This is one of my favorite and least favorite types of entries to write. I get to write about my favorite place in the world and all of the fun things I did there, but I also have to remind myself I am no longer there, plus there is so much to say this entry is just very time consuming, but worth it. To make this easier, I am going to separate each day into it's own entry. That way you can read it easier and I won't get carpel tunnel. So shall we embark on the journey that is New York City?: Day One(December 27,2005)- At exactly 4:08 a.m. I woke up to my ipod playing "Taylor the Latte Boy" on the new speakers/alarm I got for Christmas. It wasn't really a good song to wake up because it isn't jumpy, but oh well. I looked outside to see it was still pitch black. Wow. So, I took a shower and got presentable, and did some last minute packing. Then, my dad drove my mom and me to the airport. We listened to "The Full Monty" on the way there. My dad thought it was the funniest music he had ever heard..okay I know that's not very interesting, but I want to include the details of this trip. So, of course the moment we arrived at the airport they announced our plane had been delayed to 8:30. Which means I could have slept like an extra 2 hours. Oh well. Giulia and I got on her laptop for awhile while we waited then just hung out and read magazines and stuff. Waiting at the airport is never very much fun. Finally, it was time to board the plane. Usually, I start freaking out at that point, but since the doctor prescribed me some relaxing pills for airplane rides, I was fine. The plane ride there was actually the smoothest flight I have ever been on. There was like zero turbulence. As I looked out the window and saw the skyscrapers and the Statue of Liberty I knew where I was...I was home. The chaos of getting our luggage and a cab wasn't much fun, but who ever said that part was fun anyway? Once we started getting near Midtown I got more and more excited. I pointed out the Wicked posters. The Hairspray posters. Anything that signified where we were headed. When we got to the hotel(Milford Plaza on 45th street). We went up to our room and put all of our baggage in it. Then, we headed to Roxy Deli for food. I love that place. I got one of the best chicken salad sandwiches I have EVER had. Then we split a slice of Chocolate Cappucino cheesecake. It wasn't as good as it sounded haha. After lunch, we walked around Times Square. First stop was Sephora where I bought some Chance by Chanel, some really good smelling perfume(its really sweet), Frederic Fekkai shampoo for brunettes that smells delicious, Frederic Fekkai conditioner, Clinique Happy shampoo, some lip balm, and some hair mist. I LOVE SEPHORA. Honestly, if I could I would by one of everything there. Then, we went to Virgin Records. One of my other favorite places in the world...Hello, they have a huge Broadway section. So I got a bunch of Broadway cast recordings and yet again spent too much money. After that, my mom went back to the hotel to nap while Giulia and I just walked around NYC by ourselves! I was really surprised my mom let us do that, but no complaints here. I loved it. After that I introduced Giulia to one of my other favorites: Broadway New York, the theatre themed souveneir shop inside the Marriot Marquis. While in there I called Sam and talked to him for a bit which was nice. I got him some stuff, and myself some stuff. and some gifts. Once we finished there, Giulia and I saw a psychic shop place and we just had to go in there. For ten dollars each "Rosemarie" read our faces(sorta like a palm reading). According to this woman, I will marry at age 24, have 4 kids..2 boys and 2 girls, I'm mature for my age, I don't communicate enough with my family, and I WILL BE ON BROADWAY EVENTUALLY. haha I doubt any of that was true, but we're going to pretend it is, okay? Then, we just walked around more, and got our pictures taken with some random firemen(they were pretty cute). Once we finished all of that stuff, we headed to the hotel to get ready for Avenue Q. Avenue Q was sooo HILARIOUS. It wasn't the best show I've ever seen by any means, but it was so much fun. Although I did have a large woman next to me who kinda bulged over into my seat too which made it an unpleasent situation, but still enjoyable. Afterwards, we stood outside at the stage door. The cast was really quick which I appreciated because I was cold and exhausted. My favorites: Mary Faber(Kate Monster) and Barrett Foa(Princeton). Mary because it was only her 2nd night and it appeared she had been in it for a month. and she was adorable. and sweet. Barrett because have ya seen him? HOT. Then, we ate at the Celebrity Deli. We sat in the window and Mary Faber walked right by. Yes, I should have followed her right. lol. After we ate, we went up to the room and I pretty much passed out. Day Two(December 28,2005)- First, we took Giulia to an optomotrist to get glasses. That's when we met Fran. She worked there, but she used to be a dancer. I liked her ebcause