New York

 
I should do a quick post on my NY trip. Headline: it was great, though of course too short as we were there for 48 hours.

- Both flights were great, no delays, easy checkin on the app. I hadn't been to LaGuardia in 6 years and OMG it has been overhauled and is SO much better! I used to joke that it looked like a 1950s bus station. Now it looks like an actual modern airport

- I looked through my notes. Since 2018, I'd only seen Alaska perform twice (a 2018 show in NYC and a 2022 outdoor PRIDE event here in Chicago). The show was great! Loved hanging with Pam, and she was funny too and she clearly enjoyed our company. And Alaska hugged us and was sweet (and didn't say "Hey, so how come you hardly come to my shows now?" which of course would've been hilarious, but no way would he have done that). 

- NYC, there is a magic too it. I feel the same way about San Fran. Maybe because I read so much and so many books are set there. Just walking from 39th to 50th, in Times Square and the Theater District. All the crowds, cafes, restaurants, all the energy. I do love it even if my feet ached and one day I broke my step count record when I hit 26,800. 

Obligatory restaurant list (all food listed below is vegan of course):
- Friday lunch - Italian. Pizza and salad. Loved it, and Doris and I agreed it was our fav
- Friday dinner - Mexican place that Pam and her fam picked out. Fajitas and vegetable plate. This was our least fav but it was still good
- Saturday breakfast - Gregory's cafe. Burrito and smoothies and lattes. Yum!
- Saturday lunch - Mediterranean. Falafel and salad. Excellent
- Saturday dinner - Indian. Good. (Also, surprisingly low-cost given the location)
- There were also various coffeeshop visits where we might've had cookies, donuts, and gelato (again, all vegan so I went wild)

- We didn't "do" much other than the show, hang with Pam, and walk around Central Park, and walk around the city. Oooh we took the subway once, that was cool. But you know, we weren't there long. Just walking the streets, holding Doris's arm was fun.

- Also, the hotel was great too. Stayed there once or twice before and am glad the place is still good. Funny note on the way back: normally the way I am hard-wired, I get to an airport and sit at the gate for 20-60 minutes. But by the time Doris and I finished airport breakfast and walked to the gate, it was time to line up and we boarded like 5 minutes later. Woo! 

- And the weather was AWESOME, though sadly that is due to climate change I'm sure. It's nearly November and it was like 52-67 the entire time