"Another NYC First Timer. ..." a New York City Travel Page by pchamlis

My daughter had long expressed an interest in visiting NYC, with her main goal to see THE LION KING on Broadway. In late January of 2007, Sara got her chance to travel with mom and dad to the Big Apple.

Of course, THE LION KING was on the agenda, and it did not disappoint.

But, the whole NYC thing made my daughter a very happy girl... And among her favorite parts of the trip were the many wonderful places to eat. Sara is as thin as a rail, and you'd never know why, because she sure as hell is never going to miss a meal. For her, breakfast-morning snack-lunch-afternoon snack-dinner-before bedtime snack is just a way of life.

We took Sara to Lenny's, which is a local chain of deli operations in and around Manhatten, for breakfast one morning. She loved her western omelet, served appropriately in the heart of midtown. True New Yorkers often say, "deli food is chosen food" or "deli is the food of the Gods". Well for whatever it's worth, Sara sure loved NYC delis. Then again, I can't remember too many food offerings in her life that she turned down.

(The mapana worms in Namibia come to mind :)

Sara's NYC visit came on the last weekend of January, 2007. The weather had taken a turn for the cold, precluding any long walks in the park. However, a visit to the city's Central Park was still on the agenda. As you can see, my sweet little southern girl was appropriately garbed for the Big Apple winter.

We took Sara out one Saturday morning for an early visit to the Empire State Building. Being savvy NYC visitors, we'd already bought our tix online (see my tip concerning this matter). With it being both early and quite chilly, we made our way to the top in near-record time. I suspect that FROM THE MOMENT WE EVEN ENTERED THE BUILDING, it was maybe 10 minutes until we were on the 86th floor observatory.

Sara, as you can see, was well-bundled for the chilly breeze. And Sara begin Sara, she also enjoyed shopping at the gift store almost as much as the view itself.

After her rapid ascent and visit to the 86th floor observatory, Miss NYC visitor bigshot stops to pose for dad's camera.

Step right this way...no waiting! (unless of course you're not smart enough to have bought your tix on the internet ahead of time. :)

I've already mentioned Sara's interest in snacks. She also likes lots of activity and bright colors. Therefore, a quick trip inside the M&M Store on the NW corner of 7th/Broadway and 47th Ave West was just the ticket.

One wall featured giant cylinder filled with "non-standard colored M&Ms" and a variety of "specialty colored mixtured". Now, I've never been one to get too uptight over the color of my M&Ms. (I do prefer the chocolate to the peanut ones, but...) I personally don't believe that there's any taste difference. (I read somewhere that the members of the rock group Van Halen demanded trays of M&Ms in their dressing room, with the brown ones removed. ???? Probably just another ramification of a childhood and coming of age out in California, I suppose. ;)

You have to admit, though...that's a pile of M&Ms behind Sara.

We did, primarily because of the cold weather, choose to do a carriage ride (under a blanket) through Central Park. Sara, who is always up for a new activity, especially one including an exotic "ride" (camels in Australia....hot air balloons, etc...)

Sara is an animal lover, and spends a lot of time working for the Goose Creek Wildlife Sanctuary in our Florida hometown. She's even been involved with the famous "duck that came back to life after being shot by a hunter". (See a photo on my Tallahassee, Florida "off the beaten trail" tips). Therefore, it was no surprise to me that her favorite part of the carriage ride was petting our driver's (a pleasant Irishman named James Gildea) horse "Beauty".

And thanks for a nice ride and chat, James. And you are absolutely right, sir. The socialists and liberals ruling NY (and parts of the national) political scene ARE crazy. :)

Both of my girls, wife Bonnie and daughter Sara, are true, blue "I LOVE NY" types. Here are my lookalikes huddled together during our carriage ride through Central Park.