Today was an incredibly great day! Not only am I on a great trip with a fun crew, but we happened to have an overnight in Salt Lake City. Often when I end up here for work, I will drive home and sleep in my own bed- nothing like getting paid to relax at home. Today was different, however. Since it’s Christmas time, I felt the need to head down to Temple Square and walk around in the beautiful lights. I won’t be back home again until the new year unless I happen to trade into another SLC overnight. This is one Christmas tradition that I look forward to every year!
I like living out in the country, and that’s what attracted me to the tiny, rural town that I now call home. What I also love, however, is New York City. No, I don’t want to live there permanently, but I’ve always been attracted to the city’s energy. I’m keen on people-watching, and really, there is no better place on earth to sit back and watch the lives of strangers who pass by. It is totally thrilling for me to rest on a New York City park bench with a book in hand and just watch it all happen (the book is mainly there, so people think I’m reading and not watching their lives unfold). Bucket list item number 72: To stay in New York City for at least 7 days.
The night before last, I ended up at LaGuardia for work. My work overnights me right there in Queens, and since I had a more extended stay, I set plans to head into the city. Not only is New York City wonderful, but December is an excellent month to visit (just dress warmly)! My plan was to include my two crew members, but one had a sore, scratchy throat she was treating, and the other just didn’t feel like waking up. Still- I was determined to venture out on my own, as I often do.
My first stop was Bryant Park. The Christmas tree was beautiful! The holiday tunes played, and I stood by the rink, watching the ice skaters turn their circles. It was so relaxing! It reminded me of a traditional Christmas. Not my tradition, but something you’d see in a Charlie Brown Christmas special.
The last time I ice skated, I was so young. I visited Aunt Pam, Uncle Gary, and my cousins Megan and Bethany in Montgomery, Alabama. The rink was in the middle of a big mall, and I remember Bette Midler music being played… it’s funny which memories stick. I was tempted to join the skaters here, but I really think that this needs to be shared- whether that be with a fun coworker or a sweetheart. I really just need a witness to watch me fall on my posterior.
Winter in New York City is cold (as I’ve already mentioned)! The last time I was here, I’d bought a jacket at a downtown H&M, and even though I love this fashion choice (like I even follow fashion), the coat doesn’t cover my neck- so when I saw another H&M, I went in and bought another scarf (the last one I bought is at home in my closet). They were on sale for $12.99 or something like that.
I walked a few blocks north to the Rockefeller Center, and the scene was pretty much the same. Another ice rink, this one slightly smaller, and another Christmas tree, quite a bit larger. Again, I watched the skaters for a few more minutes.
If you have never visited New York City, and are planning a trip, make sure you go to the top of the Empire State Building. This is just something you do… once. You pay a bunch of money and ride the elevator up, and you get some breathtaking views of the city. It’s just what you do- like death, taxes, and reading my blog- it’s unavoidable. I talked to a coworker about this subject a few years ago, and they told me that I really needed to add going to the Top Of The Rock to my bucket list. I hadn’t heard about this- but, just like going up the Empire State Building, you pay them a whole bunch of money (like $35), and you ride up 68 floors (I think it was 68), and the view is incredible… I have to say, I prefer this view because the Empire State Building is part of the backdrop. Bucket list item number 79 can now be checked off my list!
The night before, I sent a message to my friend Katie, who has been living in New York City for the last 10+ years. I met her years ago when I was living in Logan, Utah, attending Utah State University. She was touring with Michael McLean, playing the part of ‘Connie Lou’ in The Forgotten Carols. This girl can sing! I convinced myself we needed to be friends. Years of quietly stalking her have born fruit! As I have told many people in the past- I figure everybody is my friend until they prove they don’t want to be.
I told her I was going to be in town and asked if she’d like to get some lunch. As busy as she is, I was thrilled when she said she was available. I caught her in between some auditions and it worked out perfectly. I have enjoyed Japanese cuisine many times, but am thrilled to now say I’ve eaten from a bento box! It really feels like a right-of-passage. Today I am a man.
After lunch, I would head downtown with her to her next audition, but alas, my subway pass had expired. There wasn’t a kiosk available, so we hugged through bars, took an us-ie (that’s a selfie with more than one person in the picture- a word that may have been invented by my sister Melanie, but I’m not sure. I would add it to UrbanDictionary.com, but if I did that, someone would take this pure word and morph it into something sexual- that’s what they do on UrbanDictionary.com) and said goodbye.
