Day 2- Pretty much the whole next day was at the Strathmore where we performed a matinee as well as an evening performance. The Strathmore was a beautiful music house that was located in a very prominent part of town, very classy! All of the DC North missionaries were there. After another dinner of Salmon and Flank Steak, we walked around the gardens, which inlcluded a mansion, where our guest reception was being set up. We enjoyed two wonderful concerts that day, with one of our guest conductors being, the Secretary of National Homeland Security.
Day 3- About 1/3 of us loaded some buses to go to Mt. Vernon. The rest went to the Mall. We had a delightful day learning all about Washington, his love for Martha, his many sets of fake teeth, and his amazing hard work ethic. No wonder he didn't want to leave. The Potomac was as beautiful as ever as well as the lush forest trail we walked through. From there, we drove to NYC, with many getting out of their seats to take pictures as soon as we saw the NYC skyline, which is beautiful in and of its own way. It was fun to feel the energy of so many excited people!! The Mo-Tab missionary committee made videos for us to watch that included some information from our leaders about our new sites as well as some
humorous clips about choir in general, health tips from nurses in the choir, dances by people in the choir, and much, much more. Each bus ride included time to sleep, eat, sight see, play sudoku, and get to know choir and orchestra members that we see and never really have time to talk to. It was so fun to get to know these wonderful people!! I was in social heaven:). We arrived in NY pretty late! There was traffic as well as difficulty in maneuvering big buses through the city. My friend from Jenny Phillips choir who lives in DC happened to be in NY that evening and wanted to meet up with us for dinner at Jr's which was right across from our hotel!! It was a fun time! Had the best cheesecake I have ever had that evening.
Day 4-
Another packed day! 3 of us walked down to Central Park in the morning and purchased lunch and breakfast on the way back. Finding a grocery store of any kind is a task in Manhatten! We hopped on the bus for a 2 1/2 hour bus ride to Bethel. The venue is called Bethel Woods and is the same venue that Woodstock performed at. Most of us were not prepared for the weather, being told that NY is usually extrememly hot and humid at this time of year, but is was raining pretty hard when we got there and Bethel Woods is an outdoor venue. Nonetheless, it was a spectacular day, with the rain only getting worse as we went along. Due to unknown traffic conditions, we arrived pretty early with about 2 hours to sit around and wait for sound check. Luckily a friend of mine packed a ladies scarf and gave that to me to put around my shoulders. After sound check, we had a delicious dinner at Bethel Woods. The concert was very memorable being a cold day. We could see our breathe as we sang and the orcehstra's hair was blowing in the wind. As soon as Lloyd Newell came up to greet the people, a gust of rain got him in the face. He was very warm and friendly to this amazing audience that braved the cold and came anyway. Our President said that if no one showed up, that he and his wife would be there to cheer us on. We were so happy that so many people turned out. It was a fantastic and very memorable experience despite the rain. Being a load and go system on the buses, as soon as we change back into our clothes, we load the buses. We end up sitting by new people we have not met. This time I sat by a very friendly young lady who looked to be just a touch older than me. Come to find out, she is the producer of KSL!! She was sent in place of Carol Mikita to cover the story. I asked her a ton of questions and we had a good chat. From there, she would ask me if I could hook her up with groups of people for different stories of tour she wanted covered. She pulled me over to interview a couple times. We'll see if anything shows up on the in between conference special:).
Day 5- Sacrament was held in the ballroom after a lovely lunch. It is lovely to hear the choir and orchestra sing the hymns out of the hymn book... it never sounds that good in a normal sacrament meeting. They pack the sacrament materials in a wooden box with wheels, wheel it in the large room and have a sacrament meeting. Elder and Sister Wilson of the 70 were there and spoke to us. Sister Wilson talked about honoring our seasons and getting the most out of our peaks and valleys in life. Elder Wilson talked about us as a choir working on becoming one, to lay aside our weight and "run with Jesus" and as we sing it is as if 400 witnesses are bearing testimony at once, what we do now will continue to be needed throughout the eternities, and finally, our music becomes a prayer unto the Lord and through Him, we are able to convey belief beyond our physical capabilities. After sacrament meeting a group of my friends went up to the highline trail. They converted their old train tracks above ground into a beautiful trail with lush vegetation. We saw exotic plants like the echinacea plant as well as the noni tree. It was funny to see the lookouts like they would have in a zoo and it would be over a street for people to stare at the happenings on the street. It was actually a really beautiful trail and hopefully a place of resbit for the people of NY. After that a friend and I went to the 9/11 memorial and had some moments of silence and remembrance. I saw the only name of a 9/11 victim that I was aware of whose wife came and spoke to us at the visitor's center on my mission.
