A+Week+in+the+Big+Apple

By Emma Goldsmith

A special memory that I have shared with my family was the time we went to New York City, "the city that never sleeps." I went with my parents, my two brothers, and my grandmother during the winter of 2005. Once we arrived in the "Big Apple," I rode on my first limousine to our hotel. The limo's interior was so fancy that it looked like a royal palace! Our hotel room smelled like fresh, new shoes due to all the fragrant cleaning supplies. I also remember smelling the stench of gasoline from the countless lines of bright,yellow taxis throughout the city. For breakfast we went to a cafe called Evergreens. I always had delicious pancakes and greasy bacon. One morning, though, we ate at our hotel. I had a chocolatey muffin as smooth and silky as a velvet blanket. For dinner one night, my family and I went to Tavern on the Green, in Central Park. The ballrooms were filled with brilliant chandeliers and decorative carpets. I ate a juicy, tender steak that fell apart in my mouth. We also went to a deli that had sandwiches as tall as light poles with various meats and cheeses. After our deli meal, I was in for a surprise. I was taken to the American Girl Place! (Remember, this was 2005. I was still quite excited to get an American Girl.) It took me forever to decide which doll to get, and my brothers were getting restless and bored. I finally chose Felicity. I touched her fine, silky hair, and I was thrilled to have an American Girl of my own. Since I had gotten my treat of the trip, it was time for Brent and Davidson, my brothers, to get their's. So we walked to Toys 'R' Us. This store was HUGE! It even had a ferris wheel inside! We rode on it and got a bird's-eye view of the multiple levels of different toys and kits. We saw amazing sights everyday. One of my favorites was when we saw //Wicked// on Broadway. It was cast perfectly, and the actors hit notes so well that I had chills running up my spine. We saw the Statue of Liberty and the //Rockettes' Christmas Spectacular,// too. While these were happy and cheerful delights to the eyes, one of the most austere sights was of the bombed World Trade Center. It was a scoop of ice cream that had been taken out of the Earth. Outside of this fenced-in area was a saxophone performer playing sad notes into the thin air. The subway system was hectic and crazy. Subways would abruptly zoom off as if a silent whistle was notifying them to leave. We were submerged in an ocean of unpleasant noises. The roaring of the cars against the tracks caused our ears to ring. The lights illuminated the sidewalks with a yellow glow. New York City was so much fun! It was jampacked with fun things to hear, see, taste, smell, and touch. I hope to go there again someday to perform!