Mission Trip NY and PA as seen by "Vanilla Thickness"
This is me about to document my entire Chapel Choir trip in my live journal...sorry kids!
It all began on Sunday morning when I picked my dear friend, James Brennan, up from his house to drive him to the cape. Poor guy would have had to take a bus otherwise. I spend the day there...basically updating each other on our lives and cleaning the house. It was a fabulous day! I then departed on Monday morning at 6:45 am for Assumption College and the start of my trip. After spending 1:30 hours on 495N, barely able to keep myself awake, I arrived at the Ass Co at 8:30...entirely too early seeing that we were expected to arrive between 9:30 and 9:45. Everyone arrived and we waited around for some time, none of us really know why. Then we took a group photo of all 27 of us choir dorks in front of Maison. Jane -- my choir director -- kicked my camera across the pavement...and my camera is void of any group photo. My camera stopped holding pictures...I almost died. I then proceeded to delete every picture I had on my camera, and it was able to hold up to 92 photos...the amount of pictures it had on it before Jane kicked it...Thank God. Hopefully it is the memory card and not the camera. EEK! Then it was on to the bus for a 6 hour ride to NYC. The ride was quite miserable. It was the beginning of what I thought would be the trip from hell. Oh how wrong I was!
We arrived at Hotel Beacon on the corner of Broadway and 75th and got ready for dinner as a group at Hard Rock Cafe NY. We walked there and back as a group through a side of New York I had never seen. We walked passed Fordham, Juliard, the Metropolitan Opera House (where we stopped for a group photo for Jane who has won the MOH competition), ABA, and Time Square. The next day we sand for two all girl sister high schools, where all the girls proceeded to swoon over the 5 males that were on our little trip. One group of girls actually asked my friend Mike for autographs...it was hilarious. That night we did a bit of shopping and then Liz and I (my fabulous roomie on the trip) went to bed early. Our other fabulous roomie, Kristen, was out for the night. The next day I was up at 4:30 to get ready to go to the TODAY SHOW! Being on the Today show was a strange dream of mine for a long time...SO Diane, Colleen, Karyn, Melissa, and I (five fab freshmen)walked 30 blocks to NBC studios, took a sign that said "Assumption College Chapel Choir <3's Today" and stood in the cold hoping to get on TV. There was a speaker in front of us so we were not interviewed, but they did pass by us on camera. My dad called me to day "You look cute on TV", and we were all a little too excited. We spoke to Al and Matt and got pictures of the fab four. We then walked 30 blocks BACK to the hotel where we napped for a few hours. We then went out shopping adding Kristen and Mike to the group. Mike took a picture in front of a large statue of a naked man at this mall that we found in the middle of NYC. Good times. We then went to central park where we saw a string quartet and took cliche pictures on a bridge. More good times. After that we strolled back to the hotel where Kristen, Mike, and I got dressed for one of the most fabulous experiences of my life...WICKED! First Diane, Colleen, Kristen, Karyn, Melissa, Mike and I (all the awesome freshman minus Liz because she went to see CHICAGO 7th ROW!) went to Planet Hollywood for some good eats, then it was off to the show at Gershwin theatre. Kristen and I stopped at every WICKED sign to take pictures making Mike insanely upset and embarrassed. The three of us were like kids in a candy store...sitting at the edges of our seats and shrieking at every exiting thing we saw. The show was ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE. (note to self: remember Defying Gravity, Popular, and For Good...oh and every other part) I cried like a baby...and then it was time for bed. We took CAB back with a stereotypical CAB driver -- middle eastern, couldn't understand us and vice versa, and a manic driver -- I was afraid for my life.
The next morning we departed for Philadelphia...the beginning of the more boring half of the trip, yet fun nonetheless. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Historic District, so Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell were literally right around the corner. That night we walked to dinner as a group to Bucca de Beppo (?), and although we waited some time for our food, it was incredible. We also had some bad timing on some "arrivals" with three of my buddies which caused me make rounds around the CCHOIR group in search for some assistance. LOVE YOU! That day was also the one and only DIANE COMSTOCK'S birthday. We went to her room to spend some time with her, and she fell asleep at her own gathering! Liz, Colleen, Dan, Mike W, and I watched some pointless sitcom TV and then departed to bed.
The next day Liz and I lounged around the hotel watching more useless TV while getting ready for out 2:30 lobby call for our first concert in Philly. It was our only rainy day on the whole trip, and we spent it indoors singing. It worked out perfectly. We sang for about 100 people in a church in Lansdale, PA. We have never experienced more appreciative folks, and we ever encored our performance. It was an incredible feeling. After sharing stories about passing out and cracked heads -- we had two girls who passed out during two performances due to lack of sleep/dehydration -- we went to the house of an Alumna for the best dessert any of us have ever had. We left for the hotel, and for the hour ride home Michelle (the best junior ever) listened to my life story. LOVE HER!
