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NYC Labor Day Weekend 2009
Wow.
First, we must thank American Express for having great bundled hotel/flight deals (Expedia, you had them, too, but your sales kept ending too quickly for us), Paramount Hotel for the great location, Paramount Hotel for your comfortable – - yet so not really – - double-sized bed (you liars!), City Sights tour buses for showing us the city (I think it’s safe to say that you live up to your name), Circle Line for showing us Lady Liberty, American Airlines for keeping us safe and for $40 less in our pockets (I shake my fist at you baggage fees!), TKTS for getting us in to a real Broadway show for ”cheap”, Mary Poppins the New Musical for allowing me to relive my childhood in an incredible way, 9th Avenue for having amazing restaurants, oh and the house cleaning lady who did not know what “Privacy Please” signs really meant and gave us a clean room every day – - even when we didn’t want one.
We arrived in New York City the Friday before Labor Day. We checked into our room at the Paramount Hotel, made a pseudo plan for the evening, then made the short one block trek to Times Square. Our goal was to just explore Times Square, find some New York style pizza, and possibly get discount tickets to a Broadway show. We wondered up and down Times Square, taking it all in, hoping to run into TKTS and score some tickets. After about an hour, we finally stumbled across one (Broadway and 46th maybe?!).
What happened next led to probably one of my favorite moments at NYC. We scored majorly discounted tickets to Mary Poppins for that night, about 20 rows from the stage. Definitely one of those wow, I feel blessed moments. And because of our new found plans, the evening took on a bit of a different plan.
New York style pizza was still on the list for supper, and there just so happened to be a delicious looking place right next to our hotel, Patzeria. Off we went, folding our pizza in half, eating it in this cute little restaurant only big enough for four bar stools, the giddiness growing in my everyone moment for what was in store, and then we headed back to the hotel to freshen up before the play.
Seeing a Broadway show was incredible. Disney renovated what is now known as the New Amsterdam Theater, and it is gorgeous. We actually got to take pictures inside, but they do not do it justice. One of the most unbelievable things for me about the play was the set on stage. They actually constructed an almost life-size doll house for 17 Cherry Tree Lane, and they would roll it back and forth to the front, as well as raise and lower the third floor (where the children’s room is) for certain scenes involving just Mary Poppins and the children, or when they would run into Bert up on the roof. I am doing a horrible job that does not do the set justice, but I promise it was incredible. It was something that I’d think real architects would have to had build!
Besides the set, the dancing, acting, singing, all of it was incredible. It may be a silly little kids story to some, but it really isn’t. It was amazing. I have not stopped thinking about the experience. I am not as cultured to theater as Jeff, him being a thespian once, but it is something I’ve grown interested in over the past few years. Between this experience and seeing the touring Broadway play Wizard of Oz in Nashville in January, I am now hooked. I cannot wait for my next Broadway show!
Saturday was one of two days we spent on a double decker tour bus. We got a package that gave us 48 hours to use the buses, and we could hop on and hop off at stops as we pleased. Places we saw included Downtown Manhattan, many of the villages, Macy’s (and we shopped, too), Empire State Building, New York City Museum (we got off here, too, but I don’t know that I really enjoyed it), Central Park (more to come on this later), Carnegie Hall, Rockefeller Center, several of the Broadway and Off Broadway theaters, and the night tour took us over the Manhattan Bridge to give us a good view of Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge from Brooklyn (beautiful).
While on one of the tours, we were told that 9th Avenue was the place to eat. So we ate a couple times over there. We ate at 5 Napkin Burger (yum!) and Amarone (Italian and also delish!). Other eateries included the Carnegie Deli (wasn’t a huge fan), Roxy Delicatessen for some delicious New York style cheesecake, and a pizza place over by Central Park.
