NYC! Part II

While in NYC Carolyn and I, true to form, wasted zero time hitting almost all of our desired stops on a whirlwind tour. Here's a run down of what we did:

Ohhh yeah a real-life New York pizza pie. Delicious! Brick oven baked, thin, crispy and oh so good. Funny enough we were so busy hitting the sights and sounds of NY that we really only ate one nice dinner out. Mostly food was an after thought on our way to the next amazing place. We did stop to enjoy a dog from a hot dog cart in Times Square.

Times Square. We see it every year on TV, crowed and being hosted by an ageless Dick Clark or Ryan Seacrest. We got off the under ground subway and follow the steady pulsing flow of people toward the exit. Half way up the stair the electricity of the scene above hits us. We emerged on to the street and witness day light at night. Law actually requires lights and signs of significant size and specifications to front every establishment in the area in and around times square. Walking through Times Square is a wonderful sensory overload. Giant screens show commericals, light up signs, new tickers, hot dog carts, street vendors, Broadway billboards, people, accents, honking. Every 20 feet the light cast on you changes in color and intensity. Better and much more positive energy than anything Ive seen in Vegas by far.
We stopped in at Oddities, the pawn shop that specializes in the weird and morbid collectibles. They have a reality TV show that is part sideshow, part antique roadshow. Items include real mummified head, human skeleton, creepy puppets, antique medical equipment, and taxidermy sloths.


We also made a pilgrimage to McGee's Pub, the bar that McClarens from our favorite show How I Met Your Mother is based on. Though not exactly as it is pictured on TV it was a thrill to look around and see the inspiration. Same booths, painting and front face. Also an awesome burger!



We took in not one but two Broadway Shows! Spiderman the musical was amazing. The music was catchy and the set design was crazy creative. Spiderman and The Green Goblin engaged in aerial battles over the audience in an impressive wire display. Spiderman landed in the aisles bounced of the walls and balcony! Its one of the most expensive Broadway shows ever produced but it was apparent that its creators were going for something special. And NO, no actors were injured during the show! We also checked out Mary Poppins! Great special effects and classic songs made it a treat. We scored buy one get one tickets that made it a sweat deal!


I did some exploring by myself on Saturday while Carolyn was at her conference and visited Wall Street,Grand Central Station, Ground Zero, the sight where Mr. Washington was sworn in as presidente numero uno.

Second only to the Empire State was the Statue of Liberty. Again as we took the ferry across the Hudson to the Statue I found myself mysteriously emotional. It only got worse as we began to walk around. Its smaller that you think in person but (cheese alert) its meaning is larger that you realize before being there.





Imagine fleeing your country leaving friends, family and home behind for what freedom promised. Imagine being on a cold crowed boat for weeks or months and finally seeing the universal beacon of freedom and knowing you made it. Imagine the terror, the excitement, the relief at seeing Miss Liberty and entering a new world. Having that symbol officially greet you and bestow upon you opportunity that everyone before you never had. Wow right!
How about a carriage ride through a snowy central park on a chilly winter night. Our driver was a South American Immigrant who showed us all the sights where movies were filmed. He pointed to a building: "Jew see dat billing, dats wur day film-ed de Ghost Bussers", he grinned and turned to us, "who is jew calling, ghost bussers!"


We also found the original soup Nazi kitchen. Visited a four story haunted house themed bar and restaurant. Toured the American Museum of Natural History. We also visited Rockefeller Plaza where NBC films all its shows. Waved at the Today show. Got some great NY bagels. I met R.L. Stine, the author of the Goosebumps books that were my favorite growing up. Witnessed a 10 year old street performer effortlessly play Beethoven bringing a bustling subway station to a near stand still. I walked, and I walked, and I walked. I think that's the best way to really experience places; at times just wander aimlessly.







This trip was a trip of a lifetime. We took in so much. In the city that never sleeps we didn't really much either. Just the way we like it. Though living in the relentless pace and constant stimulation of the city would be a lot to handle for me I would say of all the cities I've been too, I like New York the best. It is romantic, strangely beautiful, ridiculous, iconic, dirty, electric and loud. It is undoubtedly the greatest city in the world.