Big Apple, Boardwalk, and Beach - Bullies and Wrap-up (The End!) (pg 44)

[Sam33]

OH MY GOSH, THOSE MUPPETS! They need that store in every city in America. How cool

 

[englishrose47]

Loved the first Day, that piano was definitely out of my price range Poor Judy no Panini !! Sounds like the first day was a hit !! Okay back to reading

 

[englishrose47]

Okay no more updates !!I just skipped the replies and chatter !!! Okay so where' s the update Glenn

 

[glennbo123]

Wow, Marlene and James have really grown! And if you had posted a picture of a large group, and asked for a James sighting, I'm not sure I would have been able to pick him out. Tell that young man he needs to slow it down a little.................

I know what you mean -- don't look now, but there's a different person here!

Nice start to the NY part of the trip! It appears Marlene has picked up some of her Ol' Man's writing style. Sounds like a lot of interesting adventures while you were there. That piano is certainly...........interesting!

It's funny because I don't think she's read any of my trip reports. I think Lauren is the only one who has.

I'm not sure how that piano sounded, but it would definitely be a conversation piece!

That build a Muppet shop does look pretty cool, and now that you and I don't have any small kids anymore to drain our wallets, I agree that I can't believe there isn't one at DHS..........what is Disney waiting on???

Oh yeah, I'd a been shelling out top dollar for those a few years ago. But now that I'm out of the clear -- bring it!!

Looks like a pretty good bakery, but I hope you guys found somewhere else to keep poor Judy from starving!

I think it was Alison that I replied to about that...I think Judy snacked a little but yes, basically starved until dinner. Ahh, eating is overrated, for other people anyway.

I don't know if I have ever commented before, but I love your trip reports and have been anxiously awaiting your latest! Your crew always seems to attack every new adventure with gusto. (Is a Disney wedding in your future?)

Wow, thanks 25eels and Thanks for watching for this one to start, and for commenting!

No, Lauren has a different venue picked out. (Fortunately!! I don't think I could afford a Disney wedding!)

subbing will go back to read

Where ya been?

OH MY GOSH, THOSE MUPPETS! They need that store in every city in America. How cool

Why not, Build-A-Bear is everywhere, right? It looked pretty cool, I tell ya.

Loved the first Day, that piano was definitely out of my price range Poor Judy no Panini !! Sounds like the first day was a hit !! Okay back to reading

The first day was fun, despite a little bit of rain that I didn't even bother talking about in the TR. Judy was hungry, but survived.

Okay no more updates !!I just skipped the replies and chatter !!! Okay so where' s the update Glenn

Wow, some people aren't satisfied with an intro and a chapter. Tough crowd!

 

[glennbo123]

Let me take you down, ‘cause I’m going to...


Ok so we’d visited Juilliard within the first hour in NYC, our next stop was John Lennon’s old apartment/Strawberry Fields/Central Park, so here we go!


Outside of the Dakota.

We had to get a picture at Strawberry Fields! Just a few steps away from the Dakota is Central Park.

And a little ways in is the shrine known as Strawberry Fields.

The Beatles were, and continue to be, such a big part of my life. What a tragic day it was when the world lost John Lennon. It was great to be able to pay my respects in this small way.

We started walking back to our hotel through Central Park.

I saw some photographers pointing their lenses at something in a tree, so I took a gander myself. It was this guy who had their attention...a hawk, I believe.

Correction - a mama hawk. Because nearby, was this little guy.

We hoofed it all the way back to our hotel. I retraced our route using Google maps and it was 3.8 miles from place-to-place, not including the walking we did inside of FAO Schwarz and other places along the way. Actually, we walked even further than that because not included in my retracing was a detour we made at the end to find a grocery store. We bought a few things to have in the room for breakfasts and snacks – some pumpernickel bread, cheese, and fruit.


The hotel is located 3 blocks from the south end of Central Park, on West 56th Street, between 7th Avenue and Broadway.

