This year, we did something totally different for Thanksgiving: we were in NYC for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade! The back story is a bit involved, but there are a few great news articles that explain the big picture (BGSU and BG Independent).
Our connection to the event is the BGSU marching band director, who is also the director of the Band Directors Marching Band, which was invited to march in the Macy's parade this year. Mark was asked to help out with the drums: getting the specialty heads installed and tuning all the drums (in the weeks leading up to the event), then driving one of the equipment trucks from BG to NYC (there was another driver for a second truck). I was able to go along, and we spent the week in the city, Mark attending rehearsals and providing other support to the group, and me exploring all around Manhattan while he was working. We also got to do a few touristy things together, some of which were part of the tour package for the whole marching band (and their guests).
It was quite an experience: I've certainly never traveled in connection with a group this large, and it was also the first time one of us has joined the other on a work trip. It's a Thanksgiving to remember!
If you're interested in more details and pics, read on.
Mark did a great job driving the huge truck, and it was actually a really pretty drive (though it feels like it takes forever to drive lengthwise through Pennsylvania!). The very last bit, entering the city and parking at the hotel, was stressful, but even then, Mark was awesome. I didn't volunteer to help with the driving, though I tried to be a pleasant and supportive passenger. ;-) Once Mark parked the truck to unload, that part of his job was done (thankfully--he did not enjoy it!) because the two guys who came out in the other truck handled the rest of the truck driving. At the end of the trip, we made our way to La Guardia on public transportation and flew to Detroit, where some friends picked us up. The hotel was just a few blocks from Times Square, so we were right in the middle of everything!
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Mark walking to our U-Haul,
parked between two semis as a rest stop |
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| some of the beautiful scenery (through a dirty window!) |
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| about to enter the Lincoln Tunnel and NYC |
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| our hotel |
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| view from our room on the 6th floor |
Here are some other highlights.
Sights around the City
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| New York Public Library |
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| St. Patrick's Cathedral |
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I happened to arrive a few minutes after the Sunday
Mass started, so I stayed in the back for the service! |
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| statue across the street from the church |
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| Christian Dior & Saks outdoor display |
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| interesting artwork on the side of a building |
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The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
(just a couple blocks from our hotel!) |
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signs for MJ the Musical
(which I saw in Cincinnati in September) |
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Times Square
(so many people!) |
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| selfie in Times Square |
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an old statue in Times Square
(which I found very incongruous) |
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Macy's (the parade TV performances happen around
the corner on the other side of the building) |
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| Macy's sign up close |
Everyone in the tour group got tickets, and it was fun to have the experience together with Mark! My mom said we saw this show as a family when I was a kid, but I didn't really remember it. Based on what she remembered, it seems like the show has stayed pretty similar!
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| a huge chandelier inside the lobby |
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the view of the stage from our seats
(the theater holds nearly 6000 people!) |
Banquet
One evening, there was a banquet for the band at the hotel. It was a really nice program, where I learned a lot more about the background of the organization behind this band and the other things they've done. We had a tasty Thanksgiving-themed meal.
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| fresh flowers on the table |
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| the BGSU slide that was in the rotation :-) |
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| selfie with Mark after the banquet |
Top of the Rock Observation Deck
This is a tall building in Rockefeller Center (by NBC studios) with observation decks on something like 67th and 69th floors. It's quite a view from up there!
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view toward central park
(you can see the trees and some water) |
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view in the opposite direction
(I think that's the Empire State Building) |
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| selfie with Mark |
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| panoramic view |
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| angled down toward the lower observation deck |
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| another selfie with Mark (Central Park side) |
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| another view of Central Park |
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| the ice skating rink at Rockefeller Center |
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the building entrance
(more cool artwork on the columns) |
Food
Most of our food was provided as part of the travel package, but we had a few meals out on our own together. There were a few other times that Mark's lunches were included but I had to find something for myself. We had some serious sticker shock when we were buying meals!
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our first night, we went to Junior's
for dinner and cheesecake
(recommended by one of Mark's friends) |
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a bagel place I'd found online before we went
(it was good enough that I went back another day) |
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toasted cinnamon raisin bagel
with generous cream cheese |
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Mark with our fish & chips dinner
(at a diner near the hotel) |
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a group dinner with the band at
Bubba Gump in Times Square |
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| my coconut shrimp |
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| bench inspired by the movie |
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| Thanksgiving dinner at the banquet |
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Applebees, where the group
had vouchers for breakfast |
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decorations at Applebee's, and the sign thanking you
for visiting the "largest Applebee's in the world" |
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back to the bagel place
(blueberry & cream cheese) |
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my favorite food find: The Original Soup Kitchen
(Seinfeld fans: "No soup for you!") |
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| notice the framed photos on the left |
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my meal: apple, bread, lobster bisque, and
York peppermint patty: all delicious!
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pastries with Mark at a bakery in Central Park
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Famous Original Ray's Pizza right next door to the hotel
(we actually ate here a few times: convenient & delicious :-) |
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| enjoying our slices in the hotel room |
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our actual Thanksgiving dinner:
hotdogs & onion rings from a street
vendor (eaten back in our room) |
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and a slice of Junior's cheesecake
(we went with a NY theme!) |
Band & Parade
It was fun for me to have a behind-the-scenes view of some things the band did to get organized and prepared for the parade, though there were parts I didn't see (like the rehearsals). On the day of the parade, Mark left our room around 1:30am, and the band rehearsed at Herald Square for the TV spot at something like 3am. They had breakfast from 4-6am (or so), then queued up for the parade. I think they stepped off around 8:30am, since they were near the beginning, and finished the 2.5 mile route in less than 2 hours. It took the band busses quite a while to drop them off again because so many streets were still closed near the hotel! The band members checked in their instruments and loaded them straight onto the trucks. I picked up pizza for Mark and I for lunch, then he took a nap! It was an extremely long day for the band members, but Mark was surprised by how much he enjoyed the actual parade. He said the energy of the crowd, especially kids who wanted to fist bump or high five as he walked by, was really great.
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| the equipment room at the hotel |
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Mark took this picture at sunrise during rehearsal
(in Weehawken, NJ) |
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my ticket to watch the parade from the stands
(this was a surprise...I felt like a VIP!) |
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| panorama of my view on Central Park South & 7th Ave |
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my spot in the bleachers: I picked a
top corner (Central Park is behind me) |
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| turkey parade float |
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| Peanuts float |
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| The Band Directors Marching Band! |
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| the band leaving my view |
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| Lego float |
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| Disney Cruise Line float |
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selfie with Paw Patrol float
(for my young nephews :-) |
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| Kung Fu Panda float |
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Macy's float: shaped like a Christmas tree,
with a choir spread out on each level |
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| Santa & Mrs. Claus |
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selfie just after the parade ended
with the crowd in the background |
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| post-parade confetti covered streets |
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| Mark, Jon, and others loading the truck |
Well...I think that about covers it! This wasn't an experience I'd ever expected (nor would I have sought it out on my own), but it was a great opportunity, and I'm so glad we were able to join in. As always, we have so much to be thankful for this year.
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