a successful NYC visit

As my last visit to NYC was slightly disappointing I was eager to venture there again and replace those older memories with new ones. What a success this new trip was! What a whirlwind of a day it was! Ready, here it goes...

8am The plan is to meet and leave, however, L is running late and my printer won't print the confirmation needed. Sooo, we do not leave as scheduled.
8:30am We are in the car (after returning to the apartment once for the GPS and ipod, important!) and are on our way!
8:45am PAUSE. Starbucks break.
9:00am Now REALLY on the way.
10:30am Arrive at train station. Wait.
11:15am Train arrives, we are off! I guess we could have run across the street to cafe and bathroom, but we are fine (bladders slightly full) and off to NYC!
12:30pm Arrive to NYC, it was QUITE a long train ride added to the fact that we stopped for "official police business" at one point. L explains during this ride how her roommate has "adopted" a baby squirrel, I agree with her that this is NOT okay and wild animals belong in the (shock!) wild. We discuss how to break the roommate's heart on this topic, which is just necessary in this case.
1:00pm Walk and arrive at the MOMA. Call and wait for my cousin N who is a cute, sophisticated New Yorker and has offered to show us around.
1:30pm N arrives, we enter! We walk through design exhibits, costume designs, illustrations etc. Very interesting commentary from N, I soak it up. Maybe I should have brought my camera, sorry. But saw some lovely exhibits and learned much!
3:00pm Leave the MOMA and head to The Daily Show (!!).
3:30pm Arrive in line. WAIT. In the heat. Let me tell you it was hot, and I'm not one to complain about the weather but this was bad. Oh, and did I mention lunch, no, I didn't? It's because we didn't have one. So hot, mildly hungry we wait.
5:30pm Enter studio. So that would be 2 full hours of waiting in line. Wowza. Am thinking this better be one fucking great show experience to make me wait in this line...
6:00pm Warm up comedian, hilarious. Makes some cheap jokes, but still hilarious. Or maybe I just have heat stroke...
6:30pm SHOW BEGINS! Jon Stewart! In the flesh! On the Daily Show! Am laughing, being in the official audience, instead of just giggling at home. Have totally forgotten about the whole standing in line thing.
6:50pm TENSEST INTERVIEW EVER. Jon interviewed a woman about health care (was a two segment interview!) who just reads legislation totally differently then I do. I can't explain it. Her talking points were things like "killing seniors" and "death panels". Yuck. Jon did a great job point holes in her argument and bringing up points from past historical periods. BUT very tense. Overall a great experience, was quite glad that Jon joked and talked to the audience after, was feeling quite exhausted and saddened by that woman's perspective.
7:30pm Done! Walking towards Grand Central.
8:00pm Nice Italian dinner with L. Red wine (from WA, cheesy, I know). Caesar salad. Stuffed shells with asparagus and sausage. Lovely.
9:30pm Back on the train. A tired ride, but L and I still managed to have things to talk about. It's always nice to go somewhere with a friend, spend the whole day together and just not get tired of each other's company. It was good.
11:00pm Now the drive. I'm exhausted and chewing gum to keep me awake. Thankfully L tells good stories.
12:30am Safely, exhausted we arrive home.
12:45am Call the boy, report the day. He (in a different time zone) is also falling asleep, which is different then usual. I don't often stay up this late and he usually is still the midst of his evening. So it's a nice treat to say goodnight and both be able to just turn over and sleep.
1am Sleep!

A successful, memorable day for sure!