jazzpants
12-29-2004, 09:00 PM
I recently posted about going to NYC... I just came back from NYC and I'm exhausted. Thankfully, my company's has shutdown for the holidays and I'm home recovering from my "vacation." :P
Overall, the experience of NYC was marred by two things. One is a foot injury I have been nursing prior to coming to NYC and am resting and recover from it again. My old Riedell boot apparently seems to either be the cause of the injury or is at least aggravating it. Having the bunion cushion over the spots at times does help the situation though. However, my new replacement boots will be ready tomorrow... just in time for New YEARS!!! (Thank you Harlicks!!!) :) The other thing that marred this trip is that NYC was EXTREMELY COLD this time and since I'm from "sunny California" (har har) that this was a bit tough for me, particularly with the outdoor rinks like Rockefeller Center. NYC was in the teens/low 20's. (Wind chill makes it feel as low as 8.) AAAAIIIIIYEEEEE!!!!
Chelsea Piers/Sky Rink
I was there for the freestyle session. It was a bit tough to get to this rink mainly b/c it's VERY COLD on the day that I went there. (It was in the low 20's that morning.) The reward for getting there was definitely well worth it! CP is a beautiful twin sheet rink and the ice is just DIVINE to skate on!!! Nice to be able to look out into the waters, though in my case, it was hard to concentrate on the scenery when you're taking a lesson! :P
My coach at CP is an excellent coach!!! I got some good skating tips from him. He's very patient, supportive and a KEWL person to skate with!!! 8-) And he came close, if not have fixed my very nasty forward spin entry bad habit too!!! WHOO HOO!!!! My one chuckle was when he said "One thing I like about you is that you have GUTS!!! You have no problem getting out there and trying new things." (LOL!!! If only he's talked to both of my coaches here!!! :twisted: ) He also commented that I have this big stinkin' grin a mile wide when I'm on the ice during the lesson. Apparently, my hubby, who was taking pictures of me on the ice, said the same too! :P In any case, I will definitely grab another lesson with him the next time I'm back skating at NYC again!
I did feel a bit nervous there since practically EVERYONE there has perfect technique. MAN, Oh MAN!!! I was nervous given my really bad mohawks and crossover techniques that I would feel out of place there.
New Hyde Park
(Okay! Not quite NYC. It's along Long Island...)
I finally met DBNY again, since it's indoor and closer to where I was staying at. We were at a public session since it was the day after Christmas and a SUNDAY. Kinda crowded but not too bad considering... She showed me a few basics stuff and her new footwork sequence... kinda neat actually!!! Took me a while to absorb it though, since I have trouble remembering footwork as it is... But she's definitely a very patient and encouraging coach, folks!!!
New Hyde Park was colder than CP, but not obnoxiously cold considering. Maybe the heat from the crowd made it less frigid??? :lol:
Hockey guards were keeping a close eye on me for some reason. Too bad they didn't keep an eye on some of the "hockey player wannabes and their young SONS" that came close to hit DBNY a few times... :evil:
Rockefeller Center Rink
You know... everyone has always said that you MUST skate at Rockefeller Center rink around Christmas time. Well...sadly, this isn't the best experience out of all my rinks. First of all, there was a LOOOOONG line getting into the rink and I unfortunately choose a very VERY COLD day (as in high teens, 8 with wind chills...) to skate at this rink. The warm room (where you rent/change skates/etc) was actually FRIGID that day!!! It was still warmer than outside, but seems the heater was busted and it seemed like the AC was turned on instead of the heater. It's also very expensive to get on ice into the rink (this is with NO skate rentals!!!) It's more than TWICE what I pay for public session at YB!!! EEEEK!!! And I'm NOT gonna comment on "fire marshals fire code" on the number of people that crammed into the "warm room." too!!! EEEEK!!! 8O
When I finally got on the ice, it was very crowded and I couldn't do much on the ice. There were way too many skaters!!! The ice was VERY hard b/c it's in the teens temperature wise. But it's a beautiful scenery!!! Lots of good old fashioned Christmas was played on the speakers! I got some videos and pictures of me skating at Rockefeller Center!!!
