NYC Day 1

St. Pat’s to my left, Radio City Music Hall to my right

          From my really nice room on the sixth floor of “the Jewel Facing Rockefeller Center” I can see the top of the Cathedral, the entrance into Rockefeller Center and the red lights of Radio City.  This gem of a boutique hotel on 51^st was a great choice.  The room is narrow but long.  It has a fantastic bathroom, a work desk for blogging, a task chair I am trying to figure out how to fit in my suitcase, a comfy queen bed and tons of easily accessible outlets - which is good, cause I brought lots of gadgets that need charging.

            The train from Hartford was pretty empty but I am guessing it won’t be that way on the way home Friday.  By the time I got checked in and unpacked I was pretty hungry, but I wanted to check out St. Patrick’s Cathedral real quick.  The gothic architecture rises up out of the concrete city and the large wooden doors welcome all who come through.  The glow of the candles in front of the small inlets of religious statues lends to the scale of this massive church.

            I was so close getting to dinner when I saw GODIVA, just a block from my hotel.  A little shopping trip AND THEN, I was off to dinner.  I have to say, with a million choices in such a tight area, it’s too bad when you make a bad choice.  Dinner was fine, but not great.  Oh well, more tries to get it right this week.  So I strolled through Rockefeller Center, saw the skaters – crazy to see people ice skating at night in a city when it is 60 degrees out.   Very cool.  Then it was off to the Pig N Whistle… a little Irish Pub on 47^th where my friend Dave Barkow often plays tunes.  As he is there this week, I am sure this will be my end of the night hang out.  Walking back to my hotel through Time Square was great - some guy sold me a gerber daisy, tons of people were taking pics and local musicians were making a living on the side of the road.

            So, a busy night to start my adventure in NYC.  Tomorrow I attend the first day of the conference that brought me here and I will see my first Broadway musical.