Sunday night, after a day of touring on the bus, we made our way over to Pier 83 to hop on Circle Line and drive (boat?) by the Statue of Liberty. That was a beautiful sight. Monday morning we checked out, boarded our bags at the hotel, and then headed over to Central Park. We saw most of the southern half, and it was gorgeous. The building that John Lennon and Yoko Ono lived in (apparently she is still there), and also where John was shot, is right across the street. It is a beautiful building, and in Central Park, by the building, is where Strawberry Fields is and the Imagine tribute. The Plaza Hotel isn’t too far from there, and in the center by the hotel is the location of FAO Schwartz and a rather interesting Apple store. We visited both. We also took a hop, skip, and a jump (well, quite more than that) over to Serendipity to try the Iced Hot Chocolate. It was good, but I think it would’ve been awesome hot (defeats the purpose, I know). But I was bummed to discover, when rewatching the movie Serendipity after we got home that Monday night, that the scenes filmed in the store were filmed upstairs, which is where we did not go. So close!
So anway, here is a look into our little weekend getaway. I hope you enjoy…
Gosh, there is so much that has happened these past couple of weeks. So much so, I’m going to group them into separate blogs. So this one will be about the last two weekends in July.
On July 18th, we had the pleasure of getting up at 6:00 a.m. to drive to Indianapolis (thank you, one hour time change) to be at a wedding at 2:00 p.m. We were quite excited about this wedding. Phil, one of Jeff’s friends from his time studying abroad in Spain during college, was marrying this sweet girl named Michelle. I had the honor of finally meeting the man behind the Spain stories on Valentine’s Day, when Michelle and Phil drove down to Nashville for the weekend. Phil and Michelle are great together. You can tell that their lives are full of fascinating stories and that they love and respect each other and love to laugh together. This was so evident on their wedding day. Cute Michelle could not stand still during the ceremony, and the preacher gave a great message about God’s desire and plan for marriage. He also talked about Genesis 24, which was also the Scripture we used for our wedding. So Michelle and Phil get bonus points for that one!
Anyway, the ceremony was beautiful and the reception a blast. Apparently both families are quite musical, specifically on the trumpet, and it was a riot to see their brothers coax the newly married couple into playing “I Love You, You Love Me” with them on their trumpets. Yes, Phil and Michelle played the trumpet on their wedding day. How many people do you know that have done that? And we also discovered that Phil can cut quite the rug, as Phil and his mom surprised the crowd with a little boogie to “Shining Star” during the Mother-Son dance. In fact, the whole reception was just full of little moments that celebrated the lives of Phil and Michelle and their joys – - including Chicago-style pizza and Cincinnati-style Chili. It was quite beautiful.
The next weekend we headed up to Illinois to see my brother’s band play. Ahron has played in a band for years called S.H.A.R.C. On Saturday, July 25th, they held a concert called Sold Out for Christ in a small town near home at an amphitheater. This is something they’ve organized for the past several years, and this year they had four other acts and a speaker share the stage with them. It was a fun night. One band, Jael, stayed at my parents’ house that weekend. It was so much fun getting to know them. Jael (minus the drummer, who is from Chicago) is from Australia. So not only do they have really cool accents, but their wealth of knowledge about the differences between the States and their home is fascinating! Did you know they call chicken sandwiches chicken burgers in Australia?! They also have an amazing talent that they are serving the Lord with, and they are just enjoyable people to be around.
On their list of things to do while in Pike County, number one appeared to be cornfields. My dad obliged, called up a farmer friend, and we took them out to Pittsfield Lake, where a few of them had their fill of running through the cornfields. I don’t know about you, but I always love having new people come into my familiar places (like home) and experience things for the first time. It really opens your eyes to what is around you and what you may take for granted. Yes, most of the time I complain about driving through flat and boring Illinois, after having lived in the Tennessee hills for almost three years now. But this past weekend, being out at the Lake and spending some time in the country, I started to realize that there’s still beauty even in Pike County.
