Well, there ya go. I'd be there too. I'm a tourist. Hello!

I did enjoy the Tangled theme they used for the escalator inside.

Not bad.

within walking distance of Times Square, Central Park, and Rockefeller Center

Not too shabby! I may ask for the name of this establishment some day in the distant future.

On the way, I found the Ed Sullivan Theater, where they film the Stephen Colbert Show (formerly David Letterman). Always wondered where that was.

Cool! Did you stumble on it? Or had you planned that?

It was pretty easy to navigate and we always felt safe.


Dusk was fast approaching, so we didn’t stay long in the park.

"always felt safe"... and in the same breath "Dusk was approaching... we didn't stay long in the park".

So he took us up to the top of a tower for some rooftop views of NYC at night. It was pretty sweet.

Nice shots! Gorgeous view.

I decided to forego my usual burgers and ordered a pork rib chop, which came with some mashed taters and other veggies and frou-frou accompaniments which I calmly pushed to the side of my plate.

Julie chose a couple of small plates from the appetizer menu: a tomato-cheese soup and spicy meatballs.

"Now that's a spicy meatball!"

Her favorite item, however, was her dessert: S’mores in a jar. Or on top of the jar, as the case may be.

Looks interesting.

Our friends made it a delightful evening in the city. We loved their company, and it was great to catch up after a couple of years.

Nice that you got to meet up with them.

Diabolical... and brilliant... in an evil genius kind of way.

 

[pkondz]

We’re so used to only staying in hotels with free breakfasts (one of the necessities of having a big family) that it threw us for a bit of a loop to actually have to go buy our own.

I get that. We did/do the same.

This was a tiny little pastry-and-coffee shop attached to a different hotel. Let’s see if I can remember why we chose this place.

Because of the little blue cloth? Who doesn't love a little blue cloth to provide a counterpoint of colour?

Oh, right. That.

Knew it.

Anyway, we placed our orders: I couldn't decide between an apple turnover and a chocolate croissant. So I got both

Good choice.

She was excited because they did the “draw a shape in the cream” thing that I guess the fancy places do now.

Oh, no. No! Not this place, too! I dug through the rest of my apple turnover and had my worst fears confirmed.

Dead grapes! They did it again! Why on earth do people feel the need to ruin perfectly good apple pastries with dead grapes??

Those... uh... can you say the word that denotes a person born of parents not married to each other?
Not sure.... try this.
Those bad people!


Doesn't have the same ring to it.

Our friend had wanted to give Julie a birthday gift during her visit, so she’d made an appointment for Julie to have her hair done at a salon, just for a little pampering

That was really nice of them!

On the way, we finally answered the age-old question: How do you get to Carnegie Hall?

Easy. You walk.

That's it? Wow. You think they could've answered that question a long time ago.

I could sit in a salon watching Julie get her hair done, or I could wander New York City in the morning sunlight.

That sounds less like a question and more like an imperative.

I’d never seen Rockefeller Center before, so I figured: why not?

And this is where we differ. No way I could go see that without Ruby.
"While you're getting your hair done, I'm going to see something you've always wanted to see."

Nope. Wouldn't work.

Just before I got to Rockefeller Center, I saw St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The doors weren’t open, but the light and shadows were playing some neat tricks on the façade.

Nice.

I turned the corner and found the famous Rockefeller Center skating rink, still going strong even in mid-March.

Nice. Seriously.
How many people on this planet have that on their bucket list?

Nearby was a Lego Store, and although it wasn’t open yet, I could see a giant Lego re-creation of Rockefeller Center in the display window. Why would you want to look at the real thing when you could see the Lego version nearby?

Sure. That way you can take it all in without craning your neck.

It’s amazing inside. Incredible stone work and stained-glass windows. They don’t build places like this anymore.

Beautiful.

I made it back to the salon and rejoined Julie. She was looking as gorgeous as ever.

Pretty! Makes you wonder what she's doing with you.

We caught the R train heading downtown. As we rode, I noticed a sign on the train I’d never seen before. Apparently this is a problem in New York?

I just assumed it was someone standing when the train made a sudden stop.

