12:00 pm
Touchdown in Queens
Jamaica, Queens
Off the plane from Phoenix (by way of Chicago), onto the AirTrain and the subway at Sutphin Blvd.
seven days, in order
Day by day
Every stop from landing at JFK to watching Manhattan shrink out the plane window. Times come straight from our phones.
1:26 pm – 2:28 pm
The first slice
Hell's Kitchen
Bags dropped in Midtown West, straight to a pizza counter. Pepperoni, plain, frozen lemonade.
7:32 pm – 7:55 pm
Times Square, first night
Midtown
Screens, crowds and two very jet-lagged grins.
8:35 pm – 8:45 pm
Stonewall Inn & Christopher St
West Village
The Stonewall Inn, the monument across the street, and a red-lit bar full of skeletons next door.
9:20 pm
Washington Square Arch
Greenwich Village
The arch glowing at night, the park still busy.
9:52 pm – 10:09 pm
Late dinner in the Village
Greenwich Village
A hot-pink dining room, orange chicken, noodles and two yellow cocktails.
11:53 pm – 11:54 pm
Midnight from the window
Midtown West
Hudson Yards and the Empire State Building lit up outside.
11:39 am – 11:45 am
Central Park: the Pond
Central Park South
In past the horse carriages, down to the Pond. Penguin tiles in the subway on the way.
9:26 am – 1:05 pm
Central Park Zoo
Central Park
Two grizzlies fishing, a red panda asleep in a basket, the rainforest house, penguins and a sea lion posing with the skyline.
1:11 pm
Skyline over the park wall
Central Park
Billionaires' Row towering over the trees. Photo shoot on the stone wall.
1:42 pm – 1:45 pm
Sheep Meadow & West Drive
Central Park
Big lawn, big trees, sunglasses on.
3:05 pm – 3:21 pm
Broad Nosh Bagels
Columbus Circle
A very serious bagel situation.
3:45 pm – 4:24 pm
Rudy's Bar & Grill
Hell's Kitchen
The Hell's Kitchen dive with the pink pig in a red jacket out front. Beers at a round wooden table.
5:25 pm – 6:43 pm
Sunset on the Arlo NoMad roof
NoMad
Drinks on the roof with the Empire State Building right there. The sky went orange, then pink.
8:02 pm – 8:05 pm
Empire State Building
Midtown
The gold Art Deco lobby and the exhibits inside.
8:57 pm – 9:12 pm
Grand Central Terminal
Midtown East
Chrysler Building outside, the famous clock and the starry ceiling inside. Many goofy selfies.
9:48 pm – 9:57 pm
Koreatown late night
Koreatown
Korean fried chicken, dumplings and soju to close out the day.
8:24 am – 9:04 am
Battery Park & the ferry
Financial District
Early start at the tip of Manhattan, then out across the harbor.
9:52 am – 10:25 am
Statue of Liberty
Liberty Island
Up on the pedestal, right under her robes, with all of Lower Manhattan across the water.
7:42 am – 10:45 am
Statue of Liberty Museum
Liberty Island
The original torch, the photo wall, and a souvenir portrait of the two of us.
11:58 am
Charging Bull
Financial District
Everyone took their turn. We did too.
12:01 pm – 12:10 pm
Liberty Bagels Wall Street
Financial District
A wall of rainbow bagels and a cream cheese case the size of a car.
12:36 pm – 12:40 pm
9/11 Memorial & One World Trade
Lower Manhattan
The reflecting pools, the names, and One World Trade overhead.
1:03 pm – 1:49 pm
Wandering SoHo
SoHo
Cast-iron streets, Louis Vuitton, and a dog walker with a pack of huskies.
5:20 pm – 6:02 pm
Dinner before the show
Hell's Kitchen
Pasta, an orange cocktail with a dried-orange wheel, and a lot of excitement.
6:44 pm – 8:38 pm
WICKED at the Gershwin
Theater District
The map curtain, the green glow, the gift-shop wall. Defying gravity, live.
9:54 pm – 9:55 pm
After the show on Broadway
Theater District
Still buzzing on 50th Street.
10:45 pm
One more slice
NoMad
Pizza in bed, the correct way to end a Broadway night.
