This summer my husband, Paul, and I lived in Provo, Utah for his internship at BYU that was geared toward research in the chemistry department there. Paul made some awesome breakthroughs and ended his internship strong with a published paper, a letter of recommendation from the professor he worked under, as well as an offer from BYU to attend their graduate program next fall.
Though our summer has already been very exciting due to this experience. It does not end there. A couple days after the internship ended, Paul surprised me with plane tickets to New York City! I told him I would like to travel there for my senior trip (I just graduated with my Bachelor's Degree in May) and he told me that it is unlikely that we would be able to go and we need to save our money. He did a great job of tricking me and I was very excited to do as much planning as I could in a week to go on this fun (and much needed) vacation.
Time passed and we finally got to leave at 7:00 PM. 5 1/2 hours behind schedule. We were supposed to get to NY by 8:00 PM but did not get there until 1:00 AM. We were staying in an Airbnb and messaged our host. He would be able to meet with us early the next morning to let us in. Unfortunately, that did not give us anywhere to stay for that first night. We looked up the closest hotel to the airport and it had sky high prices for one night so we buckled down and stayed in the airport until 5:30 AM when we started making our way into the city.
We got to our Airbnb around 7:00 AM. We went straight to our room and instantly fell asleep for 3 hours. Then we showered, got ready, and hit the city! That first day we explored lower Manhattan because it was the closest subway stop from where we were staying in Jersey City. We exited the subway station to be greeted by the 2 9/11 memorials. They are beautiful fountains that are both an acre in size. A beautiful first view of the city.
We did not walk too far after that before we realized it had been a while since we had had something to eat. We made our way to Pistillo, an Italian sandwich place just a couple blocks away. I got the Bari sandwich and Paul ordered the Sorrento. We really should have only ordered one sandwich though because these sandwiches are huge! I ate half my sandwich and was totally full. They were so yummy with fresh mozzarella and delicious bread. We finished our sandwiches for dinner later.
After lunch we headed toward the bottom of the island. We saw wall street and the stock exchange. We went by Trinity Church but it was under construction so we did not get very close or get to go in. We walked by the Charging Bull sculpture but it was surrounded by so many people that we did not try to get a picture. We walked around Battery Park looking for water when we decided to go on the Staten Island Ferry to get some pictures of the Statue of Liberty. Luckily, there were free drinking fountains inside the building where you get on the ferry. We were able to fill up our water bottles there!
We got beautiful pictures of the city as well as the Statue of Liberty. We walked around Staten Island for a while. They have a lighthouse we wanted to see but the walk on the beach did not go that far and we did not want to get lost. Staten Island has a nice mall and some food places but we were still full from the sandwiches and are not big shoppers so we caught the next ferry back to Manhattan after our little walk.
Back in Manhattan we spent the rest of the day wandering the financial district. We walked around the seaport on the east side that faces Brooklyn. We saw the bridge, looked through some summer market booths, walked around beautiful board walks, looked at some older ships, and envied some pricey restaurants close by.
We were wandering through Chinatown when we decided it was time for a snack and headed over to Doughnut Plant. I ordered their carrot cake doughnut (that had cream cheese icing on the inside) and Paul ordered the double chocolate doughnut. They were both so yummy but I liked mine better!
We walked around the city and got some pictures of their cool buildings before heading back to Jersey City for the night. Once back, we walked to the pier and got some pictures of Lower Manhattan during sunset to end the night. Great first day and only a couple of blisters! In total, we walked 12.42 miles that first day.
After that fun view, I was ready for something salty. I told Paul about this amazing bagel place, Ess-a-Bagel, that was only two blocks away. He was willing until he saw the line. He only stayed because I am sure he loves me. We waited in that line for 1 1/2 hours. So only hang out if you really love bagels. Paul got the onion bagel with jalapeno schmear. I ordered a sesame bagel with the Special filling with smoked salmon (aka the "signature favorite"). I was satisfied because I love bagels, smoked salmon, and I satisfied my salty craving.
