This was actually a surprise gift to my daugher for her incredible grades and school habits. It is such a nice thing for a single mother (at the time) to not have to worry about school issues on top of everything else. I had talked about taking Alex to New York City for a few years. She was dying to go, and I was dying to go back! Anyone that really knows me knows that this is my favorite U.S. city. There is just so much to do here... and there really is something for everyone. I invited my mother along too... it would be her first trip to the city as well. Her and Alex both fell in love with this place! These pictures are all prior to me having a "real" camera, so don't look too close at them. We spent a whole week here and went to see one Broadway show, The Phantom of the Opera. VERY good show.
One of my favorite areas in the city is Central Park. http://www.centralparknyc.org/site/PageNavigator/virtualpark_main In fact it is my favorite outdoor space. You have to go there to believe it. It is 51 city blocks long, and 3 large city blocks wide. It is 843 acres and was the first landscaped park in the United States. This picture is Bethesda's Terrace. It's a great area with a lot of sitting room... a huge fountain, and across the pond you can see Loeb's Boathouse: http://thecentralparkboathouse.com/ this is a great place for lunch, but a bit pricey. The view, though... superb!
Alex by the fountain in Bethesda's Terrace
Bethesda's Terrace seen from the end of the Mall.
Alex standing at the start of the Mall
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One of our first stops is always the Metropolitan Museum of Art (the Met). If you are going to NYC, get this museum in first... You may not have the energy later in your trip. This is one of my favorite museums. There is so much here that it would take days and days to see it all. I also love the building.
Alex in the Met
St. Patrick's Cathedral. Incredible beautiful. I wish my camera would have taken some decent shots of all the stained glass inside and the interior. Maybe next time.
One of the activities we did was take a Harbor Lights Cruise. This leaves every day from the theatre district and goes at dusk... just when all the lights are starting to come on in the city. It is a great, relaxing way to see the city from a different perspective. (Brooklyn Bridge in picture... my favorite bridge)
I wish this photo had turned out better... I just love Grand Central Station. I would love to travel back in time when this was the center of the action. The history inside this building is incredible. The ceiling is painted with star constellations... it's pretty cool.
Alex at the Statue of Liberty... we did a ferry out to the Statue and to Ellis Island. A very interesting tour that every American should go on.
The view from the Empire State Building. This is my favorite building in all of NYC.
Another view, looking towards the Hudson. You can make out a small portion of Madison Square Gardens... that part of a circle building right next to the very tall building. PENN station sits right under Madison Square gardens. The city is incredible... what goes on UNDER this city is staggering. I try not to think about it ;)
This is one view of Rockefeller Center.
Alex outside Rockefeller Center - She looks right at home in NYC!
This is the Rose Center inside the Natural History Museum. This is my second favorite museum in New York City. It is incredibly interesting, but there is SO much here that it is kind of overpowering. I suggest taking a few wings on different days. There is a LOT of info inside this place...
And this is Washington Squre. This is one of my favorite outside spaces in the city. 