If you get an invitation to travel, accept it. Over summer break, my 20-year old son mentioned he was interested in going to New York City (NYC) , so I took him up on his offer. Spending time with your parents isn’t a top priority at his age, but we get along well. A quick 24-hour trip would be fun and it would give us quality time together.
NYC is on the island of Manhattan and there is always plenty to see and do. As a family, we had been to the Big Apple before and seen all the major tourists sights. This time he wanted to walk around Times Square, go to Central Park, and see a Broadway show. He’d heard that The Book of Mormon, a comedy by the creators of the television show South Park, was pretty funny. All the sights on his list were located in Midtown.
Jump on the Express Bus at Union Station
We’ve traveled by plane and train to New York many times, but this was a last minute trip. I had heard from co-workers that there are great express buses from DC to NY, Boston, and Philadelphia. They’re clean, have WiFi and bathrooms, and are pretty inexpensive, with real deals if you book ahead.
If you live in the Washington DC metro area, one of the departure points for the buses is Union Station on Capitol Hill. It’s a fun start to a trip because it is a destination in itself. When you walk inside, you’ll see it has been wonderfully restored to its original architectural elegance. Union Station has plenty of parking, retail shops and a variety of restaurants inside, especially convenient if you want to grab a drink and a bite before you board. We picked up coffee, pastries and breakfast sandwiches. With a full belly, we were off.
We boarded a Bolt express bus around 10 am. My son suggested it would be fun to sit on the top level of the double-decker because it would afford better views. He was right. I was amazed at the range of ages of people on the bus. We saw groups of young people in their 20s, women traveling together, couples and families. With voices buzzing in happy anticipation, we were lucky enough to get a witty bus driver who made the trip entertaining. We arrived promptly at 2:30 pm in Midtown Manhattan.
Airbnb treasure in Hell’s Kitchen
I’m a big fan of Airbnb. I found a cute little apartment in a neighborhood called Hell’s Kitchen. I chose this neighborhood because it’s within walking distance to the theater district. While we did see a restaurant called Hell’s Kitchen, it served upscale Mexican, and it wasn’t the one owned by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey.
Our Airbnb host was incredibly helpful and truly deserved his “super host” rating. Before I even arrived, I asked a half dozen questions about restaurant recommendations, different transportation options for getting around, and fun things to do near his place. He was clearly proud of his city and his excitement was contagious! We checked in and changed for dinner and the show.
Enjoying the night life in Times Square
It was a beautiful, clear, balmy night with temperatures still in the high 70s. The streets were teeming with people softly lit up by the neon signs of the skyscrapers above. With plenty of time before the show, we decided to walk up and down Times Square. We saw colorful costumed figures, energetic street performers and lots of loud vendors trying to sell tourists tickets for comedy clubs or other shows. Interestingly enough, one block featured an art display called “Wake” which was a replica of a wooden shipwreck. A carved female figurehead leaned off the bow and scanned the sky above. To visitors, it was another great backdrop for photographs.
In the center of another block, there is a tall grandstand where you can rest and people watch. As we sat on the hard metal bench, we listened to spontaneous songs by a group of kids in the crowd and marveled at the hectic city streetscape. It was
Tony Award Winning Musical – The Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon was playing at the wonderful old Eugene O’Neil Theatre on West 49th Street. I bought the tickets online before we left but we probably could have gotten better seats if we waited until the day of the show. Locals know all about the TKTS booth, a 47-year-old landmark for same-day discounted theater tickets. It looks like a little hut at the corner of 7th Avenue and Broadway at 47th Street. Our seats were in the orchestra section but off to the left side. We could see and hear the entire show well but it’s always nicer to have a seat in the center somewhere.
The plot of the show involves young idealistic Mormon missionaries sent to an outpost in Uganda. The locals are not interested in conversion and the unlikely pairing of the star missionary team doesn’t bode well for success. I won’t give away the rest of the story but the cast is amazing and the singing and dancing are wonderful. The sets are beautiful and the dialogue is very witty. My son and I agreed that it was easy to see why it was such an award-winning and long-running show.
Dinner and Cheesecake at Junior’s Restaurant
We were hungry and a slice of New York cheesecake was on my list for this trip. Right near the theater, we were told to look for a restaurant called Juniors that specialized in the delicious creamy dessert. As soon as we saw the red and white striped sign, it was an easy choice. It was faster to be seated outside and it was fun to watch the crowds go by. My son ordered chicken tenders and fries and I had a stuffed portabello mushroom. For dessert, we both ordered their famous cheesecake. What a nice ending to a great evening!
