Trip #2: WKWWL takes New York

A week after getting home from Austin's homecoming trip, Tommy and I both packed up again and flew out--but to two different places! My roommates and I had had this crazy idea for a reunion trip this summer, and we decided back in January that we would all try to get together in New York City for a long weekend. We weren't sure who would be able to make it, but we picked a weekend and told everyone to buy plane tickets if they could. And lo and behold, seven of us were there! Three of our old roommates already live in New York, while another four of us flew into town. We all crashed at Sarah and Alec's apartment, and Sarah was our official tour guide for our New York sightseeing trip. I was lucky because Tommy hadn't started his new job yet (he started the DAY AFTER we got back!) so he just kept Dane with him the four days I was gone (and I'll post about what THEY did while I was gone after this). 

And oh, man, it was an absolutely AWESOME trip. Kind of like a family reunion, where the main attraction is getting to see people and catch up, but then you schedule in fun activities on the side--and our fun activities were many of the touristy awesome NYC things you have to do. But the best part was definitely getting to talk to these old friends and catch up all together as a group. I've made lots of great friends since leaving Provo, but there's something awesome about those friends you've lived with and who know your whole family backstory and everything about you. So it was a great boost of socializing and deep talks that I needed before plunging into being the new girl here in Texas for the next little while. 

Our set of roommates (there were two apartments of us that all counted each other as being all roommates together) had a blog together where we would post funny stories or funny pictures and things when we were living together, and the blog was called "We Know What We Like." So we call our group of friends WKWWL, and this trip was definitely WKWWL takes New York! Here are the best pics from the weekend. 

First thing we did was we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge. 

I should mention that Carly is about six months pregnant and she was such a trooper with all of the miles and miles of walking we had to do while we were there! 

We all got matching NY shirts for our boys at home.

Rique is super high class and is managing a camera store for her company in Soho (or I think it's Soho. I really don't know anything). We dropped in to see her in her element while we were walking around. 

Sarah and Rique, wearing matching shirts.

The bull on Wall Street.

That evening, we all went to the 9/11 Museum. It was super heart-wrenching and depressing to go through, but of course very touching as well. This is by the one tree that survived the two towers falling on it. (Not sure why some of these pics aren't rotated..)

The fountain monument for the two towers.

And we ate at Shake Shack together! Yes, it was delicious.

One really fun thing we did was shopping in Chelsea Market, and Sarah took us to this booth that makes lockets and charm bracelets. We all ended up getting necklaces together, each with something special. I got a locket (which I still need to put a picture in) and a long charm that has Tommy's and my anniversary date on it. So cute!

Also, free 7/11 slurpee day!

Some NY pizza! Could not WAIT!

One of the BEST things we did was going to see NEWSIES! Tommy and I went to see it when we were in NYC for Sarah's wedding, but it was far and away worth it going to see it again. It was totally fantastic. So glad we did it.

 After seeing Newsies, we walked out onto Times Square and could not even MOVE because it was so jam-packed with people. It was so insane! None of us really felt like we wanted to go back after that!

We saw the temple a few times, and were thinking about going to do a session but never actually made it.

 My other favorite thing--riding bikes through Central Park! It was absolutely fantastic! Hands down the main thing I've wanted to do the last few times I've been to New York and it just hasn't happened. It was perfect and oh so fun.

 We also went and got cookies from Levain Bakery--definitely worth the trip.

And some of us got pedicures to help our feet after all that walking!

At the end of the day, we went up to Kylie's apartment high up on the Upper West Side (or East Side... again, like I said, I don't know anything, haha) and were amazed by the view from her roof. It was PRETTY AMAZING and awesome. 

And then, in honor of us all being together again, we had to have a little dance party on the roof together.

Seriously, THANK YOU to my friends for all of us working this out and making it there. It was definitely a highlight of this summer for me. Who knows when we'll be able to manage something like this again--so I'm so glad we were able to manage this when we did!