Day 6- My roommate and I found a favorite go-to when we have per diem money and need to eat on the bus... Starbucks! And it is right in our hotel. We love the salads and the oatmeal... for future reference to anyone who travels a lot. Every time I sat on the bus, I sat by the people I needed to talk to. The head teacher in the district for immersion teaching was sitting just across from me so I was able to ask her many questions about how to teach children another language. Saratoga Springs was beautiful. It was another outdoor venue and this time, it was a beautiful day!! It's always fun to explore before a sound check. There were many old people here at this performance. There was a lot of town pride in this city as well. They were one of the first venues to greet the audience and have them cheer for the venue and the town. It was cute! Saratoga Springs is the place where they bottle spring water. This is the first time we really had to wait in any lines for dinner. It was like a 40 minute wait, but definately worth it... egg plant parmigana! After the performance, many of the Senior audience was there to greet us. I ended up talking to an old man who loved the choir and the performance. He was not LDS, but listens in much of the time. I gave him a CD. Like I say, every time I sat on the bus, I sat by the right person. There have been many people that I have admired from afar and have not had the opportunity to get to know. This time the bus captain had to shush us because many were trying to sleep. We had many late night arrivals into the morning after performances.
Day 7- This was a complete sight-seeing day! So my roommate, Gail's husband has a rich uncle who lives in NY and has pretty much his whole life. He picked us up in the morning and took us on a tour of the city, including the history of NY. His wife also came along. The both work for insurance companies so they had to take a couple of calls while we were out and about, but I was so impressed that they would take the day off to spend time with us! He talked all about the pier- the fish district, the taverns the early politicians met in. We could see the Statue of Liberty, Battery Park, the Freedom Tower all from the car tour. Lunch and dinner were on him. He was really sweet. We went to a Jewish deli called Kat's which had been there since before WWII where they were famous for their salomi and sending a salomi to a soldier. The meat was piled higher than I've ever seen on a sandwich and was very good. The place looked straight out of the 60's and even had sawdust on the floor in the bathroom. I liked everything except for the pickled green tomatoes. We then went to see the temple. We went up to the floor with the church. The church looked like any other, except for the elevator to get up there. It actually seemed bigger inside... wide halls. We went to the newly renovated St. Patrick's Cathedral. It was fun to see choir members at random places throughout the city. John (the uncle) explained what the city was like after 9/11 and told of the renovating and healing that has gone on since. Before we went to see Wicked, we went to an Italian Ristorante where they failed to tell me they had dipped the lady finger in rose alcohol. It was pretty zippy to say the least. Wicked was phenominal and we think that Elphaba was better than the original Indina Menzel!!
Day 8- Carnegie Hall Day!! We had free time in the morning and took advantage of that and went shopping!! M & M factory was our favorite! It was fun to hang out with different groups of friends along the tour getting to know them better. I failed to mention earlier that it was fun to go with groups of ladies to Central Park in the morning and run. It was also fun in the gym to look out over times square. We learned quickly where to get fruit for breakfast and filtered water each morning to save us $3 on a water bottle for the day- the gym!! Later that day, we walked to Carnegie Hall with all of the choir and orchestra. If you think that is a spectacle, later that day, we walked in our dresses and suits!! It was quite a hoot:). Our wardrobe boxes were taken to the hotel where we changed in the ballroom. We got lots of looks and comments along the way, but mostly positive. When people found out who we were, they were sad they hadn't heard and wished they would have had tickets to dome! Many followed us and took pictures as we were in line. The concert was extra beautiful. My favorite moment of the concert was singing Mac Wilberg's arrangement of Requiem- ETERNAL rest grant unto him/her (them), O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him/her (them). May he/she (they) rest in peace. Amen. Mac had been commissioned by a group that sung in Carnegie hall to arrange Requiem for them in Carnegie Hall many years earlier and this is the first time Mac got to perform his arrangement with the choir in Carnegie Hall. I got teary as I thought about our message we were bringing these people that are in such a hustle and bustle of life, that there is Eternal peace and rest granted to them through the Atonement of Christ. It may be busy and loud outside, but at that moment, it was quiet and the spirit permeated the room. It was a neat feeling. The whole first half of our program is about the Journey of Christ from his birth sung in Von Himmel Hoch (German Mendelson song) to Hymn of Praise at the end, praising Christ for His Eternal gifts to us. On the way back from the concert, I was summoned by Candace, my friend, the KSL producer to say what I thought about the whole night which was included in this last nights news clip. We all just had a really good time and the spirit was felt by all!!
