Days 14-16: In New York City!

---

New York City was definitely a culture shock. There are so many buildings and people- it is overwhelming at first. Our first thing after dropping our stuff off at Tim's apartment (in Queens) on Monday was to head to the Ed Sullivan Theater to see Letterman. After we picked up our tickets, I had some time on my hands, so I stood by the side entrance of the theater and watched, with many others, to see who would go in and come out. I was not dissapointed. I saw Late Show announcer Alan Kalter filming the scene he would later do in the show. Paul Shaffer came out and hailed a cab. I also saw Biff Henderson coming out for a break.

The Late Show was great! The audience was encouraged to be very enthusiastic because we were the laugh track and Letterman feeds off of our enthusiasm. He (Dave Letterman) did not have much time to visit with the audience before the taping, but he enjoyed it and it was fun. The show was funny and included may twists, including a man in the audience getting up to leave during the top ten list. Helen Mirren, Colin Hanks, and Cindy Lauper were the guests that night. During the commercials, the band played and they were awesome! The show aired that night and I don’t think I made it when they panned the audience. After the show, we went to Times Square. It is amazing and as bright as day when lit up at night- I almost needed sunglasses.

Tuesday, I got up and headed toward Central Park. After spending some time there, I reserved a ticket for myself to see the Phantom of the Opera on Broadway at the Majestic Theater. After Central Park, I caught the subway to the Empire State Building. I bought a ticket (after waiting quite a while in line) to the 86th floor outdoor observation platform. The view was amazing- nothing but buildings and skyscrapers for miles around! There was an unobstructed view from all sides.

After going to change clothes, I went to eat some New York pizza at Lombardi’s. I was very hungry and ate most of my 14 inch pepperoni pizza. After that, I went to the show. It was amazing- the singers, choreography, and the pit orchestra. No wonder it is Broadway’s longest running show.

Wednesday, I got up late and had lunch with a friend with Jerome. We then explored the area around Wall Street. I saw the World Trade Center site (under construction now), Trinity Church and graveyard, the NYSE, and the Fraunces Tavern (where George Washington announced to his officers that he was resigning his commission in 1783). I also saw the Federal Hall National Memorial. This area was the first site of our nation’s government. George Washington was inaugurated here and the first Congress met here (for about a year, until they moved to Philadelphia). We then headed out of town. Traffic was surprisingly good and we made it to Boston around 10:00. Our hosts were very welcoming. I am looking forward to the rest of the week in Boston.

---