After that we planned to go to Brooklyn to have dinner but the restaurant was cash only and we did not have enough. We got the see the Brooklyn Bridge but headed home and got two combos of lamb and chicken over rice from a food truck on our way back. We walked a total of 9.46 miles this day.
After pizza we walked down to the pier and looked at Manhattan from the other side of the island. We stopped into Ample Hills Creamery and got a couple of ice creams to enjoy on the dock. I got the breakfast cereal flavor classic cone and Paul got the chocolate cookies & cream classic cone.
Day 1:
There was a little drama to start our trip. We went to catch our flight from Salt Lake City, Utah to the JFK Airport in New York. There was a big lightening storm in NY so our flight was delayed from 1:27 to 3:00 PM. Not too big of a deal, we can wait another hour and a half. 3:00 came and we boarded the plane! I was so excited to go. We have our seat belts on, the flight attendants are seated for take-off. . .Then the pilot gets on the intercom and says we need to get everyone off the plane. The storm is still bad in NY and we won't be leaving until 6:00 PM. Another three hours!Time passed and we finally got to leave at 7:00 PM. 5 1/2 hours behind schedule. We were supposed to get to NY by 8:00 PM but did not get there until 1:00 AM. We were staying in an Airbnb and messaged our host. He would be able to meet with us early the next morning to let us in. Unfortunately, that did not give us anywhere to stay for that first night. We looked up the closest hotel to the airport and it had sky high prices for one night so we buckled down and stayed in the airport until 5:30 AM when we started making our way into the city.
We got to our Airbnb around 7:00 AM. We went straight to our room and instantly fell asleep for 3 hours. Then we showered, got ready, and hit the city! That first day we explored lower Manhattan because it was the closest subway stop from where we were staying in Jersey City. We exited the subway station to be greeted by the 2 9/11 memorials. They are beautiful fountains that are both an acre in size. A beautiful first view of the city.
We did not walk too far after that before we realized it had been a while since we had had something to eat. We made our way to Pistillo, an Italian sandwich place just a couple blocks away. I got the Bari sandwich and Paul ordered the Sorrento. We really should have only ordered one sandwich though because these sandwiches are huge! I ate half my sandwich and was totally full. They were so yummy with fresh mozzarella and delicious bread. We finished our sandwiches for dinner later.
After lunch we headed toward the bottom of the island. We saw wall street and the stock exchange. We went by Trinity Church but it was under construction so we did not get very close or get to go in. We walked by the Charging Bull sculpture but it was surrounded by so many people that we did not try to get a picture. We walked around Battery Park looking for water when we decided to go on the Staten Island Ferry to get some pictures of the Statue of Liberty. Luckily, there were free drinking fountains inside the building where you get on the ferry. We were able to fill up our water bottles there!
We got beautiful pictures of the city as well as the Statue of Liberty. We walked around Staten Island for a while. They have a lighthouse we wanted to see but the walk on the beach did not go that far and we did not want to get lost. Staten Island has a nice mall and some food places but we were still full from the sandwiches and are not big shoppers so we caught the next ferry back to Manhattan after our little walk.
Back in Manhattan we spent the rest of the day wandering the financial district. We walked around the seaport on the east side that faces Brooklyn. We saw the bridge, looked through some summer market booths, walked around beautiful board walks, looked at some older ships, and envied some pricey restaurants close by.
We were wandering through Chinatown when we decided it was time for a snack and headed over to Doughnut Plant. I ordered their carrot cake doughnut (that had cream cheese icing on the inside) and Paul ordered the double chocolate doughnut. They were both so yummy but I liked mine better!
We walked around the city and got some pictures of their cool buildings before heading back to Jersey City for the night. Once back, we walked to the pier and got some pictures of Lower Manhattan during sunset to end the night. Great first day and only a couple of blisters! In total, we walked 12.42 miles that first day.