We were finally able to check in. I tried to get a few pictures as we entered our room. Size-wise, it was a little bigger than a standard hotel room, but I’m sure it was big for a room in New York. There was a little entryway when you first entered, with a closet straight ahead, the bathroom to the left, and the living area to the right.

I think Judy and Marlene were too tired to wait for me to take pictures, they were going to rest those feet!

There was a kitchenette between the living area and the bedroom area. The couch that Judy and Marlene are sitting on was a pull-out sofabed.

There was very little room between the bed and the walls, especially after I put my bag there. I also ended up unplugging the clock/radio so that I could plug my phone in.

The bathroom was nice, but those pedestal sinks leave almost no space to put stuff down like a toothbrush, toothpaste, shaving cream, etc.

Here’s what was in the closet.

Another look at the kitchenette.

Overall, just enough room for us, and clean and nice. And you can’t beat the location!



Up next: A Bengal Tiger Yelps, and Times Square

 

[Steppesister]

Nice next stop! Fun that you got to see the Lennon place! The hotel was pretty posh looking. Definitely clean and up to date! I love that marble shower.

Mommy hawk looks like she's keeping a careful eye on baby; I didn't expect to see wildlife anywhere near Central Park. Huh!

 

[glennbo123]

Nice next stop!

Wow, i just got the post put up!

Fun that you got to see the Lennon place! The hotel was pretty posh looking. Definitely clean and up to date! I love that marble shower.

Yes, good to see it, although that's where he was shot so not-so-good in that respect. But cool to think that he walked those sidewalks.

Our hotel room was clean and overall it worked out really well for us.

Mommy hawk looks like she's keeping a careful eye on baby; I didn't expect to see wildlife anywhere near Central Park. Huh!

Central Park was quite a place. It was much bigger than I expected. And like the rest of the city, it looked like there was always a lot going on there, all the time!

 

[Rozz]

Love the photos of Mama Hawk and Baby!

Your hotel is in a great location. I agree with you about those pedestal sinks. That's when those things you hang on the bathroom door help where you can put stuff you would normally put on the sink countertop.

So glad you shared photos of Strawberry Fields shrine. The Beatles were one of a kind.

Your writing style is so good! I'm enjoying your updates better, I'm mean, just as much as your father's! Seriously, good style and interesting. Look forward to the next update!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

That is a lot of walking! Is Strawberry Fields the apartment building or part of the park? And was it named after the song or was the song about the place? Inquiring minds ....or at least mind.

Nice suite! Such a great location can't be beat! Is it pretty easy to do the RCI tradeout?

 

[jedijill]

That's a ton of walking but you saw some cool sites! I love Central Park...such a respite in the middle of Manhattan. Love the hawk family. I think Yoko Ono still lives in the Dakota.

Jill in CO

 

[afwdwfan]

The Beatles were, and continue to be, such a big part of my life. What a tragic day it was when the world lost John Lennon. It was great to be able to pay my respects in this small way.

Cool! I'm glad you took the time to do this!

Correction - a mama hawk. Because nearby, was this little guy.

Definitely not something you'd expect to find in NYC. Kind of neat how Central Park can kind of take you from that urban extreme to something a little more peaceful and natural.

I think Judy and Marlene were too tired to wait for me to take pictures, they were going to rest those feet!

I can't blame them. You had them running all over NYC.

I also ended up unplugging the clock/radio so that I could plug my phone in.

I hate that. It is 2015. There should be adequate outlets in all hotel rooms to plug in a phone without having to move a nightstand away from the wall and unplug the clock or a lamp.

Overall, just enough room for us, and clean and nice. And you can’t beat the location!

Not bad at all. Especially for the price you paid.

 

[Millie12591]

I'm here, finally!
I'm not on the Dis much but I'll certainly keep up with your TR.

Wow y'all saw some great stuff in such a short amount of time! This is trip is starting off to be a good one. Hoping y'all find something yummy to eat for your wife, being gluten free stinks when everyone else is having fun.

 

[Clarf]

Awesome update! Love that you saw the Dakota and the shrine. My dad is a huge Beatles fan so I grew up with them. I need to make it ti NYC to see that one day.