Day 9- We took a free ferry to Staten Island:). We had a great view of the statue of liberty as well as a perfect view of the Jersey shore. It was fun to see the in's and out's of how NY functions. My favorite picture is of the statue of liberty in the distance with a garbage tow boat carrying garbage to Staten Island or Jersey. Manhatten has no land fill or any room for one. It also makes me grateful that I live in a country that exposes of it's garbage well and has clean water. We are incredibly blessed! That evening, we had another Carnegie performance that ended up being even more magical than the first night. Again, just the feeling that we were bringing the message of peace through Christ's Atonement to these people was amazing. The spirit was felt. It was a very memorable porformance! Our friends of the choir were present including Abby Cadaby, The Honker, Rosita- all from Sesame Street, the girl at the beginning of Meet the Mormons, Santino Fontana, Brian Stokes Mitchell, and Laura Osness. The Sesame Street characters were waving during intermission... it was cute. Bob from Sesame Street was there too!!:)
Day 10- In the a.m., a group of 10 of us ladies went on a bike ride over the Brooklin Bridge. We had a Groupon so we paid next to nothing, which is always fun:). We had a great time and only got lost 3 times. We had fun riding down Brooklin streets and seeing Brooklin sights. On the way back, I met up with a friend at the 9/11 memorial. We learned quickly that you need to purchase your ticket ahead of time if you do not want to wait 2 hours. We ended up going to the Flower District instead and had a nice sit-down lunch which is always good after a go, go morning. NY has districts where there are streets and streets full of shops with the same items, such as the Garment district which sells fabric. We loved seeing all the floral shops and enjoyed the nice sunny weather. We had a great time and got back just in time to change into our choir dresses, load the buses and head to the Yankee Stadium. We were thrilled to be there! We got there in plenty of time. We were funneled into their tunnels to a dressing room where we placed our stuff. We waited outside for a couple of hours until it was our time to go on. With so many of us and unknown traffic conditions, extra time is always allotted which means waiting a lot of the time, which isn't really a problem for me with 300+ people to talk to. When it was time to go on, the ladies in my row all grabbed hands because we were so excited and nervous. It was cute. We got into our places and sang The Star Spangled Banner and Yankee Doodle Dandy. It was quite an experience to walk out into that stadium. We then went back into the tunnel and were allowed to change into our casual shirts as well as pants!! Up to this point, we hadn't been allowed to wear pants, so we were thrilled for the opportunity. We all got to sit together in a pretty prime spot. We all got our foot-long hot dogs as well as stood and danced to every song. It was really one of the funnest evenings of my life! The picture with the fellow is a sneaky selfie I got with Elder Rasband:) I also met up with Molly and Dave there which was a treat:). In the video of YMCA, I am on far right 4 rows up. In the stadium big screen, I am second row, 2nd up from left.
Day 11- We were told to load the buses and that it would be an all day event returning at mid-night, but that is all they told us about the 4th of July. While in the bus, they played a video announcing that we would be singing at West Point Army Training Academy in NY!! As soon as we got there, we were given orders by the head sargeant. He was telling us to leave our bags on the bus although our Mo-Tab leaders told us otherwise... he was making fun of us for wanting to clear off a bench which was wet from the rain and explained that he had been in conditions with water up to his neck and that a little rain wouldn't hurt us. He told us to buck up like the pioneers and follow Brother Brigham's orders. He was humorous, but really wanted to conform us into cadets. We were broken up into groups of about 75 and taken on a walking tour of campus which we stopped at different statues and landmarks. We learned about Gen. MacArthur, the honor slogan, and life in general living in the Army. Most of the people at each landmark were LDS and were professors, musicians, and wives of those as well. We got to each lunch in the large cafeteria where the cadets eat which looked exactly like Hogwarts!! It all looked pretty castle-like. They served us their best meals... really getting a flavor for what military meals are like:) The West Point historian gave us West Point history while we were eating. We were escorted to a building where we could rest after lunch until the performance, but I opted to walk around campus which was so fascinating!! We then rehearsed on the most beautiful plot of land I have ever seen with the Hudson in the background. We brought our orchestra, but their brass section played with us. Dinner was pretty yummy. The concert is one I will never forget! We were given a couple of new pieces to learn in the bus earlier that day. We loved watching the cadets march in, coming over a hill. They seemed never-ending and seeing all the young men, reminded us of stripling warriors:). The program was excellent starting out with a cadet that represented each state, raise and lower their flag at the signal of a cannon. The HellKats (their marching band) could flip their trumpets in the air and catch them again. We sang some songs as well as their orchestra provided some songs. The Army rock band came up and asked the cadets to get out of their seats and dance (which was a new thing for them, being that they had been in really strict training the week before). Then time for the fireworks, the fireworks were let off right over the river just behind us. It was quite a sight to see:). Probably the best fireworks I have ever seen, and truly the best 4th of July experience I have ever had!! I love America:):):)
