The Big Apple: Day Two

Before I start telling the adventures from day two, I have to talk about St. Patricks Cathedral. I totally forgot about it yesterday, so I'm going to redeem myself now. This Cathedral is huge and magnificent and completely more than anything I have ever seen.

They had a ton of little stations where you could give a candle offering. It was so weird for me to see this. I don't know what it was about it, but the whole thing just didn't feel right. Lauren and I were talking while we were in here and we just kept talking about how big and extravagant it is. Too big and too extravagant. It's really amazing how beautiful these buildings are, though.

Now, moving on to day two. We were up, out of the hotel, and on our way to Grand Central by 10:00 A.M. This time, though, when we arrived at Grand Central, we went straight onto the subway. It was so scary!

 You know how you see the little videos about the street performers or the hilarious people that do something crazy thing on the subway? Well, I was hoping and praying so hard that something cool would happen while I was on the subway. My prayers were answered too because these two men got on and started playing their mariachi music. Ashley hurried and got the camera out and tried to snap a picture, but the ride was way too bumpy, so it's kind of blurry.

Where we were going, though, was to Ground Zero. When we got there, we had a little trouble finding it. I don't know how. The entire block of Ground Zero is a construction site and so there were big cranes everywhere. We eventually found it, and, like I said, the whole thing was just construction. We walked a few blocks to the memorial building and read about the new memorial which is being built, but that wasn't for very long because we had to hurry over to Battery Park to catch our ferry to see the Statue of Liberty.
When we had made it to Battery Park, which is only a few block from where we were, people were everywhere! We got in line and, no joke, stood there for at least an hour and a half. There was this small group of British people talking, so I basically listened in on their whole conversation. I had my phone along with Lauren and Ashely jabbering on, so I was pretty entertained for that hour and a half. When we finally got somewhat close to the actual ferry we went through TWO airport style security. They luckily didn't make us take off our shoes!

We made it onto the ferry which was a triple decker. It held I think 700 people? One of the rangers said how many people they fit onto it, but at this point in time, I've forgotten.

This is where they take all of the touristy pictures for New York, so the next picture might look a tad bit familiar.

 This picture is one of my all time favorites.

When we got to the statue, I was so amazed at how huge that thing is. It sounds stupid to say, but it really is bigger than I expected it. Just imagine the pictures you've seen of it and then multiply the size by about 10. I'll help you out. :)

(We were able to go inside the pedestal, so that is where this picture was taken.)

Seeing the statue took up most of the day, but when we had gotten back to the mainland, we went and saw Trinnity Church. This was the church used for the National Treasure movie. I felt so cool being in there! There were some cameras set up and a few top notch movie making people there, so perhaps I'll be in a new movie... haha

We also, crossed the street and walked up Wall Street which was really cool too.

(The church at the end is Trinnity Church)

We then walked over to the Brooklyn Bridge. We walked with the many, many tourists on the wooden planks that Lauren thought were the original. It was built in 1883.
The whole time I was walking I just thought of Enchanted. Actually one scene in particular. You know the scene where Giselle and Prince Edward are walking together. Edward is eating a hot dog and he says, "we shall be married in the morning!" and Giselle tells him she'd rather date? Are you remembering? Well, that's what I was thinking about, and the entire time I just wanted to burst out in song. I spared New York, though, and didn't. haha

We ended this day off on a good note just as we had done for the previous day by going to see the Yankees kick Baltimore's butt. I've heard the Orioles kind of suck, though, so this might not be so significant. The whole time I was there I kept telling my parents how out of place I felt. I'm as unsporty as unsporty gets, so it might have been a comical sight to have seen me at that baseball game. I had fun, nonetheless. :)

The Big Apple: Day One

Spring Break was three weeks ago? Two weeks ago? Not sure, but a lot of time has elapsed between then and now, so it's kind of strange for me to be blogging about the trip. My excuse is that I had no pictures therefore, I could not blog. Now that the pictures are on my computer, I will begin.

