1.21.2018

New York, New York!

Hello, friend!

I just got back yesterday from the most wonderful trip to New York. Almost everyone we met was so kind, it was so strange(New Yorkers are known for having quite the attitudes)! In December, I had the  idea one night to go to New York to watch Anastasia on Broadway with my mom and it turned into a three night trip. Luckily, we found extremely cheap plane tickets on United Airlines, and I'm 100% sure that it was God that kept us safe and made this trip flow smoothly. I'm also grateful to God and my family for the opportunity that I had to even go, I know that for some it can be a luxury to travel at all.
"Welcome to New York"
I planned our itinerary before we left and made a long list of everything that we wanted to watch and eat, and we got right into our schedule when we landed. The first night we had dinner at Ellen's Stardust Diner. This diner is unlike any other because the wait staff are all Broadway star wannabes (some have even come back from Broadway and are serving), and they sing while they serve and in between! 
We walked around Times Square and took pictures, and also visited the Line Friends Store, which was super cute. I purchased a little roll of tape that had bunnies printed on it for my bullet journal. 
At the Line Friends Store!
We decided to head back to the hotel early because we were tired from traveling all day and wanted to get a bright and early start the next morning.
the view from our hotel! yay!
After quickly getting ready, we went to lower Manhattan and tried matcha tea at this cute pink-themed store called Cha Cha Matcha. If you like matcha, you'll love it! It tasted kind of like fruity pebbles.
Literally after getting drinks, we walked to a cute place called The Butcher's Daughter and had an açaí bowl as a little before-lunch snack. This place is decorated very well, and the bowl was so yummy! 
After shopping in SoHo, we walked to the Museum of Chinese in America. This museum was amazing. I didn't know that much about the history of Chinese people in America since it's not taught as well in schools, but I learned a lot. We learned about the struggles that Chinese people went through, and about the major breakthroughs that they had as significant events occurred in America.
Did you know that originally Chinatowns were made to keep Chinese people in there, and away from other people? I thought that that was so interesting.
A chair that a Chinese immigrant would sit on to answer questions about America or else they were deported.
There was a special exhibit about the Golden Venture, which was a cargo ship that smuggled illegal Chinese people into New York. Some of the illegal immigrants who went to jail made paper folded crafts, otherwise known as zhézhī  (摺紙) as thank you gifts for the people who were trying to help them attain freedom. 
We then hopped on the subway to go back up to Times Square. We ate pizza and then went to see Anastasia! It just so happened that we were seeing the show on my Spirthday(spiritual birthday), which was so cool. I felt like it was quite the gift from God! After the show, we waited outside the stage doors and got a picture with Christie Altomare, the girl who starred as Anastasia.
By then it was late, so we walked to Shake Shack across the street and got shakes and fries for a snack. 
The next day, we went to the New York Public Library. We had been to New York before, but we had never gone inside the library, gone to the Museum of Modern Art, or seen the Flat Iron Building, so those places were the goal for this day. 
My mom and I first went to Good Morning America at 7 am and were on tv!! Woo hoo!! 
When we got back, I saw myself on TV!
It's so flat!
We also went to the Museum of Modern Art. The Museum is free on Friday nights, which was a bonus! My feet were hurting from walking like 11 miles, so we didn't spend too much time there, but saw the things we really wanted to see: Monet and Van Gogh. 

We took the Ferry to Staten Island that night and visited our friends, the Schefflers, in Staten Island. We got lunch with them and then headed back to the Midwest!
This trip to New York was jam-packed, and so much fun. We had pretty decent weather, too. It warmed up on Friday and Saturday for us, and anything above zero is warm! I start classes in two days, and am feeling refreshed and motivated to take on second semester. 
Shoutout to my mom for coming on this trip with me and for making it so much fun. <3 

I hope that  you all have a fantastic week!
Joy :) 

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