Holy walking! ARe you going to lose weight again this year?

 

[25eels]

I like how this second NYC trip is shaping up to be so different from the first!

 

[glennbo123]

Love the photos of Mama Hawk and Baby!

Your hotel is in a great location. I agree with you about those pedestal sinks. That's when those things you hang on the bathroom door help where you can put stuff you would normally put on the sink countertop.

So glad you shared photos of Strawberry Fields shrine. The Beatles were one of a kind.

I wasn't expecting to see wildlife like that in the middle of NYC, but there were enough photographers pointing their lenses up in that tree that I knew it had to be something.

A really great location. Turns out, it's within walking distance of everything! (Not really, of course, but we tried.)

I wasn't really planning on visiting the Dakota and Strawberry Fields, but when the day turned out that we were heading that way, how could I not?!

Your writing style is so good! I'm enjoying your updates better, I'm mean, just as much as your father's! Seriously, good style and interesting. Look forward to the next update!

Hey, watch it! Thanks, I'll pass your comments along.

That is a lot of walking! Is Strawberry Fields the apartment building or part of the park? And was it named after the song or was the song about the place? Inquiring minds ....or at least mind.

Hey Tammie. I probably should've explained a little better, or at least put some wikipedia links in. I'll try to remedy that now. The Dakota is a very exclusive apartment building where John Lennon lived (I think Yoko still lives there), and he was shot outside of it on December 8th, 1980, when returning from a recording session. After his death, fans congregated in Central Park in mourning. Eventually, in 1985, the shrine in my pictures, called Strawberry Fields was dedicated. It's named after the song. As I mentioned in the chapter, it's just a few steps into Central Park directly across from The Dakota. The "real" Strawberry Field was an actual place from Lennon's childhood. It was a park and orphanage and John and his friends sometimes played there when he was a child.

Nice suite! Such a great location can't be beat! Is it pretty easy to do the RCI tradeout?

Such a great location. Now I'm spoiled, I don't know if I'd want to go back and stay somewhere else. The tradeout has been super-easy both times I've done it. I've just called Member Services, told them what I wanted to do and the dates, and the trade has been available and everything was confirmed and set with that one phone call. I think a lot of times you have to tell them what you're looking for and then wait to see if a trade comes through. Or, you might have to be a little more flexible and take some slightly different dates. This one has worked out exactly how I've wanted it both times.

That's a ton of walking but you saw some cool sites! I love Central Park...such a respite in the middle of Manhattan. Love the hawk family. I think Yoko Ono still lives in the Dakota.

Jill in CO

We may have actually walked more than we do at Disney. Not sure, but it was definitely close. Central Park is a gem. Probably the most valuable undeveloped land anywhere!

I think you're right...pretty sure Yoko is still there.

 

[glennbo123]

Cool! I'm glad you took the time to do this!

Thanks, me too. We didn't have a "plan" so much as a mental list of things we'd like to see, so this was really added as we were walking around and I realized that we were nearby.

Definitely not something you'd expect to find in NYC. Kind of neat how Central Park can kind of take you from that urban extreme to something a little more peaceful and natural.

I agree. It's obvious that New Yorkers love their park too, there's a lot of activity there.

I can't blame them. You had them running all over NYC.

It was more of a fast-walk, but yes.

I hate that. It is 2015. There should be adequate outlets in all hotel rooms to plug in a phone without having to move a nightstand away from the wall and unplug the clock or a lamp.

I know, and I wonder who uses these clock/radios anymore?! Even before I carried a phone, I never trusted those things when I stayed in a hotel room. Some previous guest would always mess it up somehow, turning the volume all the way down or something. If I was depending on it to be woken up, I'd always test it the night before to make sure it was going to work.

Not bad at all. Especially for the price you paid.

They're just points! A pretty good value though, I think.

I'm here, finally!
I'm not on the Dis much but I'll certainly keep up with your TR.

