Monday morning and it is our last day of vacation. I’ve always wanted to check out the beaches from Coney Island to the Hamptons so I decided to take the opportunity on this trip. I think it was a great ending to a fabulous trip to New York. First, we had to get to JFK to rent the car. We took the subway for one last time to the AirTrain. That connection drops you at the airport. We loaded the car and off we went. I brought Tom with me and he finally kicked in and helped us navigate although I have to admit I didn’t use him a lot and made him mad by going off his route. He got over it.

One thing we quickly learned is that there are no free beaches or beach parking along this route. At this stop, we had to park in a lot reserved for condo residents. We ran up to the boardwalk, looked at the beach, snapped a few photos and got back to the car before it was towed or ticketed!

We started at Rockaway and stopped at many beaches between there and Southampton. We could see the beach and water here and there but weren’t able to get on the beach without paying and since we were limited on time, we didn’t get out. Lesson learned: next time, take the train from the city to Rockaway or Coney Island and spend some time on the beach.
We drove for a few hours and of course got hungry again so we stopped at the Massapequa Diner. From there we continued east to Southampton and shot this photo on some beach, somewhere along the way.

Here is one of the small beach cottages you find in Southampton. Isn’t it adorable? Seriously, this area is gorgeous. I can see why the city dwellers escape here. I could escape here – if I could afford it. We walked around the village and bought a few books at the quaint bookstore. I picked up a few real estate magazines – not really magazines, more like books. The properties inside range from 800K to over 40 million. Beautiful homes but dang, they are HUGE and in some cases ridiculous.

The little black car in the back is our rental car. We are parked in a lot which is private and requires a sticker for parking. Note the cool surfer truck. I need to meet the owner of that truck! Stickers were present which means this person lives in one of those little beach cottages.

The next few photos don’t truly represent the beauty of this huge roadside garden at someone’s home. This garden wrapped around the corner and was in full bloom.

Many of the homes were surrounded by huge hedges. Many of these hedges were being trimmed while we were there. I guess it was hedge-trimming day?On the road into the village there was an interesting yard-art store. Of course we had to stop for the photo opportunity.

Lady Liberty IS a lot smaller than she looks!
Dinosaurs in the Hamptons!

We spotted this written on the street on our way to the train station!

We took the train to Lincoln Center and looked in the windows and enjoyed the fountain.

This is our last evening in the city and we are tired but don’t really want to leave. There is so much to see and do. I’d love to live here for about 3 months. I’d probably still not see everything but I’d whittle the to-do list more. This trip I was able to cross many things off that list – and added more. It is a list-in-progress for sure. I love the city and can’t wait to go back.

After we returned to the hotel, I used my coupon for 2 free drinks that was given to me upon check-in. You have to be 21 to go in a bar in NYC (just learned this!) and they thought Bailey was of age until I ordered her a diet coke. She went next door to buy us some snackie cakes and I decided to just do a double shot of tequila, quick and easy, and then we headed to the room for our nightly 20 minute shower (not really but seemed like it and felt so good), packing, and planning our next day. What’s next? We head to JFK and rent a car and go someplace I’ve wanted to see for many years. . . . The Hamptons.

Pho Soup with a thin layer of grease due to the fatty beef used. Not terrible but I’ve had better. Vegetable curry. yum

This was a cucumber/avocado roll. Was.

Cheesecake at the Film Center Cafe. The cheesecake at Juniors was yummy and HUGE – no photo – sorry – you’ll have to go there and try it yourself. This cheesecake was very tasty and creamy. We had no problem eating it.

Ferrara Chocolate Dipped Cannoli

Sorbet and fruit refresher at Ferrara’s . . . before the pannini and cannoli

Cannoli we had before we headed to Coney Island – after our dinner at Zen Palate. Wish I had shot photos of that dinner.

At Zen we ordered a few things but the prettiest was the pineapple fried rice which they served in a hollowed, half pineapple. Not only was it beautiful, it was fantastic tasting. I’d go back to this place too.

We also enjoyed Tapas at a place in the village (bad photo, sorry) and that is a place I would visit again if given the chance.

There are so many wonderful restaurants, on every corner, every street, that you could eat someplace different for years – never have to try the same place twice unless you really wanted.