And on that note, I would say for you skaters who have never been to Rockefeller Center) -- it's something to experience ONCE, but never again after that!!! I did it once and I have my pictures and souvenirs! I don't plan on going back again!!!
Wollman (Trump?)/Central Park
This time my experience with Central Park was a bit nicer. The last time I went to Central Park, I had a bad experience b/c I went on the public session, where it was essentially a "cattle call." (MOOOOO!!!!) This time I went on the freestyle session and though it's more expensive and I have to get up earlier, it wasn't bad at all. If it wasn't for my foot injury, I would say this time around it's one of my BETTER skating experience! The ice was a bit funky to skate on though. It was much harder than usual for my taste for skating, but it wasn't rock hard like Rockefeller. Beautiful outdoor scenery and a lot more room to do some of my footwork. I would do more jumps and spins and other footwork, but my foot was acting up towards the end of the session and didn't want to push it.
The other thing that was weird about skating at Central Park was the shape of the rink is weird. It's not squared or rectangular, but this weird kidney shape. (It's not ROUND either!!!) Doing my moves pattern was definitely weird at this rink!
On a funny note: Hubby and I were looking for the cashier to get into the rink for the freestyle session. Rent-a-cop comes up to both hubby and me and says "Public session isn't open 'til 10am. Come back later!!!" So I said "I want to go on the freestyle session." He says "You have to pay $20 and have your own skates!!!" Hubby flashes my skate bag and say "She *HAS* her own skates!!! My wife's a professional skater!" (Of course, that's not entirely true. :oops: But I need to get on that freestyle session. It was my last day at NYC!!!) The guy sighs and points to the cashier area...
Skating at NYC is a very interesting (and overall pleasant) experience for me! I definitely will return again as soon as I'm able to save up again!!! I'm sad that I didn't get to meet everyone though, but I hope the next time around I'll better plan things. A special thank you to DBNY for trying to work around my schedule to see me and my coach at Chelsea Piers for a very pleasant lesson!!! (If you are reading this, you know who you are!) :)
Overall, the experience of NYC was marred by two things. One is a foot injury I have been nursing prior to coming to NYC and am resting and recover from it again. My old Riedell boot apparently seems to either be the cause of the injury or is at least aggravating it. Having the bunion cushion over the spots at times does help the situation though. However, my new replacement boots will be ready tomorrow... just in time for New YEARS!!! (Thank you Harlicks!!!) :) The other thing that marred this trip is that NYC was EXTREMELY COLD this time and since I'm from "sunny California" (har har) that this was a bit tough for me, particularly with the outdoor rinks like Rockefeller Center. NYC was in the teens/low 20's. (Wind chill makes it feel as low as 8.) AAAAIIIIIYEEEEE!!!!
Chelsea Piers/Sky Rink
I was there for the freestyle session. It was a bit tough to get to this rink mainly b/c it's VERY COLD on the day that I went there. (It was in the low 20's that morning.) The reward for getting there was definitely well worth it! CP is a beautiful twin sheet rink and the ice is just DIVINE to skate on!!! Nice to be able to look out into the waters, though in my case, it was hard to concentrate on the scenery when you're taking a lesson! :P
My coach at CP is an excellent coach!!! I got some good skating tips from him. He's very patient, supportive and a KEWL person to skate with!!! 8-) And he came close, if not have fixed my very nasty forward spin entry bad habit too!!! WHOO HOO!!!! My one chuckle was when he said "One thing I like about you is that you have GUTS!!! You have no problem getting out there and trying new things." (LOL!!! If only he's talked to both of my coaches here!!! :twisted: ) He also commented that I have this big stinkin' grin a mile wide when I'm on the ice during the lesson. Apparently, my hubby, who was taking pictures of me on the ice, said the same too! :P In any case, I will definitely grab another lesson with him the next time I'm back skating at NYC again!
