September 8, 2009
San Diego, CA to NYC
Goodbye San Diego, hello 'All You Can Fly JetBlue Pass.' I handed my luggage to the guy and it was 57.5 pounds, so I removed my hiking boots and it settled at 51.5. e let me by, but the baggage carrier wanted to know why I didn't have to pay the $50 extra and it took all I had to inform his chubby little butt that 1.5 lbs extra probably would do him some good. After making it to the gate JetBlue welcomed us on and said there were 30-40 people flying with the pass that day, about thirty percent of that plane. And for those of you who haven't flown JetBlue yet, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Free drinks and snacks, plus your own little TV at your seat. And, more leg room than the other guys. I have been sold.
After landing at JFK I retrieved my luggage, which now read 56 pounds according to the tag attached to it and headed off on the subway to my Couchsurfers house at Battery Park. Immediately I rememembered how much I miss NYC. Everytime I return I fall more in love with this city. The public transit alone is reason for me to want to make out with Mayor Bloomberg. For $2.25 you stay on the same train from JFK to the WTC, no transfers, and one low price. Take note SDCOMMUTE. At the WTC I see where they are preparing for Friday's events and up close and personal the massive hole left by 9/11 is incredible. When I make my way through Gateway Plaza I am greeted by my CS Chris, who's studio view is of Lady Liberty herself. He proceeds to give me tons of insider info on his fave NYC spots, which I enjoy since I've done every touristy thing in this city before. After sharing war stories of travel and volunteer work, we call it an early night.
September 9, 2009
NYC
An early morning run through Battery Park jolted my body onto EST. There are so many NYPD around barricading people off in preparation for 9/11. After my run I decided to venture onto the Staten Island Ferry, b/c I haven't seen the Statue of Liberty in a while and on the way I see a huge celebration near Pier A. People are lined up to take pics and there are white tents shielded off by high wooded walls. I asked a NYCPO what's going on and he laughs and tells me the Princess of Norway is getting married. Boarding the ferry I sip my coffee while enjoying the view. 8 years later it is still hard to take in the skyline without the twin towers. I'm not climbing the SOL today or visiting Ellis Island b/c I have done that twice before, so I just sit back on the ferry and don't fight the crowd.
Afterwards, I take the 7 train out to Queens and visit Arthur Ashe Stadium and people watch everyone entering the US Open. Everyone is dressed in their business suits and rushing in, as though they are on their lunch breaks and just trying to catch a quick glimpse of tennis before heading back. There are still $48 tix available for that day, but I decide to save my money for other fun events.
Onward back to Manhattan, I stop at Bryant Park where the white tents have popped up for Fashion Week. It's lunchtime and there are men playing quick games of chess, people catching a nap, and pigeons swooping in and out. I look for Tim Gunn, but he must not be in town yet. Around the corner I step into the NY Public Library, and am awed by its beauty. There are staircases everywhere, leading you to millions of books, many perched on gold bookshelves. I peek into the geneology room and the library employee helps me look into my family records. I find when and who came to the USA on what ships and see PDF versions of their original passport applications and birth records. Since I'm nearby I continue down the street into Times Square and find a nude girl being painted from head to toe and the line at TKTS wrapped around the block three times. At Wicked I attempt to win front row seats for $26 in their daily lottery, but it appears rigged when the local guys behind me say "We're just going to get our tix and go on our date" and then they win. Saddened by my loss (of time more than the tix) I hustled back down the street into Central Park. There are so many runners coming towards me that I think for a moment maybe the NYC Marathon has come a month early. To the west side of the park is Strawberry Fields, dedicated to John Lennon, and as I enter this area I am greeted by ten homeless men dancing around with a half empty bottle of Jim Beam and a strong scent of weed. "Hey baby, come dance with us" they say! Snap, snap...goes the camera and off I head.
September 10, 2009
NYC
It's early morning and I'm walking up Broadway past City Hall. Attempting to cut through the City Hall park I find barricades and the NYC City Hall is closed off like the White House. No pass for Jen. Further up Broadway I begin to pass through SoHo and if I only had a black AmEx card I could go crazy with all the shopping that stares back at me. I am on my way to the Arrojo hair studio where I have been signed up for a free wash and style this morning. Once I am in the chair the girl begins to turn the round brush and I think to myself that I could have done a better job blowing out my hair than her. But, it is free so I let her continue on. By the time she's done I don't really notice a difference, which doesn't really matter since out on the street the wind blows it backwards anyways. At this point I get lost, going from street to street through Greenwich Village, Chelsea, and the Meatpacking District before I finally settle on walking up the Hudson River path and having lunch at the Chelsea Market. According to the Lonely Planet (which we all know never steers me wrong) the Chelsea Market is full of cheeses, breads, and fruit for you and taste and have fun with. Wrong again LP. Yes, the Chelsea Market does have those things, but they are for you to look over and buy, then taste. I settle on a cheeseburger and one of the little diners inside and enjoy it near an indoor water fixture. The Chelsea Market also houses the Food Network and Oxygen on their upper floors and I see some guy with a weird looking mustache and a microphone; perhaps he is important?
Back down in Battery Park they are celebrating 400NY and the New Amsterdam Trail. There is a big Dutch party going on at Bowling Green and I find a fun band to listen to. Across the way flags have been set up to honor the victims of 9/11 in front of 'The Sphere' which was retrieved from the WTC. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sphere Finally, I make my way back up to Washington Square Park where I meet my CS Chris and he shows me his fave places in the NYU area. We enjoy tapas and sangria before going over to Magnolia's Bakery for cupcakes. Apparently it was made famous from Sex and the City, but I don't remember that episode... Completing the night, Chris shows me his other fave spots in the West Village, including V Bar and Shade. Greenwich Village is awesome; when I was younger I was too dumb to enjoy the area. Now it is just perfect.
September 11, 2009
NYC
5:45 AM I rise and shine to head over for the 9/11 activities. I get there even before the NYPD even though I was told there would be 20,000 people attending today's activities. Wrong. Once I get to the WTC area it doesn't matter b/c the memorial service isn't open for the public, just family members and press. So, I take a standing room position by a fire hydrant and let the rain come pouring down. As it starts to rain, the wind begins to blow and it is freezing. I ask three NYCPO where the public is supposed to stand and they all tell me they don't know what's going on. Finding the event not well organized, I leave and decide to watch it on TV along with everyone else. Back at my CS house, I get my bags ready for JFK. It is time for Leg 2 of 'JetBlue' and I am off to Forest City for the night.
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