DC/NYC Day 14 (Monday)

Our last day in Manhattan had us up early, packing.

D & I walked across town (20 minutes) to get our rental car.

On the way, we popped in to St. Patrick's Cathedral... it really is quite amazing.

Walking back & forth across town I got a photo with New York's finest.

Then we got to the National Rental Car office where had dropped of our first rental car and waited in line for 15 minutes only to find out that we were at the wrong office!

So we walked 20 minutes back plus an additional 15 to the new office only to get there and be 15th in line!!!

I ran out to get some breakfast, by the time I got back 25 minutes later, D had moved about 1 inch in line and some people at the front were being told there WERE not minivans available even though they had made a reservation well in advanced!... This did not bode well for OUR minivan reservation!

By the time we got to the front, the Employee said she could call other Nationals to see who had a minivan... but then right at that moment, some "runners" delivered a brand new Volkswagen minivan with only 500 miles on it and she gave it to us!!! Woo hoo!

This is our new friend Richard who we met in line at National.

We dropped Jade off at the "Pod" hotel where he was going to spend one night alone before flying out of la Guardia the next day.

A little sad to end on this note... ending all the togetherness and separating.

As a result of all this, we left the city MUCH later than anticipated and got on the road back to DC. We had to battle rush hour traffic as we approached DC but we eventually made it there at about 6:30. We had no reservations and no idea where we were staying so we just drove around and found an Embassy Suites and got a room.

We quickly unloaded the car and headed out for dinner at Clyde's
and a night viewing of the monuments!
This was pretty awesome... the temperature was cool and lovely and we were SO glad we went!
We hailed a cab from the Lincoln memorial and got back to the hotel around 11PM and went to bed instantly because we had an early morning to have to get to the airport by 6:30 and return our rental car and get our seat assignments fixed.

nightie night.

DC/NYC Day 13 (Sunday)

Our last full day in Manhattan.

D & I woke up and left all 4 of our sleepy-heads still sleeping.

It was about 11AM and the city must have been in agreement with our kids!

The city that never sleeps apparently just doesn't sleep at night but sleeps in pretty late on Sunday mornings, because WOW, was it quiet out on those streets!

We walked through Bryant park and it couldn't have been a prettier day: clear and warm (but not hot), blue skies, a couple wispy clouds... ahhhhh!

We had brunch at the little restaurant in the park that had just opened for the morning.

Spectacular setting for a Sunday morning brunch!

When we were finished, we walked next door to the New york Public Library which is undergoing renovations and was closed because it was Sunday, but still, I got to see the outside.

We walked a few more blocks downtown and ran into the Empire State building.

I thought by this time the lines would be 3+ hours (because it was not early enough), but we were in luck on the Sunday morning after Independence Day because it was only about 45 minutes (you could SEE all the empty roped-off lanes for the lines - ugh!).

D was not as excited, because he and Deevs had done "Top of the Rock" (Rockefeller center) the day before while the rest of us were at West Side Story... he was a good sport though. We DID get the upgraded tickets to the 102nd floor and were glad we did. It was a clear and gorgeous day... couldn't have BEEN any prettier. We spent quite a long time on the 102nd floor (behind windows and with air conditioning) then went to the 86th and spent time there too (outside with the rails).

We came down and I had a throbbing headache and the boys had been calling and asking when we would be back with money and their metro cards so we caught a pedi-cab back to the hotel. This was unexpectedly fun... our "driver", Mohammed was from Senegal and was a PRO at navigating the tightest traffic spaces. D quite appreciated his skills!!!

pedi-cab date

We got back and instantly left with Lando, Deevs, and Miss M to go to a few thrift stores in Gramercy & the East Village.

(Jade met up with his new friend from Virginia in Brooklyn and spent the day with them - and most of last night as well. he is QUITE enthralled with the city and is ready to move here! He is a pro with the subways and is happy to get lost and reorient himself and try it again he will talk to anyone and doesn't mind asking questions or making mistakes... all excellent traits in a traveler.)

