NEW YORK, NEW YORK–ONE HELL OF A TOWN (click on pics make them larger)

***December 27th – Jan 5th 2012 (Scroll slowly through pics there are A few short videos so you can get a feel for NYC if you have never been there)  We both highly recommend putting this city on your bucket list!***

I will start off with our video I made on the plane heading to NY…it will fill everyone in about our sneaky trip.  BTW…we fly business class with mileage and could never afford to buy these tickets…that is why no matter how many times we fly on Cathay in business class we never can get enough.

Back in November I unofficially heard I, Leslie got a new job offer and I also knew I would take it.  I have been working at St. Paul’s Hospital since 1998, and in the Intensive Care Unit as the first ICU Social Worker since 1999.  I always knew I would leave one day because I developed the position and by now I was feeling I have accomplished all that I could in the role that I was in.  All the stars were aligned and it was time to look for another challenge and change.  I applied for a job with BC Transplant as a Hospital Organ Donation Coordinator at Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster, BC.  It’s a job for a nurse and I am a Social Worker but was fortunate enough to be offered the position in any case.  I start my new non-bike adventure January 16th.

Why am I telling you this?  Well, because I got a new job Cheryl and I were able to sneak a trip to New York in for 2011 – 2012 even though we both used all our vacation for the Summer Triumph Tiger 800XC Alaskan Adventure.  The purpose of this spontaneous trip to NY was to surprise my parents and surprise my mother one more time with a 75th birthday party for her that I arranged from Canada.  Her birthday is Dec. 30th.

We were successful on both fronts…scared the crap out of my parents by sneaking into their house the morning of Dec. 28th..they had no idea we were coming and then again for my mother 2 days later by having her sister and immediate family all arrive at their house for a birthday party.  My mother thought we were all going out to dinner.  I can’t think of another opportunity that will come up anytime soon that Cheryl and I would have this chance to surprise both my folks in this way.  It was awesome and almost went off perfectly. 

I will not bore you with all the family pics and besides my parents are not into being spot lighted like their daughter….me, Leslie.  That is according to my family.  Apparently I like attention.   

Just a few pics from where I grew up and the town Stony Brook, my home town for 32 years.

The Eagles wings on the Post Office flap at 12 noon

Stony Brook Yacht Club

Hercules Statue

The Harbour that leads to the Long Island Sound, Stony Brook is on the North Shore of Suffolk County on Long Island

we used to skate on this pond as kids

The remainder of this post will be more focused on our day trip into New York City.  It was the perfect day, 56 degrees F or 12 C, no wind and felt like Spring.  We headed in via the Long Island Railway.  Ronkonkoma Station about an hour and ten minute ride into midtown Manhattan.  Takes you right into Penn Station where Madison Square Garden is located.

Notice the skies?  If you followed our summer ride report or any ride reports of ours you will know it rains on us when we ride motorcycles.  When are off the bikes it looks like this!

We arrived into Penn Station and had to stop for a slice of good old fashion NY pizza!  So freaking good compared to any pizza I had anywhere I have traveled or live right now.  Nothing and I mean nothing beats NY pizza.  I am so biased but it’s so true! 

There is a rat in this pic…they seem quite content to live in the subway.  Not sure why this did not bother me…he look so happy!

The NYC subway system makes it so easy to get around all the above ground traffic.  Runs almost if not 24 hours a day and it’s even clean.  We bought some Metro cards and off we went.

First view of the Freedom Tower that is replacing one of the Twin Towers.  Still unbelievable that something like 9/11 ever happened.  The new development is going to be really sharp-looking and will make New Yorker’s proud!

Of course we had to get some NYPD pics in!

Lot’s of security around but not intrusive.

Inside the One World Building….very fancy!

View from Battery Park.  Stunning day for January 1st.  Makes the city that much more enjoyable when there is no wind-chill.

Lady Liberty, closed for reno’s again.

Battery Park

Should have brought sunglasses

Police Memorial for members who have died in the line of duty.  We paid our respects.

Getting a glimpse of Times Square.  Tons of people but not overwhelming!

