The "Big Apple" trip! FANTABULOUS!!

Rodney, Karla and I went to New York City to visit Ben and Ashley on July 6. WOW! Calves are screaming, body is pooped to pop, but we loved every minute of it! We saw so much in those 3 days that it made our heads spin! That, plus watching the Crazy Loco Taxi drivers go 90 to nothing on the streets! Now, that is some fast-paced lifestyly!

Brief run-down of our highlights:
1. Friday night went to eat at Carnegie Deli......sandwiches were a foot tall!!! (see pic of Ben and Rod on blog) then walked down Broadway(Hershey's store, etc)
2. Saturday-Metropolitan Museum of Art----WOW! A day is not enough time to soak it all up. Saw Ancient Egypt mummies, tombs, heiroglyphics, and on to the Americas. Saw Washington Crossing the Delaware pic--gives you chills......literally.
We skipped a lot because of time, but soaked up a lot of culture(Renoir, Van Gogh, etc), sculptures, works of architectural art, and much more.
Then Ben, Ash and I went on to Soho, West Village, and just shopped.
That night, we went to the Gershwin Theater to see "Wicked" It was soooooooo good. If anyone has a chance, they should see it(I would see it again in a heartbeat!)
After Wicked, we went to eat downtown at an Italian place...can not remember the name right now. Outstanding!
We crammed a lot of fun into one day!

3. Sunday--We slept a little later because we were "whipped!" Got up and went again! Ben and Karla did the Museum of Modern Art--(Saw Starry Night and they were excited), while Rodney, Ashley and I went on to Chelsea Market where they film the Food Network. Then strolled to West village again and went to the Magnolia Bakery, a little hole in the wall bakery on the corner of a street and people form a line out front because only 8-10 are let in at a time. IT has great Banana Pudding and the cupcakes looked great, but we were hot and full of pudding!

Then on to Canal Street, where Ashley and I had a lot of fun as we were taken to a side street inside a locked building to see the Coach Purses!!! (Rodney was with us .....)Yep, some people may have a surprise for Christmas!!! Santa Rodney carried them out in a big ole trash bag and we got in our Taxi and zoomed back up to East 51st Street....feeling kinda like criminals. I think I will get Ashley a "Property of the New York City Jail" t-shirt!!!

That night, Ben, Ashley, Karla and I went to see "Rent." It was a much different style of production than "Wicked" but had very talented performers as well.. One was a girl, Tamrya somebody who had been on American Idol, but got booted at some point. She was great though...My favorite show by far was "Wicked" though.
We ate at a little late-night Diner close to Ben and Ashley's and went to Serendipity after that. Only got a mug there because we were too full to eat and each person was required to spend at least 8.00 to eat there!!! No way, after what we had just eaten. But what a quaint little place and it was fun to say we had visited it.

4. Monday--Ashley did a crash course for Rodney and Karla on the Subway!!! Went on down to Canal Street(China Town) and saw some MORE craziness there! "Lady, you want a purse....come with me one block(yeah, right!!)"....and they can be very bold down there.....(See Sunday for detail on this little topic!)Back to the hotel on the Subway and grabbed a bite to eat and went to airport to come home! Karla had a different flight back to Austin and we were a little delayed, but got 300.00 vouchers to be delayed....so we weren't fussing.

WHAT A GREAT TRIP! ANYONE WISHING TO BOOK A HIGHLIGHT TRIP TO NYC, SEE ASHLEY RODGERS---PLUS, SHE IS CUTE!
YEAH.....AND A GREAT SHOPPER! WE DID SUCCUMB TO A FEW GOOD DEALS!!! SORRY BEN! What special memories.