NYC.Day.Three.

Last full day in NYC. We decide we should try to student rush tickets for a show. So, we get up early, head to the theatre to stand in line, and wait. Well... as I stood in front of the box office for Newsies, I did some research to see if they even do Student Rush. They don't. They do a lottery. Well.. that wouldn't work (two tickets per lottery winner... we are a party of three). So... we head over to the Annie box office. Assuming they open at 10am like they did all week, we waiting. Then... realizing it was Sunday and they didn't open until noon... we had to ditch the plan and head to the 9/11 memorial (our tickets were for 11am).

*What is Student Rush?*
Well... we found out about it right before our honeymoon. It is where the theatre box office sells any unsold tickets for a cheap price (usually $35-$45 per ticket) The seats are not always together but they do exist! It is so easy to just stand in line early in the morning and try to get a cheap ticket to an amazing show. I suggest you research.

We knew what train to get on, so we headed South to the 9/11 Memorial. We stood in line for about 20 minutes. It started to rain a bit... but it simply added to the somber state of the area. We walked through the security (very tight) and then another 150 yards toward the memorial. Here are a few pictures from the pools. The pools are the size of the towers that fell that tragic day in September. The names of all 2,900 victims are carved in the metal surround. On the victims birthday, a white rose is placed to celebrate their life. We saw quite a few roses that day.

Reflect. Pray. Love.

in the shadow of the new Freedom Tower

On our way back from the memorial, we decided to go to Grand Central Station to experience the hustle and bustle, the shops, and hit one more NYC landmark. What a wonderful decision. We headed in and went to the food court to eat. We each ate from different places. Courtney got a chicken pita, John got a roast beef sandwich, and I got a crepe with ham, cheese and egg. All delicious. As we continued to walk through the food court, we discovered MAGNOLIA BAKERY. (At lunch with Natalie, she said we HAD to go there and get the banana pudding because it is to die for) So... we did just that. John got the banana pudding, I got a cheesecake, and Courtney got a brownie. Well... lets just say... we almost got another container of the banana pudding (on multiple occasions for the rest of our stay). We refrained, but I sure did look up the recipe. I will let you know if it turns out anywhere near the deliciousness of the original.

((find Courtney and John)) hehe.

Grand Central Station

The MOST AMAZING banana pudding EVER! (and I don't like banana pudding...)

Delicious Brownie for Courtney

My scrumptious cheesecake. yumm.

Check it out. A NYC staple in my opinion. Just saying. 

Because it was a rainy day, we had it planned that we would head to the Natural History Museum. So, we hopped on the train and headed back to 81st. Well.. when we got out of the subway, we noticed the line. It was WRAPPED around the building... in the pouring rain. No way. We wouldn't have even been able to get in before close with that long of a line. (We will try again tomorrow) 

So... we hailed our first cab of the trip, got out of the pouring rain, and then headed to the hotel to regroup and dry off. Here is a picture of Courtney's first cab ride!

We got to the hotel... and rain and rain and rain. It wasn't stopping. So... we sat and tried to come up with ideas. We decided to google some ideas. John... was a lot of help during this search.

Courtney and I searched and searched. A few ideas seemed fun. Gelato making class (full), NYC pizza making class ($200.00.. no thanks), and the one thing that kept popping up in all the lists of things to do in the rain in NYC was the Museum of Sex. She may be 18 and all, but I don't even want to go... so we decided to pass. Once sleeping beauty woke up, we just decided to get up and head to Times Square. We were prepared to find a good restaurant, wait two hours, and eat. Well... on our way to find a dinner place, we saw a large group of people. We checked it out and people were surrounding RYAN SEACREST! (I had been saying the whole trip that I wanted to have a celebrity sighting... and it happened!) 

A few things I noticed: 1. he didn't acknowledge the fans behind him 2. he was REALLY short 3. He was filming for a countdown of some sort and 4. I *really* wanted to ask him to rub my baby belly, but I didn't want the security guard standing next to me to flip out. So I refrained. 

