Trip Planning

I spent most of my weekend trying not to catch the soul-sucking cold that Mark has. (As of today, I've failed.) So I stayed on the couch, surfed the net, and planned our vacation. We're taking the boys to the Big Apple this summer.

Our first objective was to obtain Yankee tickets. Check. Good seats, day game, favorable chance of a Yankee win, life is good.

Our next objective was to find a hotel. Not as easy as you might think, in a city the size of New York. First off, I've been there three times before, and each time, stayed somewhere with local flavor; e.g., a dump. The only one of the three I would consider returning to was the Hotel Edison, but it was booked. So this time I tried some chains - names I knew and trusted. Lots of "no availability" places. Made me a little nervous. So I finally found a Holiday Inn on 57th street, about a half a mile from Central Park. Not a bad rate either. I mean, a bad rate, but comparatively speaking, not a bad rate, if you follow me.

Now that we know where we're staying, the serious trip planning starts to happen. A Broadway show this night, dinner at Mickey Mantle's restaurant this night, Statue of Liberty that morning, museums, museums, etc, etc. We're within walking distance of Times Square (we'll be sweaty and winded when we get there, but we can walk), the Carnegie Deli, and a number of Ray's Pizzas - all places we really want to go. See, I'm an itinerary person. Going to a place as big as New York, I don't want to leave the fun to chance. I want it all planned. We eat here. We walk there. We stay exactly this long. That way, we're guaranteed to get it all in.

But in the back of my mind, I know that the most fun I've ever had in life I've had when it was totally unexpected. The birthday party you plan for weeks is no where near as fun as the day in the back yard that you just fell into. As John Lennon said "Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans." I think fun also happens on the way from here to there.

So I'm planning our trip. But I'm also leaving a little space for walks in the park, jumps in puddles, exploring neighborhoods, and sitting on benches. That's when the good times really roll.