Day 2:
The next day we ventured to tackle Central Park. First, I insisted that we start the day by going to Levain Bakery just 2 blocks from the park. We got some milk and a blueberry muffin to share but the real reason we came was for their giant cookies. I got the chocolate chip and walnut cookie while Paul got the double chocolate cookie. I could not even tell there were walnuts in my cookie! I thought it was white chocolate because the walnuts seemed to just melt. So delicious! We only had half of our cookies because they were so rich, so we packed them up to save for later.
Onto the park! Or maybe a different day...The National Museum of Natural History just happens to be right next to the park. That may have distracted Paul a little bit because we spent our whole day after that. We go there around 11:00 AM and did not leave until 5:00 PM. He insisted that we see each and every exhibit they had. They had North American mammals, sea animals (the blue whale is a must see!), a space exhibit with a big bang video (that Paul loved), South American Tribes, Asian people, Asian animals, African Tribes, and African animals. We ended big with their dinosaur exhibit.
I was a little hungry after that because immediately after leaving, Paul could see I was getting ornery and bought me a hot dog. We wandered up the street and I found the Waffles and Dinges food truck. Paul and I shared "Da Bom".
After that we went to the top of the park and got a picture with Tom's Restaurant, which appears frequently in the sitcom, Seinfeld, which Paul grew up with and we both love the show. On the way back to the subway we stumbled across the Church of St. John the Divine. Unfortunately, it was closed when we got there but I promised Paul we would come back because he was just smitten with it.
At the end of this long day, 0ur feet were aching and we wanted called it a night. On our way back I convinced Paul to go to Black Tap with me. There was a long line but a server came out and asked if there was a party of two who were willing to sit by the window. I raised my hand immediately so we did not even have to wait that long. We ordered mozzarella sticks (which you can't ever go wrong with but these were especially divine), the Mexico City burger (Paul picked this because he loves spicy, I do not but I let him choose since I got to pick the restaurant), and the Cookies and Cream Crazy Shake with an Oreo ice cream sandwich. We were so beyond full after that. The burger was good (after I took out the jalapeno) and the shake was so rich and amazing. We both loved it.
After that we meandered our way back to Jersey City. We walked exactly 11 miles that day.
Day 3:
This day we spent in Midtown. We got off the subway and the first thing I see is Magnolia Bakery. Paul got a Black and White Cookie (another reference to Seinfeld) and I got a red velvet cheesecake because their banana pudding flavor was salted caramel (not my favorite). It was a little bit of a mistake still because it was way too sweet to be the first thing I ate that morning.
After our very nutritious breakfast we went to the Rockefeller Center to take a look at the city from their observation deck. We were able to get a great view of the Empire State Building and Central Park as well as peak out at the Chrysler building and the World Trade Center. Beautiful view and the elevator to the observation deck is like a ride at Disneyland! After that we walked around and explored the area. We went into the Lego Store, Paul's personal heaven, and walked by St. Peter's Cathedral on our way to lunch.
After that fun view, I was ready for something salty. I told Paul about this amazing bagel place, Ess-a-Bagel, that was only two blocks away. He was willing until he saw the line. He only stayed because I am sure he loves me. We waited in that line for 1 1/2 hours. So only hang out if you really love bagels. Paul got the onion bagel with jalapeno schmear. I ordered a sesame bagel with the Special filling with smoked salmon (aka the "signature favorite"). I was satisfied because I love bagels, smoked salmon, and I satisfied my salty craving.
Because we spent so much time having lunch we rushed to Time Square to see Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. It was so good! I love the movie and Paul surprised me yet again with these Broadway tickets. I was so thrilled! Definitely a highlight of the trip.
After the show we went out to see Times Square properly. It wasn't my favorite because it was so crowded, I was claustrophobic. Paul was having a good time so we walked down the street then cut over to 5th Ave and enjoyed the summer market going on there. The last thing we saw was the NY Public Library. It was closed but Paul really wanted to see it, so we'll have to come back to see it for real. We limped home after another long day of walking. In total, we walked 10.81 miles.
