All in a Day: New York City
Aaron
Photo Credit: rutger_vos / Flickr.com
Following 10 days of vacation, today was our last day in New York! Before bidding farewell to the tearful New Yorkers who were overcome with grief seeing us go, we spent our day enjoying ourselves on 5th avenue and in Central Park, before finishing the day with another Broadway musical.
We weren't quite in the mood for museums, so we spent most of our day on 5th avenue. We started by touring the massive New York Public Library. Admission is free, and it's worth a half an hour just to walk under these vaulted ceilings among stacks of ornately-carved shelves stacked high with books. From here we simply walked down 5th Avenue, stopping at anything that interested us. Depending on who you are and who you're with, there are a ton of shops that might fit your fancy. For us, it was the super-advanced Apple store and the famed F.A.O. Schwarz store, featuring the massive piano that appeared in Tom Hank's movie, Big.
From there it was on to Central Park where we walked the paths, stopping by the Central Park Zoo to see their famed Glockenspielgo go off at 2:30. Walking down this 1-2 mile stretch and through the park a bit could take three hours depending where you stop, but it's definitely a fun way to see the streets of New York.
Also on 5th Avenue is the iconic Rockefeller Plaza, featuring the famous ice rink, some picturesque fountains, stores and most importantly, an observatory! A ticket to the observatory, included in a CityPass booklet, grants you access to the very top of the Rockefeller Building.
Personally, I prefer and recommend this observation deck much more than the Empire State Building. Some argue that the ESB is taller, but at such a height, a 150-foot difference isn't all that noticeable (view from the top of "The Rock" pictured, left.) Another thing that I like about the Rockefeller is there is less of a feeling of being 'herded around' as there was in the ESB. A quick and easy security check and much fewer lines speed up the process of getting to the top, and it makes it much more pleasant. Also, a main issue I had with the Empire State Building was the wind. At such an altitude, winds can turn a 40-degree evening into a biting 20-degree night. However, the Rockefeller has thick glass panels lining the deck, which block the wind while still providing a great view. The panels have a break in them every three feet or so, allowing for one to stick a camera out and snap a picture. Finally, the location of this place is superior, offering a view of Central Park, and one can actually see the Empire State Building.
If you're in New York, bust out that CityPass and head on over to the Rockefeller!
We weren't quite in the mood for museums, so we spent most of our day on 5th avenue. We started by touring the massive New York Public Library. Admission is free, and it's worth a half an hour just to walk under these vaulted ceilings among stacks of ornately-carved shelves stacked high with books. From here we simply walked down 5th Avenue, stopping at anything that interested us. Depending on who you are and who you're with, there are a ton of shops that might fit your fancy. For us, it was the super-advanced Apple store and the famed F.A.O. Schwarz store, featuring the massive piano that appeared in Tom Hank's movie, Big.
From there it was on to Central Park where we walked the paths, stopping by the Central Park Zoo to see their famed Glockenspielgo go off at 2:30. Walking down this 1-2 mile stretch and through the park a bit could take three hours depending where you stop, but it's definitely a fun way to see the streets of New York.
Also on 5th Avenue is the iconic Rockefeller Plaza, featuring the famous ice rink, some picturesque fountains, stores and most importantly, an observatory! A ticket to the observatory, included in a CityPass booklet, grants you access to the very top of the Rockefeller Building.
Personally, I prefer and recommend this observation deck much more than the Empire State Building. Some argue that the ESB is taller, but at such a height, a 150-foot difference isn't all that noticeable (view from the top of "The Rock" pictured, left.) Another thing that I like about the Rockefeller is there is less of a feeling of being 'herded around' as there was in the ESB. A quick and easy security check and much fewer lines speed up the process of getting to the top, and it makes it much more pleasant. Also, a main issue I had with the Empire State Building was the wind. At such an altitude, winds can turn a 40-degree evening into a biting 20-degree night. However, the Rockefeller has thick glass panels lining the deck, which block the wind while still providing a great view. The panels have a break in them every three feet or so, allowing for one to stick a camera out and snap a picture. Finally, the location of this place is superior, offering a view of Central Park, and one can actually see the Empire State Building.
If you're in New York, bust out that CityPass and head on over to the Rockefeller!
We simply walked down 5th Avenue, stopping at anything
that interested us. Depending on who you are and
who you're with, there are a ton of shops that might
fit your fancy.
To finish off our stay in New York, we saw yet another Broadway musical! This one was a classic by the name of "Anything Goes," starring Sutton Foster and Joel Grey.
Personally, I preferred "How to Succeed At Business Without Really Trying"with Daniel Radcliffe better, but this one was also spectacular. It seems that if you are with an older audience, this one is the proper choice. It has more of a classic musical feel to it, with a well-known story as well. This one I thought was funnier and had some crazy-awesome tap-dancing scenes, which were a plus. The sets were also impressive: a versatile mock-up of a cruise ship, and the dancing was in general more impressive than "How to Succeed," as was the singing. My complaints were that there was far too much singing as opposed to actual plot development, and I had a minor complaint with casting, as I thought that the diminutive Joel Grey wasn't right for the role he was cast in. He's a great actor, no doubt, but the small, older man wasn't right for a mobster role.
All in all, though, I still enjoyed the play. If you're only going to see one musical when in New York, I'd suggest "How to Succeed," but if you'd like to see more, this is a fine choice as well.
Afterthoughts: FOOD
Photo Credit: snowpea&bokchoi / Flickr.com
For mind-blowingly wonderful taste: Wafels & Dinges
Housed in a simple yellow stand outside of Central Park, this place is a wonderland of pure joy. Hot chocolate, Nutella, strawberries and wonderful waffles reside here for fair prices, served up in cute, portable yellow boxes.
I had the best waffles and the best hot chocolate I've ever tasted in my life. If ever you have the good fortune to spot this place, drop everything and go here.
Schnipper's Quality Kitchen
Not a lot to say here, asides from it's delicious. Housed in the New York Times building, this simple restaurant serves up burgers, sloppy joes and macaroni and cheese, all cooked to perfection. Surprisingly enough, prices are on the cheaper end (for New York, of course), and the food quality is on the higher end. Scratch that, food quality has set new records for high quality. Food here is positively delicious, with juicy, greasy burgers being washed down with a thick, creamy milkshake. This is an absolute must, being rivaled only by the Shake Shack.
Housed in a simple yellow stand outside of Central Park, this place is a wonderland of pure joy. Hot chocolate, Nutella, strawberries and wonderful waffles reside here for fair prices, served up in cute, portable yellow boxes.
I had the best waffles and the best hot chocolate I've ever tasted in my life. If ever you have the good fortune to spot this place, drop everything and go here.
Schnipper's Quality Kitchen
Not a lot to say here, asides from it's delicious. Housed in the New York Times building, this simple restaurant serves up burgers, sloppy joes and macaroni and cheese, all cooked to perfection. Surprisingly enough, prices are on the cheaper end (for New York, of course), and the food quality is on the higher end. Scratch that, food quality has set new records for high quality. Food here is positively delicious, with juicy, greasy burgers being washed down with a thick, creamy milkshake. This is an absolute must, being rivaled only by the Shake Shack.
For information on where to stay, check out Aaron's
full-page review on NYC's Holiday Inn Express
full-page review on NYC's Holiday Inn Express