The flight out of Salt Lake City was at 7:05 in the morning, so the alarm clock started buzzing (or playing music as mine does) around 4:00 A.M. I don't know what it is about trips and having to catch a flight, but things always, always without fail get stressful! The first stressor of the day was my temple recommend. We were planning on going to do baptisms (more on that later) while in the city, so I kind of needed that little thing. I had been up until midnight the night before looking for it and not until right before we left did I find it. It was kind of a miracle actually. I had looked and looked and looked but couldn't find it. My dad was the one who actually found it.
The day consisted of all flying. Seven hours to be exact. We didn't get off the plane once and my butt was pretty much or close to numb when I got off in New York. The flight was so worth it, though. We drove in the car rental shuttle to go get the, you guessed it, car we were renting, and seriously, I felt like I was going to to die. Nobody follows the rules of the road. Not even the police officers. We made it to the destination, though, and we got our red van and hurried off to our hotel which was in White Plains. A town just outside of the city. When we got there after, again, seeing my life flash before my eyes and being honked at a few times, we made our journey to the nearest Applebee's. We ate our dinner and headed, in the rain, back to the hotel. It was pretty much pouring plus being windy and my umbrella was flipping inside out. This breaks the thing and since it was brand new, I didn't want to break it. So, I just went ahead and let it down and my hair get wet. I was soaking by the time I got back to the hotel.
The next day, we all packed ourselves into the van and zoomed off to Washington Irvings Estate. Man, I want one of these places!

We then drove all the way back to the hotel, parked our car in the parking lot, and walked over to the nearest train station (different from subway) and rode into Grand Central Station in the long awaited New York City!

Here's us girls in the station. Plus some strange man who thought we were taking a picture of him too.

Anyway, you can see the clock in the background and I felt like the animals off of Madagascar were going to jump out any second!

We exited the station and entered the busy, busy streets of New York, and boy are they busy! Movies don't even cut it. You see the actors all walking down the street happy-go-lucky, no worries. I tell you, they are lies.

Cars were coming when I leaned out to get this picture. I, again for like the third time, was scared for my life.

We walked on 5th Avenue (I was really sad I didn't see Justin Bieber. Or any celebrity for that matter) to get to the MOMA-Museum of Modern Art. It was cool, and I have bragging rights saying that I got to see a bunch of Monet and Picasso, but really, not my idea of fun. It might just be the fact that I know absolutely nothing about art, but hey, it's all in the experience and I'm glad I got to go.

Next, we made our way to Times Square! We walked and walked and walked like the pioneers to this monumental destination and boy is it amazing!

After we had walked and walked and walked, we walked back to this little authentic Italian restaurant. It was soooo delicious! I wish I could tell you the name of it, but since it is in Italian, I kind of forgot. My dad made a friend, though. This guy was outside the door trying to get people to come eat at the restaurant and I guess it worked because we did!

We went into the Hershey's Chocolate store and found a huge bottle of chocolate syrup. Except, it was empty and it was supposed to be a piggy bank.

We also went to the M&M's Factory, but we were way too busy taking it all in, we forgot about the camera. That place seriously is heaven on earth. The people are nice there too! Unlike all the other stores. The cashier liked my flower. :)

And the very last thing we did was see The Lion King. This play is amazing and I recommend it to EVERYONE! Each costume is meticulously made so every person on stage looks like the animal they are supposed to depict. The music was amazing; the music was amazing before, but hearing it performed live, man, it really takes your breath away and makes you appreciate the pure talent the world can have.

La Caille: The Quail

One of the popular classes the 9th graders take at American Fork Jr. High is Teen Living. This is where you just learn all about life. Yes, this is the class that you get the baby. But I do have to say, it's not just learning about parenting and doing, you know, those things. (I get my baby May 6. I have to sing in church that Sunday. I'm thinking, that week at church is going to be an interesting one.)

We just finished our unit on etiquette. I learned everything from who should pay on a date to which fork is the one you use for Es Cargo. (Is that how you spell that? I'm not educated enough in French) The plus side to this unit is the practicing part. And as you could have guessed by the title of this post, the 9th graders were able to have the opportunity to go to La Caille. Yeah, it's only the most expensive restaurant in Utah. :) I only had to pay 31 dollars too! Talk about being thrifty!

So, onto the experience: It was a five course meal starting with the Snail. I liked that little bugger! It tasted like garlic and butter and had the texture of a mushroom. Not bad at all! Next, I had the lemon sorbet which cleaned  my pallet, and following came the bread and salad. Now, with all of this I had my napkin perfectly set on my lap and I was using all the right utensils. I even made sure everybody else was using the right one too.

