Strawberry Fields in Central Park: Meg, Suz, Katy-- with shopping bags in tow!
Ellis Island
New York City is a great place---so many different people and cultures, buildings, traffic, lights, energy, shopping and history. We visited the site of the World Trade Center and saw pictures and heard stories from those who survived that horrific day. Workers still continue to clean up the rubble from the explosions. We toured the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. I felt a little emotional as I thought about my own grandfather, Harry Gavos, who at 17, sailed from Greece and came through Ellis Island to begin a new life in America. After reading the immigrant stories and seeing their pictures, I wondered if I could have had the courage to do that. I am grateful that my grandfather did.
The first torch for the Statue of Liberty--originally lit by candles!
Having one of our tourist moments...
We were lucky enough to see two fabulous Broadway Shows—“The Lion King” and “Guys and Dolls”. Broadway lives up to its reviews and far surpassed my expectations! Our “brush with fame” came after the Guys and Dolls show, when like groupies, we waited at the Stage Door to have Oliver Platt (The Three Musketeers, The West Wing) and Lauren Graham (The Gilmore Girls) sign our Playbills.
We walked the Brooklyn Bridge and Central Park, visited Little Italy and Chinatown, and discovered the NYC’s Underground Purse Railroad when buying our Coach and Prada (aka: "Fauxch" and "Frauda") knock-off’s. That is a story for a different day…
On the Brooklyn Bridge...
Mostly it was fun discovering something new with good friends. I am exhausted (slept 15 hours in 3 days—sharing a double bed with Meg!), but energized. Scott scores a "10" for a great Mother’s Day present! And thanks to Rod, Hailey, and Hannah and Kris, Karin, Kirsten, Ava, and Mia for sharing their gals with me!
Over Mother's Day weekend, I traveled to New York City with my friends Katy and Megan for a little “Girls Getaway”. I have taken other “Mom Vacations”, but this was my FIRST dedicated “girlfriend trip.” It will not be my last! I know Katy from Canton--she is quite possibly the best cook I know and has many other wonderful, enviable talents. Meg and I go way back to our Orem High days--I love her humor and our history runs deep!
Ellis IslandNew York City is a great place---so many different people and cultures, buildings, traffic, lights, energy, shopping and history. We visited the site of the World Trade Center and saw pictures and heard stories from those who survived that horrific day. Workers still continue to clean up the rubble from the explosions. We toured the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. I felt a little emotional as I thought about my own grandfather, Harry Gavos, who at 17, sailed from Greece and came through Ellis Island to begin a new life in America. After reading the immigrant stories and seeing their pictures, I wondered if I could have had the courage to do that. I am grateful that my grandfather did.
The first torch for the Statue of Liberty--originally lit by candles!Having one of our tourist moments...We were lucky enough to see two fabulous Broadway Shows—“The Lion King” and “Guys and Dolls”. Broadway lives up to its reviews and far surpassed my expectations! Our “brush with fame” came after the Guys and Dolls show, when like groupies, we waited at the Stage Door to have Oliver Platt (The Three Musketeers, The West Wing) and Lauren Graham (The Gilmore Girls) sign our Playbills.
Times Square after The Lion King
We walked the Brooklyn Bridge and Central Park, visited Little Italy and Chinatown, and discovered the NYC’s Underground Purse Railroad when buying our Coach and Prada (aka: "Fauxch" and "Frauda") knock-off’s. That is a story for a different day…
On the Brooklyn Bridge...
Did I mention the food? Katy did the research…best deli in the city? The Carnegie Deli—home to the foot-high (not foot-long) sandwich. Great pickles too. For pizza, Grimaldi’s in Brooklyn is probably some of the best pizza I have had…EVER. And in Mid-Town, behind a black curtain at the 5-Star Parker Meridien, is “The Burger Joint”—it rivals In-N-Out—and that is saying A-LOT! And if that isn’t indulgent enough, the cupcakes at The Magnolia Bakery are TO DIE FOR! Loved them so much, we went back TWICE. Needless to say, after our weekend calorie splurge, it’s back to reality—nothing but Kashi Go Lean and tofu for the next 10 weeks.
Mostly it was fun discovering something new with good friends. I am exhausted (slept 15 hours in 3 days—sharing a double bed with Meg!), but energized. Scott scores a "10" for a great Mother’s Day present! And thanks to Rod, Hailey, and Hannah and Kris, Karin, Kirsten, Ava, and Mia for sharing their gals with me!
