Big 🍎 Apple-Part 3

Saturday morning brought us warmer temps in New York so we jumped in a yellow taxi and headed to lower Manhattan. Our first stop was the National September 11 Memorial and Tribute Museum. We all remember where we were on the tragic morning of September 11, 2001 when a group of terrorist hijackers crashed into the Twin Towers. The attacks killed almost 3000 people and the world was never the same.

Years later, the One World Trade Center (1WTC) or Freedom Tower has been rebuilt and is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. There are also two square reflecting pools in the center which mark where the Twin Towers stood. The name of each victim is edged into the bronze panels. On the birthday of each victim, a rose is placed by their name. This is a powerful reminder of all the lives lost on that fateful day.


We visited the 9/11 Tribute Museum which hosts personal stories of family members who lost loved ones, survivors, rescue and recovery workers, as well as volunteers. As a 9-1-1 dispatcher, I can't fathom the influx of calls that day, the hysteria of people not knowing if their loved ones were safe, and the horror faced by the first responders on scene. The hardest part of the museum for me was the Remembrance Room where there are more than 2000 personal photos of the people that were lost in the horrific attack.


We were able to visit the Fire Hall, which housed the very first responders on scene that day. They sadly lost six of their own. There's a dedication that runs alongside their House and there's a list of the names of those they lost.





My sister Bobbie and I took in a Broadway show later that day, titled Come From Away at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre. This particular musical was fitting as it takes place in the week following the September 11 attacks. Set in the small town of Gander, Newfoundland in Canada, it tells the true story of what transpired when 38 planes were ordered to land in Gander, as part of Operation Yellow Ribbon.

The small town with a population of 7000 people, sprang into action to prepare for all the passengers and crew of 38 planes. They needed to house, feed, clothe and comfort thousands of people in a very short amount of time.

The play was both humorous and touching and filled with Canadian nuances that Bobbie and I found amusing. The cast of 12 represented nearly 16,000 people. The minimalist set had just a couple of tables and 12 chairs. The 100 minute play sends a message about the kindness of strangers and shows that there is human kindness in even the very darkest of times. Love and humanity triumphed over hate in this story.

Jennie and I posing

After the play, we met up with Jennie and Gerry at the Hard Rock for a couple of drinks. I got a souvenir glass and some drumsticks for my nephew Drew.  We stopped off at a couple more places before heading back to the hotel to change for dinner. The rain started so we donned our raincoats and dodged the many umbrellas in Times Square.







It was Jennie's turn to pay for our Mom's celebration dinner and she chose Carmine's. This family-style Italian restaurant with an old time atmosphere had great reviews and the pictures of the food on-line looked amazing. The menu is listed on the wall (which was behind Jennie's head) and we decided on Caesar salad, meatballs, bolognese pasta and veal parmigiana. We couldn't finish all the delicious food so we packed it up and Gerry reheated it for breakfast the next morning!

The red banquette was a nice touch

We had absolutely no room for dessert. Our Mom would  have been disappointed as that was her favourite part of a meal. This dinner was a wonderful way to finish off a busy day in New York and honour our Mom. Both great food and atmosphere, Carmine's is definitely worth a visit.




Stay tuned for the fourth and final instalment coming shortly....

~MT