That one time I went to New York City Day 1

Hey, remember how I used to blog All. The. Time? Yeah, I haven't done that in a while- but I've had a couple of pretty awesome adventures and I wanted to write them down before I forget. If anyone besides my mom reads them, cool- but really this is just kind of an online journal of my trip. I have the pictures. I have the journal entries... but I kinda want something that blends them together. Join me if you dare, on this tour of places that I'd only ever seen in movies- and I finally get to watch a movie and say, "Hey, I've been there!"

**deep breath** Here we go:

A couple of months ago I went on an amazing adventure! My friend, Marie and I made plans to go to the DC temple open house. We thought, hey- let's open this up to the whole book club. Remember my book club? The world's greatest book club? I feel like I've said book club too much...  Anyway, we opened it up and about half the ladies were in! I talked to Kristen, who lives in New York, and she and I decided on a slightly longer adventure. We planned that I would go visit her in NYC, and then we would drive to DC together to meet the rest of the crew a few days later. 

I'd *seen* NYC, but I'd never *been* there so I was very excited for this adventure! And I'd never been to DC at all- so all all kinds of things to see!

Before the trip started, I met my mom and sister halfway between Caldwell and Poky to give them my critters. They got to stay at grandma's house for a couple of weeks. 😀   Here we are in the middle-of-nowhere-Idaho. 

Sunday morning I headed to the airport. My friend, Janna was also flying out, so I left my car at her house and we drove together. 

The flight to Atlanta was uneventful. I love some good turbulence. I learned how to watch movies and that made it go by so much faster!

The flight to NYC was short- but made me feel bad. I was in the very last row and it was a full flight. The last guy to get on the plane was assigned next to me. Well, he was assigned in my row, but the girl who got there before him took the window seat. Anyway- I stood up to let him in- and he started bribing everyone to trade seats with him. He offered a kid $100 bill to move. She'd already traded someone else so she could sit by her mom- so she refused. The whole thing made me feel kinda bad. I mean, at the time, it was just ridiculous and I was laughing- but the more I thought about it, the worse I felt. I'm not *that* disgusting am I? I think his bribe was up to $300 when the flight attendant finally told him to sit. One other person didn't show up- so he ended up taking that seat- one row up and over from me- so he was still in the back. I mean, it worked out well for me because I got extra elbow room- but still...

Anyhoo- I got there a little later than planned. It was a long day of traveling. Kristen picked me up and we headed to her house in Long Island. She booted one of her kids out of his bed so I could sleep in it. Awww, thanks buddy. Sorry about that!

The next morning her oldest son drove us to the train station and we headed into the city!

This was my first step into the city. I can no longer say I've never been to NYC!

First thing we did was head to our hotel so we could check in and drop off our stuff. We stayed in the Financial District. We were on the 16th floor. This was our view- out onto someone's terrace. I'm not a creeper at all. 

We ventured out and our first block led us to the red cube sculpture. 

We walked down to Battery Park and caught the ferry to Liberty Island. I'd been there before- but where we didn't have a full day, we wanted to hit Liberty and Ellis. I've never taken the ferry from NY before. When I worked at Ellis, we drove from NJ over a secret bridge, then the one time we went to Liberty Island, we only ferried to and from Ellis and Liberty. 

 

   

I don't know if this video will play- but remember that scene from You've Got Mail where Joe Fox takes his aunt and brother to the boat and they say hello to New Jersey? That's what inspired this. It was the closest to Jersey I've been in 19 years.

Did I take too many pictures? Probably. But, yet here I am, blogging them, and here you are, looking at them.

 

We wandered Liberty for a while and had to check out the gift shop. When I saw this hat...er...tiara thing, I HAD to take it just so I could ask, "Who wore it better?" Hahaha!

      

I was happy to have me and New Jersey in the same picture. :) 

There were a lot of really neat things in the museum. It's always nice to see a girl with a nose bigger than mine. (my family will appreciate that joke,  even if no one else does) 

This was the original torch. Some fool thought it would be a good idea to poke holes in it so light could shine through- and it made it too fragile to repair. Kinda neat though, to be this close to it. 

We got the last ferry over to Ellis. I'm pretty sure I have another 8,000 pictures like these, but with me dressed as a missionary. 

This is still my favorite room. It hasn't changed much in the last 100 years. 

By the time we got there, the History of Immigration Center was closed so I didn't get to see anyone I might know.  We toured the building- and just heads up for those who may plan a trip- when they say they close at 5 pm... they close AT 5. Where I come from, that means at 5 they start shooing people out. Nope. they start throwing people out at 4:30 so they can lock the doors and leave at 5. We didn't even make it to the gift shop. 😭 So we sat outside and waited for the last ferry to come pick us up. 

If you've never been to Ellis Island, I really, REALLY recommend you go. It's been a long time since it was in operation, but you can still feel the spirit of all those who were processed there. There's nothing quite like it. 

It was a really rainy, kind of miserable day. We didn't get much sleep the night before, so we walked back to our hotel, got a couple of slices of pie and hung out. 

Our walk back though, took us past the New York Stock Exchange 

This little girl was staring down the NYSE. I think they move her around because I swear I've seen pictures of her staring down the Bull (which we saw but I did not take pictures of because there were 1000 people crawling all over it)

It was an adventurous first day, for sure. Buckle up and wait till day two!