Tuesday morning we decided we would head off to the Metropolitan Museum and try to see if we could catch a Broadway show. We had breakfast at the diner in our hotel. I had the yummiest lemon ricotta pancakes!
We first thought we would try to see if the hotel concierge could get us a deal on a show. We wanted to see Priscilla Queen of the Desert as Lisa isn't really into musicals, but figured that one would be fun enough with all the disco/dance music in it. Well don't waste your time with the hotel concierge. Apparently they work with brokers and trying to sell us tickets for more money then the brokers paid for. WTF is the point? So we ended down to Times Square to see if the theater or half price ticket booth would have something for us. The line at the half price booth was so long and we realized the theater was literally right across the street, we just went directly to the source. We ended up getting balcony seats (not at half price, but still pretty cheap). http://www.broadway.com/shows/priscilla-queen-desert/ So we ended off to the Met for some different art.
The weather was overcast with a chance of rain so we figured this would be a good day to hang indoors of the museum. Well apparently so did everyone else! I also found out since returning Tuesday was Museum day! Luckily the Met has only a suggested price of $25, but you can pay whatever amount you want or nothing at all. Since it was already afternoon we figured we would only pay $10 each. They do have a good system for tickets. Its a little foil button you put on your clothes, so the guards can see you paid. But with the crowds we had that day it would have been easy to get around without paying.
The first thing you should do when visiting the Met is decide what you want to see. The museum is HUGE! I would really suggest visiting the site online first, as I think they have one of the best sites that have an interactive map and thumbnails all of art on display. http://www.metmuseum.org/ We did not do this and quickly got lost. I would say their map and layout in person isn't the easiest to navigate. We found the Greek sculptures quickly and started having fun as usual. We behaved a little better here than we did at the Louvre (but not much). We then take a few wrong turns to the European Paintings where we finally found Renoir, Monet, VanGogh, and Degas. I then wanted to see the Egyptian Temple of Dendur they rebuilt. I wish we had more time and wasn't as crowded to see all the artwork properly, but we had a show to get home and get ready for.
Apparently everyone thought is was a good day to stay inside the museum
Lisa admiring the Greek sculptures
Renoir
VanGogh
Degas
I just loved the casual pose of this guy
Temple of Dendur
We decided we would try to catch a cab home instead as it will be faster than walking 8 blocks to the subway. Unfortunately cabs didn't want our business. Lisa flagged two down and both asked where we wanted to go and they said no. I didn't know that was possible. Apparently, they aren't suppose to do that. We asked our hotel people when we returned (after taking the subway home) why this happened. He said next time don't tell them and just get in the cab and then tell them. They are required by law to take you anywhere you request. But this wasn't the end of our cab problems. We also asked the hotel information if we have a show to be at by 6:30 what time should we come down and try to catch one in front of the hotel. His helpful answer was "well it's 6 o clock". WTF does that mean, we'll have trouble or not. He really couldn't give us a good answer and just kept saying well you should take the subway. We were going to be dressed up and wearing heels (at least Lisa was). So we figured if we caught a cab at 6pm we would be fine. Well we showed up and asked the doorman to catch us a cab. It took him 25 minutes to finally get one to pick us up, as they all already had fares from Penn Station a block away. Either way we got to the Theater in ten minutes and it only costs $6 + tip.
Finally in a cab
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Afterwards we were one of the last people leaving and having a great conversation with the guy selling all the merchandise and he told us to go check out the High Line on our way to Chelsea the next day and where to get the best NY bagels (Zabars, more on that later).
May 16, 2012
The High Line http://www.thehighline.org/ is an old frieght train railway. No trains have run on the High Line since 1980. Mayor Bloomberg preserved it as a public park and the first section opened in 2009. It runs from W 30th St to W 12th St. It's an easy, quiet, pretty way to walk 18 blocks in New York. No stop lights or traffic to wait for. We took it down to the Chelsea Market off 16th St.
The High Line http://www.thehighline.org/ is an old frieght train railway. No trains have run on the High Line since 1980. Mayor Bloomberg preserved it as a public park and the first section opened in 2009. It runs from W 30th St to W 12th St. It's an easy, quiet, pretty way to walk 18 blocks in New York. No stop lights or traffic to wait for. We took it down to the Chelsea Market off 16th St.