I did feel a bit nervous there since practically EVERYONE there has perfect technique. MAN, Oh MAN!!! I was nervous given my really bad mohawks and crossover techniques that I would feel out of place there.
New Hyde Park
(Okay! Not quite NYC. It's along Long Island...)
I finally met DBNY again, since it's indoor and closer to where I was staying at. We were at a public session since it was the day after Christmas and a SUNDAY. Kinda crowded but not too bad considering... She showed me a few basics stuff and her new footwork sequence... kinda neat actually!!! Took me a while to absorb it though, since I have trouble remembering footwork as it is... But she's definitely a very patient and encouraging coach, folks!!!
New Hyde Park was colder than CP, but not obnoxiously cold considering. Maybe the heat from the crowd made it less frigid??? :lol:
Hockey guards were keeping a close eye on me for some reason. Too bad they didn't keep an eye on some of the "hockey player wannabes and their young SONS" that came close to hit DBNY a few times... :evil:
Rockefeller Center Rink
You know... everyone has always said that you MUST skate at Rockefeller Center rink around Christmas time. Well...sadly, this isn't the best experience out of all my rinks. First of all, there was a LOOOOONG line getting into the rink and I unfortunately choose a very VERY COLD day (as in high teens, 8 with wind chills...) to skate at this rink. The warm room (where you rent/change skates/etc) was actually FRIGID that day!!! It was still warmer than outside, but seems the heater was busted and it seemed like the AC was turned on instead of the heater. It's also very expensive to get on ice into the rink (this is with NO skate rentals!!!) It's more than TWICE what I pay for public session at YB!!! EEEEK!!! And I'm NOT gonna comment on "fire marshals fire code" on the number of people that crammed into the "warm room." too!!! EEEEK!!! 8O
When I finally got on the ice, it was very crowded and I couldn't do much on the ice. There were way too many skaters!!! The ice was VERY hard b/c it's in the teens temperature wise. But it's a beautiful scenery!!! Lots of good old fashioned Christmas was played on the speakers! I got some videos and pictures of me skating at Rockefeller Center!!!
And on that note, I would say for you skaters who have never been to Rockefeller Center) -- it's something to experience ONCE, but never again after that!!! I did it once and I have my pictures and souvenirs! I don't plan on going back again!!!
Wollman (Trump?)/Central Park
This time my experience with Central Park was a bit nicer. The last time I went to Central Park, I had a bad experience b/c I went on the public session, where it was essentially a "cattle call." (MOOOOO!!!!) This time I went on the freestyle session and though it's more expensive and I have to get up earlier, it wasn't bad at all. If it wasn't for my foot injury, I would say this time around it's one of my BETTER skating experience! The ice was a bit funky to skate on though. It was much harder than usual for my taste for skating, but it wasn't rock hard like Rockefeller. Beautiful outdoor scenery and a lot more room to do some of my footwork. I would do more jumps and spins and other footwork, but my foot was acting up towards the end of the session and didn't want to push it.
The other thing that was weird about skating at Central Park was the shape of the rink is weird. It's not squared or rectangular, but this weird kidney shape. (It's not ROUND either!!!) Doing my moves pattern was definitely weird at this rink!
On a funny note: Hubby and I were looking for the cashier to get into the rink for the freestyle session. Rent-a-cop comes up to both hubby and me and says "Public session isn't open 'til 10am. Come back later!!!" So I said "I want to go on the freestyle session." He says "You have to pay $20 and have your own skates!!!" Hubby flashes my skate bag and say "She *HAS* her own skates!!! My wife's a professional skater!" (Of course, that's not entirely true. :oops: But I need to get on that freestyle session. It was my last day at NYC!!!) The guy sighs and points to the cashier area...
Skating at NYC is a very interesting (and overall pleasant) experience for me! I definitely will return again as soon as I'm able to save up again!!! I'm sad that I didn't get to meet everyone though, but I hope the next time around I'll better plan things. A special thank you to DBNY for trying to work around my schedule to see me and my coach at Chelsea Piers for a very pleasant lesson!!! (If you are reading this, you know who you are!) :)