Vaca Recap

Ready for a full recap of my trip? Here it is in all its brutal honesty.

October 7, 2005
Wake up at 4:30 am and get ready to drive to Akron. Struggle to get Derek out of bed (this will be standard throughout the weekend). Upon checking in at the ticket counter and going through security, Derek and I discovered that we had been flagged. This meant a thorough search. We had to take off our shoes, they went through each item in our carry-on bags and a metal detector wand was used. As probably is the norm for all women, the wand beeped every time it went over my bra. The officer asked if I was wearing an underwire bra and I said "Yes." She then proceeded to have to "check" and ran her hands under my chest and in between my breasts. This whole procedure was so invasive and embarrassing that when Derek attempted to make a joke when we headed for the gate I started to cry. Great way to start the trip. The flight itself was uneventful and after Derek made fun of me for buckling my seatbelt in the cab (which I can't believe people don't do, cab drivers are crazy!), we were in Manhattan. Our hotel was gorgeous - a nice, four star hotel in Midtown. We set off to do all the sight-seeing I had hoped to do. Our first day included taking in the sights of Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall, Times Square, Public Library, Bryant Park, Madison Square Gardens, Derek's old digs, Central Park, and Tiffany's. It began to rain when we were at the Park and this made me grumpy. However, we needed to get back to the hotel to clean up anyway because we had tickets to the Broadway musical "Movin' Out." Derek and I were both unaware that this musical has no dialogue. It's a story told solely through dancing and Billy Joel songs. Derek and I sat in the front row and was almost drenched in sweat by the character playing Eddie. He was sweating profusely the minute he stepped on stage. I enjoyed the show and Derek enjoyed the bodies on the women. Then it was time for dinner and we stopped at a deli where I boxed up some Chinese food from the buffet. It was greasy and awful, in a true NY Chinese food experience.

October 8, 2005
Woke up to a rainy, dreary day. I dragged Derek out of bed and we got on our way. We walked over to Grand Central and went to Starbucks. Then despite my reservations because of the security threat, we took the subway down to Wall Street. I loved downtown Manhattan. It's so old and historical and the streets are smaller and curvier. We saw the NYSE and stood in front of Federal Hall (as a history nerd, I thought this was really cool because it's where Washington was inaugurated and where the Bill of Rights were drafted). Then over to Battery Park to see the Statue of Liberty. We then headed north and observed Ground Zero - what a solemn place. Then because I'm the best sister ever we headed up to NYU because my sister wanted a sweatshirt. After securing the purchase, we trucked in the rain over to the Corner Bistro for burgers. Yummy. Then over to Magnolia bakery (which is featured on SATC) where I ate a cupcake. Yellow cake, chocolate frosting, pink beads = heaven. Then on to Bloomingdale's and the Met. At the Met, I had a meltdown over my apparent waving around of 400 dollars. However, the Met was great - Degas is one of my faves and I saw a couple of his along with a fellow KD sister Georgia O'Keefe. The architecture of the Met and the rooms are also extraordinary. Derek is angry with the Met because his favorite painting is not on display at this time and in his anger was heard to say, "I'm going to burn this place down." We then headed back to the hotel where games of Sudoku and TV occupied us for a couple of hours. Then the Buckeyes disappointed and angered me and I decided to take it out on Derek. Luckily, he made me go out and we met up with Ruvym at a salsa club called "Son Cubano." I had a great time and was glad to end the trip this way. It was wonderful to meet Ruvym and him and Derek are very much alike. As he observed, it wasn't like strangers meeting each other. Since we read about each others lives, we had things to talk about. I look forward to a future encounter. We then walked so drunk Derek and I could get some pizza and sat in Sal's Pizza until 3:30 am until I was the party pooper and Ruvym could tell I was about to fall asleep in the booth.

October 9, 2005
Derek and I woke up too late to have brunch and we headed straight away to LaGuardia.

My trip had ended and all in all (save for the rain and my grumpy nature) it was a good time. NYC seems like an adventure and perhaps one I will tackle soon as I make decisions as to where my life is headed. I think I would miss the laid-back, Midwestern way of life though and my only issue with NYC was all the honking. Cars honk at each other for no reason all of the time. Funny enough, as we were leaving there was a sign that said "No Honking. Fine $350." I guess the NYPD are lax on enforcing this.

But I would say it is true. New York, New York, so nice they named it twice.