We’re leaving for New York on Tuesday. The kids are more than a little excited about it, too! This will be their first visit to New York . . and they just can’t stop talking about it.
Over dinner last night, we were going through the different plans that we have made, so far. We’re leaving Tuesday, just as soon as they get home from school and hopping in the truck to make the drive to NY. Driving, you say?? Are you nuts, you say?? I am nuts - and I’ve been all the way through this conversation with Chris and the kids - - I am nuts, ok? We’re not flying. I have a hard time flying, myself, as it is - and I’m not ready to pop my whole entire family on one plane, at the same time. Why abolish an entire family in one singular swoop - when you can drive and avoid the crash altogether?
I know, I know… flying is safer than driving, yada yada. People have tried. I’m irrational. It’s my own little paranoia that, believe it or not, has gotten much better over the years. And yet, it still lingers and it is what it is. So, there.
We’re driving. We’ll arrive in Putnam Valley, NY sometime early Wed. morning and will spend Wed, Thurs with Chris’s Mom for Thanksgiving. We’ll also be spending those days making some preliminary wedding plans, choosing what type of dress she’ll be making - then getting fitted for it…all that fun stuff. Then on Friday and Saturday, we’ll be taking the kids into the city to see Manhattan.
Chris, having spent much of his childhood in NYC, turns up his nose at the regular touristy stuff that I want to do when we’re there. But he just has to stuff it - - the kids didn’t grow up in NYC and have never seen it - - so he’ll just have to excuse our plans to head to the observation floor of the Empire State Building. Pfft - - NY’rs - - some of them can be so elitist about their own damn town.
My daughter really, really, really wants to go see either Wicked or Hairspray on Broadway. Great idea! And then I looked up the ticket prices - going anywhere from $175 - $365 per person. I sat at the dinner table last night, trying real hard to justify it . . and just kept getting these looks from Chris like “are you NUTS?”
I guess I must be nuts, eh? lol
Anyways - we’re planning the usual tourist stuff.
One of the more important things I want the kids to see when were there is Ground Zero. We went in 2003, the last time we visited Chris’s Mom for Thanksgiving. I posted about it here and my last line says:
I looked at Chris and told him we needed to come back . . . soon. We needed to bring the kids with us - - this is very important to me. They need to see this place - - they need to see it before it’s rebuilt. Before all the glitzy memorials and shops . . . before they cover it up with a new growth and a new outlook.
While it’s still an empty hole in the ground. While the earth movers are still there - - while the men and women in yellow hard hats are still working in the deep crevices of Ground Zero. We need to bring the kids back by Spring, I told him.
We didn’t exactly make it back by Spring. We’re not making it back until 2 years after the fact, but I still feel the same way and feel it’s important for the kids to see it. They were old enough on 9/11/01 to understand, and they remember it today . . . we’ve had several conversations and discussions about that day - so I think it’s a good thing for them to lay their eyes on the site it happened. And to remember.
I...
4:27 pm on November 17th, 2005
Ha! I’m with you on the whole flying thing. At least in the car I have a chance, dammit. Oh you say the plane is going down? Yeah, we’re screwed. But…we fly all the time and we’re all still here. Have a drink. In fact, have two.
Do the Broadway show!! How often do you have the opportunity? There’s the justification…
9:22 pm on November 17th, 2005
I got goosebumps reading your last paragraph. Yeah, it’s important.
I get travel anxiety. Unfortunately, it doesn’t matter the mode of transportation. (sigh) One day, I hope it goes away. So, I hear you on your phobia. (hug)
You’re gonna have a great time. xox
9:41 pm on November 17th, 2005
NYC
I’ll be in on Saturday possibly. Pop down to the east village around 9:30 hehe ^^
7:45 am on November 18th, 2005
I remember when I went to New York - I was 13. The best part was seeing the Tiffany Jewelry Store because I had seen the movie, “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” - lol. It was a grand experience for a young girl from Texas!
Hope you have fun and safe trip!!
9:02 am on November 18th, 2005
You know…you could just as easily crash in a car. Ohh, oooh…or a plane could crash on your car!
I know, I’m being silly now…but I’m tired of looking at code and I think my brain’s a bit fried!
2:18 pm on November 18th, 2005
I think we all know better than to try talking sense to you by now…
If she’s really jonesing for Wicked, it’s supposed to be coming to Minneapolis within the next year. We’re going to try to get tickets, so…
6:17 pm on November 18th, 2005
Ms. Lisa, I couldn’t find an e-mail address for you here or on your design site, so I’m leaving a comment. : ) Just want to let you know that you’re in this week’s MKE Blog of the Week contest. The voting page with more information is at http://www.mkeonline.com/people/blogcontest.asp. If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me. Safe travels!
8:38 pm on November 18th, 2005
Hey Sara - thanks for the heads up. I didn’t even know there was a MKE Blog of the Week. Guess I better dig my head outta the sand once in awhile, eh?
I don’t have my email addy posted here - - too much spam and folks can just comment to contact me
On my design site - you can contact me by using the “Contact” link at the top right.
Have a great weekend!
2:13 am on November 20th, 2005
Who is getting married?
On a more serious note, I think it great that you’ll visit ground zero. That is hallowed ground and we need to honor those who died there. Safe trip Lisa.
6:19 pm on November 21st, 2005
Hey you, have a safe trip - and a good time with the family!! xoxo
8:16 pm on November 21st, 2005
There might possibly be a way to still see Wicked or Hairspray without paying a premium price but you have to be somewhat flexible. On the days of the shows, you can enter your name into a lottery. They give away however many seats they have available in the premium center orchestra section ($300 seats) for like $50/each. It might be worth a try.
11:32 pm on November 22nd, 2005
I remember getting tickets at a great price at a kiosk - might be that lottery that yaya is talking about. You need to be flexible on which show you see, but you may get lucky.
Hope you have a great trip and a fabulous holiday!