Day 1 - New York

Our flight had a little turbulence due to the poor weather. I was able to get more shut eye than Kevin. We landed around 6:30 am at JFK airport. We looked up directions to New York and the top suggestion was to take a bus to a train. We asked the guy at the information desk where we could catch the bus and he told us. We then asked him if there was a better way to get to New York and he just repeated himself on how to get to the bus. We get to the bus and while we are waiting for the train our friend, Katie, tells us that we could have caught the subway. Thanks google maps and information guy. 😒

We make it to Penn station and walk the 12 blocks past Times Square to pick up our New York Pass and do a tour since we can't check into our hotel until 3 pm. We hop on the big bus tour and ride with Tony. He is an absolute delight. We are taken on an adventure exploring downtown on a double decker bus. Soon after we board, it begins to sprinkle. It isn't bad since we are in a covered section. The architecture is beautiful and New York holds so much history and people. Some of my favorite scenes on this tour was all the street art we saw on the downtown sidewalks, signs, and on buildings. It was magnificent. Some other top sites were the first electric plant where Thomas Edison worked with Nikola Tesla to create electricity, the Brooklyn skyline scene from the waterfront, and all the bridges - Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg, and Koch (special shout out to Emily Warren Roebling for supervising the construction of the Brooklyn bridge in 1883).

We then decided to walk the 20 blocks to our hotel since it was just sprinkling but then it starts to pour. The rain was running down our legs into our shoes. By the time we made it to the hotel we were starving and soaking wet. It was 12:30 so our room wasn't ready. We changed into dry clothes and ordered take out to be delivered to the lobby. We had our sushi, Atami,  and caught up on Sherlock. At 3 we checked in and took a wonderful 2.5 hour nap.

The plan was to meet Katie at Times Square and decide on a dinner place. We ventured over to Greenwich Village. The first couple places we tried had a 2 hour wait. We found an Italian place that seated us right away, FRANKIES SPUNTINO 570. It was the best gnocchi I have ever had. I really think it was the cheese that they placed on top that made the meal. We walked around the village a while taking in the youthful, hipster atmosphere before heading home.

I absolutely love the diverse groups of people, the culture, the way of life that make up New York City. I can honestly say that I am in love with New York. Day one has successfully come to a close.

Brooklyn Skyline and Brooklyn Bridge

Street Art