After Memphis and saying goodbye to the Penneys, Bailey and I headed to the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA). I was excited to see what was behind those walls. We were both a little tired and a little hungry but we decided to go for it. We had to walk a few extra blocks because the address provided on the internet was not correct. WHAT? Yes, google was wrong. LOL We found it though and headed into the cool air. We worked our way up, up, up and looked at every room. We could have spent hours in there reading about the artists, etc. MOMA houses Picasso, Pollock, Kahlo, VanGogh, Dali, Warhol, Mapplethorpe, and 1000s of other artists; it is an amazing place. I asked Bailey if she could take home ONE, just ONE item in the museum what it would be and right now I can’t recall the name of the sculptor. I do know the piece is a beautiful gold sculpture. My choice was easy. Oh-so-easy. I want the Warhol ELVIS. I want a poster of this print to frame and put in my kitchen. I need to start my google search now for this poster. What do you think?

After MOMA, we headed out for FOOD because we were STARVED now. Directly across the street was an Asian restaurant and of course we both wnated to go there. It wasn’t terrible but it wasn’t the best I’ve had. You can’t go wrong with a veggie sushi roll but the Pho soup was greasy – a no-no. Her curry was good but again, we’ve had better.

After dinner we headed south down 5th to do a little more window shopping and went in a few stores before they closed. We walked through Rockefeller Center (or maybe that was earlier in the week?!?! my days are blending together now) and headed to Times Square to do a little more shoe-watching. I was having fun looking at all of the people and their various shoe choices. From flats to the highest heels, combat books to ugg boots, flip flops to birkenstocks, converse to nikes, wedges, pumps, moccasins, you name it, we saw it.

Two tired girls then headed to the hotel for a much needed night’s rest. Oh, but first, a pit stop for some fruit and other snackie cakes.

Saturday morning we didn’t have to be anywhere except the Memphis box office at 10am to buy student tickets. So, we took advantage of this and slept in a little.
After the ticket purchase we went to Times Square and did a little shopping (Levi’s, H&M, Forever 21, etc.) We quickly tired of that and headed back to the hotel to meet M&J. They had an early tour of the NBC studios. Today is their last day in the city so they also had to pack and get their bags on the bus. Our show was at 2pm and it was wonderful. Student tickets for this show are always in the first row which sounds great except that the seats are almost against the stage and you kinda get a pain in your neck craning to see what is going on . . .but for the price, no complaints. I love this show.

We rented bikes and mom waited for us somewhere on 5th near central park. We were gone only an hour. John lost us twice on this ride and the second time I didn’t try to find him! Bailey and I worked our way through part of the park and rode out of the park to see the Metropolitan Museum of Art and then back in to weave our way back to mom. We returned the bikes and I had decided earlier that I wanted to rent a horse and carriage to take mom through the park since she didn’t get to see any of it.

The driver was nice and knowledgeable about the points of interest in the park and I thought it was a nice, relaxing way to end the tour of Central Park. I still haven’t seen the entire park. Another item to add to the to-do list. Next time I want to rent bikes for 2 hours and take a leisurely ride through the park. 🙂

Today we walked a couple of blocks east to 5th and then south to the Empire State Building. The Chryslter Building is in the distance behind mom and john. We arrived at the Empire State Building and the crowd had not yet formed. Riding the escaltor up to the ticket floor.

We bought our tickets and worked our way through the displays on the way to the elevator. This is kind of a staging area for when the place is packed. Lots of facts to read, photos to examine, etc. We then boarded the first elevator which takes to you the 86th floor I think. Then you get on a second elevator to the viewing area.

That pointy building in the center of the photo is the Chrysler Building again.

Finally a photo of me with the parental units. I bet you were beginning to wonder if we were really on vacation together, huh.

Bailey loves mirrors and the reflective glass was perfect. 🙂

Some views from the top:

After we left the ESB, we took the train to the World Trade Center site. The construction is in process and the site is surrounded by chain link fence. We didn’t stay long. Mom and John wanted to go to Yankee Stadium so we sent them on the orange train north which I learned later did not go all the way to the stadium for some reason but the conductor helped them transfer and get off. Then, they discovered that the dang museum wasn’t even open because Paul McCartney was in town and for some silly reason they had to close it. weird. They then took the green train south to central park and waited for us.

We headed to Chinatown and then walked to Little Italy. I wanted to see the tenement museum but we didn’t have enough time. Something to add to my list for the next trip to the city. I wanted to eat at Ferrara Cafe www.ferraracafe.com and we found the place a few blocks away. The food was wonderful and I had my first chocolate covered cannoli. The third cannoli of the trip. It was worth every dollar.

We then headed to SOHO to meet a friend for a snack. My first Pink Berry ice cream (or is it yogurt?). We also did a little shopping while waiting. SOHO is pretty once you get away from the store fronts! Back to Central Park to meet the Penneys and go for a bike ride through Central Park.