The next day we were up early for breakfast, got ready, and went out to do some of the historic stuff in Philly. After going to the constitution museum, which none of us had enough money to pay for (the fee was a mere $5), we waited for Mike V before viewing the Liberty Bell. We then went to THE BOURSE a popular dining/office building (very similar to the Arcade in Providence) where Kirsten and I indulged in our first Philly Cheesesteaks. "Wiz, Wit" just like Matty instructed me! BTW...HAPPY BIRTHDAY MATTY! Then it was back to hotel for some rest before most of our group went on a Ghosttour of Philly. It was a really good time, not so scary, but a bit eerie...mostly it was great because we were all together (yes I am a loser). It was back to hotel once more, then one last dinner with the freshman girlies at "Cosi's" (the philly starbucks...sort of) for some really good food. Then we went to South Street. Can you say...BIG MISTAKE? We did not blend in at all...and either Diane and I were called "Vanilla Thickness". DEAR LORD! It was wicked scary, and we all decided that Philly was WAY more sketchy than NYC. WAY MORE! We went back to hotel as quickly as possible where we packed, I did Michelle's hair, and went to bed. The next morning we sang mass at St. Francis de Sales...the worst mass the choir has EVER sang. It was not good, even if everyone said it was. We had breakfast in the rectory of the parish and then departed on the 7 hour trip home from Philly.
It was really hard to say goodbye to the seniors, because we had just gotten close and then were leaving for good. The trip was fabulous, and our choir is now closer than ever. I made some really great new friends...and my outlook on Ass Co is now a bit brighter. As Colleen told me this morning, she is depressed and having CCHOIR withdrawals. We have both listening the CD since we have been home, and we both want to be back on the trip. Alas we cannot, and our next trip will be when we are seniors...which will hopefully be EVEN BETTER. We'll be legal...right kids? ;)
One more thing...HAPPY BIRTHDAY KRISTEN!
Miss you all, Choir Kids...pictures soon to come, but for now I need to remove myself from this computer screen.
Back to Sunshine and reality this week...boooooooo
<3
It all began on Sunday morning when I picked my dear friend, James Brennan, up from his house to drive him to the cape. Poor guy would have had to take a bus otherwise. I spend the day there...basically updating each other on our lives and cleaning the house. It was a fabulous day! I then departed on Monday morning at 6:45 am for Assumption College and the start of my trip. After spending 1:30 hours on 495N, barely able to keep myself awake, I arrived at the Ass Co at 8:30...entirely too early seeing that we were expected to arrive between 9:30 and 9:45. Everyone arrived and we waited around for some time, none of us really know why. Then we took a group photo of all 27 of us choir dorks in front of Maison. Jane -- my choir director -- kicked my camera across the pavement...and my camera is void of any group photo. My camera stopped holding pictures...I almost died. I then proceeded to delete every picture I had on my camera, and it was able to hold up to 92 photos...the amount of pictures it had on it before Jane kicked it...Thank God. Hopefully it is the memory card and not the camera. EEK! Then it was on to the bus for a 6 hour ride to NYC. The ride was quite miserable. It was the beginning of what I thought would be the trip from hell. Oh how wrong I was!
