New York City Travelogue 2024

Summary

Summary of "New York City Travelogue 2024" Episode

The History Chicks: A Women's History Podcast presents a vibrant and detailed account of Susan and Beckett's recent field trip to New York City. This episode, released on October 23, 2024, navigates through their enriching experiences, challenges, and the deep connections formed with fellow travelers. The hosts intertwine historical exploration with personal anecdotes, offering listeners an immersive journey through one of the world's most dynamic cities.

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1. Trip Planning and Preparations

Before delving into New York City, Susan and Beckett share exciting news about their upcoming field trip to Paris scheduled for April 25 to May 3, 2025. This announcement, though brief, sets the stage for their enthusiasm and organizational prowess in orchestrating memorable travel experiences for their community.

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2. The Black and White Cookie Quest

One of the standout humorous challenges faced during the trip was the quest to procure black and white cookies for the group's swag bags—a nod to New York's iconic culinary tradition.

• Beckett's Determination: Beckett envisioned including individually wrapped black and white cookies but encountered logistical hurdles. She recounts, "It required, I don't even know, like, an Olympic relay to get it here." ([08:16])

• Susan's Ingenuity: Despite the setbacks, Susan stepped up to handle the delivery, ensuring the group's snack needs were met. This collaborative effort culminated in a successful pickup at Juliana's Pizza, reflecting their dedication to providing a cohesive group experience.

• Traveler Testimonial: Poppy from the group shared, "The cookies are the black and white cookie. They were very, very good. And not just because you went through such effort to get it to us." ([11:16])

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3. Historical Site Explorations

The trip was richly infused with visits to significant historical landmarks, each offering unique insights into women's history and broader societal narratives.

a. Val Kill and Eleanor Roosevelt

Susan and Beckett's connection to Eleanor Roosevelt deepened through a special tour of Val Kill, Eleanor Roosevelt's retreat.

• Susan's Reflection: "We toured Eleanor Roosevelt's retreat called Val Kill. It was completely surreal to tour basically a national park with someone who grew up there." ([02:29])

• Exclusive Access: Their tour, guided by officials from the National Park Service and the FDR Library, provided intimate glimpses into Eleanor Roosevelt's personal artifacts, including her passport and personal items.

b. Sagamore Hill: Theodore Roosevelt's Estate

A visit to Sagamore Hill, Theodore Roosevelt's historic home in Oyster Bay, underscored the legacy of the Roosevelt family.

• Guest Insights: Chris from the group remarked, "Seeing all of Theodore Roosevelt's items that he had collected and had been gifted over his presidency was really interesting to see incorporated as part of a home." ([19:03])

• Alice Roosevelt's Influence: Laura Hart highlighted, "Alice Roosevelt Longworth... donated her childhood bedroom furniture and even directed the curators on exactly how it should be arranged in the room."

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4. Cultural Immersions and Performances

New York City's vibrant cultural scene was a focal point of the trip, with significant emphasis on Broadway's contributions to women's history.

a. Broadway Shows: Suffs and Hamilton

• "Suffs" Experience: The group attended Suffs, a musical celebrating the American suffragist movements of the 1910s and 1920s.

  • Susan's Enthusiasm: "Attending this musical with a bunch of women who knew and understood the history... was a really magical experience." ([23:16])

  • Beckett's Motivation: Ashley from Augusta, Georgia, shared, "Suffs reminded me just how far we've come in the last 100 years and how far we have yet to go."

• "Hamilton" Encounter: The group also experienced Hamilton, with Beckett expressing her admiration for the show's portrayal of its characters despite personal mishaps like accidental singing.

  • Susan's Humorous Take: "I didn't know I was singing along with it... I was so embarrassed." ([34:12])

  • Traveler Testimonial: Emily from Washington State noted, "The music was so well put together. The cast was incredible. I laughed, I cried, I was moved."

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5. Museum Visits: Tenement Museum and Metropolitan Museum of Art

The educational aspect of the trip was enriched through visits to museums that encapsulate the immigrant experience and artistic heritage.

a. Tenement Museum

Located on the Lower East Side, the Tenement Museum offered immersive exhibits on the lives of immigrants.

