Rachael shows up and I'm literally still in bed sleeping off the flu I caught before I left. (My mom got it too... I don't think it was food poisoning). We head out, and I really don't know know much, except I'm dying to see the Brooklyn Bridge! So we start that way, and I'm either quiet, or I randomly burst out with something along the lines of "I'm so excited you're here!" or "I can't believe I'm here!!" I know she'll get sick of this, but for now she smiles excitedly.
I'm completely hypnotized my downtown Brooklyn. It's so... humbling. There's so much going on, and the buildings are so grandiose. I know that's very 'duh', but there's a 3 story limit in Santa Barbara! I'm not accustomed to height like this. (First pic is downtown Brooklyn)
We walk over the Brooklyn Bridge, and into the Financial District in Downtown Manhattan. We wander a bit, and Rachael shows me some cool places I might want to come back and visit. She tells me about TKTS, which is a place where you can find discounted Broadway tickets for that night. We buy 40% off tickets to a show she's dying to see, Next To Normal (more about tat later) and head to Seaport. There we end up finding some nail place and get a mani-pedi. Hey, a girls gotta look good!!
We head home to get ready for the play, and then head back into Manhattan towards Time Square. Thank goodness she's so familiar with the city, because I get all turned around with the subways. I follow dutifully and try to look like I belong. I can't WAIT to possess her confidence with the trains.
Next To Normal is phenomenal. Seriously... If you ever get the chance to see it, take it. It's very dark and somewhat disturbing, but I found myself laughing out loud more than once. I'm not going to go into it too much, but it's a very real drama about a family, focusing on a mother's battle with bipolar disorder. And it's a musical. Rachael and I don't sit together, which I was initially a little weary of, but once the show started, I was SO entranced that I didn't even notice that I didn't know the person next to me.
I thought I wanted to wander around Times Square and maybe have a drink, but as soon as I was there, all I wanted to do was get home. It's a gigantic blinking strip mall. I did not move to NYC to eat at a Friday's. It's very much tourist central. I did take a pic of the pretty lights, but I doubt I'll be back without a very specific purpose.
And this is only my first day :)
I don't ever make plans to go to Times Square either. I just end up there before and after shows. ;) The cool thing about the Seaport tkts is you can get matinee tickets there the day before. At the main one, you have to go the morning of, which doesn't sound very convenient coming from Brooklyn. Also, I imagine the lines are much better over there! :D
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