I spent Thursday in the city

This trip didn't include many pictures. We started off the day at the 9/11 memorial, moved on to the Jekyll and Hyde Club in Greenwich Village for dinner, went to Strawberry Fields in Central Park and then walked around Times Square before ending up at Ellen's Stardust Diner for ice cream. After that, I went back to my hotel room and watched Project Runway. It was an early night and I was fine with that.

9/11 Memorial

I really tried to be as detached as possible while at the 9/11 memorial. Not out of disrespect, but because I never want to relive that day. I remember everything that happened (I even posted about it here last year) and it is painful. The events of that day were something that I really struggled to deal with for a long time. It was one of my worst nightmares come true (our country being attacked), I did not know what was going to happen next. I had just spent several days at the Marriott at the World Trade Center one month prior to the attack, everyone working there...I cannot even think about what happened to some of them. I could not watch the news. I did not watch the towers fall. Even now, if I see video or pictures of it, I turn my head away.

Being at the memorial felt surreal. I was there and I knew why I was there, but it did not seem real. And if I had allowed my mind to wander, I knew I would break down.

I have been to both Jekyll and Hyde Clubs (it has been at least ten years since I have been back though) and I preferred the one in Greenwich Village. There are animatronics on the wall that "come to life" at different intervals.

This gargoyle will take you on a plane ride to Hell.

These skeletons were hanging upside down from the ceiling.

My experience this time was pretty miserable. There is a man who works there and will come over and "talk"  (more like grunt) to you after you are seated. This did not happen the first time I went there. At first, I accepted it as part of what happens when you eat there, but the more I think about it, the more disgusted I am.

I played along because this is part of what they do there and I felt that it would have been worse if I didn’t, but…

I feel like this is one of those things that crosses a line. You know how if you go to a haunted house, the people working there can get as close to you as they want and harass you for as long as they want, but they are NOT allowed to touch you? There are boundaries. And Jekyll and Hyde should learn what they are because it was not just that this guy was touching me (and everyone else that I was with), he was literally ALL OVER us. He had his arms wrapped around me. Wrapped around my head, wrapped around my shoulders, he was hanging all over me. And not for one second. He lingered there for at least thirty seconds each time he did it.

And now, I will never go back there again. I love it there, it is really fun, but. It is not worth it. I thought once our food was served, he would go away. But even while we were eating, he was still all over us. It stopped being entertaining and got really annoying/uncomfortable. I do not know this man. I have no idea what he is thinking. He could be nice, but maybe he is not. I am uncomfortable when people I know touch me like that, so having a complete stranger do it made me cringe.

Strawberry Fields, Central Park

It was already dark by the time we got to Central Park, but I really wanted to walk through it because I have only been there once and I wanted to see the John Lennon memorial. It was really nice and there were a lot of people jogging, biking and walking in every area. It felt completely safe. However, after I went back to my hotel room and turned on the news when Project Runway was over, I found out that a woman was just attacked there recently. Had I known that prior, I probably would have been a bit apprehensive about going at night.

Inglot billboard

The city is ready for Halloween! I was so excited.

A new view of Ellen's.

It was not the worst day I have ever spent in the city, but it was very somber to start off with and Jekyll and Hyde pushed me over the edge. Hopefully next time will be better.