NYC

Last weekend the BF and I took a semi-spontaneous trip to visit his brother and two of my former roommates in NYC. Overall, the trip was very good, despite exhaustion, heat, and a 12 hour head cold we both contracted. A list of what we saw:

1. Central park, by bike: hella lot more crowded than I had imagined, though I don't really know why I didn't expect that. Good idea though, to have a park in the middle of a big city like that.

2. Times Square: definitely overrated, and flashy, though I was tired and hungry at this point and might have been less inclined to appreciate things. Lots of tourists.

3. Columbia University: Kind of seen by default, since his brother works there and lives right by it. Exactly what you would expect an Ivy League in a city to look like.

4. Statue of Liberty: Seen from afar, smaller than expected, but still striking. It was neat to think how it's been such a symbol to immigrants.

5. Ellis Island: Interesting, even though we did all the exhibits backwards (accidentally). I was seriously distracted by preservation and display issues in the exhibits, because I am a nerd and just took a preservation class.

6. Financial district: I think the BF was disappointed that we couldn't actually see much, due to security. We almost got in trouble for taking pictures of the Fed. There is a picture somewhere of me grabbing the bull....by the balls.

7. Ground Zero/site of the World Trade Towers: We didn't linger, and I didn't want to. Big construction area.

8. St. Paul's Church: across from Ground Zero. Somehow we missed George Washington's pew. Cool old cemetery.

9. Other Episcopalian church in the financial district whose name I cannot currently remember: pretty!

10. Magnolia Bakery: after I led the BF on a death march to get there. Overcrowded, full of tourists, tiny, overpriced. But tasty!

11. Lots of subway: The BF and I got pretty good at navigating the subway system. This might have been the easiest city to navigate I have ever been in.

12. Metropolitan Museum of Art: Big! I would have liked to spend a lot more time there. I don't think I appreciated anything as much as I would have if I had more time to explore it, relaxed. Also, the Francis Bacon exhibit is NOT about the Sir Francis Bacon, and scared my pants off.

13. Grant's Tomb: because it was so close to the BF's brother's apartment. If I lived in that neighborhood I think I would have picnics there.

14. Cathedral of St. John the Divine: I just love cathedrals. This was nice, though Episcopalians seem prone to mumbling in services. Ok, this one was beautiful.

Next up: the food!