Since we have a longer overnight, I thought it would be a fun idea to run into New York City for the afternoon. I got a ride using the Lyft app. Lyft is much like Uber but seems to cater to a different class of people. My driver, who drives for both Lyft and Uber, told me that this is the case. The services seemed comparable from my experience, but one thing I like about the Uber app is the fact that I can get a fair estimate in advance and send my location to a friend who can follow my journey in real-time on their own smartphone. I think that this makes Uber a little bit safer as well. Also, Uber has the option to split the far with another passenger that you may be riding with, right from the app itself. Lyft, on the other hand, lets the rider tip through the app itself (although I always tip in cash because I don’t think tips should be taxed).

I had an early dinner/ late lunch at Morandi, one of my favorite downtown restaurants. It was perfect. Since I’ve been losing weight, It had been a while since I’d had any pasta. Being back in the city was reason enough to “cheat.” It was an overcast day, but the threatening rain hadn’t started yet, so I thought I’d sit outside. I love to people-watch, especially in lower Manhattan.

After a meal at Morandi, the server brings a postcard with your bill. This is an excellent idea!

I walked down to the SoHo Apple Store on Prince Street. This was an excellent way to try and work off some of that pasta and dessert. I needed to pick up a new external charger since I accidentally left mine on a plane a few weeks ago. This was the first time I’d been to this particular Apple Store, and there were so many employees and customers, it seemed as if it were some kind of grand opening or something. Nope, just another day at a New York City Apple Store.

I got back to the hotel just before 17:00, right as it started to rain. Perfect timing! I noticed that my room overlooks downtown Newark. One of these times, it may be fun to ride into Newark and explore. It seems to pale in comparison to the size and energy of New York City, but I’ll have to let you know for sure when I finally get there.