Times Square NYC

This was a car driving around advertising their restaurant…Jekyll & Hyde.  We ate there years ago when we went to gay pride in 1998.  When Cheryl and first got together.  Fun restaurant for sure!  Then again there are so many great places to eat in NYC I think you could spend a life time hitting them all.

Not sure if this set up stays up after New Years but there were many cameras like this all around the Square.

This is the pole that drops the ball on New Years Eve.  We watch it from Stony Brook on TV like many of you.

Rockefeller Center Famous Christmas Tree and skating rink

Famous St. Patrick’s Cathedral

The architecture is amazing!

Cheryl taking a break and maybe a little prayer?

Did not buy anything here but always have to visit Saks Fifth Avenue

Saks usually have really impressive Christmas windows, but we were NOT impressed this year.  They were nice but nothing over the top like they usually do!

This is soooooooooooooooo NYC!

Public Library

Chrysler Building

Beautifully restored Grand Central Station.

Grand Central Terminal

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

“Grand Central Station” redirects here. For the connected New York City Subway station, see Grand Central – 42nd Street (New York City Subway). For other uses, see Grand Central Station (disambiguation).

Grand Central Terminal

View inside the Main Concourse, facing east

Station statistics

Address
89 East 42nd Street at Park Avenue,
New York City, NY10017

Grand Central Terminal

Location:
89 East 42nd Street at Park Avenue, New York City

Coordinates:
40°45′10.08″N 73°58′35.48″WCoordinates: 40°45′10.08″N 73°58′35.48″W

Built:
1903

Architect:
Reed and Stem;
Warren and Wetmore

Architectural style:
Beaux-Arts

Grand Central Terminal (GCT)—often incorrectly called Grand Central Station, or shortened to simply Grand Central—is a commuter rail terminal station at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States. Built by and named for the New York Central Railroad in the heyday of American long-distance passenger trains, it is the largest train station in the world by number of platforms:^[3] 44, with 67 tracks along them. They are on two levels, both below ground, with 41 tracks on the upper level and 26 on the lower, though the total number of tracks along platforms and in rail yards exceeds 100. When the Long Island Rail Road‘s new station opens in 2016 (see East Side Access), Grand Central will offer a total of 75 tracks and 48 platforms. The terminal covers an area of 48 acres (19 ha).

The terminal serves commuters traveling on the Metro-North Railroad to Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess counties in New York State, and Fairfield and New Haven counties in Connecticut. The terminal used to be served by Amtrak, but in 1991 their trains moved to nearby Pennsylvania Station as a result of the completion of the Empire Connection.

Although the terminal has been properly called “Grand Central Terminal” since 1913, many people continue to refer to it as “Grand Central Station.” “Grand Central Station” is the name of the nearby post office, as well as the name of a previous rail station on the site, and it is also used to refer to a New York City subway stationat the same location.

The inside mainly marble and just very decadent for a train station

The GRACE Building is really curved, I tried to get a picture that would show the curve but I a not that good

Hopefully you get the idea

If any knows the building below feel free to post it in the comments…thanks

The Ball that dropped New Years Eve the night before.  Over 2 million people were in a 20 block radius of Times Square.  We stayed on Long Island for New Years Eve….too many people for us! 

Very clean from all the New Years garbage! Very impressive how they do that so fast!

Of course we had to have dinner in Times Square…great food and location!

Heading back to Penn Station to go back to Long Island.  Great quick trip into the city, great day and we shall be back.  I love visiting the city even though I grew up not that far away.  Cheryl LOVED LOVED this trip this day and the weather had a lot to do with it for sure!

NYC has some of the best buskers around.

Waiting for our LI train and that’s it for NYC this trip.

This trip was awesome the entire 9 days.  We got to surprise the crap out of my parents, get the immediate family together last-minute for my mom’s 75th, went gambling in Connecticut, took trains, planes, subways, shuttles, ferries and buses all over the place, ate A LOT, hung out, shopped and just over all exhausting but enjoyable.  Glad to be home, back to reality and as always looking forward to my new job and also planning our next motorcycle adventure……

Finally, our wait at JFK in the British Airways Lounge to depart for Vancouver.  This sure is the way to travel.

Chilling on the plane!