It’s probably best that my subway pass didn’t work because it was getting later in the afternoon, and I needed to get back to my hotel to shower and get ready for work. My Uber ride back to the hotel was terrific. The man driving was originally from Western Africa. Such a nice man! We had a lengthy talk about his home, his ex-wife, who happens to be a Muslim, attending a university in France, and the parts of Africa that I should avoid once I plan a visit.
It was a great day in the city! The chaos made me hungry for more! It’s so great to learn about the little, hidden gems of New York City, and there are millions of them! I can’t wait to be back and discover some more! Here’s Katie’s cover of Heaven Is A Place On Earth– this gives you an example of how awesome she is! Enjoy!
I have talented friends.
Yes. Consequently, bucket list item number 59 is to hear Katie play live in NYC.
Please note that in reality, the most violent thing I’ve ever done to my body is Dr. Pepper- not really sure why I was there. I do remember approaching Caitlyn and asking, “Even though I don’t necessarily agree with all of your life choices, can we take a selfie?” Then I woke up before even getting the picture. Sad, really.
When I woke, I wasn’t in rehab after all. I was in my hotel bed in Metairie, Louisiana. Time to shower. As I stepped out of the shower, the desk phone rang. I answered, and the front desk told me that my shuttle to the airport had left me. I panicked as I realized that I had written down the wrong shuttle time. Apparently, 04:50 doesn’t cut it when 04:15 is required.
I asked the desk clerk how much a cab ride would cost to the airport, and she said it would cost about $24. She told me that the next shuttle was about to leave, but if I’d hurry, they’d wait for me. I told her I would only be 5 minutes. I have never gotten dressed that fast in all of my 40 years!
When I got to the airport, I ran like a mad dog, made my way through the security check, and actually got to my gate 3 whole minutes early! I was downstairs about 7 minutes later, wearing a wrinkled uniform. Oh well, I guess I’ll just wear my jacket all day to hide the wrinkles. I can relax.
I had planned a quick trip up to Boise, Idaho to check a couple things off of my bucket list. It looked like all the nonstop flights from Salt Lake City to Boise were close to full, and I needed to get to the airport before others who were also flying non-revenue. I usually drive downtown and leave my truck at a hotel, but I was bound and determined to get to the airport sooner than that. I used one of those off-site airport parking facilities instead.
As the shuttle driver pulled up to the airport, I realized that I’d forgotten my phone in my truck! I had to ride the shuttle back, grab the phone, and wait for the next driver to take me back to the the terminal. So much for being the first one there! To add to my stress, the shuttle driver was driving way under the speed limit. I wanted to say something, but then decided I didn’t want to sound rude. Does he not realize that some of us have to catch a plane?
When I finally stepped off the shuttle at the airport, I rushed through security and over to one of the Delta gates. I asked the agent if there were any available seats on the Boise nonstop and she told me that all of the flights were actually overbooked. That made sense since it was a Friday. I decided to walk down and see what flights were offered on Southwest, knowing full well that Southwest has no nonstop flights.
As I made my way down to the Southwest gates, I wanted to see if there were any other airlines that could get me there on a nonstop. I knew that on Southwest, I’d have to connect either in Phoenix, Las Vegas, or Oakland and even though “beggars-can’t-be-choosers”, I thought that it wouldn’t hurt to check. I opened my Orbitz app and put in the information. The app told me that there was one nonstop left on American Airlines that left at 13:30. I may have freaked out a little and bought the ticket before even reading all the “fine print”. I really needed to get to Boise!
One of the items on my second bucket list (which I haven’t posted yet) is to attend a Little Big Town (official site) concert. This is a country group whose albums I have thoroughly enjoyed, with their song-selection and close harmonies. There is truly no artists out there like them. I’ve heard other bands on YouTube do some of the Little Big Town songs as covers and it’s just not the same. These guys and gals are incredible!
So- back to the the airport: I had just purchase the ticket on the flight and once I received the email confirmation, I noticed that it wasn’t a nonstop after all. The [insert desired cuss word here] flight was not only taking me through Phoenix, but I had a 6 HOUR layover! My arrival time into Boise wouldn’t be until about 23:30 that night, and this would never do! The concert started at 20:00!