Day 4:
All the walking was getting to us so we decided to sleep in. After our much needed late start we went straight to see Columbia University on the North Side of Central Park. Paul was so excited he forgot about food. Luckily I was there to suggest we stop at Shake Shack for a quick lunch across the street before exploring the campus. We got two shack burgers, the shack-cago dog, a root beer float for Paul, and a black and white malt shake for me.
We walked around the campus. We tried to get into all their libraries but they were holding events so we had to appreciate them from the outside only.
After Columbia, we walked down the street a couple blocks to see the Church of St. John the Divine for real this time. We were able to go inside to view the stained glass and beautiful structure of the church. It is the largest Church in the world and the sixth largest Cathedral. In the main stained glass window, there is a depiction of Jesus Christ that is life size. It is stunning.
After our tour of the Church, we walked another couple blocks to get to Central Park. It is a huge park so we took the subway halfway down to save our feet. We enjoyed a couple churros as we saw both ponds, the great lawn, bow bridge, the fancy fountain, and other gems in the park.
After that we planned to go to Brooklyn to have dinner but the restaurant was cash only and we did not have enough. We got the see the Brooklyn Bridge but headed home and got two combos of lamb and chicken over rice from a food truck on our way back. We walked a total of 9.46 miles this day.
Day 5:
I was getting a little ornery that we kept skipping breakfast so I insisted we get something, no matter what it was. Turns out, there was a Dunkin' Donuts just around the corner from where we were staying. You guessed it. That's what we had for breakfast for the rest of the trip.
After donuts we went to Columbus Circle and the Southwest corner of Central Park. We then walked up and saw the Temple for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It is right across the street from Julliard and the Lincoln Center, so we went to see those too.
After exploring that area, we made our way over to High-Line Park, which is an old railway that has been up-cycled into a park that walks through that area. It was very beautiful.
We were starting to get hungry again and brought enough money with us that we went to lunch in Brooklyn. We went to Grimaldi's, right under the Brooklyn Bridge. It is a pizza place and there was a long line for this one too but the line moved at a good pace. We ordered a small pizza with red sauce and added pepperoni, onion, and mushroom. This day was our anniversary, celebrating two years of marriage, so this was our nice meal to celebrate the occasion.
After pizza we walked down to the pier and looked at Manhattan from the other side of the island. We stopped into Ample Hills Creamery and got a couple of ice creams to enjoy on the dock. I got the breakfast cereal flavor classic cone and Paul got the chocolate cookies & cream classic cone.
We then made our way back to Midtown to see some skyscrapers we had missed. We saw the Flatiron (the first skyscraper in NYC), the Empire State Building (up close this time), and then we explored the NY Public Library where they have the original Winnie-the-Pooh! After that we went to Madison Square Garden, which is the arena that the NBA teams play in when they come to NY, because Paul is a huge basketball fan. It was so fun for him to see it.
We then hopped over to the Chrysler Building and Grand Central Station (see the constellation mural! It is so cool!) before burning out and sitting out on the dock with some soft serve to end the night after walking 11.05 miles.
After the museum we spent the rest of the day in Lower Manhattan again. We looked at more buildings then went over to Chinatown to look around for longer and get our souvenirs. We stopped for lunch at Pings. We got two lunch specials. Paul ordered his classic sweet and sour pork while I got general tso chicken. The lunch special included a house soup and rice as well. And what is a trip to NY without getting Chinese dumplings!
We went to Columbus Park after that and listened to some Chinese musicians. After that we explored Little Italy and looked for some souvenirs there as well. We stopped at La Bella Ferrara Bakery to get some gelato and an eclair. Paul said the eclair was the best thing he ate the whole trip.
Our feet were really struggling by this day but I really wanted to have dinner in Little Italy, so Paul humored me and we limped over to Da Gennaro's and shared a meal. We ordered their Bruschetta (which was delicious but a little pricey for the amount they give you) and Spaghetti Alla Bolognese to share.
We then made our way back to our pier in Jersey City and spent the rest of the evening there. We got some beautiful pictures of the skyline at night and treated ourselves to a snack of hot dogs and soft serve ice cream before walking the board walk and heading home. We walked 9 miles.
