Back in the Big Bad Apple

So last week I went back to New York to visit and see some shows.  I chose that particular week because Becca, my friend who also took a gap year, would be in New York at the end of her program.

On Monday I flew in, and luckily enough for me a guy who works at my dad's company was on my flight and had a limo meeting him at the airport, so I got a free ride into the city.  

Tuesday I met Becca early in the morning at The Public, and we both ended up buying tickets to a show the next night.  The we had an epic day of subways and walking around.  We went to the zoo, Times Square, back to The Public (the box office wasn't open that morning -- and on our return trip to The Public we ran into Jess, a friend/coworker from my days of working there), back to Times Square, then Rock Center and up to the Apple Store.  We had intended to go to FAO Schwartz, which is right behind the Apple Store, but by the time we got there we were so tired and our feet hurt so badly that we just sat in front of the apple store and chilled for a few hours.  Which was actually really nice.  Oh, and at one point after the zoo we walked through Central Park and chilled in a gazebo for a bit.

Tuesday night I met up with my friend Deborah who was my fellow literary intern at The Public.  We saw "West Side Story," which was really great.  Then we walked all the way home (our NYC bases are literally right across the street from each other).  We were very proud of ourselves that we did that.

Wednesday I pretty much lazed around all day.  I felt exhausted from Tuesday, lethargic, and a little physically ill.  So I stayed in and had some Chinese delivery food for lunch.

That night I met up with Becca at The Public to see "Why Torture is Wrong and the People who Love Them" by Christopher Durang.  It was wonderful and hilarious, although near the very end of the second act a woman behind us said to her friend, "This is too terrible," then got up and left.

Thursday I went to Bloomingdales to spend the rest of the gift card I received as a Christmas gift.  Then I got a cab and went to the Natural History Museum.  It was a Prius cab, which was super exciting for me :).  I hung out in the museum for a while, and went to the Butterfly conservatory exhibit thing they have there.  When I left I think a butterfly hitched a ride on my leg and made a break for freedom!  But the fugitive butterfly was caught and returned to his home.

After the museum I thought about getting a cab, but ended up walking through the park.  I'm so happy I did that, since something upsetting had happened earlier and walking in the park was so calming and amazing.  I took a ton of photos, not all of which were good but they were fun to take, and I found the Shakespeare Garden for the first time, which was gorgeous.

When I finally go to the other side of the park I had enough time before I was supposed to meet my friend Zoe, so I took the subway to Times Square.  I met up with Zoe and, after not being able to get in to any nicer restaurants, we ended up at the Olive Garden for dinner, which was actually great.  Then we went to see "Rock of Ages," which was SO fun, especially since '80s rock is fully my guilty pleasure.

I flew home on Friday.  I left my apartment at 12:30-ish, thinking I was playing it safe for my 3:00 flight.  Well, I get to the airport and it turns out my flight is at TWO!  Once again, I stand by my theory that nothing good ever happens at JFK airport.  But I did make the flight, barely, so I guess it all worked out.