These Were Our 36 Hours.

nycmarathon31

2 days ago

11 min read

Dun Dun.

Rhiannon and I left our house last Wednesday at 11:30pm headed for Toledo where we caught a 3:30am train into New York City. This was our first time on a train. When we boarded we had 2 small suitcases, a duffle bag, a tote bag, and a laptop case. Everyone was asleep and we had to walk through 3 train cars before we were able to find two seats together. It was stressful and very overwhelming. The seats we found were the first seats on the car...there was no window and the emergency light was right above our heads. Thankfully, the neck pillows we bought for the ride came with eye masks. We dozed on and off for a few hours. The train rocked us to sleep. When we got to Buffalo, around 11am, one of the people behind us got off and we moved back to their seats. We had a small window and it was a lot less bumpy. Pretty much the entire ride was along water, it was beautiful! Around 6pm, we came into the city at sunset. As soon as I saw the skyline, tears filled my eyes. I don't think there has been a single time we have come into New York that I didn't cry the moment I saw the skyline.

We walked out of the train station and Madison Square Garden was right in front of us. It was lit up orange and blue because the Knicks were just starting one of their preseason games. It was a very different experience this time than when we saw it lit up during finals. A lot less people for sure. After traveling for 18 hours, we got to our friend's hotel (she was kind enough to put us on as her guests for the 2 nights we were there), dropped our bags off, and went in search of food. We had snacks on the train but there are only so many apple sauce pouches, cheez-its, and slim jims you can eat before you need an actual meal. I did try a hot dog on the train, but it was tossed in the microwave and was rubber. Anyway, we walked across the street to Mama's Pizza. Once inside, Rhiannon looked around and realized that this was the first pizza place we ever visited in NYC when we first came in 2018. We have been looking for this place for years and just couldn't remember where it was. We got pizza, garlic knots, and a cannoli. It did not disappoint and was exactly what we wanted as our first meal back. We went back to the hotel that night and watched the Season 28 premiere of Law and Order: SVU. I don't know...something about watching this show in the city did something to my heart. It was perfect. We then went to bed...10pm.

The next morning, we got up and ready for our only full day in the city. We were told that SVU was filming in Chelsea that morning and to be there around 11am. We got down there and saw the signs. This would be our first time successfully being in the city when they were filming on location. It looked like the trucks had just gotten there and were beginning to unload. We went to a little coffee shop around the corner from where they were filming and then just walked the area. It was clear they weren't filming any time soon, so we went back to Midtown. We went to the NBC Store. I have wanted the Olivia Benson Still New York's Finest shirt for a while, but it is always sold out online. It was in the store and they had one left in my size, so I bought it. As we were checking out, the cashier asked if we were going to the diner. We told her that we had tickets for that evening and she informed us that they had 2 special shirts that were designed with Mariska Hargitay for sale at the diner. I looked at Rhiannon and told her that we were buying both.

After the NBC Store, it was time for us to head over to the Paley Museum for the NBC 100 exhibit. It was a pretty neat experience. They had a huge traitor statue at the entrance (with the robes you can wear and take pictures with). We don't watch The Traitors but it was still exciting to see. They have one of the chairs from The Voice that you can sit in. It doesn't spin, but it was still cool. It was a lot roomier than I expected. When you enter the exhibit, it is a timeline of the 100 years of NBC. They have several outfits from numerous shows over the years. The wedding dress from I Dream of Jeanie, the pile of Chandler's clothes that Joey wears in Friends, Michael Scott's company picnic outfit, and Olivia Benson's iconic all black outfit were there. Downstairs, we saw the Today Show desk and were able to take a picture with it as well. Overall it was a very quick exhibit, but it was cool to be able to see so many iconic outfits and moments in NBC history.

