Start of Week Two

Today was another late start. We were pretty tired from the last ten days so didn't really get going until about 11 this morning. Because the weather has finally cooled down and it was somewhat overcast, we decided to go shopping. Didn't really get too much. We also walked the entire block of the diamond district on one side of the street and walked back on the other side. It is incredible to see literally milions and millions of dollars of mostly diamonds in the display windows. There have to be at least a hundred jewellery stores in this block.

Afterwards, we walked to Rockefeller Center and walked through some of the buildings and courtyards. Saw Radio City Music Hall, NBC studios AND took the Top of the Rock tour. This is a short film about the history of Rockefeller Center and includes a ride to the observation deck at the top. It is only 88 stories so in comparison to the Empire State Building not as high, however, it gives a fabulous view of Central Park that you just don't get from the ESB. It was breathtaking- you could see the entire island and the view of the ESB was fantastic. Afterwards, we walked through Times Square again, bought a few silly souveniers (including my fridge magnet of course). Believe it or not, we were approched by a young woman with a clipboard who asked us if we wanted free tickets to the Letterman show taping tomorrow afternoon. We only had to answer a trivia question to get the tickets. This just killed me because I had heard how it is almost impossible to get these tickets. You have to be at the right time in the right place in the neighbourhood for a limited number of tickets that they give away each day- you never know where. All the other tickets have to be requested months in advance and you have no guarantee that you will get them. We have tickets to the opera tomorrow night so we had to decline!!!!!!! It starts at 7 and the taping wouldn't end in time for us to get there. You don't walk out on the Letterman show. :(

After this incredible disappointment we went to John's Pizzeria. This place had been recommeded to us a lot as having the best pizza in NYC. It was excellent- thin crust just like we prefer. I believe there are a couple of other locations but we really wanted to go to this one. It is right on 44th Street between 7th and 8th, smack in the heart of the theatre district. The Phantom theatre is across the street, Producers next door and Spamalot about three down. The building was an old church so to get the full effect of the magnificent stained glass windows and and ceiling rotunda you need to go to the inner dining room. Truly beautiful, only in Manhattan do you go for pizza in a church lol.

Walked home once again. Monday is the quietest day here because the museums are all closed and as they say here "the theatres are dark". Heard from Graeme and Ceci, they are home and we are doing more laundry tonight.