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Missing Luggage, Expensive Underwear, and Jane Lynch
- Lilla McGuire
- Aug 4
- 4 min read
It's 2010, and you're fangirling HARD over the TV show Glee, so naturally you and your mom are headed to the Big Apple to see the cast in concert. Everything is planned, you're excited, and then everything that can go wrong does.
Chaos Begins Before the Trip Begins
My mom and I got through security at the airport, exhausted but excited. We dropped our bags and stared at the mountain of suitcases stacked behind the counter. The TSA agent reassured us with a smile that our bags would make it on the flight.
Our luggage did not. Instead, they ended up in another state.
So we made our way to our hotel without our luggage. I had no idea that I would spend nearly two days without my luggage.
No Room at the Inn
We entered The Library Hotel. If you have never stayed at the Library Hotel in New York City, imagine a boutique hotel for book lovers. Every floor is themed after a category of the Dewey Decimal System. Every room has its own curated collection of books.
The front desk clerk smiled, greeting us by name from the numerous times we had stayed here; however, their smile quickly faded. Apparently, when the hotel went to alter our original reservation, they canceled it.
Without luggage or a room, this trip was starting to feel like a failure. The receptionist quickly called their sister hotel, Hotel Giraffe, and secured us a reservation.
It truly felt fitting when we entered our hotel room at Hotel Giraffe to the radio blaring "Bad Day" by Daniel Powter.
It's How Much?!
Since we had no clothes except for what was on our bodies, my mother and I ventured into the streets of Manhattan in search of one very important item: underwear. Of course, the only store close to us was an upscale lingerie store that we had to buzz to enter. It was a tiny boutique with very nice options. The pair I walked out with was around thirty dollars. That was the most expensive pair of underwear I have ever owned.
The Main Event
After we checked out our room and freshened up the best we could, we ventured to Balthazar, an iconic SoHo brasserie that feels like Paris. I remember enjoying a delicious meal of steak frites before heading to Radio City Music Hall to see the cast of Glee in concert.
As I mentioned above, I LOVED Glee. I even had the Rachel Berry (Lea Michele) straight-across bangs. Ironically, I wasn't worried about seeing her or Finn Hudson (late Cory Monteith). I wanted to see two characters, Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison) and Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch). Unfortunately, the two were not there that night.
I was so disappointed, but I still rocked out to "Bad Romance" and "Don't Stop Believin'."
Saved by the Bell
We saw the New York Yankees play twice while we were here, sitting in the Legends Suite Club. The Legends Suite Club was incredible. It's the section directly behind home plate, giving you access to a high-end restaurant and an all-inclusive buffet, which provided me with endless snacks. We won the first game against Cleveland. When we returned from the game, my mom was in the process of transforming a scarf into a halter top so I could wear something different for our dining reservation at Artisanal Fromagerie, but before we left, a bellman arrived with my suitcase!
The In Between
Over the next few days we ate at some amazing places including Alice's TeaCup Chapter III and Buddakan. We explored the Metropolitan Museum of Art, saw Promises, Promises on Broadway, and of course there was endless shopping. The trip was finally starting to look up!
Everything Chocolate
On my mom's itinerary for this trip was to have lunch at Max Brenner's Chocolate Bar. When you walk in, the smell of warm chocolate is everywhere, and people are eating waffles, drinking milkshakes, and anything else you possibly can cover in chocolate.
I ordered a chocolate milkshake, my mom ordered a toffee hot chocolate, and to share, we got a chocolate, peanut butter, caramel, marshmallow, and banana pizza. It was delicious. After we were served our food, I stopped mid-sip, excitedly gasping.
Jane Lynch
Jane Lynch had entered the restaurant.
I couldn't believe it. This trip had been full of absolute letdowns from missing luggage to canceled rooms to not seeing the Glee cast members I had wanted, but it seemed my luck was changing!
Signed Autographs
For the second game of the Yankees vs. Cleveland series, we were back in the Legends Suite seating behind home plate, arriving during batting practice. I had purchased two baseballs, one for myself and one for my younger cousin, Max, in hopes of getting Derek Jeter's signature.
After a while, I started giving up hope that Derek Jeter was going to come out of the dugout. When Alex Rodriguez appeared, all the kids around me were screaming, "A-ROD" or "HEY, A-ROD, OVER HERE!" Meanwhile, with my southern drawl and nice manners, I said, "Mr. Rodriguez?"
Alex Rodriguez signing a baseball Holding my signed Alex Rodriguez baseball Tossing a baseball to Alex Rodriguez
He turned around and walked over to me, asking me to toss the baseball to him. After he signed it, he looked at me and asked, "Why do you have two?" I told him about my cousin Max being a Yankees fan, so he smiled and said, "Toss that one, too."
Final Thoughts
Not only did I get to see Jane Lynch, but I also got to meet Alex Rodriguez. Even though the trip started off feeling like a “throw in the towel” situation, it turned out to be one of the most memorable trips of my life.
Travel has a way of reminding us that no matter how much you plan, anything can happen. Reservations can change and unexpected moments can pop up, whether frustrating or magical. From the start of your trip to the end, I handle cancellations, delays, and other surprises so you can stay present and enjoy every moment.
If you’re interested in learning more about destinations I offer, have travel questions, or are ready to book your next adventure, I'd love to help.
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