Big Times in the Big Apple

If you read my previous post, you'll remember that I was in a quandary regarding my preparations for the upcoming New York trip this past weekend. It was a difficult decision, and come to think of it, I don't really think I made a decision; the events just sort of happened. Of course, I HAD to watch the special presentation of American Idol "Gives Back", which, frankly, turned out to be a waste of my time. We always DVR the show, so we can watch it later, skipping through all those nasty commercials. Well, we got started very late...after 10 pm. Keep in mind that I had to be at the high school by 3:15 "a.m" in order to be bussed to the airport. I hadn't completely finished packing, and I was sitting on the couch at 10 pm to view American Idol. Very poor decision. At 11:30, I managed to break myself away to throw the rest of my clothes together and the 30 pounds of makeup I carry. I was just praying my luggage didn't register over 50 pounds. At 12:15 I lay down on the couch to sleep until 2:15. Yeah, right. Who can sleep when you know that you have to be up in 2 hours? I slept with full makeup on and my contacts in! I know, I know. Don't tell my eye doctor or the makeup gurus. I NEVER do this! I always cleanse my face at night. At my new age of 44, it's definitely necessary.

At 1:45 am, I was wide awake because I was paranoid that for some reason my phone alarm would not ring, and I would miss the bus. This was sounding vaguely familiar, like when I was in junior high or something. Resigned to the knowledge that I would not be going back to sleep, I chose to get dressed and freshen up my day old makeup. Yep, NO shower! I lotioned up extensively and sprayed perfume everywhere. Fortunately, my contacts weren't sticking to my eyes too badly. I awakened Nick at 2:30, so he could take his 5 minute shower and get himself together. These are the times when I wish I had a 5 minute regimen.

With an hour and a half of sleep under my belt, Nick and I headed to the school. I complimented myself that I was the very first to wish him a happy birthday! My newly 17-year old boy would be spending his special day in New York City. (More about the birthday boy in a later post.)

I had no worries about my lack of sleep because when I arrived at the airport, I planned to get myself hooked up to the Starbuck's IV. It appears that 65 other kids and adults had the same idea. I don't usually sleep too well on an airplane, but this particular day, I was sawing logs before the plane lifted off the runway.

That first day in New York was the longest day of my life. Even with all the excitement of seeing the city for the first time, the hustle and bustle of the masses of people, the video billboards screaming at me, the lure of all the shops, I longed for sleep. Don't you hate those days? I was angry that I wasn't fully engaged, fully enjoying the thrill of the Big Apple because all I could think about was taking a nap. That first evening, the entire choir had tickets for the Phantom of the Opera. Maybe not such a good idea. I REALLY wanted to love it, really wanted to enjoy every part of it; instead, I kept nodding off throughout the entire musical. It was absolutely amazing, the sections I saw anyway.

(Times Square)

After a fairly full night of winks, the next day was better. We were all still dragging but not quite as badly. The choir sang that day at St. John's Church, the first Methodist church in North America. Built in 1766, it was a little place smashed in between large buildings. The acoustics were amazing, and many of us were in tears as the kids sang. I can't quite wrap my mind around how beautiful this choir sounds; I just know that it evokes great emotion in me when I hear them. Of course, thinking about Nick being a Senior next year doesn't help a bit.

(Sounds of South singing at St. John's Church)

With a couple of hours before our next event, we walked a few blocks to ground zero. It's mind-blowing that after 6 1/2 years, rubble is still being sifted through. Construction is still occurring. That area is still devastated after all these years. We traveled to Battery Park and viewed Lady Liberty from afar and then we were off to Shea Stadium to sing the National Anthem at the Mets game.

(Sounds of South singing the National Anthem at Shea Stadium)

Saturday was our free day, so Nick and I, along with a few others, rode the subway to Battery Park where we planned to ride the ferry to view the Statue of Liberty and visit Ellis Island. Due to fog, we had to kill a little time before the ferries would begin running again, so we took a little side trip to Tiffany's. I just knew that Tony wanted me to find my birthday present there. It's extremely important when asking about jewelry prices in a store like this to avoid having your mouth drop open too much. I felt that we were very composed when we asked about the price of a certain gold charm bracelet and the answer was over $1,000. Wisdom whispered to me that this might not be the place to purchase my birthday gift. Even a silver charm was $125. Not quite on sale enough for me. Hmmm, come to think of it, I doubt Tiffany's has sales.

After waiting in line for an hour and a half, we boarded the ferry for our excursion across the river. Learning the history of Ellis Island was fascinating especially since my grandfather came through there from England. We gleaned all sorts of tidbits from the research we did on the computers they had available for us to use. He was only 8 years old when he arrived in American on his way to Wisconsin, and his family had $55 in their pockets. I can only imagine what his thoughts were when he finally disembarked that ship into this new land.

(Nick and I outside Clinton Castle)

(Statue of Liberty...duh!)

Saturday evening we ate a big group dinner together at Spanky's. Some of us wandered to Rockefeller Center and then shopped at various places, such as the 3-story M&M store, which was my personal favorite. Since I'm an avid M&M lover, imagine my delight in seeing that M&M's come in every color under the sun. Maddie loved the M&M umbrella I brought so much, she even uses it in the house!

(Radio City Music Hall...duh!)

Sunday was another free day until 4 pm when the buses came to transport us to the airport for home. We devoted our time to Macy's, FAO Schwarz and Central Park. The 8-story Macy's in New York makes our 2-story Macy's look like the Goodwill. This is serious shopping, and I didn't have nearly enough time. Guess I'll just have to come back. And, FAO? Buying a toy there for my kids would be like purchasing myself a Dooney and Bourke bag; both of which I will not do! The prices are seriously inflated. But, guess what? That's New York! Central Park was beautiful. In the midst of this city of 8 million people is a beautiful sanctuary for walking, biking and watching animal life. Taking a carriage ride through the length of this park would take 2 hours!

(Macy's in Harold Square)

(Central Park..looking at the Plaza Hotel)

I can't ever picture myself living in New York, but in a heartbeat, I'd jump on a plane and visit! If you don't like crowds, you probably should skip this trip. The people watching is great, and the sites are amazing. With a Starbuck's on just about every corner, Broadway shows abounding and an abundance of stores in which to shop, I can be ready at a moment's notice.