 Going on. After I ate my salad, my main dish arrived which was salmon with rice, green beans, and a carrot. Yes, that is singular. Man, that food was sooo delicious! I was very, very satisfied with it.
Now, after I was very satisfied with my previous food items, the waitresses in their deep scoop neck dresses (very deep. Michael, one of the two boys sitting on the table I was at, kept laughing when our waitress came to give us our food. This was a mistake on his part because then I kept laughing. It was not the best situation! haha) brought the nine of us our flambeau. Except, I was going to take Ashley's advice and not have mine flambeaued. I did, though, even if it was against my wishes. I'm glad that I got it because now I know I will never, ever become an alcoholic. Even though the alcohol was burned out you could still taste it. It burned my throat and tasted like cough medicine. Disgusting! It looked really cool, though!

Even though the food was maybe ended on a bad note, we all still had a really, really great time! Me and my friend Hannah (Picture above) were talking and I was telling her how really, this is the first time in a long time that I actually felt that carefree happiness. I felt included and part of a group and that just put a huge smile in my face!

The picture below is the gang who sat at my table. Personally, I think it was the best one there. These seven people truly are great! I'm so glad that I know them and that I was able to get to know them better at La Caille.

(Starting at the back from left to right: Stevie, Michael, Hannah, and Malia. The Bottom from left to right: Me, Maddie, Alyssa, and Kadyn).

Overall, like I said, La Caille was an amazing experience. Even if the geese kept trying to attack us! :)

P.S. I found it a little ironic that we didn't see any quail. Also, just a bit of information, they got rid of their camel because it sat on the owner. I thought that was hilarious! 

Find That Measurement Part Zwei

So, this is the math video that I talked about in my last post. It was turned in today, and basically, I don't want anybody to see it. Even though I find it hilarious. But see, it only is hilarious because I'm in it, and it's always funnier when you're in it.
Anyway, the reason why I'm posting it is mainly because the other girls in my group have not seen it and this is the best and most easy way for them to see it. I'm being gracious, though, and allowing those other viewers of this blog (haha mainly Ashley.... thanks for being such a great sister. :)) to see it as well. I sure hope you find it humorous.
And like I said before, four white girls trying to rap? It's a little rediculous. :)

Find That Measurement

In geometry, the teachers decided making a music movie would be a good project to give us geometrees. (It's fun, but the exact point of it I'm still deciding.) They've apparently be doing it for years.

Anyway, today me and the girls in my group: Maddie, Madison, Nathalia, and Rachel (Madison wasn't there, though, she's already left on vacation for Spring Break) got together to work on our video. We procrastinated it until now, so we are working fast to get it done since everybody is going somewhere besides American Fork for Spring Break. Maddie and Madison (sorry, it's getting a little confusing...) got together on Tuesday and wrote 42 seconds to the song Crank That. You know, that song by Soulja Boy? The cool little dance will most definitely be accepted into the movie.   

                                        

                                                           The lyrics are as follows:

(Beginning, to be said in a sing-song-rappy voice) 

Ohh what's the angle measure

I got new triangle theorems for y'all

uhhhhhh!!!

Supplementry's 180, complementry's 90

angle addition postulate? The others are key.

(chorus)

youuuuu

Find that measurement

youuuuu

Find that measurement

youuuu

Find that measurement

youuu

Find that measurement

Every triangle is 180 so is every line, you see

To find the 3rd angle, subtract them from 180

(chorus)

If you have a triangle, you can follow these two rules:

Find the measures of A and C,

Then subtract it from 180

(Skip a whole bunch of the song.......)

Nope, you can't do it like me

Doe, so don't do it like me

Folk, I see you tryna do it like me

Man, that angle was easy!

(chorus)

And we end. :)

 It's kind of lame, I know, but it's for math and math is a pretty lame subject. Not to mention, we all worked very hard on it. I guess the best part to the whole thing is that four white girls are trying to be black, but instead we just end up sounding (and looking) ridiculous. Except for Maddie. She's pretty good at rapping. Actually, I shouldn't say that. We are all very amazing rappers and so we will make the lame song awesome!

Any-who, you all should be happy today; it's Thursday!! I know I've had a pretty fabulous day.

A Little Laugh

In my teen living class today we talked about communication, and we watched this video at the very end. Penelope cracks me up. I've probably been quoting this all day long. Actually, not probably; I have. I just love it way too much! haha!