Whitley's Week: Bundled Up In The Big Apple

This past weekend, I flew up to NYC to visit Jen, one of my best friends from college who lives in Manhattan. I had never toured the city before, and hadn't seen Jennifer since her wedding three years ago, so I figured it was time for a trip! I landed in Laguardia around 3:30, and survived a harrowing cab ride to arrive at Jennifer's apartment by 4:00. (Honestly, I know it is such a cliche, but the cab driver scared me to death! He was honking, mumbling curse words, gunning it on the highway, flying around turns, and weaving in out of traffic, all while the backseat TV flashed news headlines across the screen such as, "Queens Stalker Cuts Out Victim's Heart in Gruesome Murder". Less than two hours into the trip, I was seriously starting to wonder why I came.) All apprehension disappeared, however, when I hugged my darling, welcoming friend! The two of us spent the next few hours catching up and devouring chips before bundling up to face the NYC nightlife! We ate dinner at one of Jennifer's favorite nearby restaurants, and then took the subway to Time Square where Jennifer surprised me with tickets to The Lion King! It really was an amazing show with impressive backdrops and ingenious animal costumes. On Saturday, we started our morning with a warm, fireside breakfast at another one of Jennifer's favorites- Friend of a Farmer. http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/friend-of-a-farmer/ I ordered a sampler platter with eggs, bacon, home fries, and pumpkin pancakes. Mmmmm! Throughout the meal I tried to soak in the cozy, country atmosphere thinking about how much Tom would love it! After breakfast, we walked down Wall Street to Ground Zero, and then rode on the Staten Island Ferry to get a closer view of the Statue of Liberty. (It was also a nice opportunity to rest our feet and warm up a little.) Once off the Ferry, we took the subway to a quick stop at Grand Central Station, before continuing on to Central Park. With cups of Dean and DeLuca hot chocolate in our gloved hands, Jen and I wandered about the park for nearly an hour and a half. Even on a gloomy winter day, the landscaping was beautiful and calming. I loved seeing the setting of Shakespeare in the Park, the Imagine mosaic in honor of John Lennon, and the Bethesda terrace. Eventually, cold and fatigue set in, and Jennifer and I couldn't feel our legs; thus, we exited the park and hopped in a cab for a quick ride to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This museum houses far too many treasures to see in one day, so we stuck to the Ancient Greek and Roman statues, the Modern Art exhibit, and the European paintings. By far the wildest thing we saw was a large shark in a huge rectangular formaldehyde tank. Its mouth was open, and its eyes rolled back, and once again, I tried to take in every strange detail knowing how much Whitley would love it. (She is so crazy about sharks!) I also enjoyed viewing many well-known works by Picasso, Monet, Van Gogh, Degas, and more. After the museum, Jennifer and I were worn out and ready to rest, so I bought a hot dog from a vendor, and we grabbed a cab home. That night, Jen and her husband Todd treated me and another friend of theirs to a delicious sushi dinner! Then, we drove around the city, and I saw the Empire State building and some of the different neighborhoods around town. Sunday morning, we slept in a bit before visiting Rockefeller Square where we bought tickets for the NBC studios' tour. They showed us a newsroom, the set of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and the SNL studio. I was impressed by all the props and backdrops that littered the entirety of the SNL studio. I don't know how they manage all of that during the quick commercial breaks! Jen and I quickly lunched on NY pizza, and then it was time for me to head to the airport. A surprisingly uneventful cab ride later, I zipped through security and was at my gate by 3:00. Multiple flight delays followed, and I didn't end up arriving in North Carolina until around 8:00. George was kind enough to brave the ice and snow covering the majority of NC, and I ended up spending the night at Stacy's, as no one wanted me on the dangerous roads that late at night. I did make it safely home to my wonderful husband and daughter around 1:00 today, and heard about their nice, snowed-in weekend together. Thanks so much, Whitley and Tom, for letting me go! Todd and Jennifer, I am so grateful for your hospitality!

Our view of Lady Liberty from the ferry.

Jennifer and I laughed so hard at this picture. This is literally seconds after I snapped the shot of the Statue of Liberty. Everyone was taking photos in front of it, and so we asked someone to take ours. I think she kind of missed the point!