Dad & Lando hugging/wrestling

We took the subway to downtown to Gramercy and walked a while then grabbed lunch for the kids. Miss M liked this area a lot and said THIS was definitely a spot she could see herself living (she did NOT like Greenwich so much - too many young people and a touristy feel - she wants more of a neighborhood feel.)

We found the thrift stores and the kids each made at least one purchase and tried on some things.

Finding some good treasures

Trying on hats

Members-Only in East Village

bro & sis

Then we caught the subway back uptown to Byrant Park so Miss M could shop at H&M. She didn't love the current styles at the East Coast H&M, so we left fairly quickly and headed to grab some pizza.

J is still out with the girls from Virginia (Sara & Michelle)... I think they were going to maybe try to catch (tonight or tomorrow night) Anne Hathaway in Central park performing Shakespeare, which definitely sounded fun!

J & Sara rowing in Central Park

DC/NYC Day 12 (Happy 4th of July)

We slept in a bit on the 4th of July - everyone is entirely EXHAUSTED.

Then we got up and got ready for the theater.

All 6 of us ate a pre-theater meal at Planet Hollywood... definitely NOT our first (or second or third or 20th) choice, but Times Square was PACKED and we did not allow enough time.

Then 4 of us we went to see "West Side Story" at the Palace theater (me, jade, lando, Miss M).

Our seats were good and the theater was pretty crowded.

It was fun to see a play set on the west side of NYC when we were IN the city.

West Side Story is a modern version/interpretation on "Romeo and Juliet" - so how could you go wrong there? The music/songs are AWESOME!

That said, here is MY review:

I really liked the actress who played Maria. I liked her look, her acting, and her voice.

Tony was adequate. The kids REALLY did not like his voice - too nasal and too much vibrato.

I had a problem with how gay he seemed. I understand that a huge majority of stage actors/dancers/singers are gay and always have been... but I need to be able to BELIEVE they are straight and capable of actually falling in love with Maria and are enjoying holding and kissing her... with this cast, I did not. (The same went for most of the dancing, twirling, singing "gang" members.)

Speaking of kissing - Maria & Tony did a lot more kissing than I remember, this was sad to me... I felt like their love was because they were kissing so much instead of the true connection they had instantly developed. Also, did they go to bed together in the movie and earlier stage versions? They may very well have, but I don't remember it... in this version, they did.

Anyhow, they changed a few musical numbers: "America" is now sung by all the Puerto Rican girls - not the guys & girls together - and many of the word have been changed. Both "I Feel Pretty" and "A Boy Like That" were sung entirely in Spanish (also, a LOT of the Puerto Rican dialogue was in Spanish). While this may have added to the authenticity, it was NOT as enjoyable from the standpoint of being able to follow they story line and enjoy old-time favorite classic songs.

The actress who played Anita was really good.

And the song "Officer Krupke" was a stand out.

I even got a little tear in my eye at a couple of points.

Over all quite enjoyable.

After the play, we reconvened at the room. D stayed and rested. Miss M & Deevs went out into the throngs of human beings in Times Square to shop. Jade, Lando, and I walked down 8th to see the "garment district" (we think we might've been told the wrong area?) down kinda by Madison Square Garden and the Port Authority Bus terminal - kind of a seedy area (side note: D & I were there 17 years ago on vacation and we took a bus to this terminal from Jersey).

We ate at White Castle. Our first real White Castle burgers (not frozen).

Funny.

Lando shopped for shoes and ended up calling Deevs over and they each bought a pair (Lando actually bought two).

Afterward, it was off in search of fireworks. Macy's had changed locations this year to the Hudson (from the East River & Battery Park locations of previous years). As per our concierge, we headed down around 8 (because you had to stand the whole time - no seating). We got down there and waited in line for 30+ minutes only to find out eventually that they had shut down the street - no access... they told us to walk to 50th.

