Thoughts on life, love, and politics

Here is my memoirs of Spring Break 2005... it is long... but Mary wanted to know what I did... so here it is.... have fun... and go to NYC sometime!
Well... I got back from NYC and spring break early this morning... It was SSSSOOOO much fun. I went with three of my friends from school and we stayed in a hostel (cheap place for students to stay) in times square. We got there last Saturday afternoon and left yesterday afternoon. In between we did SO much.
Friday night- Saturday afternoon
Holly's mom drops us off at the train station.... long train ride... arrive in NYC.... carry luggage half mile through NYC.... check into hostel... collapse for a little bit...
Saturday night
Went to Maddame Tussads (a wax museum full of famous people) I have pictures of me with tons of movie stars and sports players...
Sunday
Went to church at the Journey
Went to Central Park and Central Park zoo
Harbor lights cruise in the evening
It was a reallly fun day! Church was funny because the sermon was on Marriage and it was literaly exactly what is taught in the marriage and family class here that all of us had taken... so we all could have given the sermon :) Central park was so much fun. It is a beautiful place. I am sure many of you have heard of the orange gates in central park and have heard them mocked. I felt the same way... but when I saw them I really thought they were pretty. The harbor lights cruise was freezing (we stayed on the outside part of the boat for it). After it was over we were going to have to walk about a mile back to our hostel. Well there were limo drivers there so we decided to find out how much it would cost for them to take us back to the hostel (we figured it would be to much but it was worth a shot). Well the guy said he would take us for $20. So we hopped in and took a limo ride! What a wonderful day.
Monday
Statue of Liberty
Ellis Island
World Trade Centers - Ground zero
Empire State Building
Wonderful day seeing the major sights of NYC. All of these things are places you need to experience! The Statue of Liberty was amazing! Ellis Island was fascinating. Walking by Ground Zero was indiscribable. There is still visible destruction on the buildings surrounding the sight (protective tarps and dirt etc.). The Empire State Building was neat.... But it was REALLY windy.... so it was hard to even stand on one side of the building.
Tuesday
FAO Schwartz (famous toy store)
Carnegie Hall Tour
NBC studios
audience members on the Jane Pauly show
Studio tour
BB Kings for dinner
Fun day.... FAO Schwartz has increadible toys!!! My favorite was a huge piano that you play by walking on. So much fun.... I would loved to have bought it but it was a little out of my price range. It costs... $150,000.00 So if anyone needs a birthday present idea for me... there it is :)
There were also some huge stuffed animals that I would love to have for my classroom... I really wanted the elephant and giraffe.... but they were $450 and $250 respectively. Well after the toy store it was on to Carnegie Hall... What a beautiful place! So much history and fun... Then it was off to the NBC building. When we got there we were asked to be guests on the Jane Pauly show.... so we did that... it is fun to see what happens behind the scenes in a TV show. Then we went on a tour of the studios... Probably none of you will ever want to watch TV with me again because after seeing the crumy stages these shows are produced on I will be mocking the set ups for ever! Then we went to BB Kings a wonderful jazz resteraunt.... so much fun.
Wednesday
Well this day was our LONG day! WE got up at 5:45 to go stand in line to try to get on Live with Regis and Kelly with stand by tickets. Robin Williams was going to be the guest and we were excited! Well we got to the line at 6:30 and we were the 11, 12, 13, and 14 people in line. We had heard that if you were in the first 20 you usually got on. At 7:30 they came out and gave us a paper with our numbers on it and told us to be back at 8:30... So we went into the starbucks across the street to warm up... an hour later we walked back... went through security and waited some more to find out if we were going to get in. Everyone in front of us was seated and so we were at the front of the line. The lady came out, rushed the four of us back, got us seated and the show started almost immeadiately. It was so much fun! Regis and Kelly are so fun off camera. You find out so many things... Well after the live show was over they kept us in there because they were filming the beginning segment of a show that is going to air on March 22. So if you watch that show at the beginning and the end you might see me! Regis and Kelly joke about "the last time" they wore the clothes they had on... and stuff. Well then we went to try to get tickets to Broadway's Phantom of the Opera and succeeded in getting some for $20 appeice. The rest of the day was low key... We did our touristy shopping, had lunch at Planet Hollywood and took a nap before the play. Phantom was amazing and so fun that evening!
Thursday
Scary day in Brooklyn... we went to the New York aquarium there. Then we got back on the subway to go to a childrens museum and a botanical garden. Well when we got there I looked around the area and decided it would be stupid for us to do that so I suggested we not. So we got on the next subway and went back to Manhattan. We did random stuff in Manhattan. Then after dinner we went to Serindipity (the coffee shop in the movie) for dessert. Well.... there was an hour wait... so we decided to give up our dreams of a frozen hot chocolate at serendipity. We went back down the street to this place called "the candy bar" and ordered a dessert called "I bet you can't". It was ten scoops of ice cream and ten toppings... it was so good... There was interesting company there.... but... you can ask me about that.
Friday
Last full day in NYC
Radio City Hall tour
ice skating at Rockefeller center
Guggenhiem museum
Dinner... at Federicos
Dessert... cheesecake... take out from Maxis
Great day... Radio city hall tour was led by a gay man.... quite amusing... If you ever get the chance to go you must check the bathrooms out at Radio City. They are ginormous. Three rooms... two sitting rooms... and then the room with toilets and sinks... WONDERFUL!!! While we were there we saw river dance in rehearsal... so fun! Then ice skating... just all around fun... The Guggenhiem was fun and interesting... Fredericos has quite possibly the best italian food I have ever had. And then Cheese cake and mild for dessert before bed!
Saturday into Sunday
Got up... checked out... wandered around ... went to the train station... left.... long train ride... Sunday comes around... finally arrive in South Bend... Lunch... hang out... move back into the dorm.... shower... now

posted by rayhe @ 4:42 pm