Austins in the Big Apple5/10- It's Complete!!
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statelady01 · 05-01-2005, 10:46 AM

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Great update, Maureen! You should have let me know you were going to be in the city, I could have set up a private tour of NBC for your guys! The Experience Tour is a WASTE OF MONEY! They bring you to 4 sets and you stand behind ropes. I could have arranged for my dad to meet you guys, though, and he could have let you take pictures on the sets and get right into SNL for rehearsals! Next time

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I don't know WHY I didnt think to pm you Melissa- I guess for some reason I didnt remember you were in NYC- when we return, it's a definite meet- how cool that would have been!

lauren-roxy · 05-01-2005, 12:32 PM

Great update Maureen!! I love St. Patrick's. Can't wait to read more. I love your picture of the Rainbow Room sign, that's where my husband and I got engaged.

BabieeMelly · 05-01-2005, 04:04 PM

Definitely next time, Maureen - I'd love to start meeting some people on here!

**DrDolphin** · 05-01-2005, 04:46 PM

Great update Maureen!! Lovely photos too!

mestitch · 05-01-2005, 07:32 PM

Another great update Maureen! You are really giving me some ideas of what to do on our trip! I had no idea where to start! Can't wait for more!

MickeyMAC · 05-01-2005, 09:24 PM

Great update Maureen....you have really covered a lot of ground for one afternoon.

statelady01 · 05-01-2005, 09:41 PM

After our nap and showers we felt like we had a bit more energy to last us through the evening. Our plan for dinner was Carmine’s in Times Square- we were hoping that being there by 7 might help with the crowds but the place was positively packed- and we were told a 90 minute wait. No thanks- so we headed out to find another restaurant. Just doors down from Carmine’s- we came across John’s Pizzeria. I didn’t feel like pizza at all and was pretty disappointed- until we got a peek at the menu in the window- John’s had a full Italian menu for offer so it was a done deal.

It was pretty crowded in John’s but were told about 10 minutes wait. I got a coke from the bar because I was so thirsty and the atmosphere was very uptown and fun. John’s actually used to be an old church and some of that architecture was left alone when it was turned into the restaurant:

We were called about 25 minutes later for our table. Our server was very friendly and we ordered immediately having already given the menu a good once over. I went for the dinner salad- which the server told us was big enough to share ( and probably ought to be at $7.25) as well as the Chicken Parmigiana with pasta. Kevan had a meatball sandwich.

The salad was served extremely fast and had one of those house dressings that you wish you could bottle and take with you. Our food arrived shortly thereafter- my Chicken Parmigiana was almost overwhelming:

Now that's Italian!!

Everything was fantastic- I managed to get through about three quarters of my plate and Kevan ate his entire sub. We passed on dessert – there was no way that was going to happen. The bill came to $46 which included a nice tip for the server- she was quick and friendly.

After our meal, we decided to visit the Times Square Toys R Us to see if we could finish off shopping for the kids. On the way to Toys R Us- we passed by several of the Boradway theaters, including the one featuring what I had been told was the hottest ticket in town: Spamalot starring David Hyde Pierce and Tim Curry- all based on Monty Python. Even the marquis had us cracking up:

Continued Next Post:

statelady01 · 05-01-2005, 09:57 PM

Times Square was bustling and the lights were even more spectacular at night. Large crowds made getting into Toys R Us’s revolving doors a bit more interesting.

Immediately upon entering Toys R Us- you get a good view of the giant indoor ferris wheel.

It’s really something- and big enough for kids and adults to take a ride together ( $4 a ticket)- we didn’t ride but watched. Each cab had a famous character and we spotted Buzz and Woody immediately.

The entrance to Toys R Us is on the second floor- which features a huge Animal Alley (the plush animals and toys)- not much there for us so we went upstairs. The first thing Kevan spotted was the Star Wars section- it was huge and filled with lots of new toys from the upcoming release. I didn’t even say anything other than “I am headed to girl sections and will meet you in 15 minutes!” I am not sure he even heard me. Boys!

Barbie has quite the section- a giant dream house holding her store and even then, there was more Barbie stuff outside in the aisles by the house.

There were maybe 3-4 small aisles of Disney stuff but I have a feeling they keep that inventory limited here- just because the mecca of all things Disney is just a few streets over. They also had a huge board game section and a really neat lighted floor display of the Monopoly game board- it was interactive and a bunch of kids were having a great time trying it out.

I stumbled across the Cabbage Patch Treehouse- it was so cute and brought me back to my younger years- love the CPK growing up. By this time, my own Hans Solo had found me and took my picture in front of the treehouse.

HUGE Lego section with a Lego-made Statue of Liberty. Then we found our way to a Jurassic Park section complete with a dinosaur that could have easily made himself at home at Animal Kingdom’s “Dinosaur”- he roared and sneered with the best of them. We were watching it when a toddler and his parents walked by- the poor little guy got the life scared out of him and started screaming.

After, we headed for the Thomas stuff for Matthew- and had trouble finding something we thought he would really like so we decided to go downstairs to the bottom floor to check out the Hot Wheels and cars section for Kevin’s gift.

We browsed through there quite a long time and still didn’t see anything. Kevan suggested that maybe we were just too tired still and shopped out- suggesting we come back another time. Sounded like a really good plan to me. It was getting more and more crowded anyway.

The 10 or so blocks home were slow walking as we were really worn out. We stopped in at Duane Reade- a popular drugstore for some late night munchies. On the way back, we also got a good look at a NYFD fire truck on its way to a fire- the picture is blurry but it was going so fast I didn’t think there would be much of chance of it turning out completely perfect!

One more stop on the way back to the Hyatt- a small bookseller so I could grab a journal for trip report notes- I had forgotten to pick one up before we left. The owner was as nice as he could be and helped us with some directions for places to be seen tomorrow.

Finally, the Hyatt appeared and we made our way to the room. I phoned Courtney and Sandy and left messages; then we talked to Beverly who relayed everything at home was fine. After some journaling- we both were exhausted and ready for bed. I asked Kevan if he minded the window being open to humor me with my “sounds of the city” kick- he said it was okay with him.- we left it open. We laid there and listened to the honking arguments between cabs. About 20 minutes later, I decided I had enough sounds of the city for an evening, got up and shut it.

We were

in less than a minute or two.

Coming Up Next: Couldn't "imagine" a nicer place..

loobyoxlip · 05-01-2005, 10:29 PM

That's quite a Toys 'R Us!! The old church restaurant looks so cool - and the food looks

Jennifer2003 · 05-01-2005, 10:46 PM

Man...I could get LOST in Barbie AND Star Wars Lands!

I think I need to get to NYC someday!

Jennifer

katspjs · 05-01-2005, 10:55 PM

I'm all caught up now. What a wonderful time you two are having! Looking forward to the next installment!

**DopeyGirl** · 05-02-2005, 12:29 AM

Wow!!! I was only gone nearly 3 days and missed SO much!!!

All caught up now and I have to say, it is GREAT so far!!! I love all of the pictures!!! Takes me back to the times I was there!!! That pic of your Chicken Parm. made me drool BIG time!!!

And from the quotation marks in your coming up next title . . . I've got a hunch I know where you went the next day!!! ("Let me take you down, cause I'm going to Strawberry Fields . . . "

)