Updated again: NYC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, let's get down to "brass tacks" about our departure for NYC!!!

Let's meet at 10 am in front of Alfond *CENTER*. Pack lightly... Take only what you can put into a smallish rolling suitcase or backpack. We will be driving only to Stanford, CT (remember to bring $18.50 for the train ticket!) and then taking the train in, so you will have to lug through the streets of Manhattan whatever you bring with you. (And, trust me, stuff gets heavy fast!!)

Also, needless to say, you will be walking... a lot! Comfortable shoes are a total must! (As is appropriate outerwear!!) Also, as in any big city, just be vigilant against purse or chain snatching or pickpockets... (They can be smooth!)

In terms of schedule, the itinerary currently looks tentatively like the following...

Friday afternoon: Arrival
Saturday morning: U.N. (Entrance appointment at 11:15 am SHARP!)
Saturday afternoon: Metropolitan Museum of Art
Sunday morning: The Cloisters
Sunday afternoon: Departure

Your active participation is worth the equivalent of the final paper, i.e., 20% of your grade... so - needless to say - it's in everybody's best interests to be engaged in the group activities and for us to generally mind our p's and q's! :-) I'll give you guidelines about journaling your "Capstone takes Manhattan" adventures when we take off on Friday...

In times not used by the class, you are encouraged to enjoy the great cultural opportunities the city has to offer!! (Allow me, folks, to heartily recommend the museums!!)

FYI, if you're interested, I personally will definitely be hitting the Strand used bookstore during my downtime... What's so special about a bookstore, you might ask?? How about 18 miles of shelves of hard-to-find books?! Okay, I am a total book geek, but it is a global book mecca... People from all over the world go to the Strand when they're in New York!!

Plus, you already know I plan to hit the Frick Museum... and I may go back to what may well be my very favorite Italian restaurant in the whole entire world (and that's saying something!) Serafina, plus perhaps try to attend that truly-fine, highly-intellectual and profoundly-literate Broadway show, Spamalot! I'm an adventurous sort who'll do all kinds of things (within reason!) on my own, but anybody whose interest might be piqued by my own admittedly eclectic tastes is welcome to tag along!!

BTW, the world-famous Tribeca Film Festival, organized by Robert De Niro, is going on this week, as is apparently - hold onto your hats! - the NY Ukelele Festival (or "UkeFest" for short!). Last but not least, in conjunction with Tribeca, if you have an AMEX card, you can enjoy $20 multi-course lunches and $30 dinners at select nice restaurants in Manhattan this weekend... (A restaurant list is available at mylifemycard.com)

Do you have any other questions about our upcoming departure?? Please let me know!!

See you Friday morning!! (Myself and Matt are driving, right??)

UPDATE: The following folks have a balance to pay for the trip to NYC...

$7:
Robin Caron,
Brad Morin
Amanda Frithsen
David Barnes
Michelle Gaspar
Cailtlyn Hickey
Amanda Hart
Joe Anderson
Dan Warren

$2:
Adam Ham
Kelly Madore
Kara Haupt
Carla Santos
Matt Crellin
Amander Wotton
Derek Davis

(Plus I owe $3 to Andy Dunne!)

Please be sure to bring this balance with you, as I will be using it to buy you all unlimited ride 24-hour MetroCards! :-)