I've had a heck of a cold this week, one of those where things sort of blur together and you forget what day it is.
It couldn't have come at a more inopportune time. I had everything setup for my trip to NYC. I didn't have any choice but to get on the big jet airplane this morning, hacking and coughing my way east. I couldn't help but think maybe I should have used my free ticket to go someplace warm like Mexico or Hawaii.
I broke my rule of waiting to pack until just before I leave this time and started the day before. I thought I had everything...but when I got to the airport I found out I needed my free paper ticket voucher. Luckily the station agent at Alaska was helpful and allowed me to purchase a ticket for the price I would have paid a couple of months ago - and I can turn in my voucher to get my money back.
I watched The Secret Life of Bees inflight - that was a good (and sad) movie.
Everything is new to me in New York City, so I'm pretty excited.
I have to say the freeway from the Newark airport to Manhattan could use some of the stimulus money. I don't know if it's that road or the bus I was riding, but I felt like I was bouncing into town on the back of a turnip truck.
I got to see the Lincoln Tunnel, Bryant Park, Grand Central Station, Union Square Park and my first NYC subway. All good.
The roundtrip airporter bus fare from Newark to Grand Central is 25 dollars and I got a 7 day MTA pass for the NYC busses and subways for another 25 dollars. I think that is really reasonable.
I had falafel, pita, hummus and iced coffee at Maoz Vegetarian by Union Square. It was good. I got a Pink Lady apple and some Vivani dark chocolate for dessert at the Garden of Eden Gourmet Market
There's a Trader Joe's and Whole Foods near where I'm staying. They could use another Trader Joe's - the lines were crazy in that one.
I'm really looking forward to tomorrow. It's supposed to be sunny and in the 50's.
I hope to absorb some of the energy from the city and totally kick this cold.
Happy Spring!