she was a normal human being yet somehow a lot cooler than anyone that lives in Columbia just because she lived in NYC. Then, we headed to the Celebrity Deli for lunch. It was alright. Cat's friend, Donna Marie Asbury(from the Chicago ensemble) to tell us that if we didn't already have tickets to Chicago to go see Chita Rivera's show, but we did have tickets. SHE SAID MY NAME IN THE MESSAGE! Our tickets for Chicago were great, front row center. It was really cool. It was sorta awkward though when one of the actors would stare us down for a long time. haha. Afterwards, we waited at the stage door and met some of the cast, including Tony award winning Debra Monk(Mama Morton). She recognized us from the front row(as did everyone else we met from the cast) and told Giulia good job for being such a reponsive audience member. p.s. Giulia is the loudest laugher in the universe. After that, we went to dinner at Maxie's. I had a very dissapointing chicken salad sandwich. Bah. Then, we saw Sweet Charity. Wow, Christina Applegate really has improved since I saw the show for the first time. Like I really did like her, no she isn't the best singer, dancer, or actress, but she is a really great Charity. Now, I'm sorta sad the show is closing. Oh well. We waited at the stage door afterwards. The stage door guy, Neal, was hilarious. When a random ensemble member came out he would yell "CLEAR!" and it was one of the ensemble girl's birthdays so he brought her out and told everyone to wish her a happy birthday which was cute. Christina Applegate was sick, but she still signed all the autographs. We were about to leave when I saw Dylis Croman(I really liked her hair and wanted to get her autograph) standing on the outskirts talking to what appeared to be relatives. One of her "relatives" took a picture of her giving an autograph which was cute, and we got a picture with her. We also got Neal to autograph our playbills. He wrote "Neal" with a heart at the end of his name haha. Ah, I love New Yorkers. Then, we ate dessert at you guessed it...the Celebrity Deli. I had really yummy chocolate layer cake though so no complaints. Day Three(December 29,2005)- Unfortunatly, Giulia and I slept in way too late and I ended up paying for it in one of the worse ways possible. We headed to Rent. The first act was SO amazing. Honestly, I still like the movie and everything, but seeing it onstage was just so much better. It was so fun. Espessially when Maureen said "moo with me" and a bunch of people(including us) moooed. haha. If you haven't heard/seen Rent you are probably very confused by the previous sentence haha. One bad thing was my stomach hurt the whole time, and by intermission i was really sick and the abthroom line was impossible. We had no choice. So Giulia stayed and my mom took me back to the hotel. As we walked down 41st street I realized I was missing the second act of RENT. I wasn't going to see so much. And I cried. I didn't try to hide it. I cried as I walked the streets of NYC, not loud sobbing or anything. Just quiet, tears running down my face crying. I looked up and saw someone....MICHELLE KITTRELL. I met her when she was in the All Shook Up ensemble, and now she's in Hairspray. There she was bobbing along in sweat clothes, a ponytail, barely any makeup. She gave me an odd look because 1.I was still crying and 2. I was staring at her. I didn't realize it was her though until she passed us and I was about to turn around and ask for a picture because barely anyone was on the sidewalk and stuff, but I was too sick. So, after I felt better, we headed back to the theatre to get Giulia. She had gotten some of the cast to sign my playbill which was so sweet because I didn't even ask. Fortunatly not everoyne had come out yet so I did get to get a picture with the guy that played Mark. Yay. After that, we went to pick up her glasses. We got Fran to take a picture with us and I could tell her made her day. Then, we ate at the Brazil Cafe on 48th which was yummy. I got fettucini alfredo. and fried bananas which were interesting. Once we got dressed up and stuff, we went to see Light in the Piazza. We had front row center and they were amazing seats. I mean seriously, amazing. The show is just SO beatiful. Seriously. The new Clara, Katie Clarke, was SO good. She's only 21. Victoria Clark was still AMAZING. At the stage door, the cast was very nice. Katie Clarke told us we were beautiful which I found humorous because if you ever see her you'll see that she is one of the most georgous people in the world. Victoria Clark noticed us from the front row and thanked us for waiting for her to come out. She wished us good luck with our theatre careers too which was cool. Day Four(December 30,2005)- First, Giulia and I took a note to Cat's friend who's in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. We got to put it on a bulletin board haha. Then, we tried to go into Madama Tussaud's wax museum, but we didnt have time before out next show so we didn't. After walking around forever, we went to see