NYC, Baby, Here I Come!!!

I am heading to my favorite place on Earth next month. New York City. Each time I go I have a long list of places I hope to visit. This time is no different. I'm composing my list here....

1.) Pop Bar. Yes, it's ridiculously trendy right now. But I am going in August and I'm sure it will be hot out. And who can resist this choice of gelato on a stick??? Maybe I will skip a meal so that I can sample more than one. Yum yum.

2.) I am reading one of the books that I posted about here. It's titled In Pursuit of Silence: Listening for Meaning in a World of Noise. A couple of nights ago I was reading a chapter that discusses pocket parks. These are "small patches of landscaped nature generally built on vacant building lots or scraps of urban land that fall between the cracks of real estate interests". I love the idea of a little oasis of nature and quiet (actually "water masks the grinding city sounds") right in the middle of Manhattan. One of these parks - Paley Park - is near my hotel. It's also one of the oldest pocket parks in the US, having opened in 1967. I will definitely visit this one. There are two others mentioned as well. If time permits, I will try to visit at least one of those. They are Greenacre Park (51st St between 2nd and 3rd Aves.) and 1221 Ave of the Americas.

Greenacre Park Image via New York Times

3.) Brooklyn. This chick, in about 30 visits, has never left the confines of the borough of Manhattan. I intend to visit Brooklyn on this trip. I am really hoping (fingers tightly crossed) to walk back to Manhattan via the Brooklyn Bridge. This is something that has been on my list for YEARS.

4.) Fishs Eddy. Okay, I visit here on every trip. But I love this store and it's always worth the time and effort to get there. Since I'm already there, I will most likely also stop in ABC Carpet & Home.

5.) A walk through the Flower District. Oddly enough, I've never been to this part of town. Hoping to take an early morning walk there....

Flower District Image via New York Times

6.) The whole purpose of this trip is to celebrate my dear friend, Dori's, birthday. In her birthday celebration plans, she is fulfilling a long-held dream of mine......to go to a private karaoke bar. I feel like a kid going to the world's biggest candy store. Let's just hope all these ladies want to remain friends with me after they hear me sing. (I hope they sell alcohol there.) Hmmmm......I'm wondering if they'll have The Dixie Chick's "Sin Wagon" on the playlist.

7.) I am heading up early so that I am able to visit my very sweet and lovely friend, Helena. She currently resides in Sleepy Hollow, up in Westchester. I am so thrilled to spend the night with Helena because, well, I just love spending time with her. We go way back. But I'm thinking maybe we could visit the famed Sleepy Hollow cemetery. Great for photos. Helena, are you reading? What do you think? (Side Note: Helena and I took the best bus tour over in England. It was my first and only foray outside of the city of London. One of our stops was Stonehenge. The massive bus pulled into the parking lot....Helena and I viewed Stonehenge from across the street.....agreed that we'd "Been there, done that"....and then sat on a bench eating snacks purchased at the refreshment stand......and we were as happy as clams....I love that about us!)

8.) Since I'm training for the race at the end of September, I'm thinking it would be cool to take one of my runs around the Reservoir in Central Park. I would SO feel like a native. Maybe I'll pass by Charlotte York. Oh yes, wait, that is only a character.