11:53 am – 12:11 pm
Marchers on Broadway
Herald Square
Ran into marchers in bright yellow near Herald Square on the way uptown, a green bagel in hand.
11:21 am – 3:48 pm
The Met
Upper East Side
Temple of Dendur, Washington Crossing the Delaware, the Egyptian wing, knights in armor and Van Gogh's cypresses. Then a sit on the steps.
3:53 pm – 4:03 pm
Central Park Reservoir
Central Park
A walk north to the water and a photo stop on the iron bridge.
1:27 pm – 4:34 pm
St. Patrick's Cathedral
Fifth Avenue
Gothic spires, yellow cabs, golden-hour light.
2:27 pm – 4:52 pm
Rockefeller Center
Midtown
Atlas, the flags, the plaza. Then up the elevator.
5:11 pm – 7:08 pm
Top of the Rock
Midtown
Golden hour into sunset into city lights. Central Park on one side, the Empire State on the other, orange drinks in hand.
7:27 pm – 7:38 pm
Rockefeller after dark
Midtown
30 Rock lit up, the rink, the Rainbow Room sign at NBC Studios.
9:56 am – 10:06 am
Walking the Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn Bridge
Cables, wooden planks and the Manhattan skyline behind us the whole way.
10:22 am – 10:23 am
DUMBO
DUMBO, Brooklyn
The Manhattan Bridge framed by Washington Street's brick warehouses.
10:27 am – 10:41 am
Pebble Beach
Brooklyn Bridge Park
Rocks underfoot, the Brooklyn Bridge and Lower Manhattan straight ahead. A full photo shoot.
11:04 am – 11:05 am
The arched window
DUMBO, Brooklyn
A brick arch framing the Manhattan Bridge like a painting.
11:54 am
Train to Williamsburg
Downtown Brooklyn
Underground at Jay St, on the way to Williamsburg.
12:13 pm – 2:32 pm
Williamsburg
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Thrift-store fitting rooms, tree-lined side streets, burgers and spicy margaritas.
6:46 pm – 6:47 pm
Subway selfies
Chelsea
Mosaic tiles and a quick ride downtown.
8:34 pm – 8:47 pm
West Village night walk
West Village
Cornelia Street, big wooden doors, and a bodega cat who demanded attention.
11:10 pm – 11:13 pm
Comedy Cellar
MacDougal Street
A late show downstairs on MacDougal Street. Brick wall, one mic, sore cheeks.
11:18 am – 12:33 pm
Chelsea Market
Meatpacking District
Tacos for breakfast, then lobster rolls from the Lobster Place.
11:50 am – 1:06 pm
The High Line
Chelsea
An elevated park walk past gardens, Zaha Hadid's curvy building and the Hudson.
1:12 pm – 2:04 pm
Hudson Yards & the Vessel
Hudson Yards
A giant pink bear, the honeycomb Vessel, and cocktails after.
2:57 pm – 4:36 pm
Vintage hunting
Chelsea
Fitting-room fashion shows. Some hits, some misses.
5:09 pm – 5:11 pm
Donuts & ice cream
NoMad
Lavender, pink chocolate and birthday-cake donuts, then a berry scoop.
7:30 pm – 8:28 pm
Steak night at Hawksmoor
Gramercy
A martini, baked scallops, steak and a bubbling cheesy side. The fancy dinner.
9:15 pm – 9:38 pm
Flatiron & Madison Square Park
Flatiron District
The Flatiron at night, the clock tower, and a pair of park rats living their best life.
10:22 pm – 10:23 pm
The glass floor
NoMad
Feet over the street on the Arlo roof, the Empire State in red.
11:09 am
One last Midtown walk
Midtown
Checked out, bags stashed, one more look down the avenue.
8:54 am – 1:20 pm
American Museum of Natural History
Upper West Side
The T. rex, the titanosaur, mammoths, the giant squid, and the new Gilder Center's cave-like halls.
1:22 pm – 1:27 pm
Theodore Roosevelt Park
Upper West Side
Sunshine and silly faces outside the museum.
4:22 pm – 5:43 pm
Goodbye from JFK
JFK Airport
One last meal at the airport, then Manhattan shrinking out the window.