We walked (with thousands of other people) to 50th. It was closed. Block by block they sent us upward. Block by block we walked. There were no openings. One NYPD officer told us they water front areas had been full since 5:00PM.

Oh well.

We found and opening in the buildings and stood in front of a chain link (razor wire topped) fence and watched a corner of the show. (See video below.) The crowd that gathered behind us still "ooooed" and "ahhhhed" and were still appreciative. It was kind of a sweet reminder about how little many people expect and how satisfied we can choose to be. It was overall a kind of humorous experience and seemed - in the end - to be a kind of quintessentially New York experience; crowds, police, sirens, chain link, poorly planned but still a spectacle.

Notice the crowds behind us and understand that this is a TERRIBLE viewing spot and yet there are a ZILLION people gathered to watch ("I do not think this plan was very well thought out, Master"). Also, notice the wailing sirens in the background!

We had a LONG walk back when it was over and then we just walked around Times Square for a while. It was as crowded as Disneyland on New Year's Day. Literally wall-to-wall people. But the chaos, lights, noise, smells, sounds, sights, variety, etc. are what you go there for... and MAN, did we get it! (Also, I have never seen so many police officers!, so you felt completely safe all the time.)

Over all, another full and fun-packed day.

Happy Birthday America!!!!!!

DC/NYC Day 11 (Friday Night)

FIRST -

A "Shout Out" to Sara.

H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y!!!!!!!!!

************************************

We went to the Upper West Side for dinner because Jade & Lando had tickets to a comedy show up that way. So we caught the subway uptown and found a dinner place.

We went to Cafe Lalo.

It turned out to be an organic, vegetarian-type place.

The desserts looked PHENOMENAL and we planned to partake, but were too full.

(Miss M & I got delectable tuna sandwiches.)

Waiting to get in to Cafe Lalo

Crowded but fun - well, for most of us! Doesn't poor D look beat??? (He got a HUGE pitcher of water utterly dumped on him only minutes after this photo was taken!!)

Waiting to catch the subway downtown, back to Times Square

DC/NYC Day 9 (Thursday)

Today we kind of slept in (we needed it). We got up and got ready and ate pizza at Famiglia Pizza (yum!) then negotiated the subway up to the Natural History Museum (Night at the Museum). We went inside and the lines were SO long we asked the kids "Who really wants to see this museum?"... we got 4 "not me's"... so we left.

We went to Central Park and walked all around it. We saw all the things you want to see in Central Park (and then some - haha!).

We saw the Belvedere Castle

and the Bethesda Fountain.

We went to the Boathouse and got an ice cream cone. While we were still there, we got caught in a torrential downpour!
We only had 2 umbrellas with us, so we just hung out in the Boathouse. (There were tons of poor people out rowing in boats on the lake in this HUGE rain.)
Once the rain stopped, we walked some more and went on the Central Park carousel and saw the great lawn and the Conservatory.

We eventually left Central Park (much to the delight of the children) and headed onto 5th avenue. Jade was very eager to use his NYC spending money on an ipod and he was eager to do it at the 24 hour Apple store that is a large glass cube on 5th. you enter the glass cube and then go down underground to the store which was huge & packed. The rain started pouring again and so tons of people headed into the store which became even more crowded. We had to stay in there until the rain stopped.

Then we headed down 5th and went into Trump Tower. We went into the 5 story Nike Town. We went into Abercrombie (just to see the live model posing in the entrance - hilarious). By this time we were all getting hungry and all agreed we did not want to eat in a chain restaurant that we could eat in at home. We wanted to eat "authentic" New York food. We had read about Sapporo on frommers.com and it was only a block or so from our hotel, so we tried it. It was a little hole in the wall and it was yummy. HUGE bowls of noodles. Delectable.

DC Day 8 (More Manhattan Arrival)

We enjoyed an overpriced dinner at Junior's right across the street from our hotel (I know, get used to it, right?).

