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Published: November 5th 2011
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I am packed and ready to head to New York City, NY. Weeks and weeks of planning, shopping and preparation have come down to just hours left in the countdown. But sometimes you cannot control everything with your travels, especially the airlines. Weather related issues will cancel your flight, in the blink of an eye, and as close to the departure time as possible. Our group's flight to Chicago, the first leg, was cancelled and all of a sudden, it was a scramble to find flights for our group of twelve. Assigned to a different airline and split into three groups, we were to make it the same day to NYC as originally planned. The routes changed, no longer including Chicago, but instead adding Detroit and Minneapolis. Although we all were aware of an early morning flight, the late notice of cancellation caused some of the group to have as little as four hours to board a plane and others to obtain a few hours sleep, leaving later. Everyone arrived at the Wellington Hotel in Manhattan that afternoon or night. All were anxious to leave the hotel and take in the sights and sounds of the 'big city', even in the
rain!
~TOUR DAY ONE~
The group is up and at it early to make a visit to Clear Channel Communications. Some had been to NYC before and the subway experience was nothing new, however not the case with us all. We headed underground, only realizing at that moment we walk on top of the underground subway most of the time in NYC. Strange feeling and perhaps if the traffic at ground level wasn't so heavy, we could actually hear the transportation beneath our feet. Clear Channel Communications owns radio stations all over America. The group visited the NYC stations, which included quite a variety from popular and contemporary charts to classic rock. Z100's JJ was very entertaining and shared some great stories of the experiences with celebrities and everyday antics at the station. What a great career!
After Clear Channel, the group ate at Lindy's at 7th and 53rd for lunch. The waiter for our al fresco dining was excellent with compliments and service, making our experience extra special. Free time brought shopping for some, catching the sights for others. That time brought orienting myself with the area. I observed things/customs I had never experienced before, like newsstands and hot
dog stands everywhere. The sounds were traffic and construction, but also languages from many places around the globe. I think being in a spot that is so centrally located, we were amongst many tourists that weekend. German, French, Spanish and others not so familiar, filled the air.
~TOUR DAY TWO~
The Paley Center for Media was on our list of visits. We were treated to an informative exploration of political advertisings using television as the medium. The spots went back as far as Eisenhower, so it was a piece of history for all of us, the very thing the Paley is known for, historical education and preservation of television and radio shows. Our schedule was tight, but someday I will return and spend many hours viewing that history. What a collection and knowing some has been destroyed, what an institution to dedicate their cause to preservation of that history.
The next stop that day was the International Radio and Television Society and an intimate meeting with their President and CEO, Joyce Tudryn. IRTS is an educational foundation that sponsors students from all over the United States. They house the students, acclimate them to the city, the media companies, and most
importantly the current trends and practices of media. In the meeting, we heard wonderful stories of Tudryn's own experiences in NYC with her photography. Being a photographer myself, I enjoyed not only the stories, but seeing some of her work hanging in her office and the explanation behind the shots. Black and white being my favorite medium, the shots had a real appeal for me. A couple of us found a "Taste of Italy" and enjoyed our first Dr. Pepper on the trip and a wonderful tasting slice! Very appreciative in finding that gem.
That night was the Broadway show, Mary Poppins, for many in the group. I decided to rest but heard it was a treat. I did take in Times Square, went by the Empire State Building and walked through Grand Central Station. Times Square was more populated during the weekend of course, but it wasn't intimidating. Having been to tourist locations such as Las Vegas and Mexico, I was disappointed to see the worst part of the city is the sales you have to politely decline in Times Square by street peddlers. Back to the Wellington to get sleep for my last full day in NYC.
~TOUR
DAY THREE~
Another beautiful day in NYC. Was out and about early to do some souvenir shopping before our scheduled tour. After shopping, walked down to Cafe Metro for breakfast. Starting to get used to grabbing freshly squeezed orange juice. The made-to-order breakfast was a great start to a heavy walking day. LAST FULL DAY...so much to do and see still! First things first, a tour of CBS studios! Our host for the tour, Mike Sims, graduated from our university. On top of having that Oklahoma connection and small chats of Oklahoma visits, it was inspiring to see someone from our university so successful in the business. Mike took us everywhere at CBS...news radio and studio sets. We experienced the nightly news desk from control to newsroom. We watched radio broadcasts as they happened and stood where Walter Cronkite delivered his news of JFK's death. Being a huge OU fan, watching Spencer Tillman in dress rehearsal for CBS Sports was cool. Eric LeGrand was also on the desk that day. The day was filled with so much information from behind-the-scenes with production. Just the lights alone, in studio with the nightly news, were unbelievable. We were treated with such anxious
and helpful professionals at every stop on our tour, including CBS. What a wonderful opportunity to be at the heart of it all.
That afternoon was a blur in seeing Rockefeller, NBC, Tiffany's, but I managed to get them in at the very last moment. I saved time though for a peaceful walk through Central Park. Slightly nervous about the park's size, I was worried about getting lost. However, not going too far into the park, finding our way out was simple. Saw another skating rink, beautiful ponds, a baseball field, horse buggies and lots of people enjoying the weather. The park is perfect in appearance, manicured and clean. You truly get away from the businesses and fast pace of the city. Genius in creating this oasis for the city. Our flight back home was very early and our trip to the airport at a frightening 5 am! The time there was productive for our tour, but I will have to return soon to enjoy the city even more. You need plenty of time to see everything it has to offer, the incredible people, exciting pulse, truly one-of-a-kind.
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