NYC Day 1

This is going to be exceptionally abbreviated because I'm lazy. But not too lazy to add a sentence after that one so the word "lazy" doesn't hang awkwardly by itself.

SO. NYC. Red-eye flight to JFK landed right as the sun was rising over the city (beautiful!) and as Prince William and Kate Middleton were taking their vows (watched the wedding as we landed). Made it all the way from the airport to Forrest and Abbie's apartment by my lonesome with no trouble aside from the weird train that mapquest told me to get on that apparently isn't part of the subway system and cost me $10 when the conductor discovered I didn't have the right ticket. Other than that...I was proud of myself!

After a shower, change of clothes, and some breakfast, I set off to explore - crossed Central Park to see the Guggenheim. JAW. DROPPING. This famous museum full of famous artworks and artists that I've been studying in one of the most fascinating art movements of this century: The Great Upheaval.

Just a side note...as if the exhibit wasn't amazing enough, Frank Lloyd Wright's architecture is astoundingly breathtaking. Another side note...nobody in New York speaks English. Fortunately I think most people have figured out hand gestures for, "Will you take a picture of me?"

Next stop: meet up with Abbie for lunch at Shake Shack, dessert at Magnolia Bakery, and then see the best of the best sites of Central Park aka "Enchanted" landmarks including Bethesda Fountain.

Central Park was followed by a pit stop at F.A.O. Schwartz, home of the most expensive fooseball table...okay. I may have made that up. But I wouldn't pay that much for even this collector's item:

Statue of Liberty made of Legos. Classic. The kids are the adorable Eli and Audrey, Abbie's children.

Off to see St. Patrick's Cathedral! Um...incredible? Yeah. The word doesn't do it justice. Inside the cathedral is absolutely astonishing - we ended the semester learning about cathedrals in my art history class so this was a real treat for me. If I had more patience for this blogging program, I'd post a zillion pictures. We even got to sit in on the beginning of evening mass. Eli: "Mommy, I don't like this church. I like our church better. This church is weird!" FHE lesson in the making? Yes.

Forrest took the kids (lucky he got off work early!) home and Abbie and I took a quick shopping trip to H&M (which was very successful) and found these awful...keychains? Purse pulls? Whatever. They were bad. But H&M was good. And rumor has it they are coming to Utah. Thank goodness.

Evening ended at Free Fridays at the MoMA. Abbie says it's much more fun without the kids...Once again, I am completely overwhelmed by the beautiful artworks and artists I've studied, including Vincent van Gogh's "Starry Night." This particular piece is a Monet and I LOVED it.

For more details on the time with my newfound friend Abbie, visit her blog. Or you can see some more pics here. Enjoy.