The 9/11 Memorial encompasses several blocks, covering the area where both towers previously stood. There is a museum devoted to the history of the attack and the recovery, but unfortunately we didn’t have the time to go in and explore it.

Too bad. But... McTour.

But we did want to see the memorial and just reflect on that horrible day and the lives lost.

I'd like to do that too some day. Never been to NYC.

I’m sure we all remember where we were when we got word of the attacks.

Oh, yes. I was going golfing with some friends. Before leaving, I'd heard of the first plane. At the golf course, we learned of the second.
It was a subdued round of golf.
I didn't find out 'til later, (didn't have a cell then... or turned it off to play) but work called... well, everyone to come in since all heck was breaking out. All those planes landing in Canada. Followed by a total ground stop. Nuts.

I remember trying to get on CNN’s website, and it was so overloaded that it was completely shut down. Clearly, something major was happening.

Didn't know that happened. Huh.

I distinctly remember watching the news when one of my co-workers asked out of nowhere, “Is Peter Jennings dying his hair?” I remember staring at her, incredulous, for several seconds.

At first I thought "That is what she finds important?"
But then I thought it could just be her way of coping with an incomprehensible event.

The 9/11 Memorial is a masterpiece of simplicity. They preserved the footprints of both towers, marking where they once stood. In place of the towers is a massive square, forever leaving the space empty. Water flows down the sides of the square foundations, collecting into a pool and then draining into the center, flowing down and out of sight. Etched on the sides of each foundation are the names of those innocents who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. I found it incredibly moving and appropriate. In several places, family members and friends had left white roses within the names of their loved ones.

Thanks for the pictures. Haven't seen it close up like that.
Very moving.

I was going to continue on, but I don’t think there’s any way for me to gracefully or appropriately continue on in my usual goofy tone. I’ll pick up the next chapter with the rest of our NYC visit.

Good choice, again.

 

[Steppesister]

You should be sued for malpractice. You gutted a perfectly healthy pastry. Did you have informed consent?

Now that truly is a cool comp in textures. Me likey.

Yeah, this works! (Julie, I love it!)

To even have to state something like this, is so... wrong. (Rosie, are you listening? )

I’m sure we all remember where we were when we got word of the attacks.

I was in Crapistan. Our Dutch teammates knocked on our door pretty late at night telling us "something terrible had happened in America", and without having ANY source of news, we were clueless for days. We tried to tune in an ancient TV, like you, but it was all snow AND in a language we didn't know yet. So, yeah, emotionally, the whole thing was lost on us. We, even today, have very little emotional connection to it. I mean we get that it was a world/life changing event, but the drama was all lost on us. We eventually, months later, saw some photos in some magazine issues of Time and Life that people had sent over for us, but yeah, by then, it was long past.

 

[Poolrat]

I can imagine letting your child go to NYC by him/herself would be somewhat terrifying for a parent. I was surprised at how easy it was for us to get around the city, though.

I am sure it was and I was still up there and my daughter at my age said she was going in to the city I might of freaked. I actually met friends IN the city so rode train in alone, that was interesting, and then met up with friends. They were very protective and put me back on the train coming home where I ended up on the same train as a high school classmate that sat behind me in homeroom - we were alphabetical so he ALWAYS sat behind me. That was strange as it was my Junior or even my senior year in college maybe?

Little do my parents know that was not the first time I have been into the city without them, I went with a girlfriend once so she could catch a train to Boston. I just rode in so she would not be alone. Of course I was alone coming back.


I really think I am ready to go back to the city someday. I really just couldn't but I think now I am ready. All your pictures ( and even Glenn's ) make me realize I am ready. The memorial really is beautiful.

I’m sure we all remember where we were when we got word of the attacks.

I was at work. I had a lifeguard on the deck who had a radio come tell me just heard a report of a plane hitting the World Trade Center. Then another plane. I went into our fitness center with TV's to look. Working int he a Jewish Community Center we eventually closed. I was in a our Family Center room with a TV and our Director ( Another former NYer) came in and just said " GO home". They evacuated Downtown Charlotte too because of the banking centers there.
School stayed in session but I picked up the kids right after. School said they purposely have not shared any info or allowed any TV. I remember calling home ( My Parents were still on LI and my dad was working in the city) and my mom eventually verified that he was fine but has to find a way home. When I was finally able to talk to him, he spoke of flagging down a van with a group and had the driver take them to Jamaica station so they could then get the rest of the way home. He said his suit was covered in dust.

