e someone went to the bathroom we had a lingering "porta-potty" smell to perk us up.
We finally got to NY after 4.5 hours at around 6 a.m. Washed our hands and heade
d off to Rockefeller Center. No one was in line for the Today show! We then were told to go around the corner to where the line was...there were at least 100 people if not more. So we jumped in line and started chatting with the people there. Great people...LOTS there because they were turning 50 or something.
They finally let us into the complex and we all tried to find good places to stand. Jeff and I got in a front row seat right next to where they come out of the complex. Actually, it was really cool. We waited until the show started and then got to practice hooting and hollering for a while.
Al Roker came out. What a stud! He definitely knows how to work the people. He went and basically shook everyones hand before the end of the show.
to start off...I was on the TODAY show! Here is proof...
Meredith Viera came out with Matt Lauer, and Ann Curry too! I got to get a picture with Meredith and Ann, but Matt was too
busy. Ann just sat there and talked to me for a good 3 minutes! We talked about internships and broadcasting. She is such a nice woman.
In the midst of all this I started asking one of the security guards (I didn't know thats what he was at the time) who ended up being Matt Lauer's personal body guard about internships with NBC. We became friends and because I am majoring in Broadcast Journalism, he went and got me the show rundown! It was actually really cool. I could tell exactly when things would happen and when everyone would be back outside again. Way fun.
We had already made it on TV (as verified by one of our co-workers in DC) so we decided to go get in line for standby tickets to the Jimmy Fallon show. We got over there around 8:30; there weren't very many people in front of us at all. At 9 a.m. they gave the people tickets and we were off. We walked around the block and then went to St. Peter's Cathedral. (I needed to go for school). We started looking at the architechure there, and who did we run into? ELDER RICHARD G. SCOTT! (He is one of the 12 Apostles for my church. Pretty high up in church leadership). He was there with Elder Jensen (not Marvin). We chatted with them and the archbishop for a few minutes. All were very nice. THe Archbishop tried to convert me :-) It was really funny. THe organ played (which was amazing). And then we were out. Off to another adventure. I think by this time it was only about 9:30 a.m. So much in only 3.5 hours!
We found out that Jimmy Fallon was going to be doing an appearing back at NBC, but we wanted to see if we could get over to the Statue of Liberty. We walked a ton, navigated the subways, found (a little bit too much of) the Wall Street Bull (which isn't on wall street), the
trinity church (National Treasure), got chased by some homeless people and a crazy Statue of Liberty Person (don't ask why...haha jk) and finally made it to the Battery Park ticket booth. Sold Out. Except, the great thing is NY offers a close view for FREE! We jumped on the Staten Island ferry and were off. We went right by the Statue and got some great pictures of the scenery after which we . . . fell asleep. I was so tired! I still didn't know where I was
going to be staying that night! We got off the ferry and made it back on before it took off back to Manhattan where we (almost fell asleep again . . . long morning; can you blame us?) Anyway, we got back to Manhattan and went uptown to Times Square. Both of our phones were about ready to die so we needed to find somewhere to eat that we could sit down and charge our phones (hehehe). Olive Garden it was with unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks. Yum! We had a great view of the street and got everything charged on top of that. When we were done, we went down to look at getting tickets from the
TKTS discount line. People had already been lining up for more than a half hour; luckily we found some people from our group in the line and we all started making plans for which shows to see together. A few of us ran up and down Broadway looking for student discount tickets, which by far are the best deal ever. I love being in New York as a student!
Time was getting close to when we needed to get back to NBC for the Fallon show. They said we would have a good chance of getting in, so we were eager to get back. Problem was, we weren't done buying tickets for the shows. When we finished, we had about 7 minutes to run and get there. We tried hailing a cab 5 or 6 times to no avail. So we booked it. Jeff was a great sport and we made it. Funny thing is that we had a half hour window to get there (they didn't tell us that) and they ended up turning us all away anyway. Bummer.
So we started walking and found ourselves in a park close-ish to Times Square. There was going to be a free Jazz concert that night (and I needed to listen to a Jazz concert for some homework stuff) so we sat down for the hour before. I was out its not even funny (ok...it is pretty funny. If only I had a picture to show you how funny it really was...) The jazz was good, but since it was just a quartet, I really feel like they were missing a piano. I think it would have really taken things to the next level in the Quintet.
It was getting closer to show time so we found McDonalds (who can beat a dollar sundae!) and got all fullish on ice cream. I think I had 5 or 6 sundaes over those 3 days. Don't judge me. :-)
Mary Poppins was Friday's main event. Great show. Have to admit that I didn't understand the first 15 minutes of the show simply because of the thick accent. I don't know if I just got used to it or their speaking got more clear, but the first few songs were rough because they were speaking in heavy british accents. Still, one of the best musicals of the weekend, hands down. Great music, acting, themes, and everything.
