NYC: Continued

**Blogger is being so lovely to work with; posting 1 picture every 3 hours.  They'll have to come later, and in the meantime, you'll have to believe I was really here.

Only a month late with this one, yay me!

So I left off where we were delirious with aching feet, hoping like crazy that taxi man could figure out where we were going; back to our unheard of hotel. 

We did make it, and we vowed to sleep until we woke up and then see where the day took us. 

I can't tell you how amazing it was to sleep without worrying about the 2 1/2 foot tall cheese monster.  I haven't slept that good since college.  I attribute part of that to the lack of tiny feet in my spine and the other part to the wine.

We woke up and made the subway trek to Battery Park where we had great ambitions to see Lady Liberty.  Seeing a line of people wrap all the way around the park quickly changed our minds; we decided to can the idea and try to make it out of bed earlier the following day.  I have to tell you, the homeless and their carts full of what I can only assume is trash and other odd collectables, are pitiful.  I felt so sad seeing the benches of parks lined with these people, half of them sleeping, half of them seeking eye contact to ask for money.

We ended up going to a place that had been bookmarked as a maybe: we went to the Museum of Jewish Heritage where feelings of sadness and intrique swirled about for the 2 hours that we looked at devastating pictures and information boards detailing the Holocaust.  This era has always been something I have timidly been fascinated with, but there were several moments where I held back tears looking at excruciating pictures.

We left there and were in search of Chelsea Market.  In typical Lost Girls in NYC fashion, we walked down the wrong street about 12 times before getting there, but we made it.  We had a hard time deciding on a place for a light late lunch. We grabbed brownies from Fat Witch Bakery and then settled on The Cleaver Co. where we shared a platter of cheese and fresh bread, figs swimming in a port sauce, and strawberries and honey. 

We were on a mission after our lunch to locate Greenwich Village, only people don't call it that.  They call it Grinitch or just The Village.  Let me tell you just how much we fit right in there, what with our knowledge of the city's layout and all.

We thought we saw a part of the village, just walking, but it seemed to leave a lot to be desired.  We ended up hailing a cab to take us to Purl SoHo where [wait for it!] I didn't buy anything in this huge rainbow of yarn love!

I know, I couldn't believe it either.

So here's where we really demonstrate our vast knowledge.  We had dinner reservations at a place called Ninja.  We knew we were in the general vicinity but we were both tired and hot, and just ready to be there.  Leanne hailed a cab and we hopped it, told him where we were going and he kicked us out!  No, actually he said, "Um, that's the other way and it's only about 3 blocks."  So we got back out (I have to be honest - I never saw this happen to anyone else in the city).  And we started walking.  Believe me when I say that cab driver LIED.  It wasn't about 3 blocks; maybe 6.  And it wasn't in the direction he pointed either.

Ninja was hidden much like the subway stations; we turned in circles looking all over for the place.

I was hoping to sit for awhile since we were early, but stealth hostess lady got on her walkie talkie and mumbled code language and then sent us on our way down the elevator where we were shouted at upon arrival.  Thankfully I didn't have to lead through the dark hallway following the elevator because um, haunted houses?  So not my thing.  Again, scared by some woman dressed in ninja attire before being lead to our cage table.

I cannot put into words this dining experience other than to tell you it was unlike any other in my life.  There are ninja servers everywhere, tossing swords at your throat, lighting fire by your glued-down-and-therefore-extremely-flammable hair.  I am a jumpy person and so is Leanne.  You can imagine the fun they had with us, producing squeals and loud laughter. 

The food was as delicious as the restaurant was fun.

We ended our day with...you guessed it, more walking around in my shoes that were perfect for walking long distances.  We walked around Times Square, visited the three story Toys R Us, M&M World, and the Hershey's store before calling it a night.

Another day of being lost in the hustle and bustle of the big city.  That or sticking out like a sore thumb.  I'll let you decide.