 

[Poolrat]

So, yeah, emotionally, the whole thing was lost on us. We, even today, have very little emotional connection to it.

It is so interesting how the brain "tags" these events and how proximity or distance and the time elapsed from the actual event play a big part in the storage or "mark" the event makes. With instant news and live streaming we have upped the emotional ties by decreasing the factors that lessen impact. This may all be leading to more impulsive actions as reactions. Might explain some things....

Liesa my guess is that to you 9/11 is like other historical events that you read about in school or the paper that happened before you were born. Like the JFK assassination.. Since you were basically cut off from all news and coverage it was like you just watching it not experiencing it.

 

[Steppesister]

It is so interesting how the brain "tags" these events and how proximity or distance and the time elapsed from the actual event play a big part in the storage or "mark" the event makes. With instant news and live streaming we have upped the emotional ties by decreasing the factors that lessen impact. This may all be leading to more impulsive actions as reactions. Might explain some things....

Liesa my guess is that to you 9/11 is like other historical events that you read about in school or the
paper that happened before you were born. Like the JFK assassination.. Since you were basically cut off from all news and coverage it was like you just watching it not experiencing it.

It certainly could! I couldn't agree more.

And I think you're right about that too. We read about it, and hear the stories from relatives, etc..., but didn't have to replay it over and over with the emotions all tied in. Good analogy there.

 

[Poolrat]

It certainly could! I couldn't agree more.

And I think you're right about that too. We read about it, and hear the stories from relatives, etc..., but didn't have to replay it over and over with the emotions all tied in. Good analogy there.

My Psych degree at work. Using more these days. Not sure how I "feel" about that.

 

[Steppesister]

My Psych degree at work. Using more these days. Not sure how I "feel" about that.

Maybe trying to make sense out of 1) a crappy job situation and/or 2) what's going on in this nutso world right now.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

I'm loving hearing about your NYC trip. Brings back memories of our visit a couple years ago. That ice rink was still going strong in April too, which surprised me, thinking it was only a winter thing. We visited the WTC memorial too and it was really incredible to be there. They did a great job creating a fitting memorial. I look forward to hearing about the rest of your trip.

Still going in April? They must have some powerhouse cooling stations working on that rink.

Way to hit it out of the park with your grand romantic gesture!

Thanks! It only took 17.75 years to get one to work.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Oh God. Every DH's nightmare.

Pretty much. No wonder so many of us default to, "Just buy what you want and then let me give it to you for your birthday."

Ah. This sounds scarily familiar. Except Ruby just says "Let's not give each other gifts this year." And then I ignore her.

You are a wise man.

So she would have you believe....

If it's not true, she's been an awfully good actress for the past 18 years.

I could be. I chose not to be.

I guess I chose to live dangerously!

... there it is.

If the shoe fits...

ding! ding! ding! We have a winnah!

Finally! After all of these years...

I've never been near it... but even I've heard stories.

The NJ Turnpike really isn't that bad as long as you avoid rush hour and stick to the southern half of the state. But the closer you get to NYC, the wilder it gets. So many lanes, alternate routes, poor directional signing...it can get very confusing. Then add overly aggressive drivers to the mix.

whoa. Dude. That's a might bit pricey.

If you have to ask, you probably can't afford it.

No, I suppose they're not trained by the same department.

Training? They have training?

Don't pay the $15 and maybe it'll happen.

Well, I need it to be somebody else's fault for insurance purposes.

Phew! You had me doubting you there for a second.
And nope. No clue on the joke. Noticed you mentioned Steve Carell, so I Googled. Must admit I've only seen one or two Office episodes.

I enjoyed it for a while, but then it started to lose its zip. That New York episode was one of my favorites, though.

Wow. That must've really shook you guys.

