NYC 2012 Day #3

I am bound and determined to finish this trip before school starts back up...let's see what I remember and if you were there, make corrections as necessary:
Thursday was our super early day which everyone complains about- until they see the security lines to go out to The Statue of Liberty in the afternoon.  So, off we hopped on the 1 subway downtown to hopefully catch the first ferry out to Ellis Island (everything on Liberty Island was pretty much closed).  We were successful beating the rush and made it out to Ellis Island before hoards of school children from all over New Jersey and New York descended upon it.
Jackie and I (and a few of the kids) did the audiotour- some kids visited the gift shop and some just slept on the lawn.  To each his own. (And new for the 2014 trip, no Ellis Island.  We are doing the Lower East Side Tenement Museum instead).
After that, we marched up Broadway to look at the Wall Street Bull (now under police protection- and new for this year, no touching his testicles for good financial luck), Wall Street, the statue of George Washington, etc.
Then, it was off on the subway to Chinatown where we sent the group on their merry way for fake purses and watches.
A few select grownups however (Jackie, me, Kelly DeHaan, Brent and Amanda Cox and Vicki Olsen) were off on a culinary walking tour of Manhattan.
First stop, dim sum at Dim Sum Go Go.  Our awesome waiter gave us our order forms and I had the regular dim sum platter and Jackie had the vegetarian one.  Mine was awesome.  12 different works of art.  I don't know half of what I ate, but it was good.

Kelly then found a tiny upstairs cupcake shop and treated us to cupcake goodness (although we were all mocking him for taking us down strange alleys looking for a cupcake).  Then it was off to the Village for some S'Mac (at Vicki's request).  We ordered one huge sampler platter that had 6 kinds of mac and cheese (all delicious). 

After that, it was off to the upper east side for macaroons at the new fancy French shop Laduree to sample their edible works of art.  The macaroons are boated over from Paris once a week.  Jackie and I bought a sampler and Amanda and I came up with a taste test idea for Jackie.  While Kelly, Brent and Vicki went their separate ways, Jackie, Amanda and myself went to a cool kids store in Rockefeller...and bought nothing.  But then it was off to La Maison du Chocolate where Amanda bought a macaroon the same flavor as a Laduree one (salted caramel in case you were wondering). 
At this point, my feet were weeping from all of the walking and when we made it back to the hotel, we made them open the dining area so Jackie could do a blind taste test on the macaroons so see which one was superior:  the results:  Laduree for taste (that filling was yummy) and La Maison for texture (which Jackie is very particular about).
It was then time for naps- but I woke up hungry so I took my mother-in-law out to eat at a great burger place on 9th.
That night it was Sister Act at the Broadway theatre.  I had seen it the year before and had a great time- but then I was worried that the group wouldn't like it--but, even with Raven Symone (who was good- but not as good as Patina Miller), it was a hit.  Really funny book, great singing (especially Mother Superior and the novice) and a huge disco Virgin Mary statue.

After Sister Act it was time for Momofuku Milk Bar.  I had heard about this place in magazines for a while and was determined to find it.  After walking by it twice, we went in and ordered the signature Crack Pie, a crazy milkshake for me (can't remember the flavor) and a cookie for Jackie. 

Crack pie at Momofuku Milk Bar.  Buttery, buttery goodness.  A great breakfast for the next morning too.

This was the day of 5000 calories- but in our defense, we walked... a lot.  However, I do think it was this day that turned Jackie off food for the rest of the trip.