After that excitement, we headed to find dinner. We ended up walking into the Brooklyn Diner. We knew nothing about it, but it looked fun. We were seated within 10 minutes. John got to have a beer at the bar and we looked at the menu. We were seated at our booth and it had a small plaque saying the Jerry Seinfeld sat in the same booth! The food choices were pricey, but I was struggling with the decision between the 15 bite hot dog (served with a glass of champagne...) or the famous Chicken Pot Pie. Both cost $21.00. Yikes. I went with the Chicken Pot Pie. John got pigs in a blanket so I could taste the hot dog and Courtney got mac-and-cheese. It wasn't everything she had hoped. Mine was delicious. 

The booth of Jerry Seinfeld!

Gigantic and delicious Chicken Pot Pie

Pigs in a Blanket

Mac-and-Cheese

As we headed back the hotel, we walked a bit, in and out of stores, saw the New York Times building and found ourselves in front of a Baskin Robbins. I used to love Maui Brownie Madness... FYI, it no longer exists. Courtney said she wanted to take us out for ice cream... so we headed in! Court got her vanilla with sprinkles, John got Snickers, and I got rainbow sherbet. (my favorite)

~Happy 2014~

pink Statue of Liberty in Aeropostale

The New York Times (yes those are shoes on the wire above)

Courtney loving her ice cream! Thanks for the treat. It was delicious! <3

Last night in the hotel! Check it out! 

Day FOUR... You will be short. Make something great happen!

NYC.Day.Two.

Bring it on DAY TWO!

**I failed to mention that during Day One... John wore a hole in the butt of his pants! That is what he gets for RUNNING us through NYC for 7 solid hours... we need to shop for a new pair, ASAP**

So.. day two started with the agenda to start at the Empire State building. We headed that way and stopped at Macy's to check out the windows and of course go inside really quick. The windows were very fun this year with a lot of animation and a beautiful icy theme.

 Courtney with one of the windows!

 This window, if you stood where this kid is, and waived your hands.. the sky background changed and the snow blew around. It was really fun!

Cool decoration in Macy's

I really enjoyed this font. 

After our adventures in Macy's we headed toward the Empire State Building. After we saw that the line was about two ENTIRE blocks long... we just headed across the street and took pictures. 

Empire State of Mind

John found the Levi Store and went to find some jeans. We went straight to the clearance section and found a pair for $9.90. They fit! So... He went to check out and they were on sale even more! $4.95!! Score! (He is laughing in this picture because I said I was going to blog about him wearing a hole in his pants from walking too fast!)

After our Empire State Building fail, we headed North to see Natalie and Mike (& Lucy). Natalie has been my friend since kindergarten. She is in NYC for medical school and is almost done! I am so proud of all of her hard work and dedication. She is a friend I can always count on. I consider her family. And I consider her family my family. We got to Nat and Mike's apartment (I almost died walking the four flights of stairs--whew!) and the apartment was perfect. Had a cute upstairs with a living, dining, and kitchen and then you walk down a set of spiral stairs to the bed and bathroom. It was the definition of NYC apartment. After visiting for a few and catching my breath... we headed out to grab some brunch. That is what New Yorkers do... brunch.

With my favorite New York puppy... Lucy! 

After lunch with my best friend, Natalie. <3

We decided that even though Natalie lives across the street from the Natural History Museum, it was a beautiful day and we shouldn't spend it inside. So... slight change of plans... we headed to the South to Battery Park, the Statue of Liberty, and the World Trade Center Site. So to the train we went.

We got to Battery Park and I had to pee. Little baby Edmonds was on my bladder. Full force. I took one look at the bathroom and decided I could hold it. It was disgusting. The same as the Empire State Building, the line to get on the ferry to go to the island with the Statue of Liberty was at least a 3 hour wait. No thanks. So... we took pictures from afar. After we took pictures, we headed toward Freedom Tower and walked through Wall Street. (We saw the bull, but it was packed) *I finally asked someone, in a Duane Reade "Where do New Yorkers PEE?" She said in restaurants.* So... TGIFridays it was.

Courtney with Lady Liberty

Lady Liberty

It was a bit windy...

Freedom Tower viewed from Battery Park

Just being artsy. How cute is this old man and the seagull... Amazing. 