Sure, but not so much because we had just been there. That was just random. It's very weird to look back at those photos, though.

How far of a walk was that?
Yeah I could Google... but I already did that once this update.

It was about 18 blocks from the station to our hotel. Google Maps shows it about a mile or so. Not bad at all. We went right up 7th Avenue through Times Square.

Well, there ya go. I'd be there too. I'm a tourist. Hello!

Exactly! Now that I've seen it, and seen both the crowds and chains everywhere, I don't necessarily need to see it again.

Not too shabby! I may ask for the name of this establishment some day in the distant future.

Here you go:

Sheraton Times Square North

Hotwire had it for $110 in mid-March. I thought that was a steal, given the location.

Cool! Did you stumble on it? Or had you planned that?

We just stumbled onto it. I had no idea where it actually was.

"always felt safe"... and in the same breath "Dusk was approaching... we didn't stay long in the park".

I didn't catch that.

Nice shots! Gorgeous view.

"Now that's a spicy meatball!"

I was wondering who would jump on that one.

Looks interesting.

She liked it more than me.

Nice that you got to meet up with them.

It was! Really fun people.

Diabolical... and brilliant... in an evil genius kind of way.

It is! I mean, even though it's evil, you have to respect the brilliance behind it.

I get that. We did/do the same.

If it's free, it's for me!

Because of the little blue cloth? Who doesn't love a little blue cloth to provide a counterpoint of colour?

It really ties the room together.

Those... uh... can you say the word that denotes a person born of parents not married to each other?
Not sure.... try this.
Those bad people!


Doesn't have the same ring to it.

I will say the word in my mind! Because you're right, that one works better.

That was really nice of them!

Agreed!

That's it? Wow. You think they could've answered that question a long time ago.

I know, right? People are just so lazy.

That sounds less like a question and more like an imperative.

Pretty much. There's a giant list of things I'd rather do than sit in a salon watching my wife get her hair done.

"Honey, you can watch me get my hair done or file our taxes."
"Ok, gimme the forms."

And this is where we differ. No way I could go see that without Ruby.
"While you're getting your hair done, I'm going to see something you've always wanted to see."

Nope. Wouldn't work.

I had originally told my friend I didn't think we'd have time for a hair appointment because we'd be running around trying to see all the things. Julie surprised me a bit by choosing the salon. I can't blame her, though. She never does those kinds of things for herself. So I let her enjoy it and went and enjoyed myself.

Nice. Seriously.
How many people on this planet have that on their bucket list?

Don't know, but I was happy to cross it off mine!

I just like that feeling of seeing some famous place on TV and being able to say, "Yup. Been there." I don't exactly know how to explain it, but it makes a difference.

Sure. That way you can take it all in without craning your neck.

Makes sense to me!

Pretty! Makes you wonder what she's doing with you.

I wonder about that every day! But don't say it out loud. I keep worrying that one day she'll come to her senses.

I just assumed it was someone standing when the train made a sudden stop.

That's probably the most innocent explanation possible for that situation.

Too bad. But... McTour.

Yup.

I'd like to do that too some day. Never been to NYC.

At least you have an excuse. I live 3 hours away and hadn't been there in 15 years. We did do a day trip to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty a few years ago, but you don't have to actually go into the city to see them.

Oh, yes. I was going golfing with some friends. Before leaving, I'd heard of the first plane. At the golf course, we learned of the second.
It was a subdued round of golf.
I didn't find out 'til later, (didn't have a cell then... or turned it off to play) but work called... well, everyone to come in since all heck was breaking out. All those planes landing in Canada. Followed by a total ground stop. Nuts.

I was curious as to what it would have been like for someone actually working at an airport on that day. It must have been absolute chaos.

My parents were actually supposed to fly home that day from a vacation in Arizona. I was really glad when I was able to reach them by phone. They never got off the ground.

Didn't know that happened. Huh.

I think their server just couldn't keep up with the demand of everyone trying to find out what was going on.

At first I thought "That is what she finds important?"
But then I thought it could just be her way of coping with an incomprehensible event.

Yeah, I suppose. I mean, the images on the TV were just so terrifying that shock is the only reaction you have left.

