Brooklyn Bridge
Rise and shine! We knew if we wanted great pictures on the Brooklyn Bridge, without a crowd, we had to get there early! We took our first Subway ride of the trip and arrived to the Bridge by around 8:30am! Lucky for us, Lauren was very familiar with the Subway from her Europe travels and had a handy dandy app that guided us along the way! When we got to the bridge, the sun was not quite all the way up, which made for great lighting for pictures! We quickly realized if you offer to take pictures for other people, they will in turn offer the same. This was the perfect time to visit the bridge as it was only crowded with a few tourists, but mostly business commuters. It amazed me at how fast cyclists were breezing over the bridge. They definitely didn't pay any attention to you, so you had to triple watch out for them! The walk itself took us about 30 minutes then we ventured into Brooklyn to grab a shot under the bridge!
We took the Subway back across to get to our next destination, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum!
9/11 Memorial and Museum
We weren't quite sure what to expect but we knew for sure it would be emotional. Having lived through this event (and being old enough to remember it happening) made this a very surreal visit for us. We began outside at the Memorial site which is now 2 large pools, each at the site of the original World Trade Center buildings. The pools had all the names of those who'd passed engraved along the sides. There was also a Survivor tree. *The Lerch family had visited the site in 2004, but at the time there was still debris on the ground and a makeshift memorial. It's amazing to see how much it's grown and the time and money spent into making this a great place to visit.*
We made our way inside the museum where we were sent through a security checkpoint. Sad that they have to do this, but thankful they do! We decided to do the self guided tour and it took us over 2 hours to make our way through the very large and detailed museum. The museum also touched on the 1993 bombing of the parking garage in the World Trade Center. Even watching the events of 9/11 and days after, unfold in real life, there was still so much we didn't know. Some exhibits featured phone calls from those on the hijacked airplanes, phone calls from those in the South Tower after the North Tower had been struck. I remember one call was from a young man in the South Tower to his mother saying "It only hit the North Tower, we're in the South Tower, we're okay." This was moments before the 2nd plane hit the South Tower just a few floors below where this young man was officed.
There were plenty of artifacts left from the towers that were preserved for the museum. A stairwell where people were trapped inside trying to escape, a flood wall, different beams and supporting structures, fire trucks, elevator motor, etc.
There was an exhibit with photos of all victims and a digital board where you could read more about each person and hear from their family members. We couldn't believe how young some of the victims were. There were a couple of kids on a school trip on the plane that left DC, and crashed into the Pentagon. Around 11 years old at the time of the crash.
Another feature, you could listen to the voicemails left on the machines of those first responders and workers stuck inside the towers. Voicemails from their loved ones checking in on them. You could hear voicemails of those on the planes telling their loved ones they were being hijacked and they loved them.
A few rooms featured videos of the actual attacks, the news broadcasts as it was happening, news channel screens from around the world and newspaper headlines the day of.
Something interesting we all learned:
Megan: I always thought the planes left New York but in fact the two planes that hit the towers took off in Boston. The plane hitting the Pentagon left from D.C. and the 4th plane that was unsuccessful in its attack, was the only one to leave from NYC, Newark airport. At the end of the tour, there was information on the hijackers. It was interesting to learn they had been planning this attack since 1996 and originally wanted to hit 10 U.S. landmarks. The original bomber from 1993, wanted to be the pilot of the 10th plane into the World Trade Center to make up for failing in '93. Bin Laden convinced them to scale back the mission to 4 landmarks and in August 2001, they selected 9/11 to be the day.
Brittney: The first thing I realized was how massive the memorial site really was. I had seen it before in pictures, but being there in person was a completely different experience. There were people there in tears visiting the site where the buildings were. It was an incredibly humbling experience. Going into the museum, seeing, hearing, and reading the very personal experiences of people who survived, people who lost loved ones, and people who shared stories about missing work that day or who was running late for work that day - it was all very heartbreaking. Being there, seeing the equipment used for rescue and the lost’s belongings that were gathered int the aftermath, watching all the news channels from that day, made it all very real again.
Towards the end of the tour, we had an opportunity to read about the attackers, where they came from, and how they were chosen. It was mind-blowing to realize the number of attackers there actually was and how long they had prepared. I read they all enrolled in a US flight school only to drop out because they couldn’t learn English. I also read that they were chosen because, at some point, each of them had lived in the US. We watched video footage of each one going through security - very normal looking men, some even dressed in what looked to be business attire.