• Susan's Emotional Connection: "This was really emotional from the Tenement Museum where we heard about the lives of immigrants of different eras and different nationalities." ([43:59])

• Traveler Reflections:

  • Stephanie from Kansas City exclaimed, "Having the opportunity to tour the tenements with tour guides who shared the stories of the immigrants... really stuck with me."
  • Teresa from Illinois shared, "Seeing how women had to live daily... was a testament to the fortitude of our ancestors."

b. Metropolitan Museum of Art

At the Met, Susan and Beckett engaged directly with exhibits, enhancing their understanding of historical figures.

• Susan's Interaction: "I actually asked a random guard, can you tell me where Hatshepsut is? And she said, absolutely, follow me." ([30:17])

• Chris's Experience: "They have two [Edmonia Lewis statues]. They're a lot smaller than you would think they are in real life... he knew exactly where they were."

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6. Iconic Landmarks: Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

The hosts emphasized the profound historical significance of these landmarks in the immigrant narrative.

• Statue of Liberty Visit:

  • Susan's Awe: "Seeing the original torch... there was pictures of, you know, or the actual artifact was right there... wonderful experience." ([60:35])

• Ellis Island Exploration:

  • Beckett's Mishap: "I fell straight down the stairs at Ellis Island and landed on my kneecaps." ([61:18])
  • Traveler Testimonial: June from Vermont recounted, "The hospital wards... seeing Peter in 'The Snowy Day' story and its significance... made me realize the impact of these immigrant stories."

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7. Remembering Tragedies: 9/11 Memorial

A somber visit to the 9/11 Memorial provided a reflective pause amidst the historical explorations.

• Beckett's Observation: "There were people who had been adults or older teenagers when it happened... and another group, much younger, that was doing things like taking selfies." ([66:19])

• Susan's Insight: "We are in a curious... point with this memorial where it is still within living memory... it’s a stark reminder of living history." ([66:49])

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8. Gilded Age Mansions and Final Farewell

Exploring the opulence and historical context of Gilded Age mansions contrasted sharply with earlier visits to immigrant-focused sites.

• Bowery Boys Walking Tour: The group toured Upper East Side mansions, reflecting on the disparities in living conditions during the Gilded Age.

• Farewell Dinner at Delmonico's:

  • Susan's Sentiment: "This is kind of like our senior prom... So, those who attended shared memories of the luxurious dinner setting, complete with branded plates and multi-course meals." ([69:38])

  • Beckett's Reflection: "These trips are such a bonding experience... it's like a wedding where you become so close in a short period."

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9. Traveler Testimonials and Reflections

Throughout the episode, numerous testimonials from fellow travelers provided personal insights and emotional connections to the trip's experiences.

• Dana Jacques: "Seeing the musical Suffs with a bunch of women who knew and understood the history... was a really magical experience." ([22:53])

• Parker from British Columbia: "I crushed the subway... seeing things like the Stonewall National Monument and original Winnie the Pooh was amazing." ([73:21])

• Natalie from Vermont: "The Triangle Shirtwaist fiery memorial was a horrible event... it galvanized Frances Perkins to enact changes in government." ([52:54])

• Allison Lusk: "The Tenement Museum has been able to preserve the building along with the handwritten notes... a special memory was going to the Empire State Building with my daughter." ([50:05])

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10. Concluding Thoughts

Susan and Beckett conclude the episode by reflecting on the depth of their New York City experience, highlighting the blend of historical education, cultural immersion, and the forging of lasting friendships. The episode encapsulates not only the sights and sounds of New York but also the profound personal growth and community spirit fostered through shared journeys.

