The Final Top Ten Moment - FAO Schwartz

Ok, I know you've all had enough of these things, so this is the last one.

While in New York, I really wanted to get to FAO Schwartz to get some unique souvenirs for my kids. I know you might think it odd that I had about 30 hours to spend in New York and I would bother to make a stop at a toy store. I get that.

But Schwartz was a religious experience.

It was like stepping into Mr. Wonka's chocolate factory, except there were toys, too.


Greeted at the door by a "Toy Soldier"


I swear they might have a stuffed version of every animal on this planet.


...and muppets, too. Seriously, how cool are these?


And there's something for everyone - Harry Potter fans,...



Star Wars and Lego fans...


Oh, this was cool and almost made me want a daughter. (Almost) There is a nurse in the nursury upstairs who will help a new "mom" fill our her baby's birth certificate, pick out a going home outfit, etc... So cute!


Oh, and the Big Piano. This. Thing. Is. Awesome. Seen the movie, Big? You'll love the video below.


And then, there is FAO SchwEEtz. Wow.








Who doesn't love an enormous Pixie Stick filled with any of their twenty or so wacky flavors? I would have brought one home for all of you if I'd thought they would fit in my suitcase and not raised suspicion at airport security. Suh-wEEt!

This is the link to the video if you have trouble with the one below.

Top Ten Moment - History and Reality

It was so amazing to see things on this trip that had previously only existed in the movies.

I mean, obviously, I knew that Washington DC and New York were real places, but I never imagined that I would get to see them. I'm so sheltered. It's sad.

Think about all of the people in America and then think about how many of them actually get to visit their nation's capital. How many do you think? I bet it's shockingly few.

While we were there in D.C., we saw so many bus loads of kids on field trips who I am sure had no idea how lucky they were to be there. But they'll appreciate it someday.

The first thing we saw in D.C. was Georgetown University. We were crossing a bridge into the city and then I turned my head and uttered the words, "This is so surreal!" (It was also "so cliche'", but it's true.) It was surreal because you could look out over the water and see the Washington Monument, The Watergate, and The Kennedy Center. Just like that, and you're in the middle of a place you never thought you'd find yourself. That bridge then became "the surreal bridge", and whenever I was turned around, Heidi could tell me where the surreal bridge was and I'd know right where I was. I have no idea what the actual name of the bridge was - but I'm sure she could post it in a comment or something.



It's a fantastic privilege to be surrounded by so much history, and it pretty much speaks for itself, so I'll leave you with just a few pictures. I will say that the Lincoln Memorial was my absolute favorite. I have a soft spot for Abe. I fought tears at that one.


Lincoln Memorial



Vietnam Memorial



Einstein and Andrew



Washington Monument



Me at the White House


At the National Museum of American Indians - Smithsonian



Me and the Capital Building



National Cathedral. Gorgeous day!

Top Ten Moment - Times Square and other New York Sites

I am a small town girl. Prior to last month, the furthest east I had ever been was South Dakota, and the furthest west I've been is approximately thirty feet into the Pacific Ocean.

Standing in Times Square was a dream come true! I'd always wanted to be there, in that spot, with chaos swirling around me. It was so good.



My first cab ride EVER, (small town - remember?), took me to Times Square. How cool is that?



The morning after the bomb incident, the Square was pretty quiet. It had only been a couple of hours since the police began letting people back in when Andrew and I wandered through it for the second time. There was quite a lot of security observation going on.






New York is a fantastic city. Definitely making a return trip someday.


My first glimpse of the city from New Jersey.



Plaza Hotel. Wouldn't that be nice?



Central Park



At the Met, and loving it!



Central Park bench



Andrew sitting of Forrest Gump's bench at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.



Heidi and me at Phantom



Sorta? Close? I was on the spot.



Empire State.



Groovy Cafe



Aren't they cute? Kate and Gary in Times Square.



Just for my sis!

Top Ten - Ground Zero

We almost didn't make it to Ground Zero, but I'm so glad we went.

We walked from Lombardi's, (which is in SoHo/Little Italy), through Chinatown, (I'll never forget the smell), and all the way to the financial district.

When we arrived at the site of the former Twin Towers, a feeling came over me that is hard to explain. In some ways it's just like looking at another construction site, but there is a hole there in the city. A massive, undeniable scar.

I stood there staring and imagining what the city must have felt like on that September morning, and I couldn't help but feel a reverence for what took place there. Not so much the terror or the destruction, but the heroism and the brotherhood.

The events of September 11th were felt by every American, but standing there in the spot where our nation was changed - it felt like becoming part of it.

Top Ten Moment - Arlington national Cemetery

Thursday, the 29th of April, took us to Arlington. It is an incredibly beautiful place. Anyone who knows me well, knows of my love of prisons and cemeteries, so this was right up my ally.

Andrew has a great-grandfather buried there so we were able to get a pass to drive through rather than walk, and I was quite glad for that. Quite a walk it would have been. Our wheels allowed us to see family graves, JFK's grave, (incredible memorial to him, by the way), as well as several funerals happening that day with their uniformed tributes and 21 gun salutes, and The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Wow. (And by the way, our Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, and if you add up the numbers; 1+7+7+6, it equals 21. 21 gun salute. And there you go. Don't say you never learnt nothin' here.)

So enjoy some pictures of our day, and there is a video at the bottom which will give you a feel for the ceremony of the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier if you've never seen it. I was amazed. It is a rather long video, and I was standing right in the middle, trying to avoid making it look like a tennis match - back and forth and back and forth - so it's a rather unprofessional video. I never claimed otherwise, though.




Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown



How's that for a view?


The fairly new Air Force Monument. Cool, huh? (Photo courtesy of Heidi)


A Sailor funeral




The Kennedys

Here's the link for the video if you can't see it, or if it's chopped or other such fun.

Top Ten Moment - The Metropolitan Museum of Art

I love me some good, classic, priceless art. The Met was a dream.

We had very limited time there, but every second was incredible. Making it all even better was my dear husband who didn't complain once, but took pictures of me, and tried his hardest to refrain from making adolescent boy comments about The Birth of Venus.



He tried. And failed.

I think it's beautiful.

As are these...





And Monet is breathtaking. (Not pictured) But Renoir will always be my favorite.