STOMPed On in the East Village

A couple more Iowa gals came to visit New York this past weekend. Kristin, one of my friends I met as a freshman in the Cyclone Marching Band and her friend from high school who goes to Truman State, Julie, arrived Friday and stayed in the Millennium Plaza Hotel of the UN. The actual United Nations buildings were across the street on 1st Ave on the East River. It was a sunny morning when I walked down to meet the girls at their hotel and the colorful flags stood out against the trimmed bushes and towering UN building.


After our escapades of seeing Hugh Jackman (see below post) on Friday night, we got up on Saturday morning to go down to Lower Manhattan. Kristin and Julie got tickets and took the ferry out to Liberty Island to see the Statue of Liberty and eventually over to Ellis Island. I enjoyed this time to walk around Battery Park City, be heckled by the vendors down there- the best was watching one guy pull his suitcase of loot out of a trash bag, haha- and soak in some sun while sitting on a bench reading my book and listening to the harmonics of a guy making his music.

I can't help but think of my senior trip in the spring of 2006 before my high school graduation. The place is so familiar now that it's hard to remember being there as a senior in high school and not really understanding where we were. The hecklers with Oakley sunglasses and Rolex watches are still here going strong!

After Kristin and Julie returned from the ferry, we walked up to Subway to order sandwiches and then dined while sitting in Liberty Plaza near the World Trade Center site. We walked through a tunnel they have built around the WTC area up to a viewing deck that looks down on the construction. I couldn't help but take a picture of this sign that was posted in the tunnel. I'm a fan of it:

To continue our walk up Broadway and past Wall Street, we took a different route down to the South Seaport area in search of the TKTS booth that sells discounted day-of Broadway tickets. After purchasing the cheap tickets for a show that night, we walked back up to the Brooklyn Bridge. It was my fourth trip to the bridge, but the view is still fantastic. Here is Kristin and I out on the bridge, looking back at Manhattan:

It was late afternoon by then and time for a break so we took the subway back up to Midtown before heading to our off-Broadway show down in the East Village. I wanted to see STOMP when it came to Iowa State last spring, but it was during VEISHEA week so that definitely did not happen. We had our discounted tickets in hand and were shocked when we were were escorted by the usher to the front row, center aisle of the house. Front row sounded pretty good until the performers came out and started sweeping dirt in rhythm on us from the stage. The brooms were only the beginning. The show featured these musicians never uttering one word, but creating rhythms with some of the craziest things. Matchboxes, their own hands and feet, tractor tire tubes, newspaper, rubber bands, trash can lids, sump pump tubing, paper and plastic bags, dust pans, folding chairs, sand sprinkled on the floor, their boots, huge oil barrels (see picture above) and tiny paint cans attached to their feet, lighters, and Culligan water jugs were all used. Being so close to the stage, we were able to see their facial expressions up close and even interact with the performers. We were rolling with laughter on several occasions! One of my favorite features was when 4 of the guys came out with harnesses around their neck that were attached to kitchen sinks- literally. They made music and had fun pounding on the stainless steel, pouring water as if they were washing the dishes, and then finishing the job by draining the water into buckets sitting on the floor beneath them while standing with the sinks around their necks.

With Kristin and Julie after STOMP in the East Village

Sunday we went to church in Times Square and then that afternoon, rode the subway out to Coney Island- I won't get tired of the beach! That evening we walked back to Rockefeller Center and Times Square to see the night lights and enjoyed taking some goofy pictures as you'll see below. We stopped in a gift shop where I got a great deal on postcards to send to all of you back home and some for my collection. :) I found this shirt that shows all of the subways in New York City. I loved it, but decided that just a picture of it was cheaper!

What? I have lots of friends and family to send postcards to back home!

Being artsy standing on, not in, a fountain near Radio City Music Hall

It's quickly becoming a trend to take a picture with my guests in Times Square.
Kristin and I

Representing the Lions of Linn-Mar in Times Square
Shout out to brother Reece, as well as the Jolliffe family! (Mark, I know you're reading...)

The next few pictures are taken in a couple of the best stores in Times Square. If you know my Mom and I at all, you understand our love of chocolate. The Hershey's Store is right across the street from the M&M Store. Can you say, bliss?! When Mom comes to visit me in August, we'll definitely be making a trip to the Chocolate Corner.

Kristin and I "chugging chocolate syrup" How would these bottles ever fit in a refrigerator?

5 pounds of pure joy

In the M&M store, you can stand under this radar thing that scans you and tells you what color of M&M represents your mood. Julie got "Mega Mix"...what does THAT mean?? Haha

Of course we got our picture taken with the giant yellow M&M!

Even the restrooms were decorated appropriately.

A view of Times Square from up in the M&M Store

On the walk home, we found this statue of a man hailing a cab. I decided I needed some practice for perfecting the skill...

Well, another week is done. I have been actively telling myself not to wish away my time out here, yet I couldn't help but notice that the summer is winding down! 25 days 'til Iowa! 25 days to see everything I can in NYC :D