Wicked. Our seats were okay, partial view, but close. The show was good, not the best out of the 3 times I've seen it though haha. Afterwards, we waited forever at the stage door. When we asked one ensemble girl for her autograph she actually said "I didn't play anyone important" haha. Then, a really cute girl with a really squeaky baby voice came out and told me "i'm signing next to the monkeys because I was a monkey". haha. It was adorable. Finally, Shoshana Bean(Elphaba) came out. She was quick and quiet. For some reason I thought she would be more exciting and loud haha. Megan Hilty(Galinda) didn't come out which was disapointing because I like her a lot. She was really nice the first tiem I met her. After that, I took a nap. Then we went to see The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Our seats were front row, but it was a really cool theatre so basically if i crossed my legs, my feet would be on the stage. The cast was SO AMAZING. They all had such great characters and such. The show was just brilliant and hilarious. I didn't want it to end. We waited in the lobby(they do that instead of the stage door for some reason). I almost didn't get to meet Celia Keenan-Bolger(Olive), who was the one I was DYING to meet. She started to walk out and i was like "noooo". So I followed her outside and got her. She's really short, but she was nice. She told Giulia she liked her laugh haha. Once we finished there, we went to Ellen's Stardust Diner. I love that place. The food is just okay, but the waitstaff sings. Their all aspriing performers so their cool. After we ate, we went back to the hotel and slept. Day Five(December 31, 2005)- Giulia and my mom went to Chinatown during the morning while I just stayed at the hotel because I felt sick again. My mom got me two neat chinese style diaries and a fake Chanel purse that I adore. Then, we went to lunch at Sardi's. I had to leave mid-lunch because I felt sick which was sad. But, as I walked down the street some random guys came up to ask me if I lived in the city, I lied and said "yes" and they asked for a good place to eat. Once I finished telling them, they told me I was the nicest New Yorker they had met since tehy got there which made me extremely happy. Walking alone in the city made me so happy. I felt at home. I was at home. Then, my mom attempted to go to Starbuck's but we couldn't find one that was open and we got stuck in all the New Year's Eve sidewalk traffic. We had to walk so much more than we should have and even had to get our bags checked at one point. The policemen are extremely unfriendly on New Years Eve. Just to warn you. Finally, we got back to the hotel. We went to see Spamalot. Our seats were okay. The show was great. The new Lady of the Lake, Lauren Kennedy, is AWESOME. She seriously kicked ass. The cast didn't do the stage door thing that night, understandably. So, we headed to Bond 45, the restaurant we had reservations at. We had to stand and wait to be seated FOREVER. I really liked the restaiurant though. They had a 1930s theme so the waitresses were all dressed in flappers dresses and stuff. They also served me champagne which I really liked!! I ended up drinking 2 of my own glasses plus my mom's. So yeah. I was a happy girl on new years eve. Since our restaurant was in Times Square, we ran outside a few mintues before midnight. It was all very exciting and surreal. And there it was. It was so beautiful.. As we counted down, I saw all of these people I didn't know and yet here I was celebrating with them. It was cool. We couldn't see the ball drop, but confetti flew down on us all. It didn't stop for like an hour. It was so exciting. As Giulia talked to some Polish guy, I stared up at the confetti pouring down, and listened to Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York" blare through Times Square and I wished that every moment of my life could feel like that. For those few moments I knew for a fact that everything will be okay. I don't know how an old song and confetti made me realize all of that, but it did and I'm not complaining. Once we finished outside, we went back in and ate dessert and talked to our aspiring actor waiter about celebrities that eat there and such. Finally, at one we left and went back to the hotel. Day Five(January 1, 2005)- My least favorite day of the trip.. The day I was taken from my natural habitat. We didn't do anything worth writing about except leave. As we drove away, I looked out of the back of the taxi and watched as the skyscrapers and such got smaller and smaller. I wanted to jump out of the cab and stay, but life doesn't work that way unfortunatly. I just have to wait for that great day until I can go back there for good. New Years Resolutions: 1. Lose atleast 20 pounds by the end of the year 2. Get a GOOD boyfriend by the end of the year 3. Get better grades 4. Work harder on my acting, dancing, and singing. Don't forget to check out my pictures from the trip at: http://loriwheat.myphotoalbum.com/view_album.php?set_albumName=album16