5/29: Welcome to Gotham

We punctuated our arrival into NYC with the standard roller coaster cab ride in from JFK, through Queens, onto the Long Island Expressway, onto back streets, through the Queens-Midtown Tunnel, and into Midtown Manhattan, depositing us in front of our hotel. If I could have purchased tickets to go on that ride again, I would have.

After eating some pizza at one of the three or four Famiglia restaurants in Manhattan, we went on a walking trip through midtown, featuring stops at Trump Plaza, Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall, Columbus Circle, Central Park South, the building that hosts Late Night with David Letterman, and Times Square. Wow. Lisa had to buy some shoes that night just in case the rest of our trip was going to have this much walking.

Times Square was crazy that night. I'd heard it's pretty busy during the week, but on a Saturday night on a holiday weekend made me feel like I was in a sardine can. If you're claustrophobic, you do not want to be down there on New Year's Eve. Looking around, it seemed like what the Grand Canyon would look like with neon and giant ads.

We wandered into The Playwright Tavern, where I proceeded to drink two people's share of Margaritas, Whiskey Sours, and Vodka Cranberrys. Wanting to share my drunken stupor with folks back home, I proceeded to call friends to tell them what a great time I was having. I do not recall exactly what I was saying, nor the number of people I called. I remember running into an alley to give a loud "I'm Druuunnnkkkk!!!" call to a buddy. After that, I remember almost challenging a group of marines to a drinking contest. I think Lisa saved me from that.

After a bit of stumbling on my part, we ended the evening with a stop at Maxie's Restaurant to get some food in the stomach. I did, and chased it with beer. Ah.

Back at the hotel, I passed out happily. Welcome to New York.