Back to the Airbnb
As soon as we stood up, I could feel my waistline expanding from the meal. Luckily, it was still a balmy night. It was nice to walk off dinner as we headed back to our Airbnb. I have to admit that I should’ve dropped a pin in my Google Maps app because everything looks a lot different at night. I think we walked two blocks past our
We had the bottom floor of our Airbnb apartment. It had a comfortable Queen bed and futon, as well as a half-bath and a desk with coffee maker, cups and coffee. It was very quiet and peaceful. We fell asleep quickly after our long day. The next morning, we headed out early. With less than six hours before we left the city, we still had a lot more to see.
Breakfast at Mom’s Restaurant
To start the day, we dropped into a cute little restaurant a few blocks over called Mom’s which was decorated to the brim with memorabilia from the 50s. I got a kick out of the condiment case on our table which was an old Audrey Hepburn lunchbox. They had a great breakfast menu and prompt service. My son ordered pancakes and bacon and I ordered coffee and a breakfast sandwich. Our waiter was a personable guy who said he and his wife fell in love with the area and he really enjoyed working there. Who said New Yorkers don’t have charm?
Tall buildings and steel sculpture
After breakfast, we jumped into a cab and headed toward Central Park. The taxi slowed down near Lincoln Square and we decided to get out and walk. One of the many great things about the Big Apple is that it is full of art. A sculpture of a steel globe at Columbus Circle caught my eye. I loved the juxtaposition of the round globe and the tall rectangular buildings behind it.
Afterward, we decided to go into the Shops at Colombus Circle, a beautiful three-story building with high-end shopping like Stuart Weitzman and Hugo Boss. On the third floor, we were greeted by a sign for Amazon Books. It was a fairly recent addition and one of the few brick-and-mortar locations for the giant online retailer. It wasn’t a large store but it was nicely laid out with wonderful window views of the city including the tall buildings, yellow taxies and dark greenery of Central Park kitty-corner to the mall.
There’s no place like Central Park
The park was at its finest showcasing leafy foliage and flowers everywhere. Near the entrance way, a long line of pedicabs gathered together like schoolchildren waiting for a bus. One clever driver approached us and offered a quick 30-minute tour of Central Park. The clouds in the sky were few and far between in the afternoon and the sun was growing hot. Aware that the clock was ticking, we agreed. Bargaining with vendors is expected so I talked him into lowering the price by $20 and away we went.
The driver kept up a running dialogue of all the special places in the park pointing out where various movies and shows were filmed. When the driver mentioned the spot featured in the opening sequence of the television show “Friends,” my son really wanted to take a picture by the Cherry Hill fountain. I later learned that the show recreated the famous fountain and filmed the cast in front of it on a studio set in LA. Oh well – it was still a fun memory.
Central Park is roughly 2 1/2 miles long and a half mile wide. Some of the other notable sights we saw were the Carousel, the Belvedere Castle, and people launching toy sailboats on the water. Our driver also stopped at two other famous sites. The Bethesda Fountain has been featured in a long list of movies like Annie Hall, Elf, and Angels in America. Hidden beneath the terrace is a beautifully ornate underground portico where we saw a bride and groom getting their pre-wedding shots.
At the end of our tour, we stopped to take a look at the Imagine Mosaic in a section called Strawberry Fields. It is an internationally-funded tribute to John Lennon, NYC resident, musical legend and former member of the Beatles. It seemed just right that a fan was strumming a guitar and softly singing one of John Lennon’s songs while the crowd stood in silence. It was both beautiful and sad at the same time.
Free makeup and Lancome’s World Record
After leaving the park, we headed down near the waterfront to find a cool breeze. We also spotted High Line Park, which is an old freight rail track elevated above the street. As we exited by a plaza, we heard voices buzzing again. A crowd of people stood in lines near large colorful signs announcing a one-day special event. The cosmetic company Lancome was making an official attempt at breaking a world record for having the most people matched with a foundation in eight hours. In exchange for sitting in a make-up chair while just the right shade was applied, you received a free sample of your color and a tiny tube of mascara. With fifteen minutes to go before it all ended, they needed more volunteers and we joined the fun. Who doesn’t want to help make history and get free make-up?
On the road again to DC
Finally, it was time to go. We found our bus stop and after grabbing cold bottled waters and salted pretzels from a street vendor, we boarded. I had booked another line called Premier before we left DC. There are a number of companies running express buses and I wanted to have a comparison since we decided to make this an annual trip. Although it was a little more expensive, it was only moderately full so we each got our own row. More space was a nice treat, and my son who is 6 foot 3 inches tall promptly spread out and fell asleep. As the bus crossed into New Jersey, I enjoyed a last view of the city, and then pulled out my iPad to read during the long trip home.