The group migrated to Times Square, where we sat on the big red steps and just hung out and chatted. I'm always amazed at how light it is...at midnight - or later. It worked out that I could stay with a friend of a friend, so I was happy about that. I was thinking about standing in line for SNL tickets, but this seemed like a much more appealing arrangement.
Saturday started off as temple day. I had planned to go early AM, but decided later to sleep in a bit and go in the later morning. Garrett met up with me and we got to the temple just in time. We would have to rent clothes and everything. We got to the clothing rental and no one was there. We waited...and waited...and waited...for more than 5 minutes. Finally, I just went back there because we had tried multiple times to get help and no one would come. About 30 seconds after I started pulling clothes for myself, someone came to help. We told her we needed everything except a white shirt, so what did she go try to find for us? A white shirt :-) Bless her heart. She was doing her best and we were grateful for it. Another woman came and took care of everything else. We barely made it (they held the session for us. Amazing in itself).
The temple is beautiful. It will be nice to go back.
I met up with Jeff again and we got all set for Shrek that night. Picked up some lunch on the way and then made it in time to go to Finian's
Rainbow. I'd heard of it before, but never really seen anything about it. A friend has a friend in it, and since it just barely opened for previews (Actually, on Thursday night 10/8) we had to go see it. If you are going to be in NYC within the next few months, GO SEE THIS SHOW! I laughed and had a great time! The show is fun, music is entertaining, and the cast does really well. Hopefully we can all get a little bit more of finian's rainbow in the world.
We found another place to eat and got all set before Shrek. I have to admit I was really excited because I love Sutton Foster (who was playing Princess Fiona), and I am a fan of Christopher Sieber (Farquaad). All in all, it was a fun show. Definitely had some fun laughs.
Sunday was a really relaxed day, as it should be. I wanted to go to another church, so I picked the Trinity Church on Broadway and Wall St. The organ and choir were wonderful. I loved seeing how devoted the people were. There are so many wonderful people in the world.
While downtown, I stopped by the NYSE, and Federal Hall (where George Washington was sworn in as President). Made a quick stop at a museum (a Smithsonian no less), and then headed back uptown to the Theater District. I met up with John and we hung out for a little bit. I had gotten tickets to Mamma Mia, and since he couldn't get into the
other ones he wanted to, he came along. It definitely wasn't as good as I remembered it. But it was still fun. We went over to try and get tickets
for the evening show and had to wait to put our names in for a drawing. As irony would have it, we actually ran into Matthew Morrison, who was in the original cast of Hairspray (my first "on broadway" show ever...though he wasn't in the
cast I saw) and took a picture with him. He's better known now as Will Schuster, the teacher on Glee. But continuing on to other things. I had found out that a producer from CBS was going to let me into the building to see what she did as a producer. I was ecstatic! While John tried to get tickets, I ran uptown (only a few blocks) and met with her for an hour or so. I stayed longer than I should have, but less than I wanted to. She was absolutely amazing and answered a lot of my questions. Hopefully I'll get to go up and talk to here more about her
experiences and work again soon.
John got into In the Heights and I missed out. I was okay with that (I'd spent a ton of money already). I found a Famous Daves (yeah!) and ate there. Garrett and Malcolm's group was up by the
temple so I headed up and hung out with them at Lincoln Center for a while, which was really quite beautiful. I'd love to see some performances in that area at some point of my life.
The day was drawing to a close, and I was more than tired. I got ahold of a great friend - Jeff Pew - and his wife and was able to make it up to see them in their new apartment before I had to leave. We had a great time catching up. Hopefully we'll get to spend more time chatting when I'm back up there.
I jumped on the subway and headed down to where my bus was going to leave from. I hadn't been down that way at all and so I wanted to make sure I was early. Go figure, it was right next to Herald Square, the Macy's on 34th street, and Madison Square Garden. I had such a fun time walking around that area that I nearly missed my bus! But I caught the midnight train and made it back to DC a half hour earlier than expected. Can't beat that! (I suppose it somehow makes up for being almost an hour late getting TO DC on greyhound....whatev).
I just have to say...I have never been so happy to own a sweatshirt that can cover my eyes on a bus ride, or ear plugs. They are amazing :-)
I walked home and finally made it to bed around 4:30 a.m. Threw in some ear plugs and didn't wake up until nearly 1 p.m. My roommate and some other people were going to the Holocaust museum, so I tagged a long and had a great time. We went to the Botanical Gardens as well as the National Portrait Gallery. And nothing finishes the day like a great trip to Costco. :-)
It was by far the most busy and event ful weekend I've had in a LONG time. ANd it was 110% worth it :-)
Cheerio!
