BEA recap

I spent 6 days in New York for BEA and I learned a lot about that city.  Thought it would be fun to share.  So here they are:

• All scaffolding is stored in New York city.  I kid you not.  If you're looking to rent some, that is where it is stored.  I've never seen so much of it in one place.  And really, it's there for the long term, peeps - advertising and all. 

• Some streets are stinker than others and walking trips should be planned with that in mind.  We literally adjusted our route to avoid such streets.
• Foot traffic is often has more congestion than the streets and negotiating it can be...um interesting.  Stopping is so not allowed.
• Anything and everything can be seen on the streets of New York, especially the closer you are to time square.  Elmo, Micky Mouse and the naked cowgirl are common sites.  (Missed the naked cowboy - dang it).
• Not all taxi drivers are equal.  Short guys who mutter to themselves should be avoided.  They tend to pull out in front of ambulances with lights blazing and get entirely too close to other cars.

• It is possible to hail a cab - did it several times and survived.  Didn't have to run after them or argue to get it, though I did see that happen.

• It is possible to survive the subway, even if I bought the wrong ticket the first time.  I even survived going through the tube under the Hudson river.  Will admit that I so couldn't read calmly like most other passengers, though. And I did enjoy the ferry ride back better.

• With a little homework, some of the best food evvvver can be found in this city!

• If you are headed north or south, a couple of blocks is not biggie BUT do not be talked into walking a couple blocks east or west.  What is up with east/west blocks? They are literally 3 times longer and my feet have gotten to know them very, very well.
• The most common noise in this city is the beep, beep of car horns.  Accept it, deal with it and learn to love it.  It is possible to sleep through it - no it doesn't stop at night.
• Oh and it really does take experiencing BEA to understand it.  I was totally unprepared for that experience.  One day there, though, and I had it down.  Planning is the key.  Knowing where to be at what time was so important to getting the books you wanted.

 Here's some pictures from BEA.  I didn't take as many as I thought I would.  I spent so much time just trying to figure out what was going on.

Met Julie Kagawa

Everything is covered at BEA!

Yes, those are legos

Author breakfast

Cover debut for Rick Riordan - The House of Hades

Went for drinks with M. Leighton

Saw the final cover for ALL OUR YESTERDAYS

Bloggers Conference

We spent a couple of days site seeing outside of BEA and here are some of the things we saw!

Time Square

From Hoboken across Hudson bay looking at NYC

Highline above NYC

My daughter on Highline

Me on Highline

More of Highline

More of Highline

NY Library

Bryant Park

Metro Apartments, where we stayed

Home of the TV show Cake Boss!

Mood! Home of Project Runway!

Lots of security for this

Freedom tower that replaces the twin towers and is TALLER

One of the two tower footprints

The names of all those killed are along the edges

The water runs down the sides to the middle and falls again

Had the BEST time and can't wait to go again!