View from the High Line
Artwork on the High Line
The High Line
New and old graffiti on the High Line
Before heading into the Chelsea Market, Lisa needed her daily Starbucks fix, it was at this time sitting down and relaxing that Lisa thought it would be helpful to figure out where we need to take the subway to the 9/11 memorial. Good thing she did this as she realized I did NOT print out the actual tickets. I didn't read the whole confirmation (which they make very clear is NOT your ticket and won't be accepted). So I started to panic a little as this is the only thing I really pre-planned and setup a reserved time for. I called my mom who luckily was at my house watching Charlie, forgetting its probably 7 or 8am with the time difference and having to walk her through forwarding the tickets to mine and Lisa's email and then having to find a place to print them out at. There isn't a FedEx or Kinkos near by, so luckily with all the traveling I do, I thought of asking a hotel to use their business center. Starbucks directs us to the Dream Hotel around the corner. This is a really, really nice hotel. I ask the front desk is they have a business center and the nicest man says no but if I sent it to the hotel email, they will print it out for us. If you are looking for a swanky modern hotel, contact Ayo Akinsete at the Dream Hotel. They were truly so helpful and nice to us, even after realizing we were not staying at their hotel. They printed our tickets and we were on our way to lunch.
Dream Hotel Lobby, you can see the bottom of the pool in the ceiling http://www.dreamdowntown.com/
The Chelsea Market is a great foodie place to go. The Food Network studio and filming is on the upper floors of the building (unfortunately they don't give tours). We had lunch from Friedman's Lunch followed with a trip to the Fat Witch Bakery for some yummy brownies.
Lunch at Chelsea Market
After lunch we figured we would head down to the Staten Island Ferry before our meeting time for the 9/11 memorial. We took the subway to the end and got there right in time for the next departing ferry. A large crowd just pushes their way onto the boat. The boat though is HUGE, you would think by looking at the crowd you won't get on. But once on and people rush to the front for the best vantage point of sightseeing, you'll notice plenty of empty space. The boat literally takes a half hour to go from Manhattan to Staten Island, passing the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Once docked at Staten Island you have to disembark and then just turn around and get on the next ferry going back to Manhattan. I'm sure there is stuff to see in Staten Island too, but we just went for the free ferry ride and photo ops of the Statue and Skyline of Manhattan. I would think its very pretty at sunset or night. But we just headed back to the mainland.
Statue of Liberty from Staten Island Ferry
The Staten Island Ferry
Brooklyn Bridge from Staten Island Ferry
Battery Park/Staten Island Subway station
We decided to walk up to the memorial as the people at the Dream Hotel said it's only about 10 minute walk. That is for people whose feet aren't feeling like one big throbbing mess. Lisa and I were both dragging a bit by now and had plenty of time to walk to the memorial at a slow pace. We hit a flea market where we both bought some pretties (mine was leather, hers was made from some hard seed/nut). We wandered up pass the Bull sculpture off Wall Street. Lisa found some political people to argue with as I wandered across the street to the Trinity Church. For someone who isn't religious I always love to seek out churches on trips as it seems they are architecturally interesting to me. And it seems all the money the church collects goes into the gold and stain glass of these churches, so for a photographer I will continue to wander inside of them.
A sculptor used fallen tree roots from 9/11as a sculpture next to the church
Interior of Trinity Church
Interior of Trinity Church
We found our way to the memorial pretty easy, but by this time my feet were starting to really hurt. I didn't wear the new walking sandals enough at home to get my feet used to them. I wasn't getting blisters, more like my arches and calves were so sore and aching and not wanting to move anymore. We had some time to rest on these concrete blocks they had around the park, so I decided to take full advantage of it. As Lisa went to use the restroom at the hotel behind us a large group of elderly woman, a few with canes, apparently thought I looked like I should be part of their group and took up all the empty space around me to rest. I just remember thinking great Lisa is going to love this. I thought she was going to pee her pants from laughing (even though she did just use the restroom). She took a few photos of me surrounded by these women. All you can to is laugh!
My group of elderly women
We headed into the memorial a little early than our time. Not really knowing what to expect, but it is like a huge park with 2 fountain/pools that sit in the original spots of the Twin Towers. I really wish I took some video footage here as there is no way to convey the size of these pools and the feeling of being there. I couldn't even imagine the chaos and horror of being around this area during the attacks as it's literally downtown in the middle of everything. But I believe they did a wonderful job creating something meaningful and beautiful out of something so awful. You really couldn't rebuild on top of the spots without remembering what once stood there, so I think the fountains were very appropriate tribute. They are building two new Freedom Towers and the museum isn't open yet. I would have loved to see it from above and at night, but it's definitely a sight to behold and remember those who were lost in such a tragic senseless manner.
9/11 Memorial
The survivor tree - the last living thing removed from ground zero
South Pool with the museum and Freedom Tower
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