NYC girls trip.

Laura had a buy one get one free airline ticket that was driving her crazy.

Laura wanted to visit some different school models for her state school board job to get some insight.

Melinda's life was driving her crazy. Melinda seemed to be going from one crisis to the next for years now. 

Melinda suggested NYC as a joke. 

Laura said why not? And made NYC school appointments.

Melinda smiled

Wayne was sad to see Melinda go but knew she needed a break

Melinda gets to see 5. shows

Laura gets to visit schools

Airline ticket gets used

Win win win.  

And that's how come I'm in NYC with one of my besties seeing shows, not eating great food because that's not Laura's thing, but sleeping in and did I mention seeing 5 shows because that's my  thing!   

First show Kinky Boots. We loved it. The message is be yourself and accept others who are being themselves. The drag queens in the show were gorgeous and astonishing.  

Day 2 and second show:  Something Rotten. It's all about the fake beginnings of musicals during Shakespeare's time and Shakespeare is a rock star. It's just funny and  so CLEVER!  We moved out of the nose bleed balcony at intermission and say just a few rows back. It was delightful

Evening show #3 was School of Rock. We are counting it as one of our school visits- hee hee.  It was soooo good. I liked the movie but I loved the play. The rock music was really played by the kids on the stage and the lead Jack Black part was so full of energy. Couldn't get over it 

We keep putting our name into the Hamilton lottery and haven't won yet. But I figure I can see five shows for the price of one Hamilton ticket. 

But we did see Ham 4 Ham and Lin-Manuel Miranda and the mayor of NYC

Thursday we went to the 9/11 museum. It was so touching and totally sad and head achey but I'm so glad I went.  This is a pic of the last column taken away from the devastated site. 

Show #4 The Color Purple.  The people in it were amazing and the voices were through the roof.  It was heart wrenching and inspiring. Totally deconstructed so it wasn't about sets or costumes just story and feeling. Jennifer Hudson was in it, she was great But the lead Celie was out of this world!

The COLOR PURPLE.  Last lines in the show just resonated with me how when we rely on God and let our burdens be lifted we feel it. 

I DON'T THINK US FEEL OLD AT ALL. 
I THINK THIS IS THE YOUNGEST US EVER FELT. 

We visited an urban high school and spoke to administrators, teachers and students. It was so interesting. We sat in an on current events class. They had a state legislature there that they were interviewing. He is a democrat and representing that view point. When they found out that Laura and I are conservative and republican the attention was focused on us. If we had been Donald  Trump supporters we would have had tomatoes thrown at us. As it was we felt like unicorns. They had never seen or talked to a republican before. Crazy really.  

We spent time at the New York Temple then ate lunch at Tavern on the green in honor of my sis Marcie who loved to eat there. . This was our first expensive meal and it was delicious!  Infact the food on this trip has been really cheap. 

Show #5 Beautiful the musical the Carol King story.  Once again we saw a winner. Every song familiar and now I know what inspired them. I cried like a baby during "You Got a friend" sitting with my friend Laura. It's been a tough week but I always know she's got a shoulder for me to cry on and really good perspective on life. So happy to have had this time with my busy friend  and thankful to have Wayne at home dealing with "stuff."