It was a Wednesday night Times square is PACKED!

It has been closed to traffic for about a month so people can walk in the street, there are "bleachers" set up to just sit and ogle, there are lawn chairs and little bistro tables to just sit in the street and look up (the cops think is it the stupidest idea the city/Mayor ever had - exaggerated eyes rolls etc.)... but I think it is a kinda good idea... it IS pretty amazing!

We just walked around the area a LOOKED UP. We found our theater for West Side Story (saturday) - we can see it from our room's window! We also had Miss M flicker our room lights so we could find our room and we stood down in Times Square and jumped and waved to her like fools! HA!

We went to a Walgreens in the middle of it all and got some stuff we needed.

We looked for a GNC (sport/nutrition) and got there right after it closed.

And Lando missed it all, poor guy.

DC Day 8 (Williamsburg & Travel to Manhattan)

In our darling little Williamsburg cottage, we had no internet IN the cottage... and our Colonial Williamsburg (CW) day was L O N G... so I had no time to bring the computer somewhere to get wireless. Now that we finally made it to NYC, we have it for a mere $17 per day. (Why is it that cheap hotels have wifi free and expensive hotels - marriott marquis/time square- charge you a TON???)

Anyhow, CW was H O T and H U M I D. Everything felt like a lot of effort and sticky and HOT. We got up and into town kind of early. We saw the gunsmith and the Magazine (weapon and ammunition storage), silversmiths, black smiths, & millinery before the Revolutionary City "show" started. This was good and interesting but felt really LONG standing in the heat.

After an hour, we left for our carriage ride. They said it would only fit 4 people so we bought just 4 tickets and planned to send just the kids. However, the driver said he could fit all 6 of us so we all piled in for our reserved 15 minute ride.

After, we all had lunch together at Retros then the kids went back to the cottage and D and I powered through more history.

Just the 2 of us saw the brickyard and the cabinet maker and toured the Capitol and a Tavern (Inn) and the Gaol (jail). It was all SO informative and interesting.

Definitely fun!

At 5:00, we met the kids at Shield's tavern for our reservation. (I keep stressing our "reservations" because I am so proud & happy I actually planned in advance and made reservations!!! Normally, I would be one of the people going "Hey! We want to ride a carriage. Where do we do that?" and people say "Oh... you had to do that in advance, it is all sold out... you'll have to do that next time you are here." - which may be exactly NEVER!)

So I am SO excited!!!

Anyhow, we ate our reserved dinner at the Tavern and it was mediocre, expensive, not that worth it.

Afterwards we had 2 (also reserved in advance) evening programs.

"In Defense of our Liberty" had us signed up in the first Continental Army. We had to learn to march and learn how to be soldiers as new recruits. (The kids were SO mad at me when they were marching around in the sweaty, buggy early evening heat - haha!!!)

We also did a Ghost Stories tour which was kind of stupid but had us walking around the town at night which was fun!

Oh... and we all saw our first fireflies - EVER!!!

Jade met a girl and went out with her and some of her friends (Lando went along strictly as a "wingman").

We all got up at 6:45AM to hit the road for Manhattan.

We made good time, made very few stops, drove in 7 states in 8 hours (Virginia, DC, Maryland, Delaware, Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York)

and even got lost!!!

WHY - I ask you - are there TWO 95 freeways?????????????????

We didn't realize we were lost and were driving the wrong way on the wrong 95 for FORTY MINUTES.

By the time we turned around, it added a good 1.5 hours onto our drive UGH!!!

We eventually entered Manhattan very close to rush hour and tried to make our way to our hotel... this process took about an hour (most of the kids had to PEE desperately!).

We got checked in and have adjoining rooms on the 17th floor with a nice view of Times Square.

The kids are getting cleaned up and I am blogging before we hit the town for dinner.

(Oh, and poor Lando is SICK. Please PRAY for a speedy recovery for him... he has been SO looking forward to being here :o(

xo