Courtney being artistic with the eagle and the Freedom Tower

This is just outside of the WTC site. This is Freedom Tower and the boxy building in front of it is the ground level of the museum that isn't open yet. I can't wait to go back to just see the museum. The new building itself is amazing. 

We knew we wanted to see the WTC site. The reverence and stillness of the area is still astounding. It was almost silent! The line was huge, and we knew we needed passes, so we decided to brave it the next day. We did see a cool video in the visitor center. Watch it below.

We had reservations at a restaurant that my step-sister made reservations for us on our honeymoon 5 years ago. We HAD to get back. We took a cab 5 years ago... this year... we decided we would try the subway. To our surprise, we made it there in record time... 2 hours before our reservation. Cafe Cluny is amazing and they have this salad that we have drooled about for our entire marriage. They were able to seat us immediately. So... we took advantage and enjoyed a frivolous, delicious, and indulgent meal. Courtney got a steak and fries. I got a burger and fries (and the infamous $14.00 salad) and John got the steak, fries, and salad too! It was so good. I could eat there daily. It was nice to reminisce a bit, and think about how far we have come in 5 years. After a delicious dinner, that I could only eat 3 bites of my burger... thank you baby, we headed back to the hotel to get to bed early. We are pros at the subway now... haha... and I decided that I would give my leftover burger to anyone who was in need of it. On the subway, a man asked for anything we could give. I gave him my burger, and he was really excited. I am glad. 

The infamous salad. (warm frisee, lardons, croutons, poached egg, and some sort of dressing) This was his goal in NYC! He was beyond excited to eat it! <3

<3 Five Years Later <3

Excitement.

dinner.

We returned to the hotel... it was warm. (it was nice outside too...) We opened the windows, put the air on 60, and hoped it would cool down. No such luck. I finally woke John up at 11:30 and said that I was too hot and couldn't sleep. I felt like I was going to pass out. I couldn't regulate my body temperature. It was super frustrating, because I just wanted to sleep! John got cold washcloths and put them on me. It helped. I slept. (Courtney was passed out and didn't hear any of this! Impressive.) I am so glad he is so helpful... even after I wake him up from a deep sleep. I was a serious mess... I was at a loss and he helped. 5 years ago we celebrated our marriage in NYC, and this trip I knew that this was going to be the father to our little girl. He is going to be beyond amazing. We are blessed.

Day Three... I hope you can compete. My feet are still sore, but ready to ROCK!

NYC.Day.One.

The first day in NYC started with a bus ride from Allentown to NYC. We took the Beiber Bus Line and it only cost us $46.00 round trip. Definitely worth the money because we didn't have to drive into the city and/or park. Parking was $52.00 a day at the hotel. So... we took the bus.

Courtney was ready to go! Ticket in hand! 

Big smiles! We were ready to enjoy NYC before little baby Edmonds joins us!

Bus Terminal--seems legit.. hehe

Waiting to board the bus... the little room was packed. We got on... some did not. Whew!

Ready to be in NYC! (Court had to sit with some random kid... hehe)

 Just the Freedom Tower from New Jersey. We were headed into the Lincoln Tunnel. Check out the football field that is ON TOP of the Lincoln Tunnel! So cool!

Once our bus made it through the tunnel and into the Port Authority Bus Terminal, John was ready to rock and roll. He was hyped up! I was hyped, but not full of energy. So... needless to say... we RAN to the hotel. It was a few blocks. But a block in NYC can be pretty far. Poor Courtney had to keep up too. We got to the hotel, checked in (early), checked our bags, then headed out to explore a bit before we could get in our room. 

That is Johnny Speed Racer in the front bobbing and weaving to get to the hotel. Courtney stayed close. I struggled to keep up! haha. 

On our explorations, we came across Bryant Park! It was right by our hotel. How fun! It had an ice skating rink, a ton of little shops that looked like phone booths on steroids. They were full of eclectic items. Courtney and I were hungry. We had a delicious grilled cheese sandwich. (it was $8.00) It was good... but probably worth about $2.00 in ingredients. hehe. Worth it at the time. We headed back to the hotel, and we were sent to the 25th floor! It didn't have a view of the street, but it was a cool view of the surrounding buildings. The hotel was great. We were able to get a room with two double beds. (it was reserved for a king... dodged a bullet there). The decor was very modern and the room was comfortable. It did have a sliding door (barn door) for the bathroom. Needless to say... the entire room could hear your bathroom happenings. The shower was a bit strange in that it had a half wall of glass. So, when the shower was on, it potentially flooded the bathroom. So... you had to strategize your shower. hehe. 