We arrived at Hotel Beacon on the corner of Broadway and 75th and got ready for dinner as a group at Hard Rock Cafe NY. We walked there and back as a group through a side of New York I had never seen. We walked passed Fordham, Juliard, the Metropolitan Opera House (where we stopped for a group photo for Jane who has won the MOH competition), ABA, and Time Square. The next day we sand for two all girl sister high schools, where all the girls proceeded to swoon over the 5 males that were on our little trip. One group of girls actually asked my friend Mike for autographs...it was hilarious. That night we did a bit of shopping and then Liz and I (my fabulous roomie on the trip) went to bed early. Our other fabulous roomie, Kristen, was out for the night. The next day I was up at 4:30 to get ready to go to the TODAY SHOW! Being on the Today show was a strange dream of mine for a long time...SO Diane, Colleen, Karyn, Melissa, and I (five fab freshmen)walked 30 blocks to NBC studios, took a sign that said "Assumption College Chapel Choir <3's Today" and stood in the cold hoping to get on TV. There was a speaker in front of us so we were not interviewed, but they did pass by us on camera. My dad called me to day "You look cute on TV", and we were all a little too excited. We spoke to Al and Matt and got pictures of the fab four. We then walked 30 blocks BACK to the hotel where we napped for a few hours. We then went out shopping adding Kristen and Mike to the group. Mike took a picture in front of a large statue of a naked man at this mall that we found in the middle of NYC. Good times. We then went to central park where we saw a string quartet and took cliche pictures on a bridge. More good times. After that we strolled back to the hotel where Kristen, Mike, and I got dressed for one of the most fabulous experiences of my life...WICKED! First Diane, Colleen, Kristen, Karyn, Melissa, Mike and I (all the awesome freshman minus Liz because she went to see CHICAGO 7th ROW!) went to Planet Hollywood for some good eats, then it was off to the show at Gershwin theatre. Kristen and I stopped at every WICKED sign to take pictures making Mike insanely upset and embarrassed. The three of us were like kids in a candy store...sitting at the edges of our seats and shrieking at every exiting thing we saw. The show was ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE. (note to self: remember Defying Gravity, Popular, and For Good...oh and every other part) I cried like a baby...and then it was time for bed. We took CAB back with a stereotypical CAB driver -- middle eastern, couldn't understand us and vice versa, and a manic driver -- I was afraid for my life.
The next morning we departed for Philadelphia...the beginning of the more boring half of the trip, yet fun nonetheless. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Historic District, so Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell were literally right around the corner. That night we walked to dinner as a group to Bucca de Beppo (?), and although we waited some time for our food, it was incredible. We also had some bad timing on some "arrivals" with three of my buddies which caused me make rounds around the CCHOIR group in search for some assistance. LOVE YOU! That day was also the one and only DIANE COMSTOCK'S birthday. We went to her room to spend some time with her, and she fell asleep at her own gathering! Liz, Colleen, Dan, Mike W, and I watched some pointless sitcom TV and then departed to bed.
The next day Liz and I lounged around the hotel watching more useless TV while getting ready for out 2:30 lobby call for our first concert in Philly. It was our only rainy day on the whole trip, and we spent it indoors singing. It worked out perfectly. We sang for about 100 people in a church in Lansdale, PA. We have never experienced more appreciative folks, and we ever encored our performance. It was an incredible feeling. After sharing stories about passing out and cracked heads -- we had two girls who passed out during two performances due to lack of sleep/dehydration -- we went to the house of an Alumna for the best dessert any of us have ever had. We left for the hotel, and for the hour ride home Michelle (the best junior ever) listened to my life story. LOVE HER!
The next day we were up early for breakfast, got ready, and went out to do some of the historic stuff in Philly. After going to the constitution museum, which none of us had enough money to pay for (the fee was a mere $5), we waited for Mike V before viewing the Liberty Bell. We then went to THE BOURSE a popular dining/office building (very similar to the Arcade in Providence) where Kirsten and I indulged in our first Philly Cheesesteaks. "Wiz, Wit" just like Matty instructed me! BTW...HAPPY BIRTHDAY MATTY! Then it was back to hotel for some rest before most of our group went on a Ghosttour of Philly. It was a really good time, not so scary, but a bit eerie...mostly it was great because we were all together (yes I am a loser). It was back to hotel once more, then one last dinner with the freshman girlies at "Cosi's" (the philly starbucks...sort of) for some really good food. Then we went to South Street. Can you say...BIG MISTAKE? We did not blend in at all...and either Diane and I were called "Vanilla Thickness". DEAR LORD! It was wicked scary, and we all decided that Philly was WAY more sketchy than NYC. WAY MORE! We went back to hotel as quickly as possible where we packed, I did Michelle's hair, and went to bed. The next morning we sang mass at St. Francis de Sales...the worst mass the choir has EVER sang. It was not good, even if everyone said it was. We had breakfast in the rectory of the parish and then departed on the 7 hour trip home from Philly.
It was really hard to say goodbye to the seniors, because we had just gotten close and then were leaving for good. The trip was fabulous, and our choir is now closer than ever. I made some really great new friends...and my outlook on Ass Co is now a bit brighter. As Colleen told me this morning, she is depressed and having CCHOIR withdrawals. We have both listening the CD since we have been home, and we both want to be back on the trip. Alas we cannot, and our next trip will be when we are seniors...which will hopefully be EVEN BETTER. We'll be legal...right kids? ;)
One more thing...HAPPY BIRTHDAY KRISTEN!
Miss you all, Choir Kids...pictures soon to come, but for now I need to remove myself from this computer screen.
Back to Sunshine and reality this week...boooooooo
<3