We finished with the museum and went back to Chelsea. We started walking around again and came across a group of people standing around and then we saw a big light in a parking lot. We made our way toward the light and standing there in the middle of this lot was Aimé Donna Kelly (Captain Renee Curry) and Corey Cott (Det. Jake Griffin). We saw Aimé in person when we were in the city back in June for Every Brilliant Thing but seeing her as Captain Curry was something else entirely. Rhiannon and I have loved Curry from the very beginning, we feel that the show needed her and have loved watching her character grow into the powerful, loyal, confident person that she is today (Also...Curry, Rollins, and Benson...UGH I LOVE that trio). So as you can imagine, we both were pretty teary eyed watching her do her thing! Corey's character Jake left a lot to be desired at the beginning of last season. I understand why they brought Griff on and by the season finale, I didn't hate him as strongly. I am interested in seeing what they do with his character this season.

Anyway, we stood with this group of people for a while watching them set up the scene. A PA walked over and started talking to the group about their spots and their cues. Rhiannon and I realized we were hanging with the background actors and not just fans watching them film. It was confusing because almost everyone in that group had their phones out taking pictures. We stepped away from the group, laughing, before we found where other fans were standing. We watched them film the scene for about an hour. When they started setting up for the same scene but a different angle, we decided that it was time to eat something as we had not had anything all day and it was nearing 3pm.

Rhiannon has been seeing posts on Instagram for The Chelsea Square Diner and it was only a few blocks away, so we decided to give it a try. It was definitely the correct decision. The atmosphere was great! I love a good diner where I can sit and people watch. I got a triple decker turkey with avocado and Rhiannon got a patty melt. It was EXACTLY what you hope for when you get diner food. After the diner, we spent the rest of the day at Rockefeller Plaza. They have a Ladurée there now, so we had to pop in for some macarons. We watched them filling the ice rink with water (it opened to the public the next day). We were so close to a lot of the Christmas season things happening, but just not close enough. We also sat around and people watched for a while.

Then it came time for the Dun Dun Diner. The whole reason we were in the City. It was a great experience. We bought the two Olivia Benson shirts that we were told about earlier. We were also given so much merch. When the tickets came out, we opted for the $30 sit down dinning experience. This came with a Dun Dun Diner tote bag, coffee mug, two pins, a beanie, and long sleeve shirt. After we received our initiation as detectives, we were led to a photo-op with Olivia Benson's on screen desk! I think I zoned out...I am still not sure I have wrapped my head around that yet. We were sat on the lower level of the restaurant. A waiter came around with our classified files (a folder with a worksheet of different games relating to SVU and the Mothership L&O). There were 4 main courses to choose from: Lox & Order (everything bagel with cream cheese, nova, cucumber, fresh dill, and a squeeze of lemon from Ess-a-Bagel), The Benson (A Katz's Deli pastrami sandwich on rye with coleslaw and a Russian dressing), These Are Their Pancakes (pancakes with a dusting of powder sugar in the official dun dun seal), and Elite Squad Special (a cheeseburger with the official L&O stamp...this could also be substituted for a vegan patty). Rhiannon and I went with the pancakes. For dessert you could choose between: Proof is in the Pudding (a salted caramel banana pudding from Magnolia Bakery) or Fin Loves Coco (a frozen hot chocolate from Serendipity 3). I got the banana pudding and Rhiannon got the frozen hot chocolate.

When we left the diner, we made sure to save room because I really NEEDED to go to Pasta de Pasta before we left the city. We went to the hotel and picked up our friend, Dani, before walking over to the restaurant. It was SLAMMED. Once we got our food, I was so excited! I have talked about this place nonstop since we tried it in June! I was so upset that I was too full from the pancakes. I took mine back to the hotel and planned on eating it later that night, but ended up falling asleep.