Thanks for the pictures. Haven't seen it close up like that.
Very moving.

I agree. We did tear up a bit as we were walking around.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

You should be sued for malpractice. You gutted a perfectly healthy pastry. Did you have informed consent?

Look at all of those cancerous cells I removed! I'm a hero, darn it!

Now that truly is a cool comp in textures. Me likey.

Yeah, this works! (Julie, I love it!)

I agree--she's a hottie!

To even have to state something like this, is so... wrong. (Rosie, are you listening? )

There were some interesting characters on the subway. Several people looking for "donations".

I was in Crapistan. Our Dutch teammates knocked on our door pretty late at night telling us "something terrible had happened in America", and without having ANY source of news, we were clueless for days. We tried to tune in an ancient TV, like you, but it was all snow AND in a language we didn't know yet. So, yeah, emotionally, the whole thing was lost on us. We, even today, have very little emotional connection to it. I mean we get that it was a world/life changing event, but the drama was all lost on us. We eventually, months later, saw some photos in some magazine issues of Time and Life that people had sent over for us, but yeah, by then, it was long past.

That's really interesting. Just a completely different experience--worlds apart from having watched the towers fall, live on national TV. But your reaction makes total and complete sense. It was a part of history by the time you learned about it.

I am sure it was and I was still up there and my daughter at my age said she was going in to the city I might of freaked. I actually met friends IN the city so rode train in alone, that was interesting, and then met up with friends. They were very protective and put me back on the train coming home where I ended up on the same train as a high school classmate that sat behind me in homeroom - we were alphabetical so he ALWAYS sat behind me. That was strange as it was my Junior or even my senior year in college maybe?

Little do my parents know that was not the first time I have been into the city without them, I went with a girlfriend once so she could catch a train to Boston. I just rode in so she would not be alone. Of course I was alone coming back.


I really think I am ready to go back to the city someday. I really just couldn't but I think now I am ready. All your pictures ( and even Glenn's ) make me realize I am ready. The memorial really is beautiful.

You little rebel, you.

Now that I've done it, I don't feel intimidated at all. I was glad to have figured out the train system. I would still worry about my kids just running off, though.

I was at work. I had a lifeguard on the deck who had a radio come tell me just heard a report of a plane hitting the World Trade Center. Then another plane. I went into our fitness center with TV's to look. Working int he a Jewish Community Center we eventually closed. I was in a our Family Center room with a TV and our Director ( Another former NYer) came in and just said " GO home". They evacuated Downtown Charlotte too because of the banking centers there.
School stayed in session but I picked up the kids right after. School said they purposely have not shared any info or allowed any TV. I remember calling home ( My Parents were still on LI and my dad was working in the city) and my mom eventually verified that he was fine but has to find a way home. When I was finally able to talk to him, he spoke of flagging down a van with a group and had the driver take them to Jamaica station so they could then get the rest of the way home. He said his suit was covered in dust.

Wow! That must have been crazy trying to find his way out of the city. I can't imagine what it must have been like to have been there at the time.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

It is so interesting how the brain "tags" these events and how proximity or distance and the time elapsed from the actual event play a big part in the storage or "mark" the event makes. With instant news and live streaming we have upped the emotional ties by decreasing the factors that lessen impact. This may all be leading to more impulsive actions as reactions. Might explain some things....

You have to wonder. Also the fact that the media tends to focus on the negative stories.

Liesa my guess is that to you 9/11 is like other historical events that you read about in school or the paper that happened before you were born. Like the JFK assassination.. Since you were basically cut off from all news and coverage it was like you just watching it not experiencing it.

Makes a lot of sense.

It certainly could! I couldn't agree more.

And I think you're right about that too. We read about it, and hear the stories from relatives, etc..., but didn't have to replay it over and over with the emotions all tied in. Good analogy there.

She's smart!

My Psych degree at work. Using more these days. Not sure how I "feel" about that.

Maybe trying to make sense out of 1) a crappy job situation and/or 2) what's going on in this nutso world right now.

Things do seem really crazy lately. It's easy to get overwhelmed.