Day 12- We pretty much slept in till 10 because we got home so late! I went to lunch thinking it should be breakfast time. Elder Rasband and his wife spoke to us. He mentioned that Pres. Monson had asked him to focus on the Sabbath Day. He talked about that a little and then talked about our country in jeopardy of religious freedom. He challenged us to do all we can to proclaim and protect religious freedom. He also challenged us to go into LDS newsroom and read what they have posted about religious liberty to learn what is at risk. He challenged us to stand up and protect that liberty. After the meeting, we sang God Be With You to the workers at the Marriott and headed to Boston!:) As soon as we arrived in Boston, we were treated to an amazing seafood fare. I had never had Lobster before and wow, was it good. I think we had just as fun trying to get to the meat as we did eating it:). I have a friend who lives in Boston that came and picked me up from the hotel to take me to Concord. Emily Snyder, who works out there for Clayton Chrsitensen, the Dean of Harvard Business School, took me to Walden Pond, which is a place I have always wanted to venture to that pond ever since Elder L. Tom Perry talked about it in one of his conference talks as an escape from the world that he and his wife would enjoy as they walked hand in hand and talked about the simple things. It was pretty much nearly dark at that time so we could not see alot, but I was happy to see it nonetheless and stick my feet in it. She then took me to Louisa Alcott's home. It is where she wrote Little Women and is the actual house used in the movie. It was not open of course, being so late, but was amazing to see. She had built her father a clubhouse in the back where philosophers and revolutionists would meet to discuss the state of the country. Emily described it as the place where the idea of revolution was created. It was so fun to see Emily and catch up and I am forever grateful that she picked me up that evening. Below is a picture of the box that the Mo-Tab keeps their sacrament supplies in. It is just a rolling box that can be easily wheeled anywhere they decide to have church.
Day 13- This day was one of my favorites!! I ran with two of my friends to Boston Commons park to see the Make Way for Ducklings ducks as well as to Fenway Park. I then joined a Mo-Tab tour group with our leader (who is in the choir) that lived in Boston for 13 years and attended Harvard. He knew EVERYTHING about Boston and the Freedom Trail. We began in the Boston Commons which is the oldest park in America. We went to a ton of churches where we learn about different revolutionary acts that took place. We also saw Paul Revere's home as well as had Gelato in Little Italy. We only got about half way along the trail and then had to come home back to catch the bus for sound check at the Wang Theater. We could have stayed on that trail and explored every church and museum for days. In the Old Statehouse, our tour guide had us look out the window onto the flat where the revolutionary war truly began with the gun mishap and Crispus Attucks. I have never "gotten more into" the revolutionary movement like I had in Boston. I learned A TON and purchased a book along the way to learn everything in depth that I could about the Revolutionary War. We had a great time and made it back just in the knick of time to catch the bus. The Wang Theater was a memorable venue because it was so classic and old. It was a beautiful theater. I think this was my favorite performance yet, being that it was our last as well as a culmination of all our experiences together on the tour. I really have never gotten teary during patriotic numbers we have sung in the past, but that evening, I got teary during God Bless America and a couple of others, which were requests of the theater. I think that just having learned all the sacrifices that went into the revolution as well as for our country in general, brought a lot of gratitude into my heart for this great nation and all the people who had to sacrifice so much to make it the democracy that it is. There were many dignitaries at the performance that night, at least 2-3 governors as well as other dominant political leaders. I just thought of what a great influence and relationship building opportunity it is for us to interact with those that make and have so much influence over the law, that they can come and see the beautiful performance, know that we certainly are Christians and feel of the spirit that is there. Hopefully our relationship with them will ripple throughout the people over which they have influence. After the whole performance was over, a couple of us went to an all chocolate restaurant. We probably did not get to bed until 1:00. What an absolutely memorable day! The pictures include Fenway Park, Make Way for Ducklings, Paul Revere's home, George Washington, gelato, what a Mo-Tab traveling dressing room looks like, and the chocolate restaurant.
Day 14- We came home. We had a lot of fun, hopefully we did a lot of good, and now I can't wait for Europe!!!!:):):) Thanks for reading my blog.
Wow! Definitely looks like one amazing trip! Thanks for sharing it!
ReplyDelete