Jake and I recently returned from a FABULOUS vacation in the Big Apple - New York, NY. Many thanks are in order to my brother, Alan, who generously gave us the last of his Jet Blue Buddy Passes - he's now slaving away in law school. Also, special thanks to my long-time friend and kindred spirit, Jed Montgomery.
He and Chris Williams, our favorite Wall Street guru, were both gracious in sharing their living space with us. (We are so thrilled that Chris will soon be working for the Gates Foundation here in the Emerald City!!!) We couldn't have found a better tour guide than Jed if we'd tried!
First, over the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan on foot. What a beautiful day, and a stunning view of the city!
Once in Manhattan, we went straight to the top of Empire State Building to get an areal view of the city. Jake especially loved it as it was his first time in New York, and it helped put the pieces of the city together in our heads. 
Here are some more snapshots of the remainder of our trip!
Central Park - (left) Imagine Memorial for John Lennon (right) On a scenic little bridge in the park
We had the great fortune of scoring tickets for the opening night of the revival of Gypsy on Broadway, starring Patti LuPone. It was INCREDIBLE, to say the least! We also got to see quite a few stars on the red carpet. We felt very important as we walked on the red carpet ourselves! Check out this link: http://broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=26462
We were amazed to run across to this cat hanging out on 5th Avenue, right in the middle of all the hustle and bustle. What a brilliant way for his owner to make a buck! He was just loafed out, sitting there quietly on his little mat. His kitty jacket was awesome.
We enjoyed the great views of the city and the Statue of Liberty on the Staten Island Ferry. We also enjoyed the free admission on the ferry!
And of course, the food!!! We ate well. (top left) A little Falafel joint in Greenwich Village; (top right) Empanada Mama; (bottom left) 99-Cent Pizza in Midtown; (bottom right) nursing a Manhattan at Bamboo 52.
Some last shots: (top left) We went to visit Lincoln Center, but the entrance to Juilliard and Avery Fischer Hall were blocked off from the sidewalk due to construction. We did, however, hear the faint trumpeting of the Angel Moroni on top of the Mormon Temple. Who knew it was directly across the street from Lincoln Center? (top right) Tuckered-out on the subway; (bottom left) Chris tuckered-out; (bottom right) Enjoying a great meal at an excellent Italian restaurant after Gypsy. A perfect ending!
Stay tuned for our next post: A day at the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival!
