Friday, June 26, 2009

Start spreading the quotes!

For the big "Thirtysomething" birthday, my mother, grandmother, and good friend Sue took a five night, six day trip to New York City. While the daily journals, shows, and events of each day will be covered in their own separate blog posts (per instruction-thanks Janelle), I did want to go ahead and list my favorite "Thirtysomething" quotes from the trip before I forget them. Hopefully if I miss any along the way I will swiftly be reminded of them and add them to the blog.

NYC to me embodies the American Dream. If you dream it, you can achieve it. Happy Friday!

1) "A construction worker standing on the second floor just spit tobacco juice on my arm, sleeve and into my soda can. Welcome to New York." ~ Grandma, on her first New York outing

2) "Where's the bus?" ~ Grandma, after quote #1

3) "I'll spring for a taxi." ~ Grandma, after quote 1 and 2

4) "Wow...were those purses sold in the back of the minivan real?" ~Mom

5) "It seems to me that wearing white rain ponchos on the upper level of the double decker bus, driving down the main street of Harlem MIGHT cause problems." ~ Jeff, the bus tour guide

6) "I'm going to go ahead and stop the meter now, since I have no idea where I'm going." ~ Cab driver

7) Top subjects discussed with EACH cab driver:
- "Are YOU the Cash Cab?"
- "Where are you from?"
- "How long have you been in New York?
-"What celebrities have ridden with you? What were they like?" (We got Peter Jennings and Barbara Walters as responses. Apparently Peter was a great tipper and Barbara would not speak to the cabbie and was a poor tipper. We have a hard time believing both of them did not have drivers, but I digress).
-"Were you driving during _____(insert NYC tragedy here)?"

8) "Yes, this is my first AND LAST time I am riding the Subway." ~ Grandma

9) "I understand the Carnegie Deli is famous and that Woody Allen eats there. But who cares where Woody Allen eats? Haven't you seen all of his movies? They're horrible. I wouldn't even say hi to him if he was in there. Couldn't care less." ~ Grandma

10) "Shakira's parents are over there." ~ Waiter
"Who's Shakira?" ~ Mom, Sue and Grandma

11) "Erin hit me with a pack of Becca matches once to stop snoring, then she got up and shook me. Quite a night." ~ Sue

12) "Do you have something you'd like to say to me?" ~ me
"Like what?" ~ Mom
"Forget it." ~ me
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!" ~ Mom
"It's about time you remembered." ~ me
"Oh, I knew the whole time...." ~ Mom

13) "These Ellis Island people don't have any more information than I do on immigrants. In fact they have LESS information!" ~ Grandma

14) "This hot dog is rank. Does it taste bad to you?" ~ Grandma
"It tastes like a hot dog." ~ me
"Don't eat it." ~ Mom

15) "I quite like not having a reservation and being able to people watch by sitting at the table in the foyer of the restaurant. It really is the best table in the house. People think we're important!" ~ Mom

16) "That man in the sweatpants is laughing at the lady in the blue dress. He just said, 'she may be thin but she is WAY too sunken and droopy to walk around in a dress with a slit down to her waist!' It was hilarious." ~ Mom (people watching at the foyer table)

17) "We agree." ~ Sue, to the sweatpants man

18) "I work in fashion, and it's the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen! Someone needs to TELL HER!" ~ Loudly spoken by sweatpants man

19) "See, I told you. He may work in fashion but HE'S the one in the sweatpants." ~ Mom exiting the restaurant

20) "Oooh....they are in a bad fight...look at that! Well no wonder they had to wait for their reservation. They only have a party of 35." ~ Mom

21) "I am wet." ~ Grandma after riding around on the top of the double decker bus during a monsoon
"It's still better than being hot." ~ me

22) "Can we at least make time to shop at the DSW in our hotel? GEEZ you'd think we could at least shop there." ~ Mom

23) "Grandma just tripped on the sidewalk but you missed it. She was checking out the men in the restaurant." ~ me

24) "I swear those steps were moving sideways." ~ Grandma
"No, the steps were not moving sideways, but you were." ~ Sue

25) "Work with me Alabama." ~ Jeff the bus tour guide, after I answered too many of his New York questions correctly

26) "Look grandma they have potatoes." ~ Me
"She thinks I can only eat potatoes. I eat MANY things other than potatoes. But I probably will have a potato." ~ Grandma to the waiter

27) "Sure you know 9 to 5! You know Dolly Parton with the big...I'm sorry, I didn't realize he was only 14." ~ Sue

28) "Of the five burroughs of New York City, which one is not an island?" ~Jeff
"Staten Island?" ~ Bus passenger
"Excuse me? IT'S AN ISLAND!" ~ Jeff

29) "I have got to find a pair of clean underwear and then I'll be set." ~ Me
"I've got an extra pair, but they are granny like and I'm not sure they would work." ~ Grandma

30) "Not sure who made the biggest mess...Sue with the tomato sauce and coffee down her shirt, or Grandma with the tobacco and then Ellis Island mustard all over herself. It's a draw." ~ Me

4 comments:

Lauren said...

Nice quotes! Sounds like you had a great trip! Did you ride the double decker bus through Harlem? Because if you did, you probably drove past my apartment. We usually hear them talking about American Gangsta, or Mother Hale, or brownstones as they drive by... :)

Erin said...

Yes!! We did ride the bus through Harlem so we did pass your house!

Reid said...

To get technical, only two of the five boroughs are themselves islands. Brooklyn and Queens are on Long Island, but not individual islands.

I suspect your tour guide wouldn't have appreciated that kind of clarification.

Katie said...

Sounds like your trip was full of fun and good laughs!