This year for our anniversary the Hubby and I headed to New York. It's not as exotic as our anniversary trip last year to Latvia but it was just as fun and romantic.
I hadn't been to New York for about twenty years - which is terrifying to realize. Time really does fly. We did mainly the big tourist stuff on this visit. I think on our next trip - which will hopefully be much sooner than twenty years - we'll seek out more off the beaten track stuff. But I was happy to see all the main sights this time around.
We arrived in the late afternoon and so we hit up a few of the locations close to our hotel. First to Grand Central Station for a look around and lunch.



We had lunch at Oyster because of course, if you're in New York, you have to try and get a little Mad Men vibe.


After Grand Central, we wandered around and hit up the New York Public Library. This building is so beautiful, inside and out.





I loved that within this gorgeous building that looks like a museum, people were busy checking out books, researching and reading. It's a busy place with all kinds of activities for the locals as well as just being beautiful.
We hit up a few other sites nearby including the Chrysler building and then I ducked into the Waldorf Astoria for a bathroom break - as you do. This hotel is still stocked with 1930s glamour. The ladies room in the lobby had a fireplace and a lovely vanity area.

There was a mural on the back side of this vanity with pretty flapper girls.

Easily the nicest bathroom I've ever been in - but of course - it's the Waldorf Astora!
The next day we geared up for some serious sight seeing. We started off with the 911 Memorial. It's a long process of getting passes several blocks away and then waiting through a long line and security. I'm glad we went to see it but I have to say I have some mixed feelings about the memorial itself.

There are two of these fountains that sit on the footprints of where the twin towers used to be. I did not like these fountains. They're kind of bleak and I'm not sure if it's the size or the color but that hole in the bottom of the fountain made me think of sinking into the bottom of the earth and just bummed me out. I do think it should be a somber place to remember these victims, but I also thought they might have made it more peaceful or comforting. Anyway - everyone has different tastes, and these were just my impressions.
I did like having the chance to see some of the construction of the other World Trade buildings around the site.


After this it was a non-stop walking tour of New York. We wandered over to Soho for some shopping and then some of the best dumplings I've ever tasted.


Excellent Dumpling House looks like a hole in the wall but it's pretty well known. We tried as many dumplings as could stuff ourselves with and they were all awesome.

After this much needed energy break we headed up to see Times Square and the Flatiron Building.

Times Square was a little too much for me, but I could stare at the Flatiron Building all day.

We wandered up to the Village and ate some delicious dogs at Crif Dogs

Sooo good. And their rockabilly vibe was very cool.

We washed down our dogs and relaxed after our long day of walking with a beer at McSorley's which claims to be the oldest continually operating saloon in New York. It openend in 1854 and has hosted Abraham Lincoln, John Lennon and Woodie Guthrie among others. They serve two kinds of beer - light and dark - both of which were good after a hot day of sight seeing.

Another great day in New York!
Our last day in the city we hit up The Museum of Modern Art. On the way there we walked through Central Park. It was a pretty day and all of New York was out.



Our big outing that last day however, was a schooner tour of Manhattan.




It took off from Chelsea Pier and was a relaxing way to get some of the best views we'd have of the city.




The end of the tour got quite exciting.

Actually it rained on us but it was not rough or scary and was just a bit more of an adventure!
The whole trip was great and as a memento I took home a little bit of New York flavor.

I'm going to write a short post tomorrow about some of my crafty finds in New York. Hope everyone's Summer is starting off great!