We're going to NJ

[hsapiens]

Finally, finally, finally have gotten the better half to commit to the dates he's available for traveling to NJ! We're going to a wedding on Sat., Sept. 16 but will be around for a couple more days (Sun., Sept. 17 - Wed., Sept. 20). We're flying out the evening of the 20th.

Since he isn't thrilled at the idea of going to the Brooklyn Museum - which totally boggles my mind but I suppose not everyone grooves on archaeology - I'm trying to think of things to do in the City that will interest him. He's big time into American history, military history, and enjoys hikes. Obviously, some time in Central Park is called for and South Street Maritime Museum looks like a good possibility as does delving into history in and around Wall Street. There's probably a night at Spamalot in our future, as well.

jalabert has already given me some excellent suggestions and I'm researching them. Any others are welcome, as well, since this trip has to please BOTH of us. :)

Comments

Hiking in NJ

[(Anonymous)]

If you can pop over there, the Palisades is supposed to have some amazing hikes (dramatic views, rugged terrain) for being right across the river from the City...check out http://www.njpalisades.org/hiking.htm.

The wedding will also be close (15-20 minutes drive) to the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (http://www.fws.gov/northeast/greatswamp/). A swamp may not sound like a fun hike, but whatever's there now is a heck of a lot more fun to walk through than the airport they once thought of putting on that land.

If your S.O. is interested at all in post-Age-of-Sail ships, don't forget the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum (http://www.intrepidmuseum.org). It'll be his last chance to see it for eighteen months (as they're closing for renovations on October 1).

Hope this helps...
K
;-)

Re: Hiking in NJ

[hsapiens.livejournal.com]

I've seen the Palisades but not hiked them. Hmmm. I think that might be something to visit, even if briefly, on Wednesday before we have to hotfoot it out of town to catch the plane.

Now I have an ethical dilemma. The Intrepid S-A-S Museum is exactly the sort of place he'd love. And exactly the sort of place I'd want to spend about 20 minutes in. :| If he had someone to go with, I'd propose he go there and I'd go off to the Brooklyn Museum. Yoinks.

This does help, thank you. I'm assuming this is the former yams69? Seeing as you know WHERE the wedding is.

Re: Hiking in NJ

[(Anonymous)]

I'm assuming this is the former [info]yams69? Seeing as you know WHERE the wedding is.

Indeed it is!

Re: Hiking in NJ

[hsapiens.livejournal.com]

Welcome! I am SO looking forward to seeing y'all again. For however short it is. I want to make a plan to really see you when I return in November since it'll be post-wedding and you'll both have time to visit.

In all the excitement, I just realized that Amy is most likely coming, too, so I've put a call in to her to see what her plans are. :) Man, I'm looking forward to this!

[la-directora.livejournal.com]

You could come to the closing ceremonies of my three-day charity ride on Sunday, September 17th. :) It's at the LGBT Center in the Village. Past speakers include Alan Cumming and Lili Taylor. Not sure who it is this year. Always a heart warming experience.

I work during the day, but if you guys make dinner plans in Manhattan on the 18th, 19th, or 20th, I might be able to join, depending on my to be determined rehearsal schedule for the play I have opening the week after that.

[hsapiens.livejournal.com]

What time, roughly, are the closing ceremonies?

I'm almost sure we'll be having dinner in NYC on 18th and 19th. On the 20th, we have to be on a plane in Philly, Beyond that, I don't know. Everything's up for consideration at this point.

[la-directora.livejournal.com]

I think they're at 4:00.

[la-directora.livejournal.com]

Oh, and let me know what kinds of stuff you're interested in, and I'm happy to play NYC tour guide.

[hsapiens.livejournal.com]

Thank you! jalabert will probably do some honors but she might want a break from shepherding us around. And I have no idea what mcroft and immlass's schedules might be...

[gentlyepigrams]

We need to look at our schedules but we'll definitely make time to see you!

[hsapiens.livejournal.com]

I understand that there's work and this is so damned last minute. I really hate that aspect but my schedule depended on Joe's since he was coming, too. HOWEVER, I *am* returning the first week of November. If schedules don't mesh for this visit, then you have plenty of warning to run for the hills prepare for another visit then.

I'm thinking the best opportunity to visit with everyone might be on Sunday, whether it's brunch, dinner, or something else. We'll have a car this time so it opens a few more options. As if we needed more. :|

[la-directora.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately with my schedule (full time job plus directing a show that opens the week after your visit), I meant more virtual tour guide, with a possible in-person meet up for dinner. But I'm happy to offer suggestions if I know the kind of stuff you guys are interested in. Especially if I can help you come up with options to convince Joe to come. :)

[msjudi.livejournal.com]

Have a great time, sweetie!!

I'm with Joe on the NY thing- not my favorite place in the world. If you have the time, though, take a drive through the Deleware Water Gap. It will boggle your mind. Also, I fear that Broadway tickets, particularly for Spamalot, might be out- it's probably too late to get any, as often those tickets are sold 6 months or more in advance :(

We're bringing Megan back to school this Saturday- still think we'll see you?

[la-directora.livejournal.com]

Just an FYI, the Delaware Water Gap is quite a ways away from NYC.