Wow y'all saw some great stuff in such a short amount of time! This is trip is starting off to be a good one. Hoping y'all find something yummy to eat for your wife, being gluten free stinks when everyone else is having fun.

Hi Camille! Thanks for checking in on me.

It was a fun afternoon. And I promise, we'll get Judy fed in the next chapter.

Awesome update! Love that you saw the Dakota and the shrine. My dad is a huge Beatles fan so I grew up with them. I need to make it ti NYC to see that one day.

Thank you! Yes, I had to make sure that my kids got indoctrinated with (my definition of) good music. Judy likes to tell of a time when James was a tyke and she had him in the cart in line to checkout at the grocery store. A Paul McCartney song came on (she couldn't remember which one, even the day that it happend) and James said, "Mom, it's Paul McCartney". A lady in line ahead of her couldn't believe it.

Holy walking! ARe you going to lose weight again this year?

Spoiler: Spoiler

I like how this second NYC trip is shaping up to be so different from the first!

Thanks 25eels. Marlene is definitely her own kid.

 

[GoofyFan1515]

There was a kitchenette between the living area and the bedroom area. The couch that Judy and Marlene are sitting on was a pull-out sofabed.

Are...........you.............done.................YET????

You aren't going to post these pictures for another JUDY contest are you.................

Great start to the trip, and love the Beatles tribute! Looks like a really nice room!

 

[Poolrat]

All caught up and loving the trip so far. I love Marlene's storytelling and inserting the snapchat pictures.
Bring on the build a muppet area.

Well when the room is not ready go explore!!!! You made great use of the time. Marlene looks right at home at Julliard and playing the BIG piano in FAO schwartz.
So sad that Judy is starving. I am glad she survived though.....

So lucky to get by the Dakota and Strawberry Fields. Nice tribute and I remember that fateful day. So sad.

Room looks nice. Since I bought re-sale I cannot do it through the concierge collection but I wonder if I can still trade out?

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

It was this guy who had their attention...a hawk, I believe.

Cool! Neat sighting there.

I retraced our route using Google maps and it was 3.8 miles from place-to-place, not including the walking we did inside of FAO Schwarz and other places along the way.

Good thing you guys are well-trained due to Disney parks.

The bathroom was nice, but those pedestal sinks leave almost no space to put stuff down like a toothbrush, toothpaste, shaving cream, etc.

Don't you hate those things? I guess you just have to toss stuff on the floor.

 

[glennbo123]

Are...........you.............done.................YET????

So that's what that look meant! That explains a lot!

You aren't going to post these pictures for another JUDY contest are you.................

No, the Rules Committee retired.

Great start to the trip, and love the Beatles tribute! Looks like a really nice room!

Thanks Marv.

All caught up and loving the trip so far. I love Marlene's storytelling and inserting the snapchat pictures.

Great, thanks Pat!

Bring on the build a muppet area.

Seriously. But I doubt that'll ever happen with all of the other things they're trying to do at DHS.

Well when the room is not ready go explore!!!! You made great use of the time. Marlene looks right at home at Julliard and playing the BIG piano in FAO schwartz.

Exactly. I would've preferred to unpack a little, but you've gotta go with the flow. It was a good afternoon.

So sad that Judy is starving. I am glad she survived though.....

Ah, she's used to it.

So lucky to get by the Dakota and Strawberry Fields. Nice tribute and I remember that fateful day. So sad.

It was nice to see where he lived and pay our respects.

Room looks nice. Since I bought re-sale I cannot do it through the concierge collection but I wonder if I can still trade out?

Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Well, it's more expensive that way anyway! I did it the old fashioned way, which was cheaper!

Cool! Neat sighting there.

The wilderness must be explored!

Good thing you guys are well-trained due to Disney parks.

Just between you and me, the other two in my party needed this training to get ready for the parks in a few days.

Don't you hate those things? I guess you just have to toss stuff on the floor.

I tossed the ladies' things on the floor and had just enough room for my shaving cream and toothpaste. You believe that, don't you?[/QUOTE]