I turned around and walked back through the airport, and out of security to the American Airlines ticket counter. I was hoping they’d take pity on me, and give me a refund. The agent was very nice but told me that since I booked the ticket through Orbitz, I’d have to give them a call and see if I was eligible for a refund. This wasn’t what I wanted to hear, but I thanked her with all the professional courtesy I could muster at that particular moment and made my way back through airport security.
Once I was back in, I found the number for Orbitz and gave them a call. I explained how I bought the ticket, thinking it was a nonstop flight and that I really needed to get to Boise before about 18:00. The agent understood and canceled my ticket and told me that the funds would take 5 to 7 business days to be returned to my credit card. At least the situation was fixed. I made my way back to the Southwest customer service and my best option was to fly from Salt Lake City to Phoenix and then on to Boise *sigh*. But at least I didn’t have to hang out in Phoenix for 6 hours. Only just over an hour.
I finally landed in Boise just before 16:30 and headed over to the car rental counter. I had originally planned on renting the car and returning it to the airport the next morning and then flying back to Salt Lake City, but with the current stress I was feeling, I asked the Enterprise agent how much more it would cost to just return the car to Salt Lake City, instead of Boise. He pushed some buttons and told me that it would only cost me a few more dollars to do that. I changed my plans and was already looking forward to the 5-hour drive home the next day.
Now comes the part where I tell you about the other bucket list item that is now checked off. I am a member of couchsurfing.com, an online community of people who are looking to stay for free at someone’s house or offer up their own couch to other travelers. I have been a member of this site for years now, and totally like the idea, but I have never had the opportunity to actually use it. I had arranged to stay on a stranger’s couch in Boise. Don’t judge me!
Since learning about this site, this is something that I’d always wanted to experience. One of the reasons I often stay in hostels when I travel for vacations is to meet people from all over the world. To me, couch surfing is that same vibe. What better way to meet and learn about somebody than in their own home, in their own environment?
Guy is a very nice person who has offered up his living room couch and has given up his own bed to travelers over the years. He lives in a small apartment, just outside of what I would consider to be downtown Boise. More of a suburb, really. A very nice area! His only roommate is his dog. We sat and talked for a few minutes and then I asked him if he could suggest any good restaurants for dinner. We discussed food and ended up going to and Indian restaurant, not too far from his house.
After dinner, I told him I had an extra ticket to the concert that I’d be selling to someone outside the Taco Bell Arena, but that he was more than welcome to come to the concert with me instead. By this point, I was pretty sure that Guy isn’t a psycho killer type and I wouldn’t mind hanging out with him at the concert. He wasn’t sure he was up to attending the concert, but after dinner, when we got back to his house, I managed to talk him into it.
Guy and I at Little Big Town!
The concert was so stinkin’ awesome! I really can’t even explain it. When I attend a live concert and the singer (or ‘singers’ in this case) sound every bit as good as the studio album, or even better, that’s what does it for me! I LOVE music! It has such an all-encompassing power over me! Below is some of my favorite parts of the concert.
This was a great little trip! Even though getting there was a tad bit stressful, the ride home to sit and think was great! I’m so thankful to have heard this band live, and to have made a new friend!
This morning was great! I had time to run around in New York City for a few hours. Last week, when I realized this was a possibility, I knew I wanted to go get breakfast at Bubby’s, located in Tribeca and home of some darn good sourdough pancakes!
During work yesterday, I really talked this place up to the other two flight attendants. After all, another coworker had told me about Bubby’s, and I feel the best thing to do is pay it forward by spreading the culinary love. I called Kristel, my coworker, and told her she had 20 minutes to get ready. I tried getting ahold of our other flight attendant, but she didn’t answer her phone. Her loss.
Kristel had her mindset on taking the train over, but I didn’t want to take an hour-and-a-half getting there. I talked her into splitting an Uber fare with me. It was perfect! Our driver was amiable and was able to drop us off right in front of Bubby’s.
We sat down, and the very first thing I said to our server was that we’d be having the sourdough pancakes. She told us that they no longer made them! I’m generally not a colossal sourdough fan, but these were something different! It was nice when I voiced my opinion, and she told me that she would grab me a comment card. A FREAKIN’ COMMENT CARD? I had to settle for some sort of pulled pork, eggs benedict meal, which, although very delicious, just wasn’t my sourdough pancakes.
