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New York City Weekend Vacation

We had a great time in NYC the weekend before last. We left Friday afternoon by Amtrak and headed to Penn Station to meet DH who was there already for work. We had a fabulous stay at the Marriott East hotel in Manhattan. See our fabulous room:



See how happy the peeps were at our room as we were leaving for some Friday evening adventures.



We got a New York Pass, which was a great value for us, as we wanted to do lots of museums and stuff for this trip. Friday evening we went to Madame Tussaud's wax museum. Here's some of our favorite moments there.







Then we were pretty hungry. It was almost 10 PM and we hadn't had dinner yet. So we started walking back to the hotel by way of Bryant Park and had a late supper at an outdoor cafe there. It was really yummy!



I think I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow Friday night (although I think I did every night we were in NYC). The next morning, we went to the Today Show and stood outside while we waited for the weekend anchors to come outside to visit.



Phoebe and I got our picture with Amy.



After that we had our breakfast at a diner where the waiters and waitresses all sing in between serving guests. I'm sure it was a touristy thing to do, but Phoebe loved it so much she barely ate her breakfast.



We then took the subway to the South Street Seaport for our two late morning and afternoon activities.



We saw the Bodies... The Exhibition down at the Seaport, which was really cool, if you're not easily creeped out. We are not, and it was very educational, not just freaky real bodies preserved forever in some polymer process. We couldn't take any pictures in there, and I like to follow the rules, so there really aren't any pictures. Did I say it was really cool?

After that, we had reservations on a clipper ship to tour the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and Governor Island. It drizzled and then it rained, but the staff was super nice, they had a bar on the ship that had coffee and hot chocolate to go with the other bar beverages. They handed out plastic ponchos in little bags to keep us dry when it really started raining hard. We had a lot of fun despite the weather.











After the boat ride, we caught the subway back to the hotel for a quick change into evening wear before taking a taxi to Tao for dinner and the Cirque du Soleil show currently at Radio City Music Hall. It was the show that sparked it all, as if you know us, we've gone to about 10 of these shows with Phoebe since she was 4 years old. It's our thing with her and we bought these tickets as a surprise back in November when the pre-sale tickets were available. Here's the pics of Phoebe and I at the restaurant. My hair was mad crazy with the rain. I just let it do it's thing.





We had a great time at the show and we were able to take a few pictures before it started.



The clowns were so funny. They were searching out bald guys to clean and put carpet on their heads.



I got a picture with one of the performers before the show. She and her costume were gorgeous!



This is the guy announcing the beginning of the show. I think this one turned out fabulous.



And then I turned off the camera, sat back and enjoyed the show. We went straight back to the hotel after the show. It was an 8PM show, so we got back about 10:30PM. I again fell asleep before my head hit the pillow.

Sunday morning, we showered, packed, checked out and gave our bags to the desk while we finished our excursions with the New York Pass. We went to the Guggenheim, which was very disappointing as most of it was closed for a new installation. We then had extra time, so we went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and caught just a few highlights to show Phoebe. We walked back to Rockefeller Plaza for our scheduled time with the NBC Studio Tour at 1:15PM. We walked as the Puerto Rican Parade was that day, so we got to enjoy seeing that on our walk back. No celebrities, but the atmosphere of the crowd and parade was pretty cool. After the NBC Studio Tour, we went to the Harry Potter Exhibit in Times Square. Then we got a bite to eat at Ben's Deli. On the way back to the hotel for our bags, we stopped at the American Girl Doll Store to pick up a doll that looks like Phoebe that she had picked out that morning. We walked from the hotel to Penn Station with our bags and caught a 8PM train back home. It was a late night for a school night, but Phoebe and us all had a great time. Here Phoebe is on the train with her new doll. It does look like her, doesn't it?

Comments

Mandy said…
Wow, that's a lot packed into a weekend! I can't imagine how you stayed awake through it all. I used to love city life but New York is too much for me these days.

I'm sure you loved the one on one time with Phoebe though. I really hope we are able to have focused time like this with the girls
LOVE all the pics and yes, that doll looks just like her.

When I make it to NYC one day, you and I will have to meet up - is it fairly near you? :)
Happy said…
What a great weekend!
Deanna said…
SO fun! Phoebe's doll does look like her...both are gorgeous!

I love how you encourage her interests, like the Cirque du Soleil thing. Glad you had a wonderful trip!

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