New York City Carnegie Hall Concert with Annie Moses Band - January 20-23, 2018



How many people have had the opportunity to attend a concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City? How about participating in a performance?

Well, Kay is a member of the Second Baptist Church Choir, and the choir was invited to come to New York and sing in accompaniment with the Annie Moses Band in Carnegie Hall. Our church orchestra was invited and some members came along also. The Annie Moses Band was to perform their Rhapsody in Bluegrass program.

Lawson, not being a singer but not wanting to be left behind, went along for the ride - he told everyone that he was Kay's bodyguard.

The performance, which Lawson was privileged to attend, was outstanding. This family group is extremely talented and a real inspiration to young musicians they help. They have many beautifully performed videos on YouTube.

We really enjoyed the trip, and the weather was better than we expected, in the middle of January. We plan to return again to NYC in the future, but when it is warmer.

[Saturday, January 20] We set the alarm for 1:45 AM and made it to Bush Airport to meet our group from Second Baptist Church at 4:15 AM for a 5:05 AM flight.

We left Houston on time on United 2121 for Newark Liberty Airport. We arrived a little after 10:00 EST. We waited about 30 minutes for our buses to take us to the Sheridan Times Square Hotel in Midtown Manhattan, arriving about noon. On the way from the Newark Liberty Airport, we passed through the Lincoln Tunnel under the Hudson River. We were on the 16th floor looking down 53rd Street toward the southeast.

< The Sheridan Times Square Hotel.

We walked about 3 blocks to a Pret A Manger Store and ate lunch. We were excited to see a Pret A Manger in NYC because we became fond of them while in London, England. They have fast, healthy and tasty food that seems to always be conveniently located in the the tourist areas. Outside, we saw the start of the National Women’s March, which was on the street right next to the restaurant. We were not participants, but we had to enlist the help of a NYPD officer to find a way across the street so that we could go back to our hotel. Thank the Lord for subway entrances.

< < Pret A Manger.

< The National Women's March.

After a short time in our hotel, we walked about 4 blocks south to Times Square. There were thousands of people everywhere there.

< < < < < < < < Times Square.

We ate dinner at 4:00PM with our group at Carmine's Italian Restaurant, a block off Times Square. The food was delicious and abundant, and we ate too much. Our table of 12 was hosted by Camile and James from the band.

< Carmine's Italian Restaurant.

After a short time back at our hotel, we went back to Times Square and attended the Broadway play, Anastasia at the Broadhurst Theater. The performance was very good. We got back in the hotel by 10:00 PM - this was a very LONG day.

< < Anastasia at the Broadhurst Theater.

[Sunday] We were up early today at 5:45 AM, and after a quick breakfast at Cafe 53, which was right outside our hotel, we met with the group of us that were attending the 9:00 AM worship service at The Brooklyn Tabernacle Church. We rode the F Metro subway line from the Rockefeller Station to the Jay Street - Metro Tech station right outside the church. The worship service in this predominantly black audience church was very inspiring and uplifting. The music was 45 minutes of very spirited singing by choir and audience. The sermon was very meaningful and Bible based. At the closing of the service, we backtracked on the subway to the hotel.

< < Brooklyn Tabernacle Church. < The subway.

The Welcome meeting and choir and orchestra rehearsals begin at 12:15 PM in the hotel and lasted until 5:00 PM.

< Orchestra rehearsal in hotel. < Choir rehearsal in hotel.

< Kay with the Annie Moses Band.

I stuck around and listened to the rehearsals until 3:00 PM, then took a walk up to Central Park and back, which took about an hour. I walked past Saint Thomas Church on 5th Avenue, Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church and the Trump Tower on my way to the Park. I only went a short distance into the park. The park was well populated with visitors, even with the cool weather. Practice was still underway when I returned to the hotel.

< One of the many food carts on the streets.

< Saint Thomas Church. < Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church.

< Trump Tower.

< General Sherman Statue in Central Park.

< < < < < Scenes around Central Park.

At 6:45 PM we met some of our group at Tony's Restaurant in Times Square. As with last night, the food was delicious and there was more than we could even think of eating at the "family style" dining.

< Tony's Italian Restaurant near Times Square.

On the way back to the hotel, we walked by the Ed Sullivan Theater, the old home of The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.

< Tonight Show. < Radio City Music Hall.

< Ed Sullivan Theater.

[Monday] Today we ate a quick breakfast at the Pret A Manger outside our hotel and went to Madison Square Garden and Pennsylvania Station by the subway. The old station has been replaced with a very busy new station.

< Pennsylvania Station. < Madison Square Garden.

We then walked past The Empire State Building and caught a subway to Grand Central Station.

< Empire State Building in background.

< < < Grand Central Station.

We walked back to our hotel through Times Square and grabbed a sandwich and hotdog on the way.

At 12:15 PM we walked the 3 blocks north to Carnegie Hall where Kay began practice with the performers.

< Practice in Carnegie Hall.

At 1:00 PM, Lawson took the Carnegie Hall Tour, which lasted until 2:00. Kay's practice ended at 5:00. Lawson was back in the hotel by 2:30. Kay arrived shortly after 5:00 and after a snack we went to Carnegie Hall at 6:30 for the performance. The music was awesome! The Annie Moses Band members are so talented and beautiful to see and hear.

< Carnegie Hall poster for Annie Moses Band.

< Carnegie Hall.< End of the performance.

Afterwards we got on busses and went to Chelsea Pier and took the Dinner Cruise on the Spirit of New York boat on the Hudson River. Unfortunately the weather had started to fog up and we never really saw the Statue of Liberty.

The food was good and we arrived back at the hotel at 1:30 AM.

< Our Dinner Cruise Ship. < Statue of Liberty in the fog.

[Tuesday] This morning opened with low clouds and intermittent drizzle rain. We ate breakfast at Cafe 53 and met the group to travel by subway to the 9/11 Memorial Museum. We were supposed to go to the One World Trade Center observation floor, but the clouds were too low. We stood in the drizzling rain under our umbrellas for our tickets to the 9/11 Memorial and spent about 3 hours in the museum. That was not enough time to see everything - it would take us a complete day normally - but that was all we could afford at this time.

< Flag raised at ground zero on 9/11. < Vesey Street Survivors' Stairs.

< Firetruck.

< Reflection Pool. < One World Trade Center. < 9/11 Memorial.

After we exited the museum, the sun was shining brightly and it was a beautiful day. After walking around the museum grounds, we went across the street to St. Paul's Chapel. The chapel, which is Manhattan's oldest public building in continuous use since 1766, amazingly survived the destruction of the two World Trade Center buildings across the street.

< < St. Paul's Chapel.

We went back to the subway and took the E Train back to our hotel. We stopped across Broadway at the Hello Deli and ate lunch at Rupert's famous deli. We chatted briefly about his appearances on the David Letterman Show. He said that it was good for business.

< Hello Deli.

We went back to the hotel and caught the bus to the airport with our group. The flight back to Houston was on United 2172 and we arrived at about 11:30 PM, and back home at 1:45 AM.


This draws to a close our brief trip to New York City. We hope you enjoyed the photos and brief descriptions of our activities. God willing, join us again soon for another travel adventure.

Goodbye for now,

Lawson & Kay

March 14, 2018


Sing to the LORD, all the earth; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples. For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised; He is also to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the LORD made the heavens. Honor and majesty are before Him; Strength and gladness are in His place. Give to the LORD, O families of the peoples, Give to the LORD glory and strength. (I Chron 16:23-28 NKJV)


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