As Mother Teresa once said: “a family that blogs together, stays together” – or something along those lines. With that quote in mind, here is a letter written by my mom to my sister and me! My mom had something to prove – to herself… and she did, with raging success! I am so proud of her – and happy for her triumph! Here’s to many more!
A collection of letters from the heart – to the heart!
New York City September 9-13, 2014.
Dear Sonja and Tove.
I know that you always have my best interest at heart and that you have encouraged me many times to travel and see the world. For some reason I have held back, because somehow it seemed such a daunting task to go out on my own after your father passed away. Being retired now, I don’t even have the excuse that I don’t have the time, too much work.
Well on the spur of the moment about a month ago, I decided I wanted to see NYC for the first time in my life and I also wanted to show you that I could do it on my own.
I will be honest though, I didn’t do it entirely on my own, I had help and I had the best help you can imagine. Tove put me in touch with her friend Stacy Hart, Belle Meade Vacations, and I asked her what to do. Stacy suggested that we use the services of Kitt and her staff at Discover New York and Beyond. I had great faith in Stacy and since she was the expert, I didn’t hesitate, I said yes.
The best decision I ever made. From the moment I set foot at the airport, I was in the best of hands. The driver who met me at the airport thought I was a famous movie star – and trust me it was not because of my looks – but because of the way DNY treated me and had made sure that everything was taken care of and looked after from the minute I set foot in NYC.
My adventure started. From Central Park the first day to a tour of the city the next day with the best guide ever. She was a fountain of knowledge of New York today and way back. I learned so much that first day, it was unbelievable. What comes to mind are the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Columbia University and much more. Walking along the historic structure of the High Line and witnessing how they had taken advantage of the past to enhance the present was extremely interesting.
The next day I was taken to the Garment District and I was so fortunate to be taken behind the scene and meeting some of New York’s up and coming designers. Based on one picture of me, my very experienced shopping guide had found just the right places for me to visit. It was a wonderful experience and lots of fun.
I had told Kitt that I loved jazz, and naturally she organized an evening at Dizzy’s Coca-Cola club at the Lincoln Center. An unforgettable evening with Roy Haynes Fountain of Youth Band. Fantastic and memorable.
When Kitt came to the hotel to see me off, she asked me what was the highlight of the tour, and I must admit it was a difficult question, but since I had to make choice, it had to be the very last day of my visit. The Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Battery Park and last but not least Ground Zero. All these places came to life through my guide and her stories. She had an ability to make history come alive, you felt you were part of it. She had witnessed 9/11 and made you witness it through her eyes. I will never forget that day with her. It’s beyond words!
The visit was balanced so I also had time for myself, e.g. to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art, MoMA, the Rockefeller Center, Time Square and much more. I had time to play at being a native New Yorker, exploring and riding the subway all by myself. At the end of the visit I had to conclude that I had truly been treated as a famous movie star, thanks to Kitt and her staff.
Sonja and Tove, I proved to myself that I can travel alone, and this is definitely not the last time I will be doing that. Thanks for your gentle pushing and encouragement.
Love, Mor