I Heart NY.

Just like the iconic t-shirt says, "I Heart New York".  It's true.  I recently visited the city with another colleague of mine and 10 students (teenagers!) after spending a few days in York, Pennsylvania working on a Habitat for Humanity project.  As much as I loved working for a greater cause and hauling bricks into a dumpster, I have to admit that NYC was my favorite part of the trip.

Since I traveled with teenagers who hadn't been to the Big Apple, and because we wanted to keep them out of trouble, the days were long and busy.  And I loved every second of it!

Saturday: Hotel check-in, dinner at the Roxy Deli, Broadway show (Phantom of the Opera), Times Square at night

Sunday: Breakfast at Carnegie Deli, Central Park, street festival on 6th Avenue, Greenwich Village (with a special stop at the Magnolia Bakery), Ground Zero, Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Chinatown, dinner in Little Italy at Vincent's

Monday: shopping in Times Square, NBC studio tour, more Central Park

I am already counting down the days until I return, sans teenagers, when I can actually experience more of the culture and nightlife.  I will say though that the kids provided some amusement and frustration on the trip, as it was evident that many of them had not traveled without their parents.  Based on all of the faux-pas I witnessed, I am considering writing a travel guide for teenagers.  Tips might include:

*When exiting the subway car with all of your luggage, do not stand in the doorway and wait for your friends.  There are probably 20 people behind you waiting to exit as well.

*When you see a homeless man or a gentleman selling Obama condoms (advertising that this product is the "real" stimulus package), do NOT yell, scream or take pictures.  

*When on the subway, do not pull your wallet out, count your money, and announce you are from out of town.

*When walking through the streets of NY, do so at a "New York" pace.  Avoid sending text messages as you cross busy intersections full of dozens of people.  Along those same lines, it's ok NOT to take pictures of everything in sight.

It was fun, it was exhausting, the stress made my face break-out, but it was well worth it.

Until we meet again, New York...