Soon we were joined by Thomas, one of Kristel’s childhood friends from Texas- she hadn’t seen him since about the first grade. Thomas is a very nice guy who now lives on the upper west side and works in Manhattan real estate. I told him that I’d have him find me a pied-a-terre someday. I heard that word in the movie Baby Mama and always wanted to use it in a sentence. I’m not even sure what that is.
Thomas walked with us to find a good shopping area (I needed to buy a new coat- all I had was a jacket that was part of my Flight Attendant uniform), and on our way, we took us by the firehouse that was used in the movie Ghostbusters back in the ‘80s. Way cool!
We stopped at one store, and the jacket I wanted to buy cost $220 (eeeeek)! I was actually tempted to get it, but thank goodness they didn’t have one my size. We left and soon found an H&M where the prices were much more reasonable. I ended up purchasing a wool coat and scarf for a lot less!
Thomas had to get to work, so he left us to explore on our own. We walked around for a couple hours until working up an appetite for lunch. Naturally, we ended up at my favorite restaurant in the city, Morandi. Seriously great Italian food! A trip to NYC without eating there wouldn’t be half as nice!
We got back to our hotel just after 14:00. I managed to take a pretty awesome hour-and-a-half nap before having to get up and get ready. We only had to work one leg from Newark to Denver, and all except one of our passengers were extremely kind. I’m not going to bash the one guy who seems to have some personal issues. Bless his heart.
This afternoon I happened to run into one of my friends from my days at Utah State University! I was walking in the terminal, and I heard someone call my name. I turned around, and it was Allyn Shaw! I haven’t seen that boy in about 13 years or so! He looked good! I should have gotten a picture with him but didn’t think about it until later.
Tonight I’m back at the crashpad. We have a houseful of roommates, so I guess that means I will get little-to-no sleep tonight. That is usually the case with a houseful of young flight attendants who don’t know how to share a house with others. I don’t have work tomorrow, so maybe I’ll drug myself! I think I have some expired Zzzquil in the drawer.
This morning I printed out a map of Scotland. With a pen, I have circled some of the places I’d like to see, many of them I’ve never been to, but some are ones that I’d hate to miss out on, and would like to experience again. The only plan that is for sure- I will fly into and out of the U.K. via Glasgow, one city I truly love, and I must visit my absolute favorite city- Edinburgh.
This is Waffle House #1090 in Morrisville, North Carolina! It is the thirteenth unique location that I have eaten at! Yay for accomplishing goals! Thirteen down, eighty-seven to go!
It was awesome running into my classmate Aubrey this morning at EWR airport! She looks exactly the same!!! Southwest flight attendant class #207! 11+ years later! My forehead wasn’t quite so big and shiny back then.
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.
Tonight I want to give a shout out to Suzette. She is the sister of Selena Quintanilla Perez. Yes, THAT Selena! Do you remember the movie Selena starring Jennifer Lopez that came out in 1997? This film tells the true story of Selena as a young girl, her love of life and music, and her rise toward stardom that ended way too soon. It’s a beautiful but tragic look at a life well lived.
Suzette was on my flight from Las Vegas to San Antonio earlier this afternoon. I’m not sure how my coworker Ralph found out, but after I finished up my first beverage service, he pulled me aside in the back galley to tell me who she was. Suzette came to the back and we had a great chat for a few minutes. I was so honored and blessed to sing a few lines and the chorus of Selena’s song, I Could Fall In Love. I didn’t sound anywhere as good as Selena but tried my best. Suzette seemed to like the gesture.
Tonight I’m sitting in my hotel bed in San Antonio, Texas, listening to the Selena soundtrack. I’m pretty sure I’ll drift off very soon. I can definitely feel my body slipping into a deep sleep- I’ve been going nonstop since my alarm went off at 03:15 this morning.
Dreaming Of You Tonight (sung by Selena- chorus only)
‘Cause I’m dreaming of you tonight
‘Til tomorrow I’ll be holding you tight
And there’s nowhere in the world I’d rather be
Than here in my room, dreaming about you and me.
This is Waffle House #1090 in Morrisville, North Carolina! It is the thirteenth unique location that I have eaten at! Yay for accomplishing goals! Thirteen down, eighty-seven to go!
It was awesome running into my classmate Aubrey this morning at EWR airport! She looks exactly the same!!! Southwest flight attendant class #207! 11+ years later! My forehead wasn’t quite so big and shiny back then.
DavTravels 