A Top 10 List

Top 10 Things I loved about New York

10.  The All American Buffet Breakfast at the Waldorf Astoria.

I chose to add this option when I booked the room, and I am so glad I did!  I just assumed it would be a mamby bamby continental breakfast, but it was a full on Little America type of breakfast buffet---omelets prepared to you personal specification by a chef, fresh fruits, incredible Blitzes and other pastries, oatmeal with a huge variety of add-ins, meats and cheese, yogurt bar, Belgium waffles and toppings, etc.  All this came with a very attentive, friendly and happy serving staff.

9.  Native New Yorkers who were so willing to help us out with the metro.

I did pretty well navigating the subway, but the few times I looked confused or needed to clarify a question, I was always amazed at how I could ask anyone and they would rattle off which metro location or stop or train we would need to take to get to were we wanted to go.  There were even a few times that someone volunteered to help when they could tell we weren't sure of what to do.  I was especially impressed by this, since I am not sure if I could tell someone how to get anywhere in Salt Lake...

8.  Bagels and cream cheese from a street vendor.

7.  Going for a morning run and discovering that the city had blocked off traffic from Park Ave so that all runners and bikers had a straight, unhindered path.  Awesome.

The city does this on certain Saturdays in the summer, and I just happen to be there on the right Saturday.  I ran down Park Ave towards Central Park, and then through Central Park up to the Met on 83rd and back to the hotel...it was a great 4 miler, and I was running with lots of other bikers and runners.  I loved it.

6.  The nice gentleman who gave us an impromptu tour of Brooklyn Heights.

We walked across the Brooklyn Bridge, which was pretty cool, but when we didn't get off when we should have, we ended up walking a lot farther then we intended too.  We really wanted to eat at Grimaldi's, but we had a member of our party with foot problems developing, and we were a little lost.  The nice gentlemen could tell we were unsure of which direction to go, and he began to explain what we needed to do, and then he said, "You know, I'm heading in that direction anyway, so I will just walk with you and make sure you get to where you want to go."  He then proceeded to tell us about the history of Brooklyn Heights and took us past the Plymouth church, where the the Pastor Beecher (abolitionist and brother to Harriet Beecher Stowe) invited Abraham Lincoln to speak and campaign.

5.  Our hotel and room (the Waldorf Astoria)

We scored on this one.  The hotel and staff were wonderful and our room was beautiful and comfortable.

4.  Turning the corner of Exchange Place and seeing the New York Stock Exchange among the canyon of tall buildings...BAM!  There it is.

3.  Wicked!  On Broadway! At the Gershwin Theater!

2.  Meeting up with Liz and her mom.  Liz always make us happy.

1. Being with all my girls:  Kelsey, Markelle, Madeleine and Ashley!