The whole airport is shut down. All flights are grounded. There was a flight that left earlier for Chicago that had to turn around and come back to Laguardia because of a huge rain storm that was headed into the area. I could not believe our luck! So we, with everyone else, get in line to see how we can get home. They gave us a helpline to call while we were in line. I called and was able to get our flight switched around for that night. The catch was we had to go to Newark to catch it.
So, we got going! We went to claim our luggage and bought two coach tickets to take us from Laguardia to Newark. It had already started to rain. This trip is supposed to take an hour but because of the weather and worse traffic than normal, it took us 2 1/2 hours to get there. We would have missed our new flight but it was delayed from 7:55 PM to 10:30 PM. I was okay with delayed, I was crossing my fingers that this flight would not be cancelled. We anxiously waited those 3 hours in Newark and were able to take off and go home that night. After that experience, we were so happy to be home!
It was such a fun trip! A little craziness with the flights but it was so nice to spend some quality time with my husband.
Day 6:
For our last full day in NYC we got our donuts and headed to the World Trade Center stop. We started the day by going to the 9/11 Memorial Museum. I had gotten a cold the day before and was still sniffly. That turned out to be a good thing because I was crying throughout the museum and could hide it under my congestion. We saw the beam that was hit directly by the planes. This iron beam was shredded from the impact. We saw a stairway that helped many people escape the towers. We also saw a mural of individual paintings that tried to depict what the sky looked like the morning of 9/11/2001.
After the museum we spent the rest of the day in Lower Manhattan again. We looked at more buildings then went over to Chinatown to look around for longer and get our souvenirs. We stopped for lunch at Pings. We got two lunch specials. Paul ordered his classic sweet and sour pork while I got general tso chicken. The lunch special included a house soup and rice as well. And what is a trip to NY without getting Chinese dumplings!
We went to Columbus Park after that and listened to some Chinese musicians. After that we explored Little Italy and looked for some souvenirs there as well. We stopped at La Bella Ferrara Bakery to get some gelato and an eclair. Paul said the eclair was the best thing he ate the whole trip.
Our feet were really struggling by this day but I really wanted to have dinner in Little Italy, so Paul humored me and we limped over to Da Gennaro's and shared a meal. We ordered their Bruschetta (which was delicious but a little pricey for the amount they give you) and Spaghetti Alla Bolognese to share.
We then made our way back to our pier in Jersey City and spent the rest of the evening there. We got some beautiful pictures of the skyline at night and treated ourselves to a snack of hot dogs and soft serve ice cream before walking the board walk and heading home. We walked 9 miles.
Day 7: Heading Home
Another drama story to end the trip. We got our donuts in the morning and headed to Laguardia Airport. We got there a couple hours early so we just hung out in the food court and let our phones charge while we waited to be able to check in. We finally are able to go through security and head to our gate. We find we still have time and get a little lunch at Shake Shack. We sit down, it is 3:00 PM and we are going to board in 20 minutes when I get the worst text I could have anticipated. Our flight is cancelled. |
| My outfits from the trip. I tried to save space in the suitcase while still fitting in the NY style :) |
The whole airport is shut down. All flights are grounded. There was a flight that left earlier for Chicago that had to turn around and come back to Laguardia because of a huge rain storm that was headed into the area. I could not believe our luck! So we, with everyone else, get in line to see how we can get home. They gave us a helpline to call while we were in line. I called and was able to get our flight switched around for that night. The catch was we had to go to Newark to catch it.
So, we got going! We went to claim our luggage and bought two coach tickets to take us from Laguardia to Newark. It had already started to rain. This trip is supposed to take an hour but because of the weather and worse traffic than normal, it took us 2 1/2 hours to get there. We would have missed our new flight but it was delayed from 7:55 PM to 10:30 PM. I was okay with delayed, I was crossing my fingers that this flight would not be cancelled. We anxiously waited those 3 hours in Newark and were able to take off and go home that night. After that experience, we were so happy to be home!
It was such a fun trip! A little craziness with the flights but it was so nice to spend some quality time with my husband.
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