Friday, May 25, 2012

New York Trip

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I flew to New York City last Friday.  The flight to New York was rough for me, since I usually get sick on planes, and I didn't think I could take my air sickness medicine because I was pregnant.  Plus, the plane was just a little commuter plane, and I got pretty nauseous when we were landing.  By the time I made it to the baggage claim, where I was supposed to meet Jeanie, I was shaking.  She came and found me, and then we waited a little until I felt better.  But, I did get to see the Statue of Liberty as we flew over it, which was neat, especially since we never made it to see it once I was on the ground.

[image source]

We took the subway from the airport (which is all the way on the East side of the city) to Uptown, which is on the northern half of Manhattan, near Central Park.  Our cousin, Melissa, lives there with her husband, Anthony, and two little boys.  Melissa is actually finishing a post-doctorate at Harvard, so she and the boys are usually in Boston most of the week, but she was home last weekend.  It was really great to see my cousin again.  I haven't seen her since my brother got married, which is probably about 9 years.  Her two little boys are very cute.  The oldest has curly blonde hair, and liked to sit next to me and give me things.  He was just the age Emily was when we moved into our current home, and it was fun to see what he was like and remember Emily when she was so little.  Their second little boy is about 7 months old, and very skinny.  He liked to be held, and didn't seem to mind at all being held by people he didn't know (like me).

[In Central Park, with the Cleopatra Needle behind me.  The Cleopatra Needle features in some books I like to read, by Rick Riordan.]

Saturday Jeanie and I went to Central Park.  We saw the castle, and the boat pond where little kids sail their remote controlled sail boats.  We would walk until I got tired, and then take a break and just talk for a while.

[Jeanie and I sitting in a turret on the castle in Central Park.  The castle used to be a weather station, now they let you wander through it, for a small suggested donation.]

After Central Park, we went over to Union Square, which is on the southern half of Manhattan.  There was a dance parade going on, and we sat in a cafe and watched it when I got tired again.  We also walked through the farmers market, and I looked at the wool some of the farmers were selling.  And we went shopping, since Union Square is one of the shopping centers.  I'll fill you in on what I bought in another post.

[The subway station near Radio City Music Hall.  We loved the Art Deco look of the building and the subway pole.]

After Union Square we headed back up to Uptown, and stopped by a burger place that my cousin and her husband had recommended.  They just happened to be having dinner there, too, so we walked back to the apartment with them.  Their two year old wanted to walk with me, and his dad very sternly informed me that I needed to keep a tight grip on his hand.  Anthony was very diligent about watching out for his boys.  The oldest would sometimes follow him around the apartment, wanting to be with his dad.  Very sweet.


Sunday was Jeanie's graduation, which was taking place at Radio City Music Hall.  Jeanie was supposed to get there at nine, so I went over with her, and stood outside until they let in the guests at ten.  I got a few comments from people who didn't think a pregnant lady should have to stand for so long.  Apparently they let in old people about half an hour before the rest of the guests, but they never told me where I was supposed to go to get special accommodations, just that they did offer them.  Jeanie made a point of asking for me when she left me with the rest of the people waiting to get in.  So, I stood for almost an hour, but I sat for a long time inside, so I didn't feel too bad.



Jeanie graduated with her LLM, or Masters in Law.  And she graduated Cum Lade.  I was very surprised to hear them announce it, and later Jeanie told me they hadn't told the LLM students that they would graduate with honors.  Most LLM students are international, so they announced the country they got their first degree from when they called their names.  Jeanie wasn't the only one from the United States, but there weren't many who were.


Jeanie's good friend, Sonny, came to the graduation as well, and we sat together.  After the graduation, the three of us went over to Jeanie's school, where they had a reception.  After the reception, Sonny took off (he was tired, poor thing, he usually sleeps in until the afternoon on Sunday).  Jeanie and I walked over to the Lincoln center, and I took pictures.  Then we went back to my cousin's apartment.  We had a nice dinner with my cousin, and then watched her kids while she and her husband went to hear one of her former professors talk somewhere.  They put their baby to bed before they left, so we got the older boy to bed, and then didn't have to do much until they got back.  I called Emily and Dan on the ipad; Emily gave the phone lots of kisses and hugs.  She does that to people on the regular phone, but since we were video chatting, I could see what she was doing.

[Jeanie at the Lincoln Center, which is very close to her school, Fordham.  This is where they do Fashion Week in New York City, and where the final runway competition on Project Runway takes place.]

Monday Jeanie and I slept in late, and then left the apartment after noon.  We went out to eat in little Italy, to celebrate Jeanie graduating.  Then we went shopping again, in the garment district.  And we took pictures in front of the giant needle and button statue.   Monday evening we went out to Brooklyn so Jeanie could see an apartment; it ended up being a great apartment, and she will be moving there soon.  The girl she will be rooming with is getting a PhD in English literature, and she is 28.  They hit it off right away.  And one of Jeanie's friends from law school lives just a couple stops away on the subway, so Jeanie will be close to her as well.

[The Manhattan LDS Temple.  It looks really short compared to the other buildings, but it is actually pretty big.  It is also right across the street from the Lincoln Center.]

Tuesday I mailed a big box of baby and toddler clothes my cousin had given me, which was mostly stuff someone else had given her.  Jeanie took the subway with me until my last connection.  They had cancelled the subway train that we were supposed to take (multiple trains run on the same track; they split onto different tracks later).  So, we waited and waited, for about 40 minutes, until Jeanie saw a subway worker, and asked him what was going on.  He suggested we take a different train and try to transfer later, and then once we were on the train, they made an announcement about what to do to get to the airport.

[Standing by the needle and button statue in the Garment District.  Across the street is Parsons, a design school, where the competitions for Project Runway take place.]

Jeanie got me on the right train to go to the airport, and then I transferred to the airport shuttle by myself (it only went one way from that station, so it wasn't hard to do).  I got to my terminal, checked in, and got in line for security.  Then they announced that if we wanted, we could walk to a shorter security line, and a bunch of us followed them.  They had us walk most of the way around the building.  After I got through security in the new location, I had to walk all the way back through the terminal. Apparently the first security line was right next to my gate.  I got to my gate about 5 minutes before we were supposed to board.  But we didn't really board for probably about 20 minutes.  I decided to try to board early, since I was pregnant, and when I flew out to New York, I was all the way in the back, and I think I almost hit people in the head with my carry-on.  The aisle between the seats is not big, and I am.

[Jeanie in front of the needle and button statue.]

The gate attendant turned away a couple people in front of me, who I guess were trying to board before they were supposed to, but he didn't bat an eye when I gave him my boarding pass.  The flight back was great, I felt much less sick, maybe because it was a bigger flight.  I didn't have any problems landing, which was wonderful, and we actually got to Michigan about 35 minutes ahead of schedule.


Dan mixed up what time he was supposed to pick me up, so he called to tell me he was in the cell phone lot, right after I got off the plane.  He had brought Emily with him, and we all went out to dinner together on the way home.  I really enjoyed my time in New York City, and seeing my sister, but I also loved coming home.

2 comments:

  1. Cutest family! It sounds like a really great trip. I'm so proud of Jeanie for graduating with honors! Well done!!

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  2. Aww I love that last picture with Danny and Emily!!

    And congratulations Jeanie! I am glad you got to have such a fun trip together.

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