Boyd and Scott
Another thing on the list for the boys was working at McDonald’s. The two Australian natives had worked there as young lads, and they were eager to relive the experience, knowing my parents owned a McDonald’s in town and could hook them up. So on Monday, during lunch time, off they went. Peezy (the drummer from Chicago, who also happened to be Ahron’s roommate at SLCC) was there just to document the experience, but it didn’t take long for him to get in on the action, too. Before we knew it, he was handing out food to the drive thru customers while the others were helping out on front counter, greeting people as they came in. It was so much fun, again, to see them enjoy something that I’ve grown up around my whole life (I started working there when I was 10 and put in 11 years!). They were such good sports, and the crew and customers seemed to have a good time with them.
Peezy
So, if you ever get a chance to see Jael in your neck of the woods, please go do it . They are phenomenal musicians with a great message to share. And they are just really great people. You will not leave disappointed, I promise. Oh, and this little guy is always worth seeing, too…
Hi, I'm Gary, Ahron's pup. I'm about 3 months old and love it when Ashley gives me ice cream! Please don't tell Dad, because I want Ashley to still come visit.
Today is Ashley’s birthday. I can’t tell you the specifics of what I’m doing for Ash today, but it should be pretty fun. She’ll be embarking on a scavenger hunt to discover what she’s actually getting for her birthday and what we’ll be doing this evening. (Keep checking this blog, as I’ll update it throughout the day, as she discovers more and more of what’s up.)
As she’s running around, trying to put the pieces of a puzzle together, we would do well to remember how much better we all are for having Ashley in this world. She’s such an encouragement to so many. If she’s been a blessing to you, please wish her a “Happy Birthday” with a quick note in the comments section of this blog.
When I’m honest, I can hardly believe that I landed such an amazing woman. It was a “steal” if you ask me. This is the woman who danced at the SuperBowl, who graduated college Summa Cum Laude, who conquered the whitewater rapids of the Ocoee River with me (and didn’t fall out of the boat as I did), who let me belt out an off-key version of “My Girl” at the top of my lungs in a parking lot late at night in a poor attempt at serenading her (and didn’t call the cops), who sarcastically said, “Does this mean that we can play together?” when I first told her that I liked her, who let me awkwardly court her for a year through letters and infrequent phone calls, who put up with my immature pursuits of “finding a calling” and encouraged me in my walk with God the whole way.
A girl like Ashley Anne is hard to come by. In fact, she is a dream come true for any guy; I’m just glad that I didn’t miss the opportunity and let her slip away.
Ashley has fulfilled her commitment in being my “biggest fan” (part of her wedding vows) since we started sharing our lives with one another. Since then, she has served as my best friend and great confidante and been someone who is fun to be around, bringing life and joy to any situation.
Happy Birthday, Ashley. You deserve more than just one day in which to be celebrated. I love you.
(For those of you reading and following along, please wish Ash a happy birthday and share any way in which my wife has been a blessing to you.)
*Post-script #1: What Ashley “Got” for Her Birthday
Throughout the day, I gave Ashley a series of clues and hints that tipped her off to two themes: Italian food and dancing. The day began by my sending her to three hidden web pages with videos of me singing songs for her and then giving her a clue at the bottom of each page to the next part of the “scavenger hunt.” By the end of the day, she knew that she was meeting me at Buca di Beppo for supper, but when we got there, we got our food and immediately went home. A little perplexed (but not completely surprised, as I often do weird things like this), she went along with it.
When she walked into the apartment, she was greeted by friends, balloons, streamers, food, and a well-decorated apartment. We ate a hearty supper of pasta and bread, told Ash all the things that we loved about her, and spent the rest of the evening playing games. For dessert, we had make-your-own ice cream sundaes.
By the way… her super-secret present (other than the party and a copy of Footloose) was ballroom dancing lessons.
