I Heart New York

Hello, everyone! It's Julia.... and tomorrow I am flying to New York City for the first time!
Yay!
I'm not sure if/when most of you have gone.... so comment on your own experiences! Let me know if you have any... recommendations! And guess what - I'm going to a Broadway Show! I am seeing Wicked preformed live. I can't wait!
Honestly, I am kind of scared. I mean, of course it's expected that I go to the Statue of Liberty and all of that - but that prospect kind of freaks me out! I mean, just tons of people crammed up into this statue.... it scares me. But I'm sure I'll enjoy it... mostly.
Passover starts this Friday at sundown, but sadly I will not be home for the ceder - my grandparents and I are crashing some old friends of theres who live in NY City. I'm sure it will be fine. The matzah will probably taste the same - in that it doesn't. For some reason I really really enjoy matzah. Not just with all the haroset on top and stuff. Just plain. It is good.
The plan is I fly into Syracuse, meet up with Zaslaws, and then we fly into the city together.
Here's the schedule, so you guys will know what I'm up to if I don't get a chance to blog, which is likely:

Thursday
2-4 pm, Then and Now, walking tour of the Lower East Side presented by the Tenement Museum
Before, after, whatever, Little Italy, Chinatown, whatever we please.  Suitable lunch :-).  It's all right there within blocks.  Then afterwards a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and a bit of exploration of Brooklyn Heights at the other end, having dinner there and viewing lower Manhattan at sunset.

Friday
Boat trip to Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.  They say allow some five ours for it all.  And they say arrive promptly in the morning (like, before 11, but earlier is better) to avoid long waits. There'll be a half-hour wait for the boat in any event.
Dinner at the Stage Deli, a classic NY Jewish deli.
8 pm - Wicked
We'll have had a glimpse of Times Square navigating around the theater district, and if we haven't had enough we can have a look after the show.

Saturday
The American Museum of Natural History and the planetarium.  Opens at 10 a.m.  It's just blocks from out hotel.
4:30 seder at the Strausses', on 105th St. and Broadway.  It finishes not long after 8:00.

Sunday
Observation deck of the Empire State Building.  The 20-or-so-block walk on the Highline.  A peek into the New York Public Library.   A peek into Grand Central Station.  All this makes geographic sense.  Or we could go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the MOMA instead.  We might like to see the Egyptian Temple of Dendur at the Met. It's VAST, but we have "free" admission and could go for just a bit of it, if a bit is all we want.

Monday
We have only the morning.  There's an attractive bit of Riverside Park near where we'll be staying, likewise an attractive bit of Central Park. Whatever we're in the mood for.


(This schedule was provided by my grandmother in an email, with some editing by me to make it more compatible for viewers)
We're staying in a flat-hotel thing. Should be interesting.
I went out and bought two books about an hour ago and BOY is it taking self constraint not to devour both of them right now. Barnes and Noble is irritating because like ALL of the teen books are in hard copy and shelved all over the place. I miss Borders!
Also, I just redeemed and promptly spent $30 on iTunes which has been placed on my fully charged iPod. 
I started my 4-D New York City Puzzle yesterday. I have completed the foam base, but unfortunately I have not had time to place in the buildings yet. I'm planning to make a stop motion when the time comes though. Maybe I'll even create a Godzilla thing.
Will I be keeping a notebook in New York City? I've been thinking about that. The verdict is... uncertain. I think that would be great to have. Like I kept with Spain. But the pressure of keeping a notebook is stressful, and I'm worried about lagging behind. So, I am going to bring a notebook. I'm not sure how much I'll write in it. But I will blog as much as I can and I'll take a TON of pictures that I'll try to post daily with captions. I'm not sure if I'll have an opportunity to load that onto a computer or something.  We'll see how that turns out.  I will definitely get all the pictures on the blog at some point.
I get to take Mom's cell phone to New York City! I might be posting from there some of the time.
That's really the deal with New York City... I'll be thinking of you guys! This is my first alone flight.
I'm not worried about dealing with the airport on my own and all that - but it makes me more scared of fears that are generally suppressed  in larger company - like the plane crashing.


That's that!


But, on an unrelated notes - two two month-old female kittens are now officially OURS. They are reserved as of today. FINALLY! They are two  young torties from a litter of four - the Girl Scout Cookie Kittens. Together they are Savanna, Samoa, Tagalong, and Thin Minty (a.k.a. Minty).
We have claimed Savanna and Samoa.
They get their shots April 15th, and we pick them up that same sunday. Yay!!!

This is Samoa (to be Sasha)

And this is Savannah (to be Maya)

Yay! I'll get pictures and videos up as soon as we get them - obviously.

Next time I update I'll be in the BIG CITY!!! Wish me luck!

~Julia