I’m supposed to be home right now. Instead, I’m still in New York City.
We spent yesterday morning–what we thought was our last morning in New York–walking down to Battery Park, around the Financial District, over the Brooklyn Bridge. As we walked, we talked about how the city skyline had changed, 9/11, and the hoards of people who walked home to Brooklyn over the bridge that day.
We made our way to the 9/11 memorial, found the forever tree, ran our fingers over the survivors’ names carved in stone. I was holding myself together, until I spied a single white rose tucked into a victim’s carved name. But before I completely lost it, my phone jarred me out of my reverie. It was Delta: your flight’s canceled, you can’t go home.
I was surprisingly shaken by the news. Sure, I wanted to see my kids that night, but that didn’t explain the awful feeling that washed over me. Then Will reminded me: the last time Delta changed my flight, it was on 9/11: your NYC-bound plane can’t land, you’re going back to Europe, you can’t go home.
Once I figured out why it bothered me so, I could relax (thanking the Lord above that this was a mundane delay). We made plans for the kids. We called the hotel we’d just checked out of, and re-booked another night.
I can’t wait to tell you all about the trip, but first I have to get home. In the meantime, here are a few snaps from our trip. (I’ve been instagramming it here.)
Morning in Greenwich Village
The Penguin Bookmobile at Book Expo America
The conference’s target audience
The Strand Bookstore
The New York Public Library
Library selfie
Stumptown Coffee, with more books than beans and card catalog-themed storage
Searching for Kathleen Kelly
Can’t wait to tell you more!
20 comments
Ha! Not only do I have that “I like big books” tote bag (which is fabulous and actually holds a ton of books), but I’m drinking some Stumptown right now… it’s almost like I’m there.
Your photos really take me back to memories of the days when I lived in Brookyn. Thank you for evoking the warm fuzzies.
NY is on my bucket list. One day. How bizarre you received the call as you where standing at the tree and how it was tied to that place. Hope you’ve made it home now, can’t wait to read more.
Life is full of incredible serendipitous moments, isn’t it? Your photos are beautiful and, like you, I most certainly plan to go trekking in the footsteps of Kathleen Kelly when I will finally make it to NYC, someday. Wishing you a safe journey back home to your children!
Oh I would love to go that coffee shop. All the pictures are marvelous!
Every single one of these pictures makes me say “OH I WANT TO BE THERE!!” Thank you for sharing and making my Monday a little brighter.
What a blessing for you and Will to be together as you reflected on that awful day 14 years ago when the attacks on the towers and that cancelled flight kept you apart.
(Great pics of NY too!)
I realised some time after watching ‘You’ve Got Mail’ that one of the reasons I loved it so much was because of the children’s bookshop she ran in the film.
Enjoy NYC! I’ve always wanted to visit the Strand and NYPublic Library! Living vicariously:)
Did you know that the white roses tucked in names on the memorial mean that it’s that person’s birthday that day? When I was there a few weeks ago, I was holding it together until I heard someone explaining that significance, and then I looked around and saw the scattered white roses over both memorials, and I just lost it. It’s such a beautiful tribute.
No! Thanks for filling me in.
Ah, makes me miss NYC. I love the village. I love walking around and seeing everything and I loved living somewhere that I could walk around. I just need to hold on to that as being a good time in my life with good memories, and I can still visit now.
I love the “walking around” part so much. I’ve never lived in NYC, but it’s what I miss most about Chicago.
I hope one day to visit NYC and hope to see some of these same sights. Great pictures!
You’re making me want to go to New York! 😉
Can’t wait to hear more about BEA.
Hope you had a great trip! What lovely pictures. I miss NYC so much even though I still live only an hour away. I lived in Murray Hill for 5 years and moved on to Brooklyn for a few years after that. My bus stop home from work was right outside of the library – your pictures took me right back. I loved the walking and strolling around – I always loved being so close to everything and the energy but then returning to my quiet studio to be alone and read of course!
An extra night in NY isn’t the worst thing 😉
Not at all. 🙂
Hello!! Do you recall where the Stumptown Coffee location you visited was? I’m going to NYC at the end of month and I’d like to add that spot to my list!
It’s the one by Washington Square Park.