Finally I get a chance to tell you about day 2 in NY, which we spend doing a few things I had been dying to do but didn’t have time for in any of my past trips.
First on our itinerary for the day was a tour of the NBC studios located inside the Rockefeller Center. I attempted to take this tour on my trip last year, but failed miserably as I didn’t book tickets in advance and they happened to be sold out the only day I had time for it. Luckily this time, we didn’t have that issue. We got to do the 1.5 hr tour, and they showed us around the studios where they record The Dr. Oz Show, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and Saturday Night Live, as well as some other interesting things around. Of course you get a lot of fun facts and trivia questions as well as a little bit of history about the network, so it’s quite a fun and interesting experience.
After the tour, we went to the Top of the Rock. I obviously had been to the Rockefeller Center before, in fact my first trip to NY was in December 2002, so I got to see the wonderful Christmas tree and ice skating ring that are a tradition in the Rockefeller Plaza. However, I never made it to the top until now. It is a breathtaking sight up there! You get the most amazing 360˚view of the city, but of course my favorite side is the one where you can see Central Park, and really begin to grasp its grandness and what a true haven in the middle of the Manhattan chaos it truly is. I even recommend this view over the Empire State building one, which sure it’s good, but you don’t get the view of Central Park, plus the top is all caged in so it’s just not the same feeling of openess and certainly not great for pictures like the Top of the Rock is.
Then, we moved on to another place I couldn’t wait to visit and was so bummed I missed on my last trip, Chelsea Market. As you know I’m a self proclaimed foodie, and this place is foodies’ heaven! It is basically a building housing several little restaurants and a few market shops, and they all look so good it’s easy to end up running around in circles like a headless chicken not knowing where to start. We went up and down the hall a few times before deciding to have lunch at The Green Table, a restaurant with a farm to table concept. Due to some health issues, I’ve been needing to stick to a pretty restrictive healthy diet and they had plenty of options there for me. My stepson had their gourmet mac & cheese, my husband decided on the sausage & lentils, and I ordered their vegetarian mushroom pot pie since it was made with a honey wheat crust. Because of my condition I’m required to stay away from white flour and I didn’t think I would ever be able to have a pot pie again, so it was quite a treat to find this on their menu. All 3 choices were delicious (in my family we always share!), but my favorite was the sausage & lentils… such a simple meal, elevated to a whole other level, and I just love it when a recipe can do that. For dessert, we decided to try another location there, so we ended up at Sarabeth’s bakery. Though I should avoid desserts (my condition also requires me to stay away from sugar and processed food as much as possible), this is one point where I can’t obliged 100%. You see, I have the sweetest tooth ever, and my life just wouldn’t be complete nor happy without the occasional sweet tooth indulgence. So, I ordered a piece of plain good ol’ New York cheesecake to share, and it was creamy perfection.
Next on our itinerary, we decided to go downtown and try to visit the 9/11 Memorial site. It’s just a coincidence I’m writing about this on this date, the eleventh anniversary of the tragedy, I really didn’t plan it this way, but what better way to remember those who were lost in the horror, the heroes that saved so many lives that day, and the grief of this beloved nation. We ended up not going into the Memorial, we didn’t know we would need tickets, the line was long and we were tired, but just standing there knowing that it is the place where it all happened can overwhelm anyone with emotion. To think of the horror of that day is still shocking and sickening to me, but I choose to focus on the fact that sometimes the worst in the world can bring out the best in us, as so many brave New Yorkers showed us on that tragic day. A prayer thinking of all of them goes out with love today and always.
After hanging out downtown I was just exhausted and went back to the hotel to take a much needed break, while the boys decided to go back to Times Square for a bit. It had been another hot day, and I was ready for a low-key evening, so I just ended up going out to a late dinner with my sweetheart. Of course we stayed within walking distance from our hotel and our cell phones within reach at all times, since my stepson stayed back in the room (as a teen, he now gets the privilege and responsibility of staying by himself occasionally for short periods of time).
So there you have it, another hectic yet lovely day in the big apple. Here are the pictures of my outfit for the day, what I wore to dinner, and some others. Hope you are all having a marvelous week.

Told ya I wasn't done with the neon/gray color combo

Top of the Rock

Vintage camera at NBC Studios
Neon necklace

Rockefeller Center

Self-explanatory

Rockefeller façade

My favorite view from the top of the Rock

View of the Empire State Building

At Chelsea Market

Ready to enjoy a dinner date

What I wore
Polka dot dress worn as a skirt: Merona for Target
Gray t-shirt: Nordstrom Rack
Studded belt: from Marshall's
Neon necklace: H&M
Yellow bag: H&M
Black top: from Marshall's
Straight leg jeans: GAP
Sequined belt: H&M
Gold necklace: Francesca's
Taupe clutch: H&M
Black flats: Crocs