New York City!

Hi Everyone!
Well, I thought I would give this a try since I am actually traveling this week!  :-)

When I woke up Wed. morning and checked my work emails I learned that a customer in NYC really needed my help and wanted me to do an on-site visit Thursday and Friday!  Wow! That is pretty last minute!  I had to wake up Rachel so she could help me pack while I got reservations and did my planning.  She took me to work about 9am so I could work for a few hours before I left.  I flew out of San Francisco at 1:30pm with a direct flight to Newark, NJ.  I landed about 9:40pm and started my next adventure....getting to my hotel in the middle of Manhattan.

Rachel was kind enough to do the research on her end while I was flying so I had pretty exact directions to follow when I got off the plane.  I found the shuttle bus that would take me to Grand Central Station and hopped on. The ride was pretty uneventful which I was thankful for.  I hopped off the bus about 11pm and found that my hotel was only 1/2 mile away so I decided to walk.  I know, sounds crazy walking around Manhattan at 11 o'clock at night with a suitcase that screams TOURIST! but after being on planes and buses for 6 hours I really wanted to move my legs. And, come to find out, there were about 1,000 other people walking around at 11 o'clock at night! This city really doesn't sleep!  So, I made it safely to my hotel and settled in.

Thursday and Friday I had to work in the Mt.Sinai Hospital area which fortunately was only 1 subway line away.  Easy!  Work went well and the customer was happy so that always makes me happy.

Thursday night I got go meet my sister-in-law, Anita, and her husband, Paul, for the first time!  I dropped off my work stuff at the hotel and ventured across Manhattan via the subway to their apartment.  I didn't get LOST but I did end up somewhere I hadn't expected to end up. :-)  Luckily for me it was smack in the middle of Times Square!  :-)  I walked over from there, a little ways but not bad.  And, then I got to have Anita's famous salad! YUM!  It was so nice meeting Anita and Paul and their wacky cat, Nemo.  What a funny cat!  He "follows" you around, in front of you, bumping into you and rubbing on you like he's in love with you but then if you go to pet him he hisses and rears all up like he HATES you!  HAHA!  After dinner and our visit I headed on back to my hotel without getting "lost" which was nice. :-)

I was so torn on what to do Friday night. There are so many things to do! And, I was so TIRED!  I stopped at my hotel after work and quickly found myself in my pjs and ordering room service. I guess that answered that!  :-)  I was able to watch a movie (the final movie in the Girl with a Dragon Tattoo series) before I fell asleep, so overall, it was a perfect night. 

And, now....it's Saturday....my tourist day!  I am going to head out in a few hours (after checking out) over to Anita and Paul's to drop off my luggage and backpack.  I know I want to go to Madame Toussands which is in Times Square. Rachel has asked me to go to the Hershey's store (also in T.S.) so I can get her some treats.  Otherwise, I'm not sure what I'm going to do.  Just walk around I guess.  Tonight Anita and Paul are taking me to their friends house for his birthday party which apparently is going to be a bunch of actors and singers doing songs to help him celebrate his birthday - sounds like fun!

Tomorrow I fly back out of Newark at 11am so I have just today to play.  I better get on it!  LOL

I'll let everyone know how it goes!  :-)