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It's hard to believe that we are actually in New York City! Being in Manhattan surrounded by the big screens of Times Square with the smell of 99 cent pizza is something that I've been imagining since I found out I'd be going on this trip many months ago. It's only been two days, but I've already learned so much about my fellow ramblers and about the city. 

 

After cramming into one of the hotel rooms and sharing some take-out for our first dinner, we decided to venture outside despite the misty weather. The buzz of energy from Times Square was contagious as we all walked through the streets taking as many photos as possible. We were all so excited to be here and did not want to forget any moment of this experience. We stopped in random stores and gift shops before finishing the night with some gelato. Afterwords, we all reconvened in the lobby with a deck of cards and played various games until we were so tired we could barely remember how to play. 

 

The next morning, we started with some breakfast together before heading to Bazaar Market, one of oldest and most diverse markets in NYC. This market was one of the coolest I've ever been to. There were a million different venders who offered everything from food, to clothing, to accessories, to decorations. I was happily overwhelmed by all the options. Some of my peers got New York City themed shirts, vintage leather jackets, and unique accessories. Personally, I found my way to a booth that had vintage ads that were as old as 1900. I found a beautiful magazine ad for my apartment back in Chicago and the vendor was able to tell me exactly when and where the ad originated, which was an unforgettable experience! After going through every inch of the market, we decided to grab a slice of iconic New York pizza before heading to the Pier for our Cruise Tour. 

 

I am a huge Broadway fan and love any type of live performance in general, so I was beyond excited to go to Ellen's Stardust Diner for dinner. At this diner, the servers are performers who sing in between serving the customers their meal. I had seen videos of this diner online and had been wanting to go for a long time. As soon as we got into the restaurant it was filled with so much music and talent that I literally could not stop myself from bouncing up and down with joy. The singers were amazing and interacted so well with all the customers. They sang some of my favorite songs and I had so much fun singing along in between bites of my meal. Everyone there was so amazing and kind, I never wanted to leave. And now walking back through Times Square to get to the hotel, I cannot wait for what the rest of the week will bring. I'm sure it will be filled with some new things learned about the businesses we visit and a lot more 99 cent slices of pizza!