M and S's Excellent Adventure, Day 1

S and I, it turns out, are very busy and important! We had to do some work stuff in New York, which really meant we had an excuse to go to New York! Unfortunately the weather was less than cooperative, but we didn't let that stand in the way of a good time!

Our first day was mostly touring the neighborhood around our hotel. We were staying at the Hilton New York for two nights, which is at 53rd and 6th (or Avenue of the Americas, if you must). We wandered up 5th Avenue to gawk at Prada, Escada, and the Plaza Hotel on our way to Central Park, where we saw some guy blowing enormous bubbles by dipping a length of rope into a bucket of soapy water.

The Plaza

We walked some of the paths inside the park, saw lots of kids sledding, meandered through the zoo, and headed back south on 5th when we started getting cold. We stopped for a hot dog - because how can you be doing all this walking on the sidewalks of New York and not get a hot dog? - which was as delightful as I remembered. We passed by this memorial to World War I soldiers, which I thought deserved a photo spot on this here blog.

I also saw this apartment building with a quote carved into the stone that definitely needs to be on far, far more apartment buildings: "Love thy neighbor as thyself." What a brilliant idea!

We crossed over to Madison Avenue for part of the trip home and did some shopping. I got two shirts (one fun, one work) and a pair of leggings which I didn't end up needing. Oh well, now I have them in the arsenal just in case.

After a stop back by our hotel to take a breather, we went to see the lights and sounds and crowds and craziness of Times Square at night. I had been there before (actually there's a picture I love of S [different S] and I from the summer of 2008 in Times Square, but I don't have it handy either), but S had only ever seen it in the daylight. Even then it's something to see, but nighttime is when the Square really shines. Literally. Everything shines. Lights so bright it looks like daytime. It's wild. And, to make it even better, it started snowing - big, fluffy flakes! It was beautiful!

We grabbed a way overpriced dinner near our hotel and headed back for some R&R. It had been quite a crazy week leading up to this trip for me, so I really needed the sleep.

S has most of the photos from the day on her camera, actually, but I'll add them in where appropriate as soon as I can get my digital hands on them. Check back for updates! I command you!