New York City 2/16/2014

FEBRUARY 16, 2014 (Sunday)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BROTHER JOHN!

Busy, busy day and we are all very tired.

Woke up to grey skies but it had stopped snowing. Some of the huge piles of snow had gone down considerably.

We were up and out of our rooms by 10:00 AM. Michael and I went across the street to Subway for breakfast and then we walked to the TKTS half off booth in Times Square. (Lexi said she would meet us there as she was finishing getting ready.) We wanted to be there when it opened at 11:00 AM. When we got down there (and the walk was very cold, something like 22 degrees), there was a huge line. It curled around and went across the street and down the sidewalk. We waited, moved and waited and moved and visited with people and moved a little. When we finally got to almost the front of the line (about an hour), we realized it was for the matinée performances and we couldn’t do those because we were going on our walking tour today. Funny but frustrating.

Parking and advertising are big in New York.

We decided to walk over to Motown the Musical box office. We thought it was right down the street from TKTS, but it was the next street down so we just went around the corner and back down the next street. We got tickets for tonight’s performance, orchestra seating, for $49.00 each. Then we walked over to the NBC Store to see if we could find out when/if we have tickets to Jimmy Fallon. We were told to come back tomorrow morning around 10:30 AM and someone would be in.

We went back to our “home” and rested for a few minutes and then went down to the lobby to meet Michael Brown. I had contacted Big Apple Greeters a few weeks ago. It’s a volunteer, non-profit group that has locals take you for a locals type tour. It sounded like fun to me and Michael is mostly willing to trying anything, so I signed us up. (Lexi opted to stay home as her foot was hurting.) Michael was right on time and what a character he is. Very New Jersey/New York. Fun. He walked our legs off. We were so tired by the time he left us, we could have curled up on the street corner if it weren’t so cold. We did, however, feel very comfortable riding the subway and exploring more parts of this wonderful city because of his guidance and teaching.

Time to head back to meet Michael Brown.

Edie wanted a pair of the UniBrow glasses. — Edie wanted a pair of the uniBrow glasses.

Edie yelled, "get a picture of the statue of liberty" I went nuts searching the skyline for the familiar statue. — Edie yelled, “Get a picture of the Statue of Lliberty” I went nuts searching the skyline for the familiar statue.

Edie took my picture in the elevator, I really would've swore I was smiling, big. — Edie took my picture in the elevator, I really would’ve swore I was smiling, big.

Michael Brown took us down to the subway station and explained how everything worked, and showed us how to get our Metro card. He then took us on a great tour to the Meatpacking District, the raised railroad tracks near the Meatpacking District that is now a walking area, Chelsea, West Village, Greenwich Village, Nolita, Soho, Washington Park, and many more areas that I’ve forgotten. What a great and beautiful city this is. Loved all the different architecture, the mix of old and new buildings, the huge variety, the smells and sounds. What fun. We would have gone further but we were so tired and just wanted to sit down. (I found out later that I had worn a hole in my beloved Thorlo socks.) We had been going for over three hours.

Michael Brown gave us a subway crash course.

He tried to help everyone as we went along, with directions, pictures, a very friendly guy.

He patiently explained how everything works.

Michael B showed us the map in the car. Just us coming back, no such map.

Michael B pointed out no one talks on the subway, only beggars and crazy people talk on the subway.

This place was very crowded for a snowy Sunday afternoon.

Before going into the Market, looking back at Google New York. Very different from Santa Clara.

Full of neat stores, cafes and meat packing memories.

Michael B's landmark for a usable public restroom, a challenge to find in New York. — Michael B’s landmark for a usable public restroom, a challenge to find in New York.

The trains ran through buildings, though bricked closed now.

Bike rentals throughout the City, get here and leave there, neat.

Looks like a great place for lunch on a spring day.

This building was designed to look like a sailing ship.

Old style buildings, which Michael B loves.

A hotel built over the high line, people like to come and spot naked people in the windows.

The dock where the Titanic was supposed to tie up.

Neighborhood ice rink viewed from the high line.

Huge commerce has grown around the high line and warehoused converted into retail and housing. — Huge commerce has grown around the high line and warehouses converted into retail and housing.

Skinniest house in NYC, 9 1/2 feet wide. Cary Grant, John Barrymore and Edna St.Vincent Millay at various times called it home.

Outside apartment wall used in Seinfield.

First view of 1 World Trade Center. It is almost finished.

A building given to the city that can't be used. Locals like it because it means no additional people. — A building given to the city that can’t be used. Locals like it because it means no additional people.

Washington Park, where a fellow tried to sell us marijuana.

He was playing Rachmaninoff, really well, without gloves!

We said our goodbyes to Michael and had every intention of going on to Little Italy and Chinatown after we sat down and had something to eat and rested our tired feet. We chose a place called Two Boots. They had really good thin crust pizza. Reminded us of Paddington Pizza in Oregon that we love. After sitting down and relaxing for awhile, while eating, we decided to head back “home” and do Little Italy and Chinatown another day, hopefully. We found the subway and made our way back without getting too lost. We did get to see Rockefeller Plaza and the ice skating rink. Too fun. There was this one little boy, probably around eight, who could only go about five feet before falling. Bless him, he always got back up and tried again. Too funny watching him.

We decided someone at Paddington's in Oregon travelled to NYC to learn crust making. — We decided someone at Paddington’s in Oregon travelled to NYC to learn crust making.

I loved the art on the NBC building, reminded me of Hoover Dam.

We got back home and were able to take our shoes off and rest for about an hour before we headed out again to Motown the Musical. We got to the show and were seated right away. We were almost to the back of the orchestra seating, but could see all the action and they really were good seats. The play was excellent. It told the history of Berry Gordy, Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, and others. Loved all the music and loved the history it all told.

After the show, this guy was earning his tips.

We stopped at the Steak N Shake on the way home so Lexi could get some dinner. Michael and I got a milkshake for us to split for our dessert.

It's a hamburger joint. — It’s a hamburger joint.

Mom and daughter, pretties waiting for the order.

That was our day. Hope yours was great!