After the Kentucky Derby and then watching the Preakness on TV, Angel and I decided that it might be fun to see a Triple Crown Race, so on a whim we found cheap tickets to NYC, a room with my points, and sweet tickets to the race at Belmont Park -- we wanted I'll Have Another to have another. Nuts, maybe? Fun, yes indeed..... The two of us in NYC? Were they ready?
I left a family vacation at the beach and Angel left a busy week at work. Our flight was at the crack of dawn -- 6:00 a.m. direct. The best part was that we both did something miraculous, we packed in carryon bags for our trip (of course, inside our carry-ons were an empty duffel bag for our purchases). I have an old friend that would be very impressed with my new packing acumen.
As soon as we got off the airplane in NYC - this is what we saw:
way to connected at the airport -- this is supposed to be a place of refuge away from technology... not anymore....
I slept the whole way and then we hit the ground running, kind of - our Carmel hired car was around the corner waiting on us and the ride into the city was quick, passing through Queens. He got us to our Holiday Inn Express on W. 39th in Hell’s Kitchen with no problem. It was neat to look at all the fabric shops along the street in the Garment District with the beautiful colors like a patchwork --- a mutual friend of ours would have love this area of town (she is a quilter).
a sign in Queens?
Luckily we could check in our room early, my mom would freak as we were on the 34th floor (we had a view of the river). Only 6 rooms on every floor. After refreshing ourselves and changing out of our travel clothes, we grabbed a cab to Mulberry Street in Little Italy.
the hat made it and was ready for the race.....
We had both been to NYC before and seen all the “big” sites and wanted to try different things a little off the beaten path.
Sofia’s looked appetizing and was recommended on Tripadvisor too. It was barely 11:00 and the hockers with their gold chains were out in force. Trying to get people in their restaurants.
The weather outside was magnificent -- sunny and around 75 degrees. So we sat outside in the shade -- front row, center for people watching. Tortellini with bolognese and lasagna -- great meal to start off our walking tour of NYC.
These men (with their gold chains and slicked back hair) had issues with where to put a flag. This was entertaining the
first 8 minutes -- how many men does it take to hang a flag? Give them a beer and a southern accent and we could be in any small town in my neck of the woods - men are the same everywhere.
first 8 minutes -- how many men does it take to hang a flag? Give them a beer and a southern accent and we could be in any small town in my neck of the woods - men are the same everywhere.
It is funny when you walk through Little Italy, it is reminiscent of small Italian towns -- singing waiters and great Italian art.....
On Sunday it was Puerto Rico Day -- with a parade and everything. No we didn't go see it.
Angel was looking for something in particular in Chinatown, so that was our next stop. It is always surreal to go from Italy to China in just a few blocks. Look to the left and the signs are in English/Italian and then the next block Chinese/English.
We hit a few souvenir shops doing some “extreme” shopping, even for us this was a new experience. And maybe one we shouldn’t repeat.
Though we should have caught a cab to Ground Zero, we hiked. But as usual when you wander you always find a treasure or two.
Columbus Park is part of what used to be the Five Points area - where all the violent gang activity happened in the tenements of NYC. Now it is a pleasant retreat in a sea of concrete for the locals to visit and play games.
:) love it!
We kept running into road impediments -- the police station, city hall etc that took up lots of streets shut off. After walking under the entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge pedestrian walkway, we ran into a statue of Benjamin Franklin.
brother this one is for you - wicked painted wolf
would you trust your baby with this woman? her choice of hair color is interesting...
big daddies? :) lol
The first historic building we encountered near Ground Zero was St. Paul’s Chapel. George Washington had gone to church here before, but more importantly in our history this was where some of the recovery workers sought refuge from their humanitarian efforts after September 11, 2001.
Set up all around the chapel were reminders of the efforts made. To think a short distance away was the site of the greatest tragedy of my lifetime and this is the place of refuge for it’s tireless heros. St. Paul’s is such a small chapel compared to the great cathedrals around the world, but you can feel the good hearts that have rested here. The energy is unlike anything you can express in words.
"in the midst of his usefulness"
Rodin? no America!
We walked toward the Ground Zero site and were very tired. So before we got there, we stopped at Century 21 (a huge store that had air conditioning and a place to relax a few minutes from our long hike). Didn’t purchase anything as it was so crowded and uncomfortable, but the a/c was refreshing.
Finally we got close and stumbled upon the Tribute WTC Visitor’s Centre. Outside a man saw our confused looks and asked if we wanted a guided tour of the memorial site. So we paid our fee and went inside the Centre. Good thing or bad, it was an eyeopener. This is a place opened by the September 11 Families Association. There are lots of personal things here on display. Presently there is no WTC museum (though one is being built at the memorial area), so this is all there is to commemorate the event right now.
no words here......
it hurts your heart
We waited outside for our guided tour and noticed there was an active firehouse.
