Song of the day:
Home…
It always feels good to be home even after a wonderful vacation.
I flew back from New York last night and am still reflecting on what a great time I had. There was truly no drama - other than a couple of maniacal cab drivers! - and I was able to do a lot but also found a lot of time to rest. It was the perfect balance. I’m still on vacation today since going back to work first thing after returning back from a vacation - especially one in a different time zone - is not at all interesting. So I’m getting laundry done, doing some errands, and will soon be sitting in the spa getting a luxurious pedicure. I know my feet will thank me after all the walking I did in the last week!
Since I didn’t post the last couple of days, here’s a little recap from Sunday and Monday in NYC.
Sunday
I mentioned in my Sunday post that I was seeing the musical & Juliet, and it was a fun one. I knew the basic premise of the story - what happens if Juliet moves on with her life after Romeo, but had no idea how it was going to go. The music was super fun - pop songs from various decades - and the stage was cool. Some of the cast members broke the fourth wall a lot, which is always entertaining, and there was a lot of confetti at the end. I’m never mad about that. Most of the cast appeared to be young, maybe early 20s, so that was a little different than the other shows I saw while I was there. And since I went to a matinee there were a lot of kids in the crowd. I mean A LOT. I was worried they would be noisy but they were totally engaged, which was very cool to see. I would definitely go see this again if it came out here on tour, which it likely will at some point.
Before I went to the show, however, I wandered to Times Square for lunch and a little shopping. I may or may not have spent a little money. Okay, I totally did. But it was fun. I only went to two stores because frankly, there were far too many people milling about and most of them were not wearing masks.
After the show I discovered a Rick Bayless restaurant nearby - Tortazo - and knew I had to partake. It was casual Mexican, and I indulged in all of the guacamole and tacos. It was glorious. I’ve been to some of his Chicago restaurants so I knew the food would not disappoint. I highly recommend it if you find yourself in New York one of these days. Or Chicago, as it looks like there’s one there as well.
Monday
I visited the 9/11 Memorial & Museum Monday morning, something I’ve wanted to do since it opened, and it was definitely the most somber of my New York adventures. I found it interesting to learn more about the structure of the buildings and how certain aspects of it have come to mean something important to survivors and first responders. It was overwhelming to see some of the artifacts that were found in the aftermath, both from the buildings themselves and from those inside - some who perished, some who survived. Seeing things like mangled fire trucks and ambulances was shocking, and hearing the various air traffic control recordings, along with voice messages people left, took me right back to that day.
The memorial pools are beautiful. They are so simple in design, which is appropriate. One thing I learned was that every day staff place white roses in the names of the victims when it’s their birthday. Our guide told us that there is at least one birthday every day of the year. I also appreciated that they included the victims of the 1993 WTC bombing in the memorial pools, as well as a special space that honors those who have passed since 9/11 of diseases caused by the event.
I took the picture of Flight 93 and Captain Jason Dahl because he went to San José State and graduated with a degree in Aeronautics.
I’m so glad that I went, but I don’t think I would ever go again. It was a lot to process, and even though it was over 20 years ago, at times it still feels like it was yesterday.
After my tour I walked to Wall Street where I got to visit with friend Jocelyn for a few minutes - she was working so only had a short amount of free time. We were able to catch up a bit and enjoy a nice day on the roof of her building. Afterward I roamed around by the water, said hello to Brooklyn and its bridge, then made my way back to the hotel where I relaxed until meeting another friend for dinner.
My friend Mary and I had a lovely dinner and a great time catching up. We’ve known each other since the early 90s, having met in an advertising class at WVU. It’s been great staying in touch with her over the years and even better being able to see her almost every time I get to New York.
So, all in all it was an excellent trip. I can’t wait to go back! But maybe when it’s a little warmer…
Video of the day:
I almost made a trip to Central Park for this but decided I didn't have enough time…
I hope they’re able to get him home soon since they aren’t sure if he knows how to hunt for food.