{Travel} NYC: Part I

I know we've been back for about 2 weeks now, but I'm just now getting around to sharing photos of our anniversary trip to NYC.  Don't hate me.

In true {ADOS} style, this post will be photo-driven!

After landing at JFK {never again! It's almost like it's in another state!}, our pre-arranged car took us to our hotel on Central Park South.

Morning view from our hotel room in Midtown.

We stayed at the Helmsley at Park Lane {super comfortable!}, and both of us appreciated the proximity to loads of attractions in Midtown and the like. I'd recommend it!  After settling in for a few minutes, we ventured out for brunch...next door. Luckily, there's a Sarabeth's next door, which is known to be excellent for breakfast/brunch.

 We made a quick reservation on OpenTable just 15 minutes ahead of time, and were seated right after we arrived.  We each had coffee {our flight left at 6:00AM!}, and ordered light dishes: Big Bad Wolf porridge, with wheat berries, actual berries and brown sugar syrup;

 and a vegetable frittata, complete with toast, butter and Sarabeth's famous jams.

 I enjoyed both dishes {we shared, of course}, and the jams were delicious.  It's funny - I had no idea they were famous until we heard about it on a tour the next day. Fortunate, huh?

Across the street from our hotel.

We then took a short nap {6:00AM flight, mind you} and freshened up before moseying to our first stop of the day: The 9/11 Memorial.  This was a must-do on Husband's list, and I went along with it because it was during a time of such transition, with the new tower being built/other constriction occurring on the site. {I do not typically enjoy visiting memorial sites, but I do support them.}

 Husband threw back a street dog as a mid-morning snack, while I watched in conflict. I was afraid to take a bite, mainly because of the horror stories I've heard from other NYC travellers. In the end, I took a small bite, and I'm happy to say, it didn't kill me.  Husband was satisfied after just one, and didn't eat another for the whole trip. 

From the depths of the hotdog water...

Stopping for a quick photo.

While walking in the Financial District, we stopped for a cookie and to buy a treat for a friend.

Munching and walking, we passed through Battery Park. We were lucky enough to see The Sphere, a sculpture rescued from the 9/11 wreckage. It's terribly beautiful now.

After checking back in at the hotel, we went for a brief walk with a friend in Riverfront Park as the sun was setting. Definitely a hidden gem.

Later, Husband and I had dinner at our first pizza place {review forthcoming!}.

We are FAR too much, and proceeded to walk off a tiny portion of it in the Upper West Side. We were out, walking around, for a few hours. This really is the city that doesn't really sleep {only naps}. We stopped by Magnolia Bakery for a late-night treat before dragging ourselves back to our hotel.  

I'll tell you more about these treats later.

This ends our first day! As you can see, we really pounded the pavement during this trip...so much to do in only a short amount of time. Stay with me as I chronicle the rest of our stay in NYC!