Summer Vacation 2013: NYC or Bust!

This summer we actually took a family vacation!

My brother got married on June 28th in Richmond, Virginia and Matt and I decided to get really indulgent and make a week out of the affair!  The next few posts will be pretty picture-heavy, so skip around as you see fit.

Our first stop on the jam-packed June 2013 tour was New York City. It was Matt's first time there, and we saw it all!

We started off our week at Central Park!

Food Truck Lunch!

Once we walked the park we headed past Radio City Music Hall and over to Rockefeller Center where we  headed straight to the top!

Central Park from the Top of the Rock

Statue of Liberty from the Top

It was the best view of the whole city for sure! What an awesome experience! 

At this point in the day, we had about two hours until we needed to meet back with my friend and college roommate Colette.

Matt got the idea to hit up the Manhattan LDS Temple which we had heard lots about - but had no clue where to find!  A quick check in with our travel agent (the iPhone) and a Google search took us to Columbus Circle and the craziest Temple grounds I have ever seen!


It just hangs out the side of a high-rise building!

Directly across the street from Lincoln Center...

...and right next door to the Julliard School for the arts

To say that Matt and I were astounded with this part of the city is an understatement. We love to see the Temple...even in the midst of all the craziness of Manhattan!

We did manage not to get too lost on our way back to Hell's Kitchen and Colette's house where we cleaned up and got ready for a really cool dinner!  Colette is an awesome tour guide and she took us for a walk on the High Line in the Meatpacking District of the city and into Chelsea where we ate amazing crepes and apple donuts at Chelsea Market - oh my!

Chelsea artwork from the High Line

Love this face. Our tour guide was amazing!

This was one of the most hilarious things we have ever seen.  So, in New York obviously very few people drive themselves around. Well, in Chelsea specifically, they built these viewpoints not to watch wildlife/beachy waves/or other beautiful sights.  Nope, in NYC they built viewpoints to watch...traffic?!?  Matt sat and watched some traffic for a bit while Colette and I chatted (and laughed).

Just hangin' out...watchin' traffic

We were still in New York for another day and a half, but I will have to make that another post for another day...this is getting waaaay too long!