In February, Kieran and I took a road trip to New York City. The trip spawned from the last performances of The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. I grew up listening to the musical and always wanted to see the show. When their final performances were first announced, the tickets became extremely expensive. Fortunately, the show was extended until April, and when tickets went on sale, we were able to snag two tickets!

We decided to drive to New York instead of flying and thoroughly enjoyed our trek on the highways with mountain views all around. We stopped first in New Jersey to see some of Kieran’s old friends.

We spent the day exploring Toms River and Manasquan, New Jersey–seeing the houses my husband and my step dad grew up in. We spent the rest of the day hanging out with some of Kieran’s old friends!

The next day, we made our way to New York. We stopped in Jersey City to take Path into NYC. We stopped at Ground Zero, went to Central Park, and then made our way to Broadway. Too nervous to take the Subway, we decided to walk for most of the day. We ate at many local eateries, including Joe’s Pizza and Pick-a-Bagel. In the evening, we went to see The Phantom, and the performance did not disappoint! We finally conquered the Subway after the performance and then made our way back to our hotel.

The next day, we went back to the beaches in New Jersey, and then to New York, but this time, with a few cameras in hand. Manasquan Beach was so beautiful, and I loved the calm atmosphere.

Once we got back to the city, we walked to find a view of the Statue of Liberty, went to Top of the Rock Observation Deck, had the absolute best chocolate chip cookie from Chip City, and then stopped at some beautiful places to take more photos.

I thought New York City would be a place I’d only want to visit once, however, the city quickly stole my heart. Growing up in a smaller city myself, the sights, sounds and even the smells quickly made me feel at home. I’m already looking forward to returning and seeing more of what this city has to offer!

Here’s a few images on 35mm film that absolutely stole my heart!