And Broadway tickets aren't out at all. Many shows have same-day options, and there's also the TKTS booth for half price tickets. There will always be a handful of shows for which tickets can't be had - at the moment it's "The Color Purple" and "Spamalot" - but there is always something to see. We got our "Sweeney Todd" tickets at the half price booth a few months ago.

[msjudi.livejournal.com]

Just an FYI, the Delaware Water Gap is quite a ways away from NYC.

She said they were going to NJ. The DWG borders PA and NJ. I grew up in the PA/NJ/NYC area, so I'm pretty familiar with it, too ;)

I mention the difficulty with theatre tickets because everytime my daughter goes to NJ to visit my mother-in-law, they try for tickets and they've had to plan their trips a year in advance if they want to see a particular show. Last time the trip was planned about 6 months in advance and tickets for Spamalot were sold out. They saw Avenue Q, instead.

[hsapiens.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :)

Joe just doesn't know what a great place it is to visit. He gets all sad anytime our destination is Eastward instead of Westward but I really think it's because he hasn't been much westward. He works in D.C. a lot but not really in the NE. I think he's going to be pleasantly surprised.

You're right about the tickets. Spamalot is coming to Houston next year and it'll even be here over Joe's birthday but I know he'd like to see it on Broadway. AmEx offered us tickets which is the only reason I'd even bother. Last year I couldn't get tickets. Also? Joe has connections in the entertainment industry so I'm hoping that if AmEx has already sold its tickets that Joe could call in a few favors... Personally, I'd rather just wait until it got here and spend the time exploring The City.

I looked up the Delaware Water Gap. That looks gorgeous. I'm thinking some quiet time on Wedensday morning is a good time to do some sort of trip through nature. We did that before we had to fly out of Alaska and the calm was good before getting on the plane. Up above, I was pondering the Palisades but I have seen them. This would be new to both of us. I need to sit down with a good map for distances and puzzle out if we could make it up there with time to see anything. It's in the correct direction - sort of - for the Philly Airport - and we both love mountains. The Poconos are very tempting.

We're bringing Megan back to school this Saturday- still think we'll see you?

Yay! Yes. :) Do you want to give me a call when you're available? I know you weren't certain if it would be lunch or dinner. I'm planning to hang out at the house most of the day, anyway, so whenever is probably good. :)

[msjudi.livejournal.com]

Oh, the Poconos. If you can get out that far, it's WELL worth it. I grew up in the Poconos and when I was fresh out of high school, I got a summer job at one of the resorts, there. If you have the time, hike out to Bushkill Falls- I promise you won't regret it. In September the air will be cool and you might still catch some color on the trees (my dad still lives there- I talked to him yesterday and he said he can tell that the leaves are about to change, so you might miss them.) On one of our last trips to PA, I dragged Megan and Greg to the falls and they both protested loudly, thinking it would be some podunk stream falling off the side of a little cliff. When we finally got to them (it's a hell of a hike, wear comfy shoes and clothes, but the trails are well-populated and maintained), they stood with their jaws unhinged. It's so gratifying to know that a state that I disliked growing up in so intensely still contains such wonders.

Anyway, I could go on and on. That immediate area is all mountainous and beautiful. Stay away fromt the resorts, IMO, because having worked for one, I know how clunky and false they really are, but if you focus your time on nature, you won't go wrong.

[msjudi.livejournal.com]

Oh, and doh, sorry, I didn't answer your whole post LOL. Yes, we'll give you a call when we're done. It's looking like mid-afternoon- she needs to start moving into the dorm at noon. Where would you like to meet?

[msjudi.livejournal.com]

LOL one other thing (can you tell it's been too long since I've seen you? So much to jabber about), look here:

www.visitbushkilfalls.com

[shadownyc.livejournal.com]

The Natural History Museum in NYC is one of the biggest. It covers a great deal and is very interesting.

[hsapiens.livejournal.com]

*whimper* I'll never get Joe to it. He KNOWS I won't leave if we go. I'm such a museum hound. It has taken me three full days to get through the Egyptian, Assyrian, and ancient Greek collections at the Met. I admit, I also saw the Cloisters (jaw-droppingly great but so...recent) and some lovely Buddhist art from Asia and some stunning jades in that time frame. But really? Egypt and Assyria hold my heart. And I really need to revisit the Greek stuff because I was rushing through.

I'm going to try to get him to agree to the Pierpont Morgan. I think that's something we can both do but also both walk away after only 6 or 7 hours. *grin*

[shadownyc.livejournal.com]

LOL--Have a great time!

[mcroft.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's one of the top museums. I favor the Met and the Brooklyn Museum, but NHM is pretty cool. Caveat: hsapiens must absolutely never go into "The Hall of Dioramas of Funny Brown People". It would make her head 'splode.

I don't see anything exciting at the Smithsonian NMIA, but the collections are interesting.

[gentlyepigrams]

That hall almost made MY head go splodey. Welcome to the most racist advanced sociology of 1905.

[hsapiens.livejournal.com]

"The Hall of Dioramas of Funny Brown People". It would make her head 'splode.

oh holy hell -- my head WOULD explode. And then I would rant. And rant. And rant. And poor Joe would have another vacation ruined by that. We made the mistake of going to the San Diego Museum of Man last year. That was AWFUL. Seriously, seriously awful.

PLEASE tell me that NY does not have dioramas of Funny and Scantily Clad Brown People.