And then there were a different three!

[Dixiechic]

And then there were a different three!

Sunday 3 April

Woke up for the first time at 9.36! I heard myself saying ‘what the hell was that?’ Julie answered me asking what I was talking about. I think I must have heard another room door closing but being totally disorientated I didn’t know what it was! Luckily nodded off again, the drone of the air con is fairly quiet compared to the premier inn and to our hotel in Crete last October.

I wake up too hot and needing the loo but date to look at the time in case its way too early. I try yo go back to sleep but in the end look at my watch 1.32. Have a feeling that will be it for sleep as my body thinks it’s 6.30. Only one thing for it - start the blog!

Ali gets up to go to the loo at 2.45 and I’m able to light the way with my phone!

Still wide awake at 4.45 so no point even trying to sleep now. Will try and last until 5.30 and then get showered. The weather had been saying light rain for today but is now saying heavy rain which is a bit annoying as I don’t have a coat! Might need to buy a brolly as there’s no heated towel rail to dry my cardigan. Forgot to mention that housekeeping is no longer daily - the covid excuse - it’s upon request so we’ve asked for Sunday and Tuesday

Got out of bed just after 5 and had a shower. Managed to drop 3 different thing so the neighbours and Ali and Julie must have loved me! Was going to put the kettle in and then remembered the milk situation. Same for coffee as we were only given 2 creamers. I google the nearest open duane read and it didn’t look to far. Was going to assess the safety situation but got to reception and checked the pantry shop area and they didn’t have any so I asked the receptionist lady and she went and got me a cup from the kitchen! Back up stairs, kettle on and coffee maker on.

Headed down to breakfast for opening time - 7am. I was pleasantly surprised by the options - the last time the girls and I came the breakfast was quite poor. The usual cereals, Pastries, breads, bagels etc. hot items were turkey sausages, bacon, scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes and French toast. I discovered an omelette station after I’d filled my plate.

A nice leisurely breakfast and then we headed off for DUMBO at 8. We had decided last night that we’d get an Uber or taxi rather than the subway as I don’t like the underground - I’m scarred someone will be ill and I won’t be able to get off. Also on a previous trip to NYC a lot of homeless people seemed to ‘live’ on the subway at the weekend and we stepped on to one carriage with other people and everyone stepped straight off as the smell was unbearable. We started walking in the direction that we needed abs just kept walking.

The streets were deserted so it was lovely just looking at the scenery.

After an hour I suggested we hop in a cab soon but we decided to walk all the way and then get a cab back. Not long after this we had a serious navigational issue and we have no idea how it occurred as we were just walking straight! One minute we were in 4th and then the next we were back up at the 8th. This totally threw us off and we we just couldn’t get back ‘in the map’ to work out what direction we needed.

There were no cabs around so we just had to keep winging it. I was getting stressed and a bit upset as we needed to be back at the theatre for 12 and I just wandered to see Dumbo and walk the Brooklyn bridge as I’d not done these before. We got to the bottom of Manhattan bridge and by now it was 11ish and we knew we wouldnt have time to walk over a bridge. We had to bite the bullet abs switch data on. I had to add a card to Lyft as my old one had expired and then we ordered a car abs finally got to Washington street. I was quite a bit miffed by this point as it was also raining and cold. The lyft driver seemed to go round the houses abs what had originally come up as a $6 ride ended up being $18 with tip. Joined a small queue to get the photo - on a clear day you can see the Empire State Building through the arches but because of the rain visibility wasn’t great but you can just about make it out.

It was now 11.30 so instead of a mooch around DUMBO (down under Manhattan bridge overpass) we ordered another car - $28 plus tip) and headed to the theatre.

The show wasn’t until one but with covid rules we needed to be there 45 mins early. We got out of the car and looked for a shop to get a drink to take in and bingo Target was 20 steps away! This made me feel better - I’d been here 24 hours and hadn’t been in a shop yet! Picked up some sweets for ‘bring backs’. They had the Cadbury mini eggs which come in totally different bags to ours. I’d got some of these a few times on work trips to Germany so knew they tasted good but they didn’t have the shimmer ones. They seem to be finally catching up with the UK and had self service tills and contactless pay - so much quicker, For
some reason Americans tend to be so slow at serving at tills. $85 dollars later I had a spring in my step and my earlier angst was forgotten.

