A Luxurious Stay, Meant to be Remembered

I was just going through some old notebooks and I found some notes on my stay at the Michelangelo in Manhattan. Apparently, I never shared it with you, but I told you I was there when I posted about my 30th birthday. My parents bought me and TK an overnight stay at the Michelangelo, a gift certificate for Victor's Cuban Cafe and two tickets to see In the Heights on Broadway in 2010 for my 30th birthday. We were also heading out on a cruise to celebrate our 2nd wedding anniversary immediately after we checked out.

The Michelangelo is on West 51st Street and 7th Avenue, right down the block from Victor's and a few blocks from the Manhattan Cruise Terminal. It was conveniently located for all of our plans.

Upon walking in, the lobby is very plush and everything is marble. The furniture and tapestries are all in jewel tones of deep orange and red with gold and tan. Very opulent! When we got back from the show, we had a drink in the bar area of the lobby and lounged on the fancy furniture.

In the room, the bed was very comfortable and the bathroom was lovely. There was a leather bench and a magnifying mirror at the vanity. The toiletries were made of citrus and Italian olive oil to create a bright and refreshing scent. And, there were terry cloth robes for our use, which I LOVE.

We had a very simple turn down service and the bell hop, Henry, was so nice and very accommodating. I don't know if he still works there three years later, but if he does, ask for him.

While staying at the Michelangelo, we felt very pampered and special, but I am sure that my parents paid good money for that. If I could afford it or if I found a really great deal, I would definitely stay there again.

You may be saying, "Why tell us three years later?" But, I figure it's like when someone asks, "Have you stayed at the Michelangelo?" And, I answer, "Yea, three years ago," they would still ask what it was like, so there it is. 

30 B4 30 Day 21: Go to the Top of the Empire State Building

I live in the shadow of the busiest city in the world and I feel like I haven't taken true advantage of it. Even though I have not seen all there is to see, I have been to the Met, the MOMA, the crown of the Statue of Liberty, Tavern on the Green, on a horse and carriage ride, to F.A.O. Schwartz, the Museum of Natural History and Patsy's. In New York City, there are countless things to do and they are all in walking distance. Pedestrians have access to some of the most interesting and magnificent places in the world. I don't think anyone has enough time in their life to do everything available to them in NYC, but it doesn't hurt to try. So, today I added another NYC landmark to my list by Going to the Top of the Empire State Building.

Mary Kate and I went into the Empire State Building and took every elevator and escalator to get to the 86th floor. We decided to get the $20 tickets for the 86th floor and not the 102nd floor. We felt like there was no need to go to the smaller crowded space while at the top of the city. Claustrophobia at 102 stories is not an interest of mine. When we got out to the observation deck, I realized that it didn't look anything like it did in Sleepless in Seattle because the surrounding deck was more narrow than I thought. However, I did hear the song, "Make Someone Happy," by Jimmy Durante in my head while we were up there.

The view was spectacular even with the summer haze that sits on the city when the temperature exceeds 90 degrees. The Building is surrounded on all four sides by the island of Manhattan and the significant buildings that make the city the spectacle that it is. I saw the Chrysler Building, the Met Life buildings, the Statue of Liberty and the Flatiron Building. They looked miniature from up there, but still just as majestic as they are from the street level.

I can't believe that, in almost 30 years of my life, I never made it up to the top of the ESB. (That's what they call it online.) It is an icon and since the skyline was catastrophically altered forever with the collapse of the World Trade Center, the Empire State Building is the symbol of the city. There has recently been talk of building a similar skyscraper adjacent to the ESB, but I feel that it won't be as aesthetically pleasing and it will take away from the significance of the ESB. The ESB is a unique structure and I feel that it should stand alone. The Building stands as a sign that you are approaching the Big Apple and welcomes you into one of the best cities in the world.