After we unpacked, we decided we would just walk around and take in some sights! The hotel was a few blocks from Times Square. Perfect. We grabbed a subway and headed to Chelsea Market first to potentially grab some good dinner. Chelsea Market (and the rest of NYC) was jam packed. Everything had a huge wait. Chelsea Market was warm. Very warm. The food options were interesting, and the flea market was really cool. It had original designs from artists and designers. No maternity section. haha. Here are a few pics of the interesting architecture and art of Chelsea Market. 

!Courtney's First Subway Ride!

Just the elevator... so cool!

Christmas Decorations. Exposed Brick. Exposed vents/ceilings. Amazing. 

Meat Case.

Christmas tree made from paper! Potential project?

SO MANY LIGHTS! absolutely breathtaking :) 

Courtney and John by the archways. Not as cool up close, but amazing to see the amount of lights!

Outside Chelsea Market

We were starting to get hungry. So we headed to Times Square. We didn't find anything to eat in Times Square that didn't have a two hour wait. So we kept walking. We did get tickets and ride the ferris wheel in Toys 'R' Us. It was PACKED in Times Square (why would you ever take your child into Times Square in a stroller?) We rode the Ferris Wheel and then we kept walking. Funny Ferris Wheel Story: As we approached our turn to board the ferris wheel, the kind woman... said to me, "Because you are pregnant, you need to sit on your own side." OUCH!! John and Courtney thought it was funny. Me, not so much. 

Toys 'R' Us Ferris Wheel

John and Courtney SHARING a side!

Chillin' by my pregnant self... (well other than little baby Edmonds)

After we battled the crowds in Times Square, we decided to keep walking. So... we kept walking and ended up at Rockefeller Center! We got to see the ice skaters, the tree, the shops, and we finally found some food to eat! We ate at Potbelly. I was too hungry to try something new and adventurous. It was impossible to find a seat to eat at. But... I circled like a vulture and took a table as soon as someone stood up. haha. Pregnancy will make you focus and conquer! Here are a few pictures from the Rockefeller adventures. We were starting to wear down (rightfully so... we hadn't stopped walking, also known as chasing John through NYC)

Big Christmas Lights

Big Christmas Ornaments

Rocking the new coat and baby bump! 

Radio City Music Hall (I dreamt of being a Rockette. I am the right height, can dance, and can kick...)

Courtney at the base of the tree. (76 Stories High this year)

The Edmonds

So big and beautiful in person. Hard to even fathom how big it is by looking at the picture! 

By this point, we were EXHAUSTED. We didn't really have a grasp of which way was North and South yet, and we went into the nearest Subway to figure a way back to the hotel. It was about 9:00pm and we were all hurting. The soles of my feet were on FIRE (word to the wise.. don't only pack boots) Courtney's knee was hurting... and John has a back issue that causes pain in his legs, and it was kicking in. He was limping, Courtney was hanging in, and I was ready to just cut my feet off. So... we get on the subway, assume we are headed the right way... WRONG! So we get off, wait for the correct train and we wait... and wait... and wait. I almost LAID down on the nasty subway floor. (because the station we were in was under construction with no seating) After about 20 minutes of painful waiting, we almost gave up and then it came. The train came. Whew! We got off on 42nd Bryant Park and were SOOOOO happy when we came up from the train and our hotel was right across the street. What a relief. We went to the room, I sat in a warm bath to help my feet, then we went to sleep. It was a bit toasty that first night, but I tried to ignore it. (On a side note... I forgot my shorts to sleep in, pants were too hot, so I had to suck it up and sleep in my underwear. So strange for me. Sorry Courtney!) 

DAY two... you have a lot to prove. We accomplished a LOT in just a few 7 hours.