After the show we went to get ourselves some dinner. Or, the early bird special. This may surprise many of you but I didn't even think about getting a reservation until like, two days before the trip. And that turned out to be sort of hard to do with a party of seven. My sister and I found a few good options but nothing really hit all the marks. So we decided to go to 5 Napkin Burger in Hell's Kitchen. Because I love me a good burger and there was a kid's menu and good reviews and reasonably priced. But we had to get there by 3:30. So we sort of high tailed it out of the show and over there. I was not disappointed I mean that burger was banging.
Our plan was then to head towards Rockefeller Center and see the tree and some of the window displays along Fifth Avenue, particular the Frozen 2 display we had heard so much about at Saks. I knew it would be crowded, I mean, this isn't my first rodeo. But what I didn't know was that it would be like what I imagine Times Square on New Year's Eve to be like. At first we were still moving, on the sidewalk, mind you. And then we just sort of... stopped. My mom kept looking at me like well what now? And I didn't know. If I had I would have fled in the opposite direction. So as we stand there for minute after minute we are slowly shifting maybe an inch here... another half inch there.... and then we just... stop. I never let go of Letty's hand but I did lose sight of my family. People were just pushing in on everyone else so it was like just pressure all around us and no way out. I was practicing deep breathing exercises when Letty lost her mind. She needed out. Which is when I was like okay mama bear coming through you people MOVE and I pushed and I pulled and I yelled until I could get her to an area where we had a few feet of space. A kind woman gave her a tissue and tried to distract her... told Letty to look up... which I wouldn't have thought of in my moment of complete panic. Not sure how that's a thing... that kind of insane lack of crowd control, but it was. Anyways this is how we found ourselves in Rockerfeller Center looking at the tree and the light display at Saks with like... room. There were actual park benches where we could sit. We watched the show.... I tried to talk Letty down... You can tell in the pictures by the tree that she was fighting back tears but girlfriend still smiled for me. It was an adventure to be sure! Thank God for cell phones because we found our way back to our family and Letty cried some more when she saw her Nonna and we were like phew. Ok. Let's get away from here. South! To Macy's! Where the crowds were more what I expected and we all felt safe!
And then seven miles later (the day in total)... This was sort of necessary. I mean, not the bag, in my opinion. But after my adrenaline wore off I just wanted something to take the edge off you know? Before our lovely train ride home. Lena passed out despite a very loud conductor... Letty tried to sleep but failed and Mikayla was just like, past the point of napping but full of giggles.
We cannot thank you enough Nonna and Poppop for such an experience! The show, the tree, the train! Spending a day with all the girls like that was really such a memory making thing! Love you all!