New York at Night and Sunday in New York

Our first evening in New York City, we took a trip to the top of the Empire State Building. And although Parker wanted to spit off the top, I told him he couldn't.

If you've never been to the Empire State Building, here's how it works. You approach the building and there's this long line of people outside. You take your place on line. (That's New York talk, by the way....They don't wait 'in line' like we do out West. They wait 'on line.' ) Eventually, you make your way into the building and get really excited thinking that soon you will be getting on the elevator to the top. No such luck. Inside the building, there is another long, Disneylandesque line where you wind back and forth, back and forth until you make it to the ticket booth, where you pay more than you ever dreamed you would for an elevator ride. From there, you get on another line....this time to wait for the elevators. FINALLY...the elevator arrives with enough room for you and your party. You take the one-minute, ear-popping ride to the 80th floor. Everyone exits the elevator and you are told that you can either wait in line for another elevator (Woo hoo!) or take the stairs the remaining six flights to the observation deck. We opt for the stairs. Stepping out onto the observation deck is truly breathtaking...especially at night, when we were lucky enough to be there. Amazing views. Seeing New York from that perspective is truly incredible. So, you wander around, squeezing your way next to the overlook with the crowds of other people trying to see the view. (This is nothing like how it was in Sleepless in Seattle). After taking in the view, you go back inside and find another guy selling tickets who wants to know if you'd like to take another elevator to the 102nd floor. (For only $15 per person...) We decide, "No, thanks" and head back to the line to take us down the elevator. When all was said and done, it took about two hours from when we got on line at the bottom until we exited the doors after seeing the view.

Here are a couple of shots...I know they're really grainy. I set my ISO ridiculously high...something like 25,600! First is a view from the ground.

And the view from the top.

Sunday morning, we took the subway to attend church at the Morningside Heights Ward in Manhattan. The congregation meets in the same building that houses the Manhattan Temple. It was pretty exciting to emerge from the subway station and see the Angel Moroni right in the middle of New York City.

Derek and the kids outside the church.

The Manhattan Temple.

Mallory and me in the subway station on our way back to the hotel after church. It was definitely a unique experience for us to ride the subway to church.

After church and a little Sunday nap, we headed over to Central Park. A word to the wise: don't go to the north end of Central Park. It's a little sketchy. We didn't know that until after we exited the subway near that end of the park. We soon wandered our way into safer-feeling territory.

Everything in the park was so green. It's so amazing that this huge park is right there in the middle of the city.


Now, wouldn't this be a fun spot for a family portrait session?