Headed across the road to join the massive queue for Aladdin - when we (Julie) booked these tickets, Julie surprised Ali and I by saying that these were our birthday present. We were overwhelmed and had a little tear. People were checking our ID and vaccination status in the queue - we had downloaded the NYC covid safe app so just had to open this abs show then the id page and vaccination page and I got a stamp on my hand.

Through the doors for security bag check and Ali had to get rid of her drink as you weren’t allowed to take drinks in. Luckily they didn’t look in my big bag of target shopping!

Found our seats and were handed a playbill - I don’t know why they don’t do this in the UK instead of charging a fortune for a programme. I went to the loo and passed the bar on the way and had a little look at the cocktail menu and suggested to the girls that they pick up some cocktails on their way back from the loo and handed over some cash - now my purse has been opened it will be haemorrhaging money.

The theatre is beautiful and very ornate but the same as all where you’re crammed in like sardines with no leg room. Mask wearing was very strict and I was glad as we were all very close.

Excellent show - this is the first one I’ve seen both in broadway and the west end and it didn’t disappoint. The Genie was brilliant and his big number before the interval was more Americanized than the London one and I’m sure the London one lasted 16 minutes. This was 9 but still really good.

After the show we headed to Times Square as we hadn’t been there yet. A lot of the screens seemed much more high definition that when I last came in 2018.

We then decided to head for Grand Central Terminal for a look around and then go in to Bath and Body Works (if you know, you know) as it was opposite before then heading back to the hotel for our free drinks. This is where we had another navigational malfunction after ‘getting in the map’ and ended up in completely the wrong direction. Corrected ourselves and headed to the station which is just beautiful. Walked all the way through and out of the Lexington Avenue exit and into the Mecca of BBW. At some point we spotted a nice looking cake shop and each got a piece of cake to enjoy in the room after our dinner.

it just smells so good. I did very well and didn’t go too mad. I only got 6 soaps but could have easily picked up one of every fragrance. $90 later we exited and made our way back to the hotel. We had done 24000 steps today and my feet weren’t aching which was good. My early start was starting to make itself known now though. We dumped our purchases back in the room and headed to floor 4 for the evening reception. Straight to the bar and got my 2 glasses of wine. Nibbles tonight were crinkle cut crisps, the big soft pretzels and hot spinach dip (I love this and the spinach must make it healthy, right?)

Whilst chatting enjoying our sustenance we decided that we were shattered abs would order pizza to be delivered and then use our $25 room credit towards a bar drink while we waited. We headed down to the lobby and asked for a deliver recommendation - Joe’s pizza - Julie placed the order and it said delivery was due around 8.07 abs it was now 7..30 ish. We took a seat at the bar, which overlooked the bar abs ordered our drinks - white wine, Prosecco and Budweiser.

It got to 8.15 and we were wondering where our delivery was, we then spot a pizza box and some paper bags on the concierge desk! How we missed it we do not know! It must have been there ages as well as it was cold! We grabbed it and headed upstairs and put our as big as your face slices in the microwave. We had ordered a toke salad as well. It tasted really nice abs was needed as it was the first thing we’d eaten since breakfast (although I did have 2 plates at breakfast so certainly hadn’t been hungry all day).

I decided to have a quick shower and get ready for bed before eating my red velvet cheesecake as I was starting to hit the wall. Only managed 3/4 of the cake.

I got into bed and Ali and Julie saying we were too late to amend the time for our Empire State trip on Tuesday. Because we’d changed our top of the rock booking we realised that we weren’t now going to be ‘up somewhere high’ in the dark so though about amending the Empire State visit. I heard quiet voices for what must have been less than 2 minutes before I was out like a light.

Once again I apologise for the typos - there’s no time to proof read - abs my phone’s constant use of abs instead of and.

Thanks for reading

[Loopylooloo]

Another fabulous day! Loving all the photos. I am so jealous you got to go to Bath and Bodyworks! You are cramming it in, classic NY style. Thanks for posting

[Supersuzie]

You did so much! I got back from NY last week and I have the blues so this has come at just the right time to cheer me up. Which hotel are you staying in? It sounds fab.

[P&S]

So glad you got to DUMBO I must admit I didn't mind the subway and found it very easy and quick although an eye opener at times

Your pizza looks delicious

[anji]

Massive day! BBW envy! You deserved your sleep 😴