The mission statement of the Memorial:
Remember and honor the thousands of innocent men, women, and children murdered by terrorists in the horrific attacks of February 26, 1993 and September 11, 2001. Respect thsi place made sacred through tragic loss. Recognize the endurance of those who survived, the courage of those who risked their lives to save others, and the compassion of all who supported us in our darkest hours. May the lives remembered, the deeds recognized, and the spirit reawakened be eternal beacons, which reaffirm respect for life, strengthen our resolve to preserve freedom and inspire an end to hatred, ignorance and intolerance.
From the 9/11 Museum, we hopped into Eataly, a large Italian grocery market to check it out and grab a quick bite. No photos of our sandwich, because we devoured it but it was good! Next on our list was The Caludron, a Harry Potter themed bar with magical potion drinks.
The Cauldron
Lauren and Brittney are huge Harry Potter fans so when we learned of this pub, we had to go! They make the coolest potion drinks. There were many odes to Harry Potter throughout the Pub. You could even ask for a wand to refill your beer from the tree tap! All 3 of us tried "The Blob," a concoction of lime, aloe and Tequila.
Chelsea Market
Chelsea Market is the cutest indoor shopping and food market ever! We had heard many great things about this place and wanted to try as much as possible. First up the famous Lobster Roll from The Lobster Place. https://lobsterplace.com/
Next stop: Mokbar. My friend had just texted me with recommendations from her Korean friend who lived in NYC. Mokbar was one of them and it didn't disappoint. Brittney and I split the beef dumplings. This was my first dumpling and very delicious. Side note: It was at this point that Chris FaceTimed us to let us know baby Callen had made his arrival :) https://www.mokbar.com/
Now we were ready for dessert! We passed a cute little store called Doughnuttery. They make the tiniest donuts tossed it whatever sugary goodness you desire. We picked the Pumpkin Pie Brulee (Pumpkin, Graham Crackers, Caramelized Sugar and Spices) and Coco Loco (Cocoa and Chocolate Cereal.) Both very good and satisfying. www.doughnuttery.com
Brittney and Lauren dipped inside a little Italian grocery store for some coffee, made with real Italian cream that they both said was amazing coffee! Next we were off to walk The High Line.
The High Line
The High Line is a public park built on a historic freight rail line elevated above the streets on Manhattan's West Side. Saved from demolition by neighborhood residents and the City of New York, the High Line opening in 2009 as a hybrid public space where visitors experience nature, art and design. https://www.thehighline.org/
We walked the High Line from Chelsea Market to the Vessel, an extraordinary centerpiece of Hudson Yards. Its a spiral staircase, meant to be climbed, but we were over heights at this point so we admired from the ground!
The architecture along the High Line was gorgeous. Really the architecture all over the city was!
From the High Line, we took the Subway back to the hotel to begin preparations for another night at the Theatre!
Wicked
When we started planning this trip, we all agreed upon one thing, we had to see WICKED! This was a beautifully done, classic musical. The cast was very talented and enjoyable to watch. It was neat to see the story before Dorothy's time in Oz and how all the characters came to be! I'll be honest, I much preferred this to The Wizard of Oz movie, which terrified me as a child (still does.) The Gershwin Theatre was roomy and our seats were amazing!
After Wicked, we headed to a late dinner at Patzeria Family & Friends. We found this restaurant via Yelp and made a reservation weeks prior.
Patzeria Family & Friends
Patzeria was the cutest "dive" restaurant set a couple blocks off of Broadway. We were greeted by owner upon entering. He showed us to our seats and engaged in conversation with us about what brought us to town, the sites we had already seen or planned to see. Exceptional customer experience from the get go! http://www.patzeriafamilyfriends.com/
Our choices:
Brittney: Chicken Parmigiana
Lauren: Spaghetti and Meatballs
Megan: Shrimp and Scallop Scampi
All 3 meals were delicious and filling! At the end of the meal, we were surprised with a little birthday treat. It was special that we mentioned to the owner once that we were in town to celebrate our birthdays, and he remembered that. The wait staff brought out 3 cannolis with candles in each. These were super yummy. My first cannoli!
End of the day stats:
21,418 steps
10.3 miles