Brian Edwards and Bruce Powers were our trusty tour leaders. The first stop was the fireman’s memorial on the side of the firehouse, that was proposed by a law firm. One of their attorneys was a volunteer fireman who rushed to the site and never returned that day. It is an impressive bronze that on the back has families' and friends' handwritten tributes made prior to the bronze being attached to the wall. I knew I had to steel myself because I am such a crybaby and this was going to be emotional. How can you not see a window from the plane and not want to bawl?
that is a saw....
Across the street started the security lines. To get to the site, you have to go through security almost as strict as the airport. After winding our way around the outside of the site, we emerged to a huge open space filled with lines of trees and neatly arranged grass spaces (not to be stepped on) that lead to two giant pools of water. Brian told us the story of the area and the layout of this 16 acre memorial site. The more I think about it a wall around this area would be very appropriate - it would continue the theme that this site is more than just part of the downtown area - it is a memorial site.
You can put your fingers in the running water and then touch the names of the deceased in their memory.
The survivor tree -- it survived the fall of the towers and is still growing -- a little warped and gnarled but growing despite it’s scars.
Brian was retired from the Port Authority and worked at the WTC. He had survived the 1993 bombing and he and his wife (who also worked for the Port Authority) were both off on September 11th as he had worked the night before and her shift had gotten changed. He told us stories about the day and his friends. The biggest regret he had was not going to get his 7 year old son at school. He said the child got off the bus a total basket case, because he thought his parents were both at work that day.
He told us how many of the workers had already lived through the 1993 bombing and were trained to get out of the building in a disaster. I didn’t realize it was the first day of school in the area and that the time that the firehouses changed shifts was 9:00 a.m. -- so lots of people were late getting to work and those firetrucks went out with both shifts of men on them. It is amazing how God works in mysterious ways. Had the planes hit at a later time in the day or the people not known to get out of the building asap....
Bruce then told us his story -- his Pentagon story. He is a retired Navy man, whose last post was at the Pentagon. His desk was 100 yards from the point of impact and the plane had been traveling in another direction. He got out of the building quickly and started walking home. He stopped along the way to call his wife and the phone was busy every time he tried to call. He finally got in contact with his daughter to assure her he was alive. He walked seven miles home that day. And every September 11 after that, he walks those same seven miles in memory of his friends and thankful that he can.
This was a very sobering experience and we decided a short nap would be the only way we could make it through the night. So we grabbed a cab for a rush hour ride to our hotel.
Sleep or eat? Normally that is not a big decision for us but this time we picked rest. After resting up and getting all dolled up for a night on the town, we got a cab (at the bus station) for Lincoln Center -- there had to be somewhere for us to grab something before the theater, right?
it's right across the street from the main bus terminal
Wrong, instead we were able to find gourmet popcorn, unsalted nuts, and chocolate shortbread shaped like horses..... we were going to see Warhorse.
Our seats were about 6 rows from the front and we were on the side of the center. Our over enthusiastic usher made sure we had all belongings out of the aisle and that our seatmates had their phones turned off. I thought the little guy from Ohio was going to come unglued and go postal on her, but thankfully he didn’t. I was glad for my purchase of my pretty purple pashmina earlier in the day - it came in handy as a blanket.
I have been going to plays since I was very small -- Frankenstein in the High School Auditorium etc. I have seen Phantom in London and Les Mis in several different theaters. But I have to say Warhorse was an amazing and memorable theater experience. And anyone who is a fan of theater needs to go see it. The actors were great, the scenery was great, the dialogue was great -- but the horses and their “handlers” were aweinspiring. Three people made a puppet of a horse come alive before your eyes. It is like no other thing to have a puppet become real. At some point you don’t even remember it is a puppet. The ears move and react, the head moves and reacts, the legs move, he carries a rider with grace....... That is talent like no other ---- Truly magic of the theater.
I had seen the movie and the play was a little different. Angel had not seen the movie (as she has a very tender heart for animals, especially horses). The movie I thought was wonderful and epic - like Gone with the Wind or Shane. And then to see this play- a definite experience.
If you are going to be in NYC or have the opportunity to see a traveling version - pony up the money (pun intended) and get going.
Lincoln Center artwork
We continued to have NYC moments, there were three different sets of people, spaced out along the busy street waving for cabs. But we were ladies with dresses on and so they stopped for us --- the middle set. I grabbed the door as the other people tried to run for our cab. We hopped in like we had good sense and Angel said -- That’s what they get for trying to take a cab from a Mardi Gras girl, we know how to hold our ground. :)
To top off our NYC experiences of the day, instead of hitting a posh "after theater" venue, we opted for Fat Sal’s pizza and ate in our PJ’s in our room. Great end to a long day. Now to get rested up for the horse races.
Almost forgot, we had learned earlier in the day that I’ll Have Another, wasn’t having anymore of it and had gotten scratched from the race. The Triple Crown was no longer an issue, but we were having a great time anyway.
