New York, New York

Over Memorial Day weekend, I got some time off!  Meaning, I got to wash the mom off for a few days and head to the big apple.  It was amazing.  One of our great friends is in the Broadway show of "Pricilla, Queen of the Desert" and he was playing the lead the night we went to the show.  Picture someone you know and love standing all alone on the stage singing his butt off.  It. Was. Awesome.  He took the last bow at the end of the show and I found that I had yelled so much, I didn't have a voice left.  After the show, he took us backstage to see his dressing room, the props and all of the AMAZING costumes!  Words can't describe it.

As always, our host took us on a FANTASTIC sight seeing tour.  He is so well versed in architecture and history that all along the way he is telling us things like, "that is the building where Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas had their famous debate".  So. Cool.  And then he took us to a place that is called "please don't tell".  It is a place that has gourmet hot dogs and you have to go through a fake telephone booth to get into it.  We also went to Brooklyn and had brunch in the new up and coming neighborhood in New York.  We had some amazing food, but the highlight had to have been the gingerbread-chocolate-whipped cream covered waffle we had (in New York fashion, we got it out of the back of a truck at 1:30 in the morning, but I was worth it!).

Another highlight was visiting the 9/11 memorial.  It is so well done!  It was an amazing time of reflection and time to honor those who lost their lives on that day.  The weather held out until we were done and then......down pour for the rest of the day.  We were soaked!  We were able to dry off a little bit inside Century 21 (think TJ Maxx on steroids).  A few hours later and a few pairs of shoes richer (or should I say poorer), we headed back out into the rain.  Luckily, Chris' sister, Stacey, and her husband, Paul went with us so I had a shopping partner while Chris went back to the apartment to work.  

The new World Trade Center.  Can't see the top because of the clouds

The site of former World Trade Center #1

40 feet of falling water and then another 40 feet falling in the middle

The names of those lost in the building go all along the outside of the waterfall

A view from the corner

Reflecting.  Saw so many people smiling for pictures with the memorial behind them.  Seemed strange to me.

Crowded even though you have to have a ticket to get in

New York Skyline reflected in the memorial

Loved this little boy running his hand along the names as he walked by

This tree was in the plaza between the two buildings and SURVIVED.  They took it off site and nursed it back to health and replanted it in its original place.  Cool.

Brooklyn Bridge

Times Square.  Beautiful with all of the lights reflecting off the rainy street

The crew.  In DUMBO (Down under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass)

Hey, I actually made it into a picture!

Now THIS is the way to do sightseeing.  On Daddy's back

The new World Trade Center.  Now officially the tallest building in New York City (as of a few weeks ago).  It can be seen from all over the city

Out in front of the Palace Theatre in Times Square.  Almost show time.  This picture was really hard to get.  So much traffic!

Signing autographs after the show.  How cool is that!?

Most of all, it was a blast to hang out with good friends who we don't get to see very often and love on their little (or not so little with his super cute chubby thighs) guy (of course I had to snap a few pictures).

Thanks for having us Gavin, Todd and Ellison.  We love you and are some of your biggest fans!