That morning, I thought, why not head all the way down to Battery Park and make my way back up from there? First stop, Grand Central. I've been there before, but each time I am just in awe. It's such a beautiful place! I can imagine decades ago, people bustling around in their classic hats, suits, and dresses. It simply hasn't seemed to have changed much since then. 
The people just look different. I made my way to the subway train in the direction of downtown. I have to mention by this point in my trip I had learned that the subway was a little difficult for me. No, not that I couldn't figure out where to go, but the fact there are very few stations with elevators or escalators. Even if there is an escalator, it is often not working. I came across signs like this more than I would like to say. You see, with my knee still healing, I ascend and descend stairs using my good leg only. That means one at a time and very slow. By my second day in NY, my right leg was getting a workout!I got off the subway at Wall Street and walked a few blocks. I realizes there was a long, long line to get to the platform overlooking the World Trade Center site. I decided that was not important for me to see the construction. I had been to Ground Zero on a visit with my Mom in 2004 and waiting in a crowded line in 90 degree heat did not sound fun. There were many tall cranes and lots of work going on so, clearly, the new plan for the site is underway.
I thought I would make a stop into Century 21, a huge department store nearby. My 20th high school reunion was coming up and I needed some shoes. The place was a mad house! Some people love that kind of shopping. Digging through racks finding designer treasures. Me, not really. I searched for shoes with no luck, then thought maybe I could find a cute, but not cheesy, I "heart" NY tee or tank. Nope, they only had coffee mugs. I don't need another coffee mug. I did spy some umbrellas and considered buying one. $25 for an umbrella? Not exactly the "deal" I was looking for that morning. I moved on.
Next, it was off to SOHO. My plan was to try a pizza place then wander around the boutiques, both cute and trendy, and also the high end shops. Lombardi's was the pizza place of choice. My New York travel book mentioned it is a good place to eat, but I wondered if it would be crowded and 
touristy. No, it actually turned out to be quite comfortable, catering to what seemed to be a mix of tourists and locals. Lombardi's claims to be the first pizza place in America! The menu was simple and authentic. I ordered a small pizza with mushrooms and a glass of Chianti. Why not? I was on vacation! The pizza and the wine were delicious, completely worth seeking out. I think I ate 4 of the 6 slices it was so good. With my tummy full and my head a little dreamy, I headed out to do some shopping.I didn't end up spending a whole lot of time in SOHO. I looked around a few boutiques and vintage stores and thought about the diversity of the neighborhoods in Manhattan. So fascinating! It was then and there I decided that someday (maybe when I win the lottery), I would like to lead a bi coastal lifestyle. Next, I made my way to the more upscale, but still urban-chic, area of SOHO boasting Channel and Prada. Soon after I got there, I realized the weather was growing gray and ominous. Why didn't I buy that umbrella earlier? Uh oh.
In a short period of time, I found myself caught in my first thunderstorm in years. I waited under a Jamba Juice awning across the street from some NYU buildings and figured it would last only 10-15 minutes. That time went by and it was still pouring rain. Ugh. I decided to make a "run" for the subway a few blocks away. As you may have guessed, I can't run yet. I did my best to make it a fast walk, but by the time I got down into the subway, I was soaked. Nice. Curly bangs and all.
I had intended my next stop to be the Chelsea area so off I went on another train. The rain had stopped by the time I was above ground again and I happened by a Loehman's department store. There, I found an umbrella more in my price range, around $10. No, I'm not cheap, just practical. Although... that $25 umbrella would have done me some good! Oh well. What I really wanted to see in Chelsea was the Chelsea Piers Sports Complex. It has been featured in several movies and seems like a great place. Have you ever seen the movie Serendipity? Yes, it's a chick flick. There are scenes at the driving range which is basically a netted pier overlooking the Hudson River. 
What a great place to hit golf balls! It was several l-o-n-g blocks to walk to the piers from Loehman's and by the time I got there, my knee was not feeling so good. I heard there was a Chelsea Piers spa and hoped I could relax and get a nice pedicure. Unfortunately the spa closed at 5:00 PM (what?) so I was out of luck. By this time it had started pouring rain again so I found a little cafe and took a break. Here is a photo of the deluge of rain coming from the sky. I'm sure you can imagine what it was like. Hot, muggy, windy, and wet. Still, I was enjoying my trip and was not thinking about work anymore. I was in a different world from home.Oh, by the way, I have to mention how "in love" I was by that time with my Apple iPhone GPS maps. It was fabulous, telling me how to get just about anywhere. What subway line, what bus, or simply the streets to walk to find my destination. I couldn't get enough if it and was lucky if my phone battery didn't die by the end of each day.
Once I left Chelsea Piers, I knew I shouldn't walk anymore, my knee had had enough for the day. Per my GPS, it turned out that a city bus picked up right there and took me very close to a subway line to get me back to my hotel. I was very grateful to figure this out. I picked up a salad on the way back to my hotel, then decided to relax with a glass of wine in the W Living Room before turning in (Two glasses of wine in one day? That was just unheard of for me). As I mentioned, it was vacation!The only annoying thing I experienced at the W New York was regarding ice. Each night I returned from a long day of exploring, I needed to ice my knee. The ice machine on my floor was not working, or empty, so I called using the Whatever Whenever button on the phone. They sent me to room service whom, the first few nights, apologetically brought me a bucket of ice right away. The last night I called and it took a little longer than usual. A guy finally showed up and said, "You know, there is an ice machine on this floor." Really? Did he think I didn't know that? "I know," I said to him. "It's not working, that's why I called for ice." The look on his face told me he realized he made a mistake, but was still rather haughty. How rude. I closed the door and did not forget to make mention of the incident on the customer survey wrapped around my final bill. They should have fixed the machine after my first call anyway.
Overall, it was another good day in NYC and I was about ready to change scenery and visit my friends up in Central Valley.
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