Saturday, August 1, 2015

24 Hours in New York City



With only a twenty-four hour window for New York City sightseeing, a recent brief stopover in this vibrant, bustling city brought a whirlwind collection of experiences.

View from our New York Athletic Club room
Knowing that we three couples had a limited period in which to cram our variety of activities, we checked into our room at the New York Athletic Club on Central Park South (which was arranged by a good friend who happens to be a member). After depositing our belongings in our rooms, we met in the lobby to begin our action-packed day.

We had conferred and agreed in advance that we would utilize our day to visit 1) the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, 2) One World Observatory, 3) meet our NYAC friends for dinner, 4) see Jersey Boys on Broadway. With our plan in place, we had already procured all tickets and reservations online.

Let’s talk for a moment about transportation within NYC. As a veteran of countless trips to this wonderful city, I can tell you that using public transportation from trains to taxis to the subway system is far easier than trying to drive your own vehicle up and down, back and forth among these one-way streets--or even the two-way streets. Just driving into the city and attempting to navigate to the NYAC was challenging because in multiple instances, our GPS directed us to turn onto streets that were barricaded for a parade to be held the following day. Add that to the fact doing battle with the yellow cabs, which seem to own the roads, is tricky at best. We could hardly wait to hand the car keys over to the valet and say, “Bye bye” to our vehicles.

Yet, I must be honest and tell you that it is helpful to be educated in advance about use of the subway system. Just a few tips are: 1) Acquire a Manhattan map. This valuable tool will give you some sense of the geography and street layout. Familiarize yourself with the streets surrounding your destination, and know the address. Standing on a crowded street corner and attempting to figure out a direction can be frustrating as pedestrians rush past you in their haste and annoyance at attempting to proceed.

2) Acquire a subway line map so you know exactly which line you are looking for and where to find the entrances.

3) When you enter the subway, go to the ticket booth and don’t hesitate to ask questions. The (hopefully) friendly people selling the subway tickets are the keepers of tremendously beneficial knowledge.

4) Once you have your Metrocard ticket in hand, go to the turnstile, slide it with the black strip to the left so the ticket will be read. Quickly enter the turnstile. I repeat…quickly. I believe that these devices were designed for a fast-moving public, because I made the mistake of hesitating for a moment and encountered a turnstile that would not move. My entire party was already on the other side waiting as I pushed and tugged at the stubborn arm of the turnstile, re-swiped my ticket and gained no ground. I had to go back to a machine, purchase yet another ticket and try again. Lesson learned. Swipe the ticket on the correct side, move quickly.

5) As with public transportation in any city in the world, carefully secure and guard your belongings. It is better to be paranoid and cautious than deal with a missing wallet.

6) Pay attention to the stops. You really do not want to discover that you have missed your stop, especially if you are on a tight schedule.

For more information on riding the New York subway system, this USA today article provides simple steps for you to follow: http://traveltips.usatoday.com/ride-nyc-subway-4236.html.

So the first leg of our adventure was a subway ride from Midtown Manhattan to the site of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum http://www.911memorial.org/. The memorial is free to visit and, understandably, evokes a generally solemn, reverent atmosphere. Everyone beyond toddler age remembers where they were and what they were doing when this horrifying event in American history occurred. The names of all who died in the terrorist attacks of 2/26/93 and 9/11/01 are inscribed in bronze around the memorial pools. To locate a name, access the name finder at the above referenced link or visit a kiosk at the memorial site.



The 9/11 museum is also a sobering reminder, but is a wonderful tribute to those lives lost in the senseless acts of terrorism at this location. Tickets purchased in advance online enable the visitor to choose the date and time of their entrance. Being armed with that advantage during our time-crunched tour was incredibly useful.

Onward to the newly constructed One World Observatory https://oneworldobservatory.com/, we were once again holders of date and time reserved tickets.  In less than sixty seconds, visitors are transported to the top of the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. These views of New York City are amazing, and we all agreed that we are delighted that we included this in our itinerary.



Just a couple of hints: 1) Do not get too crazy taking photos on the first level after your departure from the elevator. The second level actually affords far better photo opportunities. Just saying… 2) If you have planned an ambitious schedule, it behooves you to keep an eye on the line that forms at the elevator to return you to the ground level. You will want to watch your time and become a part of the queue accordingly. For the most fabulous New York City views, the One World Observatory is a must.

The next item on our agenda was returning to New York Athletic Club to freshen up before our dinner date with dear NYC friends. Having spent a great deal of time in the city over the years, I knew exactly what to wear--my little black dress and black heels.

We enjoyed a lovely dinner at BECCO http://becco-nyc.com/, where I devoured a scrumptious veal piccata special. This restaurant is conveniently located in the theatre district, and reservations can be made up to thirty days in advance. It was a perfect choice for us, and the servers are most conscious that many of their patrons are comprised of the theatre crowd.

As we dined, the rain began to pour from the skies. My husband excused himself from the table and dashed up the street to a vendor to purchase multiple umbrellas for our party, and then we marched the few short blocks to see our show. The umbrellas were a bonus, but when it rains heavily in NYC, one can be sure that massive pools of water will collect by the curbs at intersections. Unless you have kangaroo-like abilities to leap over the flooded puddles, your shoes and feet will become saturated. So much for the little black heels.

Although I had already seen Jersey Boys during a Chicago trip a few years ago, as well as the more recent movie version, I still found the show to be a great entertainment experience. Regardless of where or how many times you may have seen a particular show, viewing it on Broadway is always more memorable. There is a special ambience in New York City’s theatre district that cannot be duplicated.

Following the show, we walked back to the NYAC because…well, try to hail a cab on a drizzly Saturday night in New York City, and see how successful you are. You might as well be looking for a taxi in the middle of the Sahara Desert, and we needed two of them to accommodate a party of six. Besides, a brisk walk is always good for the heart and for absorbing the NYC atmosphere.

After a peaceful night’s sleep and a hearty breakfast, we once again faced the challenge of trying to navigate the city with a GPS that does not recognize parade barricades. Eventually, we succeeded and headed south toward our eagerly anticipated South Carolina beds.

As the traffic abruptly ground to a halt in the typical stop-and-go fashion perpetually present in the Quantico/Manassas region of I-95, we wondered if sleeping in our own home that evening was an unrealistic fantasy. Finally, the painful auto crawl gave way to smooth sailing and we were, by the grace of God, safely home.


Visiting New York City is one of my all time favorite things to do. The sights, sounds and smells soak into my pores and always lure me back again. Just remember that for an optimal visit, particularly a brief one, you cannot do too much research and advance prep work. NYC is not a destination where you want to wing it and flounder. Having confidence in your schedule and directions will be the perfect setup for an enjoyable travel experience.

See you soon for another travel adventure!

Hugs from Mary Anne Benedetto


Author of Eyelash, Never Say Perfect, 7 Easy Steps to Memoir Writing, From Italy with Love & Limoncello, Write Your Pet’s Life Story in 7 Easy Steps!