Holli Rausch

Well we did a lot. We didn’t do it all, but we did a lot. We woke up early most days and didn’t get enough sleep most nights. This led to a lot of extremeness. I’m not sure how to write this post, so [when all else fails] I’ll make a list.

• Best thing we did that we paid for: Rent on Broadway. It was really super good and makes me wish I could sing.
• Favorite picture: The one you see to the right. I took it from Liberty Island, of the lower Manhattan skyline.
• Biggest regret: Not going to the Seinfeld restaurant (62 block walk). Miles and I should have just gotten a taxi and gone. But our only opportunity was when we were super tired and everyone else was going to rest at the hotel. So we decided to rest instead.
• Best thing we did that we didn’t pay for: Walking around Times Square at night.
• Fastest sight-seeing: Horse and carriage ride through Central Park.
• Favorite thing I did at Mass: Lit a candle for the first time. Well, I’ve lit a candle before. But not in a Cathedral or anything. Lit a candle for the first time…
• Craziest New Yorker: The guy we kept seeing everywhere in lower Manhattan who was listening to N*Sync or Backstreet Boys. He’d look at Cari and then tone-deafly sing/scream-whisper a word or two from the song.
• Phrase that was most over-used: “Forget about it!”

Find all of my NYC pictures here.

We’re here. And safe. This will be short. I got a new camera, so that’s really cool.

We arrived in NYC at around 1:00pm (NYC time). We got a ride to the hotel and dropped off our bags. We went to eat at a nearby restaurant, Cosmic Cafe or something, and I felt a little sick. But I’m OK. We came back to unpack things. Then we left for Broadway and Times Square (3 blocks away or so) and looked for churches for Miles and I to go to Mass. We decided on St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Seems like the one to go to if you’re in NYC. Then we walked around for a while, Miles and I went to Mass and lit a couple candles, and then we went to the “real” Times Square where all the bright things are. It was kind of hazy, so not as cool. Then it rained, we ate at ESPN Zone and we all were feeling the 4:00 wake up at this point. Went outside, and the bright things were cool because it wasn’t hazy and it was dark. Pretty sweet. See pictures of our experience here. (So you know – this won’t happen every day…)

In less than a week, we will be on vacation in New York City. “Who is ‘we’?” you might ask. Well, we is:

• Carol [mother]
• Larry [father]
• Adam [older brother]
• Marissa [younger sister]
• Cari [Adam's fiancé]
• Miles [my boyfriend]
• Me [me]

It should be a grand time. :) We leave early Saturday morning and return Wednesday evening. Below is a list of things we’ll be doing.

Times Square

Mass [Miles and I]

Broadway going South

Empire State Building

5th & Madison Avenue shopping

Bryant Park

Wall Street

Ground Zero

Statue of Liberty

Ellis Island

Brooklyn Bridge

Today Show

NBC Studio Tour

Rockefeller Center

Grand Central Station

Chrysler Building

United Nations

Rent on Broadway

CBS The Early Show

Central Park & Horse Carriage Ride

Tom’s (Seinfeld) Restaurant

The Dakota

Apple Store

5th Avenue

Hello Deli/Letterman

Spamalot on Broadway

Good Morning America (July 26, look for us in the studio!)

Coney Island Beach (Thanks for the reminder, Dad!)

I know you’re wondering, “How are you going to do all these things in less than 5 whole days?” You don’t know my family.

We’re extreme.

If you’re wondering why there’s a picture of us in London on this post, it’s because I don’t have another photo of all of us together.