The next morning, we were supposed to meet up with a friend for breakfast in the Upper West Side, but they had an emergency they needed to attend to so we had to cancel. Rhiannon and I decided to head downtown for the day before we left the city. We checked our bags with Amtrak (the only way to travel in my opinion...who knew it was so easy to check bags for a train) and headed to Madison Square Garden. I wanted to check out the MSG store for Knicks Championship merch. It was a feat getting to the store because of the Harry Styles concert that night. Every security guard tried to stop us from getting there thinking that we were trying to sneak a peak at Harry's merch. I ended up telling them that I didn't care about Harry and I was there for the Knicks. They became a lot friendlier when they realized what I was actually there for. Once in the store, I was overwhelmed by the Knicks merch. I ended up getting a New York or Nowhere hat with the Knicks logo on the side. I had been looking online for this and could never find the Knicks one. We also bought a Championship flag! I can't wait to turn our new den into our Knicks Cave!

When we left MSG, we headed down to the Square Diner in Tribeca. This is where a couple of SVU scenes have been filmed. One of my favorite scenes with Olivia Benson was filmed here (we were actually sat right next to the booth it was filmed in). This restaurant is TINY! I have no idea how they film in there. I think all of the other tables are removeable and they just leave the booths. I don't know. As we were getting ready to leave, I asked if we could buy the mug (it has a cute little logo on it). The waitress smiled and said "not that one, but I can give you a clean one." She brought us over a new mug with stickers and wrapped it in several paper bags for our trip.

We made plans earlier in the week to stop in at a friend's coffee shop before we headed to the train for coffee. So we headed there after leaving the diner. When we walked in her coworker turned to her and told her to look at my shirt. She turned around, smiled, and said "oh yeah, I am aware of them." Of course I was wearing my Olivia Benson shirt to eat at the Square Diner and to visit our friend. After ordering, we stepped into the corner and chatted with our friend for a bit. Let me tell you...she can multitask like no one I've seen before. She was whipping out these coffees, without looking or breaking conversation with us. It was wild.

While sitting there, we struck up a conversation with the man in the corner. He was talking about the outrageous prices of Broadway tickets these days. Rhiannon mentioned that we, too, were outraged by it...but that we would pay them to see Galileo. This lead to a conversation about him working with Raúl Esparza on a show years ago. Which then led to our friend telling us that he has been on SVU a few times. He played it off, he was very humble, but told us how incredible Mariska Hargitay is. He couldn't say enough great things about how kind and warm she is. He said she is the most beloved human.

This may not seem like a huge moment, but it is something that is going to stick with me for a very long time. Being in fandoms, you see costars talk about each other with such warmth and grace. Then years after, probably after the NDAs expire, you hear how awful set was or how awful certain actors were. I have learned to take what costars say about each other with a grain of salt. No one is going to say "Oh Mariska is a pain in the ass" and then go back to working with her the next day. Of course they are going to talk about how amazing she is. Now, I have been a fan of Mariska Hargitay for most of my life, well over 20 years. I think that if she was not who she seemed to be, there would have been some clue to that by now. And there isn't. But to hear this man, who has no stake in her career or his own, telling some random stranger how incredible of a human being she is, really moved me. I cried about it to Rhiannon on the train ride home. I really hope that Mariska knows how wonderfully people talk about her behind her back. I hope she knows how beloved she truly is.

Anyway, so after we left the coffee shop, we headed back to wait on the train. It loaded at 3:40pm and we arrived back in Toledo at 6:13am the next morning...but didn't get home until almost 9am.

This trip was the PERFECT Law and Order: SVU trip. Rhiannon asked me if I was disappointed that Mariska Hargitay didn't make an appearance at the Dun Dun Diner or if I was disappointed she wasn't filming...and shockingly, my answer was no. I did not go into this trip expecting to see or meet Mariska. I went into this trip expecting to celebrate a show that is very near and dear to my heart and that is exactly what happened. From the shirts we bought, to watching them film a scene (for the rest of my life when we see that scene, I will be able to say I was there when they filmed it), to eating at the Dun Dun Diner (and hearing the theme song for an hour), to visiting a few filming locations, to talking with a friend from the fandom, and meeting someone who has worked on the show a few times...I could not have envisioned a better trip.

Time spent traveling: 36 hours.

Time spent in the City: 36 hours.

Learning and Exploring more about the City and SVU: Timeless