The Empire State Building

One of the top iconic buildings in New York City is the Empire State Building. Plus it's featured in two of my favorite movies... Sleepless in Seattle and Home Alone. Since we visited Seattle last October, it was perfect that we were now visiting the Empire State Building. While we were there the top of the ESB was green for St. Patrick's Day. Over the years, the ESB takes on special colors for holidays and special events. When it's not being lit up for certain holidays it's a white color.

 

Here's some of the amazing views from the top. We went to the observation deck that's open to the outside but you can go several floors higher and be enclosed. It was freezing the day we went up but it was totally worth it.

 

Central Park & Times Square

Central Park is massive. You don't realize it until you start to walk it. We arrived in NYC just a day after a large snowstorm hit so the park's ponds were frozen over in most places and snow still covered the majority of the paths and grounds. However, one area was uncovered for people to visit, Strawberry Fields.

 

Strawberry Fields is a tribute to John Lennon and can be found at West 72nd street after a small walk into the park. The area is considered to be a quiet place, a place to think and reflect. On the day that we were there a guitarist was playing Imagine to the pedestrians visiting the spot.

 

 

After we had finished at Central Park we rode the subway to Times Square. While we weren't there to do a lot of shopping we did stop in a few stores. Mainly we wanted to see where the ball always drops on New Years Eve.

While we were in Times Square it began to snow. We knew it was a possibility because we had been checking the weather constantly. When your in a city that is more than 80% walking you constantly check the weather for rain or snow. We were happy that it was snow and not rain.

Once we took a few photos and stopped in a few stores, we started walking along the streets the ten blocks to our next destination... The Empire State Building. The snow had started to turn to a little rain so we were trying to get there as fast as we could walk but we kept getting sidetracked because we saw some really cute animal statues and they were too cute just to walk by and not take some photos.

Cafe Lalo

New York City has some great eats. In fact they have so many it can be hard to choose. One place that I knew we wanted to visit and eat at was Café Lalo.

Café Lalo is the eatery featured in one of my Mother and I's favorite films, You've Got Mail.

Café Lalo is home to one of the most famous scenes in the movie. It's the Café that Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) and her internet friend NY152 agree to meet at for the very first time. Unbeknownst to Kathleen, NY152 does show up by has his friend check her out first. The scene goes on from there but I don't want to ruin it for anyone who hasn't seen the movie.

Since You've Got Mail came out in 1998, I'm happy to report that Café Lalo is still open for business. In the restaurant world not many places stay open for decades but this NYC landmark is going strong and is still serving people daily. When I knew we were going to the city, I knew this had to be one of the places we made time to stop at.

 

While they are known for their amazing desserts and cafes, we actually went there for breakfast and it was fantastic. They also had all of their desserts on display and if it hadn't been 9:00 a.m., I would have inhaled a piece of their double chocolate cake I saw in the display case.

Only a short walk from the subway this restaurant is located at 201 West 82nd Street. After you finish eating you can walk the short distance of two blocks to Central Park. That way you'll be burning off some of those calories you just consumed! And for all my fellow You've Got Mail lovers, here's a look at the wallpaper in the bathrooms at Café Lalo...

Lady Liberty



Another big landmark we wanted to see during our time in New York was the Statue of Liberty. We didn't want to just pass by it on a ferry ride, we wanted to be able to get off the boat, walk around and go inside. Before we set off for New York, we got online and did our research. To go to the Statue of Liberty and to be able to walk around, you need a ticket from the National Park. When going inside there are two different types of tickets- The Crown or the Pedestal. We chose to do the Pedestal which takes you to the bottom of Lady Liberty's sandaled feet.

 

The ferry ride over provides you with some amazing views of the city.

 

Once you begin to get further from the city, Lady Liberty comes into view. The ferry boat actually passes it to park on the far side so you get to see if from all the angles.

 

 

Once you get off the boat and enter the base of the Statue you go through an area that houses the original torch which was on display until the remodel.

 

You have two options on how to get into the pedestal. You can either take the stairs or an elevator and then one flight of stairs. We chose the elevator because we had already walked a lot that day. Once you get to the pedestal entrance you must go outside to see the grounds and the view of the statue from that vantage point.

 

At the pedestal, this is where you would begin the climb to the crown if you chose to do that. We chose not to because it's 200 vertical round steps which you can see the way down. For my husband that's a challenge because he doesn't do well with heights.

 

 

 

We really enjoyed visiting Lady Liberty for a few hours and had a great time. The ferry ride was freezing and the line to get on the ferry to get over to the island was a little crazy but we had a great time!

NYC Financial District

Located in New York City's financial district, the Charging Bull is an 11 foot tall, 7,100 pound bronze statue sitting right in the middle of the street.

 

People come from all around to get a glimpse of the Charging Bull and to touch it. Apparently it's really good luck to touch is on the balls and on the horns. The bull symbolizes Wall Street and is a New York staple. It's been featured in several movies including Hitch, Inside Man, The Other Guys and many more.

 

 

So many people have came to touch the bull that the bronze has worn off in several places. He obviously gets a lot of love from people daily.

 

 

 

Recently the city gave the Charging Bull some company and added an addition statue facing the bull. She is known as the Fearless Girl who stares down the charging bull. She was originally placed there before International Women's Day but has since been left up as a symbol to show that women are strong.

The next time your in NYC swing by and see these iconic statues. It was very busy the day we were there but it was also a holiday.

9/11 Memorial and Museum

 

This was the first thing we booked and planned from the moment we knew we were going to New York. If you were alive on September 11, 2001 you immediately know and remember where you were when the events of that day unfolded at the World Trade Centers in New York City.

I was a senior in high school, who had just sat down in my accounting class. News had spread in the halls that a plane hit the World Trade Center. We turned on the television just in time to see the second plane hit the North Tower.My husband living in California woke up to the news and watched horrified like everyone else. He joined the U.S. Air Force shortly afterwards. This single day changed how American looked and viewed the world. It changed how we travelled, it changed our attitudes and views on other countries and overall that day made us scared as what was to come next. To go to Ground Zero was a must for us and in our opinion for anyone travelling to NYC for the first time.

The memorial of the pools sits on ground zero. The pools are the original footprints of the North and South Towers. The museum itself sits 70 feet below the surface and goes all the way down to the original foundation poured for the towers. When you enter the museum in addition to seeing the original foundation, you see the still in tact wall holding the Hudson river at bay. You see now historical items such as the survivor staircase that was the only way out for hundreds of people.

You hear the stories of survivors and see artifacts from that day. You see the damage done to the city and the New Yorkers who were there that day living their normal life and you see the first responders who risked and gave their life while doing their jobs. While seeing these things is very intense, you also hear the phone calls from victims made to 911 and their loved ones. Crash artifacts are also on exhibit from the United 93 flight and the Pentagon.

The entire museum is very intense. We did the guided tour and got to hear the stories and facts of many artifacts that you would normally just walk by and read. Hearing the actual words was very powerful. Being there in New York, having walked the streets you see how that day really affected people there that day, in the city. I can't even imagine being anywhere near there on that fateful day. Below is the original foundation to the towers.

The museum is also home to the unidentified remains of victims. Closed off and behind a wall, only accessible to the families of victims, is the corners office where to this day they are still trying to identify some of the victims remains for families to have closure.

No photography is allowed in the artifacts room. This is where you hear the victims in their own voices saying goodbye to their loved ones via 911 calls and voicemails. You see their bloody shoes from walking miles home. You see scrapes of paper burned from the towers. You see five floors of concrete smashed and melted to one foot thick. Out of respect to all who lost their lives you do not take photographs.