Going Home (part 2): Walking My Vacation Away

By far the cheapest thing to do when going to NYC is to walk every where. Yes, you get tired. Yes, you look like a tourist if you are wearing sneakers to do it. Yes, it is worth it.
You come home physically exhausted but filled to the brim with the satisfaction of being a part of the energetic, bustling city. And that right there is what makes you get up the next day and go do it again.

Over the years as visitors have stayed with us, we've crossed off a lot of the "touristy" things to do. Like the Empire State Building, MoMA, Guggenheim, Statue of Liberty, Times Square, Natural History Museum (which I really love). But some things that are worth repeating - like the Brooklyn Bridge and Central Park.
So here's my list of potential things to do when we go back (in less than 3 weeks!):

the high line - a park that is built on unused train lines that goes over the meatpacking district.

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manor park - We went here fairly often in high school. It's not in NYC at all, it's up in Larchmont. If you click the link, there are some other gorgeous pictures of the park.

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botanical gardens/bronx zoo - they used to do holiday lights at the zoo, but I think it's been cancelled for a couple years. I found people saying it is happening, and people saying it isn't, so I don't know who to believe. But zoos are always fun.

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rockwood hall/rockefeller estate - I went here on a field trip in high school once. Taking a tour of the mansion costs money, but you can walk around rockwood hall (it is the summer home built by John D. Rockefeller's brother William. John built the huge mansion) for free and it is right on the Hudson river. Directions here

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Nutcracker Ballet - I've been twice and loved it. Tickets are a little bit pricey, so we probably won't go this year. Even though you know the story so well, it is enchanting to see it come alive.

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 chelsea market -- it's an indoor mall/food court. they also film some of the food network is on top level. Apparently the food is really good and there are decent shops too. I've never been, so I'd like to try.

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whispering arches in grand central station  - you stand in opposite corners of the archway and you can whisper sweet nothings to each other as if you were standing side-by-side!

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staten island ferry - it's a free ride across NY Harbor with great views of both the city and the Statue of Liberty. Best part: FREE. It will probably be pretty cold this year though.

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9/11 memorial -  The last couple times I came down to ground zero the construction fences blocked everything. Everyone is kind of standing around trying to get a glimpse inside. It will be nice to see the new memorial. If you want to go, it does require an advance pass but you can reserve one here.

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NY LDS temple - I worked at the open house for this temple as a teenager. I remember hearing a lot of the behind-the-scenes stories. It is so pretty inside. I'm always amazed at how you can walk from the noisy city into the temple and the noise is gone.

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chinatown - definitely a fun place to go. My favorite part of Chinatown are the guys that come up to you that want to sell you the knock-off handbags --- Not the ones on display. The ones that you have to follow him for blocks before he will show you a picture catalog of the bags and when you finally choose the bag you want, he makes a suspicious phone call. Then a car shows up and hands you a black bag that you can only look inside for a second, just to make sure it is the bag you want, before they rush you to close the bag. Yeah. Those handbags. I kind of want a wallet this year.

central park - I would go with a bagel and hot chocolate in hand, of course. -- I've even considered maybe doing a carriage ride through. Mostly because I'm a girl and I think it would be romantic.  But look how pretty the park is! Although it probably isn't that color when we go.

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broadway show - always fun. I wish I could have seen Les Mis before it closed. Wicked was also great.

brooklyn bridge/park - David mostly wanted to come here the first time because of Newsies and the scene where they are spitting off the bridge. But it really is such a fun thing to do. And there is the Brooklyn Bridge Park at the end conveniently located close to Grimaldi's. What a great coincidence!

rockefeller center - definitely a Christmas-time must-see. Plus all the lights on the storefronts around it are way fun too. Our Stake goes Christmas caroling in NYC - we start on the steps of the NY Public Library and sing and hand out doughnuts to people walking by. Then we would all walk down to Rockefeller Center and carol there for awhile. So fun. One of my favorite NY Christmas memories.

What else?! Anyone done anything else that they loved?
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Going Home (part 1): Eating My Vacation Away

I love going home to New York. I love being with my family, I love the east coast and the trees and seasons, I love seeing all the things I associate with being home - like the park across the street that my family is at every day (and probably has been since we moved there years and years ago.)

You'd never guess that behind this hill of rocks was a park....

with a creek (and the baseball field in the background)

and really fun swings.

Anyways, a lot of my memories of NY also involve eating/food. In between Christmas shopping and work, I started trying to make a list of where I want to go. Some places I've been to, others I've just heard about and want to try.  We definitely can't do them all. But here's some of what we are choosing from:
(I had a couple pictures on here for some of the restaurants listed, but for some reason it wouldn't let me load with them on, sorry.)

hampton chutney - last time I was in NY, we took the subway out to the Indian neighborhoods in Queens and had some good authentic food. (Naan!) I've heard/read some really good reviews about this place.

jake's wayback burgers - I'm pretty sure my dad goes here at least once every week. The people behind the counter recognize him now. And I'm a burger girl. So yes, while I am on my way to get a delicious piece of junior's cheesecake, I will be stopping by.

cosi - kind of like a panera bread/zupas soup salad bread place. There is one close to my house and I can't even begin to count how many times I've eaten there. It's not a one-of-a-kind experience, but for me, it's a memory.

the bagel place at quaker ridge (which I just learned is officially called H&R Bialy. Who knew?!)  I used to get a bagel here before school very often (especially junior/senior year before AP tests when we'd go to school really early for extra review sessions. I'm pretty sure that was my key to success.). With a strawberry-banana-orange juice. I keep hoping to find a bagel place out here that comes close, but there's nothing quite the same. I like the bagels off the street vendors too, but this place is at the top of my bagel list. Neri's is up there too.

the mexican corner restaurant - I actually can't remember what I've eaten here. But I do remember loving it.

shake shack - again, burger girl here. I don't think I could say no to a burger/malt from there. Definitely going to keep this one on the list.

national underground - it's a music venue but it apparently has good burgers.
 also, it's owned by gavin degraw and his brother. fun little fact.

candle light - there is a facebook page dedicated to the wings. Yes, they are that good. Sometimes I have dreams about them. We've made some homemade wings that are pretty close to these. But it's not quite the same.

doughnut plant - I've always heard how the doughnuts here are pure bliss. And who doesn't like doughnuts? (actually, for about 2 years I just didn't want doughnuts after having them every week in seminary. But I wouldn't fight them putting in a Dunkin Donuts here in Utah. Please?)

grimaldi's - classic delicious NY pizza. That I LOOOVE. We drove to Vegas just to eat this (although, the boys thought we were going for basketball games, so the pizza was just my reason) once because it was the closest store to Utah. Oh, how I miss thin crust pizza I can fold and eat.

chinatown/pho - you know all the meat hanging in the windows of Chinatown? It's really good, according to David. I personally LOVE their sesame rolls with the different fillings.  And the pho places down the street. We had some really good food last time and I'm excited to get more.

quickly - their website makes me laugh. But we love their smoothies with the tapioca balls. Last time we ran around the city based on where the quickly's were so we could get more than one. Here was the last ones we had before we went home.

Anyone else have any good places I forgot? Because I am very open to more good food.
Next part - my list of what to do!

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