NYC

Friday, May 27, 2011: We got on the bus at 5:30 and left for Orlando International Airport at 6:00 am! It was about a 4 hour drive, and once we got there, we had to check in, check our bags, eat lunch, and go through security for our 12:00 flight.

After arriving at LaGuardia airport in New York, we got our bags, and headed out to another charter bus to make our way to the hotel. Our 5 mile trip to the hotel took 30 minutes. CRAZY, hunh? We ate at Bricco's the first night, and it was ABSOLUTELY amazing! Seriously. I had this penne pasta dish with red sauce and cubes of mozzarella cheese. Tiramasu and a cup of coffee was for dessert, and it was amazing! After dinner, my group of 3 headed out to see Times Square. We got tons of pictures, and saw lots of people with questionable outfits!

Saturday, May 28, 2011: I woke up at 6:30 am and got ready for rehearsal, which started at 9 am. I found out that day that we were paying $23 a day for breakfast (but only the cold food...not the warm scrambled eggs with cheese or the nice warm french toast sitting right next to the cereal). Our rehearsal lasted from 9:00 - 12:30 pm. We rehearsed in the Alvin Ailey Dance Studio! How awesome? :) After it ended, we went to Bubba Gump in Times Square for lunch. I found it kind of funny that the waitress had trouble understanding something I said. :P I also rode the subway for the first time that day. Later on, we bought tickets for Phantom of the Opera on broadway, then wondered around Central Park for a while. After Central Park, we went to our show, which was AMAZING!!! Like, beyond words amazing. I found out that New York tax is 9%...when it applies. They only charge tax on certain things. 

Sunday, May 29, 2011: I woke up at 7 am and got ready to go downtown to SoHo. After getting ready, I found out that the people I was going with weren't ready yet, so I waited on them, and then we left. We ended up not going to SoHo, but we went to Ground Zero & Wall Street. I thought it was all pretty cool. They are now building 'Freedom Tower' and a memorial over Ground Zero. 

After we visited Wall Street, we headed back to the hotel since we had to be at rehearsal at 3 pm. Rehearsal was better on Sunday. After rehearsal, we went to the Empire state building. We waited in line for like, an hour or more. It was ridiculous, but the view was amazing, so I guess that makes up for the wait. :) 

Monday, May 30, 2011: In the morning, my group and I went to Ellis & Liberty Island. After that, it was time to head back to the hotel & get ready for dress rehearsal. We rehearsed in Lincoln Center where we performed, and then a couple hours later, we made our way back and performed in Alice Tully Hall. It was pretty cool. Afterwards, we went to a place called Providence for our dinner reception. It was probably one of the best parts of the trip. There was also a 'night club' downstairs that everyone went to after dinner. :P 

Tuesday, May 31, 2011: We just got up in the morning and finished packing up. We left for home around 12:30 and got back to V-town somewhere around 8! 

That was our whole trip, and it took me like 5 tries to write this blog...so I will probably go back and edit it with more things that I remember. :P

- Katie