The Big Apple

Just back from a whirlwind vacation through New York City. My family and I spent four days cramming in as much sightseeing as possible. And we were pretty successful! We arrived early Thursday morning [on St. Patrick's Day, and yes I wore green!] and after a harrowing van ride, we were in Manhattan before lunch. To avoid the craziness of the midtown parade, we took the subway down to Greenwich Village, Chinatown, and Little Italy. Those neighborhoods are not only completely different from each other, but also from the rest of Manhattan. It was so fun just walking the streets and taking in all the new sights. While in Greenwich, we did find the FRIENDS building from one of my favorite TV shows of all time as well! So exciting! After dinner, my sister Stephanie and I went out to see more of the city, and we found the awesome Apple Store on 5th Avenue. It was every bit of exciting as I had hoped! On Friday, we explored more of midtown. Starting at the Rockefeller Center, we went straight to the top for an incredible view of the city. While at Rockefeller, I couldn't help think of my new favorite show, 30 Rock, and took tons of pictures seen in the opening credits! Highlight of this day: celebrity sighting! Matt Bomer, from Chuck and White Collar was filming a segment on the Today show, and we got to see him. YAY! Afterward, Steph and I continued out on our way. I had a total Project Runway afternoon...from Parsons School of Design where each episode is filmed, to Mood Designer Fabrics where the contestants shop every episode, to Bryant Park where Fashion Week is held, I was pretty much in heaven! I loved Fashion District.





































We then went back downtown for a water taxi tour around the Statue of Liberty. So cool! We walked Wall Street and the Financial District and saw all the sights. That night, we saw The Lion King on Broadway. It's a show I've seen before and loved. Having just returned form Africa, I looked at the animals with new appreciation. It was a fantastic show! On Saturday, we started the day in Central Park. Walking past famous movie landmarks like Wollman Rink [Serendipity], Loeb's Boathouse [27 Dresses], and Bethesda Fountain [One Fine Day, Gossip Girl], it was a great day. We then took a carriage ride through the park, and enjoyed the other sights that our driver pointed out. We then shopped like kids....FAO Schwartz then Dylan's Candy Bar! After shopping, Stephanie and I got our fill of culture, with tours of both the Guggenheim Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. We saw originals from famous artists such as Picasso, Monet, Van Gogh, Pollock, Dali and Warhol. It ended up being one of my favorite parts of the trip.

We crashed into bed at the end of this very long day. Sunday morning we had a few hours to kill before heading to the airport, so went back down to Greenwich, enjoyed some cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery, and took a tour of the NBC studios. It was a full, but exciting four days to say the least. We saw a ton of things, and had a blast doing it. But, I'm happy to be home and excited about my next adventure...School of Ministry Development with YWAM Orlando starting in just 7 days!!