NYC: Take III

I was very fortunate to be able to go up to New York earlier this month for work to help out with a conference and our annual fundraiser gala. For those of us in the German Studies community (I love the idea that I am part of that!), these last few months have been focused on celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the Federal Republic of Germany as well as the 20th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall. I have really enjoyed the opportunity that my job has afforded me to meet (or at least be in the same room as) many of the crucial decision makers and academics who were involved in these events in history. I was also able to go to a forum at the State Department this last week on the Fall of the Berlin Wall, which was an equally rich experience.

At any rate, I also had the chance to walk around and enjoy NYC before my train left, so I just wanted to share a few pictures and thoughts with you from that.

So first, here is how I did my hair for the gala and how the ballroom looked - this is for my mom. :) Just imagine me contorting myself and the camera in my hotel room to try and get a good shot of the back of my head. I snapped like 20 pictures and these were the best ones... and they aren't that great.

My co-worker Jessica took this blurry... I mean ARTSY picture for me. :)

On our last day in NYC, our meeting ended at around 11:30 and my train left at 7... giving me about 7 hours to walk around the city with a full and heavy backpack and my monstrous purse... I really enjoyed myself, but I think it is a lot more fun when you have someone there with you....


I LOVE Rockefeller Center (why can't all buildings be art deco?) and I love 30 Rock, so I had to snap a few shots of my favorite parts of the building/area.

They were already decorating for Christmas all over the city and
Christmas music was playing in all the buildings!

Next time I came to New York, I WILL see Wicked. I know all the songs by heart, but have never actually seen the musical. I started the book, but got bored part way through. I hear the musical is totally captivating, though!




I have been to NYC twice before, so this time I wanted to do something new - go to the top of the Empire State Building. It costs $20 to get up there, but I figured it was worth it - it will enhance my viewing experience whenever I watch An Affair to Remember or Sleepless in Seattle.

This is me after walking around for about 4 hours.
Just imagine how disheveled I looked when I got home!!

Finally, before I left, I went to Macy's. I seriously LOVE it there... I'm pretty sure it's what heaven will be like. My favorite thing there is the wooden escalators. It just makes me feel like I am transported back in time and I can almost hear Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue playing while hurried shoppers rush around me! I am so glad they kept them! I may or may not have gone up and down twice... hey, I don't get there that often...



For my last two NYC blogs, see here and here!