LIFE LIST: ICE SKATE IN ROCKEFELLER CENTER

When: December 2003

Where: Rockefeller Center New York, New York

Why I wanted to do this: I went to NYC for the first time when I was 20 years old in the summer of 2003 and I quickly fell madly in love and had an intense affair with the city that lasted 3 months in which I visited 5 times! I went with 5 different people and once I went by myself. This was the last time I visited NYC, mainly because I ran out of money...and by that I mean that I had maxed out my credit card. On this trip I had talked my longtime friend Dwayne into going with me and since it was winter and Christmastime of course I wanted to ice skate in the famed Rockefeller Center.

Cost: I think it was only a few dollars, and we had brought our own ice skates so we didn't have to rent them there. I must mention that there is a new 'express pass' you can buy now for $75 and that gets you onto the ice immediately-otherwise you have to wait in line outside-if I remember correctly we waited about an hour and it was very cold but SO WORTH IT!

How I paid for it: Well, the skating was not expensive but the trip itself was put on my credit card!

What would I do differently? Nothing as far as the ice skating goes....as far as the trip went, I was kind of a jerk to my friend and I wish I could take that back.

Will I do it again? I hope so! It was such an incredible experience!

Something I would recommend? Not only is it an absolute must if you are in the city but it is worth the trip to just experience New York at Christmas!


Good gift/surprise? The gift of travel is the best gift you could give a person! Personally any trip to the ice skating rink would be a terrific gift! You don't have to be good at something to enjoy it! I can barely stand on skates but I LOVE IT!

Life changing? It was. The ice skating experience was life changing in that, as I always say, every time you create memories that make you smile it changes you and makes you better. It's always surreal to visit these iconic places that you see all the time in pictures and on television, it's so cool to actually be there in the moment to create your own memories, story and experience. The trip was life changing in many ways too-it seems that they always are in one way or another. I tried to move to NYC after this trip....though I guess it just wasn't in the cards for me.

My funny ice skating story: Well, I am not now nor have I ever been good at ice skating-I'M TERRIBLE! Thankfully Dwayne was very experienced on skates therefore I had to hold onto him most of time. Rockefeller Rink is a very busy place and there were a lot of people on the ice, all ages and all levels of skill-I do remember thinking that I was probably the worst skater there. Towards the end of our time on the ice Dwayne wanted to skate a few laps without me dragging him down and I need a break anyhow so he left me to hold onto the rail in front of the window ( there is a restaurant and viewing area on both sides of the rink so everyone inside can see you) I did feel a little odd just standing there while all these people were watching, no matter- I would turn my back and do a little people watching myself....then all of a sudden a brigade of small children came inching along the very same rail I was holding onto. There was about 10 of them, I was outnumbered and they were not slowing down! I was confident that I could not actually let go and just let them pass or I would fall and be run over by the 200 professional skaters on the rink! I had to make a quick decision- if you can't beat 'em join 'em! So I myself started inching along the rail with both hands, now leading the pack and now completely facing the viewers in the restaurant. It was humiliating and I could hear the little kids becoming aggravated that I was moving so slowly. Luckily Dwayne rescued me before the children began hurling obscenities at me.