NYC--our 2nd day:)

Our 2nd day in the Big Apple began with brunch at Astro's once again. They actually serve grits in the middle of Manhattan--amazing! 

The Saturday adventures began with a trip to the Top of the Rock in Rockefeller Center. I was a little nervous, since heights are not my thing:( But, must say the elevator was so smooth & quick it felt like we were beamed up the 70 floors! And I didn't have to go outside to see a stunning view--acrylic panels are not comforting to me! The idea of stepping out onto the deck made my feet sweat (weird), but overall a great way to see the city!

Before going to the Top of the Rock, Skye had found a neat place to get an Americana coffee which she had had to give up when we got on the elevator, so she bought a 2nd one afterward, then we stopped in The Met Store to buy a few gifts, & afterward caught a taxi to Fish Eddy, a quaint shop Kelley had found online. It was Skye's favorite store (mine too)--cool plates, cups, saucers, plaques, towels, all unusual & reasonably priced :)

After purchasing some goodies we walked for a while, finding a farmer's market where Skye & I bought NY apples. She also saw 'Pete' from 30 Rock around the same time--a cool sighting:)!

Later grabbed a taxi to take us to Ground Zero.

Memorial Day was an appropriate time to go. We spent some time at St. Paul's Chapel where many, many people took refuge on 9/11. The site itself where the Twin Towers stood is surrounded by fencing, so it's hard to visualize how devastating it must have been. After a long hike to get a better view down into the area, all that was visible were cranes & other construction vehicles. I stopped briefly on our walk imagining how many screams & prayers hung in the air that day ....a sad, haunting place.

We took a break at a tree-lined park close by, located on the Battery, bought some ice cream & water, then caught another taxi back to our hotel for a much needed rest. That evening we ate dinner at The Mesa Grill, owned by Bobby Flay! Kelley had made reservations before our trip, so we were excited about our fancy meal.:) I had a shrimp & cornbread dish, prepared in a corn husk, with squash blossoms on the side--superb:) To finish off our fabulous dinner we shared a slice of his Coconut cake:) No Bobby in the house that evening, but what a treat!!

Walking back, we shopped a little at Anthropologie, then strolled north toward the Empire State Building, glowing in red, white, & blue lights in honor of Memorial Day, & on toward our hotel--a pretty evening:)

After arriving at the Hilton Skye was ready to head back out for some more nightlife, but the rest of us were just too tired:(! Sorry Skye:(