**Post-Script #2: I asked some of Ashley’s friends what they loved most about her, and here is what they said:
Some things I love about Ashley: her sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and her heart-felt prayers for those she loves; her gift of hospitality; her bass playing in the worship band; her decorating skills. Happy Birthday Ashley! -Ron Ferguson
What I love most about Ashley is… she’s my sister yeah! Best OLDer sis any one could have unless she is telling on me. -Ahron Cooney
What I love most about Ashley is she lives with a sense of excitement, which encourages me to do the same. She has a wonderful ability to offer a proper perspective on life and the ins and outs of each day. -Heather Johnson
I love how welcoming Ashley is to her friends. She is fantastic at including her friends in her life and being involved in theirs. Whether it’s an invite for lunch or a Bible study, she has the ability to make people feel comfortable and at ease. -Vanita Joines
What I love most about Ashley is that she has His peace written all over her, and it’s comforting to me just looking at her! -Lisa Hart
What I love about Ashley is her smile. When she smiles her whole face lights up, and you can’t help but feel overcome with joy. Her happiness and joy is contagious, and she shares it with everyone just by the simple act of a smile. Thank you for being such a special part of our lives, Ash! Your friendship is such a blessing, and I hope you have a very special birthday… Love you, girl! -Jen Davis
I love how much Ashley loves Jeff. Even though it’s obvious they are VERY different people, Ashley’s eyes and body language communicate the fact that she ADORES him. Like that old prayer: “Lord, make me half the man my dog thinks I am….” perhaps our prayer for Jeff is that he can live up to the love we see in Ashley’s eyes. No pressure, Jeff!!! -Vince Wilcox
What I love most about Ashley is how she seems to really care about everyone in her world. No matter how infrequently they connect, she is totally engaged when the opportunity arises. Her smile is from the depths of her heart, too! -Sue Stutz
What I love about Ashley is the way she makes everyone feel like they are someone important and special to her. -Emma Meyer
What I love most about Ashley is her thoughtfulness. She has always been there for me when I needed her to listen or understand what I was going through. Even though we are far apart, her friendship still means a great deal to me. Happy Birthday Ashley!! I love you with all my heart. -Mary Cain
What I love most about Ashley is her willingness to share her heart. In her willingness to making herself vulnerable, she encourages and uplifts others. -Bob Stout
What I love most about Ashley is how much she simply likes people. Where I would make fun of anyone else that is as quick on the “like this” function of facebook, every time that I see her name in front of “…likes this”, it’s impossible to miss the reminder that she genuinely loves the people in her life and being a part of theirs. Oh, and her laugh, when she brings you a wire coat hanger, when you’ve locked your keys in the car but luckily left the window cracked open. –Joe Gomez
What I love most about Ashley is how she is always turning me on to such great music! -Zach Prichard
What I love most about Ashley is the fact that she is everyone else’s biggest fan. She is constantly cheering me on and not seeking any acknowledgement whatsoever. She is such a selfless servant in that way! -Paul Vasilko
What I love most about Ashley is her gentle and encouraging spirit. -Ann Clapp
What I love most about Ashley is her patience and willingness to seek God’s will, even when the going gets tough and it’s frustrating. She seeks His will above all else and waits for Him with all her heart. She is a woman to be admired. –Sarah Grant
What I love most about Ashley is her attentiveness. She is always fully invested in conversation. Her laugh is to die for too! She always has a laugh that makes the whole world want to be as a happy as she is at that moment. In summary, I heart Ashley’s loving attention that she gives to her friends, and I really heart her happiness!! Happy Birthday Ashley! -Denise Jones
What I love most about Ashley is her tender heart. I love (and envy) her ability to laugh and cry at the drop of a hat. I think Ashley embodies what it is to keep your heart warm no matter what. A warm heart that has risked big by loving big. I’ve watched as God has been just a breath away as she’s faithfully given him her broken heart (Psalm 34:17-18). She’s one of my heroes!! –Jerene Olson
What I love most about Ashley is… she is like me! ;o) I love how she is very efficient, organized and detailed. Whenever I had a question at Provident, I could rely on her to accurately and easily communicate to me the solution. I also love how Ashley is caring and a great person to share and relate with and have girly fingernail painting parties with!! -Jody Gray
