My sister and I drove into NYC to spend the day on Friday and we had lots of time to talk as we drive to and from NYC on the New Jersey Turnpike. We packed as much as we could into one day starting with an express trip up the Empire State Building. The view up there helps you see the expanse and density of Manhattan. Crazy! Because my sister lived in Manhattan for so long, she was able to tell me about all the buildings, landmarks, neighbourhoods, etc.
It was so windy and cold up on the deck and I took so many photos. I've only been to NYC once before for a couple of hours and didn't really see much so seeing this view was such a great overview of the city.
The next stop was the 911 Memorial. My sister hadn't been to this yet so it was a special visit. I will never forget that day and how it affected our family. My sister was in Manhattan at the time. We walked by the building my brother-in-law worked in which was right across the street from the World Trade Centre. Eery. The memorial was really well done and we both appreciated the story of the survivor tree...a true story of hope. It was amazing to see the first of the new buildings almost completed.
We then walked over to City Hall and part way across the Brooklyn Bridge. There is construction work going on so it wasn't as open as usual but it was still great to see this iconic bridge!
My sister knows how to drive New York style which is fast, aggressive and with no room to spare. There is lots of honking involved too.
Next stop was Dylan's Candy Bar for treats for the kids!
And then to Laduree for treats for my sister and I (and a small box to bring home too!).
We drove around the Upper West Side and I got to see the three apartments that my sister and her family lived in and then we found a great parking spot and had a lovely walk through Central Park. Such a peaceful respite in the middle of such a busy, loud and stimulating city.
We hopped on the subway (now there's a true NYC experience) to Times Square. Talk about crowded, loud and bright! There were so many people there!
We had a super fun dinner at Starlight Diner...the entertainment was amazing! The wait staff are all aspiring Broadway singers and are so fun to listen to!
We took a NYC taxi back to my sister's car. Boy, do those guys know how to drive in the city!
It was such a great day...full of so many things and a bit of an escape from the regular stuff of life for both my sister and I, at least for a day!
What a whirlwind tour. Sounds like so much fun.
Posted by: Lisa | 04/28/2012 at 07:27 AM
Sounds wonderful - I was just looking at flights to NYC last night.
Posted by: Nicky | 04/28/2012 at 09:25 AM