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Notable Quotes:

1. Susan on Val Kill Tour:
   "We toured Eleanor Roosevelt's retreat called Val Kill. It was completely surreal to tour basically a national park with someone who grew up there." ([02:29])

2. Beckett on Cookie Challenge:
   "It required, I don't even know, like, an Olympic relay to get it here." ([08:16])

3. Traveler Amanda on "Suffs":
   "Unfortunately, the musical is closing... But it is still closing. That just tells you how tough it is to succeed." ([22:05])

4. Emily from Washington State on Broadway:
   "The music was so well put together. The cast was incredible. I laughed, I cried, I was moved." ([35:02])

5. Natalie on Triangle Shirtwaist Memorial:
   "Seeing Frances Perkins... galvanized her to enact changes in government." ([52:54])

6. Parker from British Columbia on Subway Success:
   "Coming from a small town and not having traveled much, the subway was a little intimidating. But I crushed it like a champ." ([73:04])

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This comprehensive summary captures the essence of the "New York City Travelogue 2024" episode, weaving together historical exploration with personal narratives to offer listeners both informative and heartfelt content.

Transcript

[Susan]

Welcome to the History Tricks, where any resemblance to a boring old history lesson is purely coincidental.

[Beckett]

Hello, and welcome to the show. We have a special treat for you today. Today we're going to bring you our travelogue for our most recent trip to New York City. And helping us do that will be all the friends that came with us. But before we get into the show, a special announcement. Put your finger on the stop button because you may want to stop and come right back because Susan's going to lay something out for you.

[Susan]

Okay. We have our field trip set for 2025. The first trip is in April to Paris. The dates are April 25 through May 3. All the details are at Like Minds Travel, but registration is now open.

[Beckett]

See what I mean? Push stop. Come right back. We're not going to think worse of you.

[Susan]

April in Paris. I can't even believe it. My mind is so excited.

[Beckett]

All right, well, so now that that's out of the way and our dreams have, you know, turned to the Eiffel Tower in the spring, let's take you back to last month where we and a group of our friends took off to New York City.

[Susan]

We often talk about the side quests that we take, but Beckett and I took the first side quest of this particular field trip before anyone else got to New York. In 2013, we got an email from a listener who said she loved the show. Her daughters listened and maybe we could cover Eleanor Roosevelt someday. And we wrote her back and we said, yeah, maybe. She's definitely somebody we'd like to cover. This person's name is Nancy. And she wrote again in 2016 saying, well, I still see no episodes on Eleanor Roosevelt. And we wrote her back and said, well, there's kind of a curse developing. Every time we put her on the schedule, something really bad is happening in our personal lives, and we're kind of afraid to do it. So she gave us a couple years. She wrote back in 2019, and she said, I don't really want to nag you, but I'm nagging you. Why no Eleanor Roosevelt. Flash forward to 2024, February of this year, we get yet another email from Nancy, but this time she's kind of turned the tables. And she said, look, I would love it if you could come up to Hyde Park, New York, to see my grandmother's house. Val Kill. She is the granddaughter of Eleanor Roosevelt. She invited Beckett and I up to visit her grandmother's home.

[Beckett]

It was spectacular. And we will leave most of the details to our Eleanor Roosevelt episode. But I have to tell you, everyone could not have been more welcoming. We toured Eleanor Roosevelt's retreat called Val Kill. I will say it was completely surreal to tour basically a national park with someone who grew up there.

[Susan]

Val Kill is run by the National Park Service, and the woman that oversees that area of New York was there on our tour, as were several people from the FDR Library, where we also got a private tour.

[Beckett]

We have seen the contents of Eleanor Roosevelt's nightstand. What I have to say to you is, go clean your nightstand. I'm just saying we didn't see anything objectionable, but I actually was like, oh, no. Oh, no, let's go tidy this up if that's going to be something people regard. We actually saw Eleanor Roosevelt's passport Spectacular. It's huge. Everyone could not have been more welcoming, more receptive to questions, more willing to show us in to the secret corners of all of those establishments. We will put our thanks perhaps at the end of the show, but we'll. We'll talk more about them during our Eleanor Roosevelt episode. We just can't say thanks enough to everyone at the National Park Service, to Nancy herself and everyone at the FDR library for making us feel so welcome and really so valued. Thanks. Yeah. Okay, so now for comedy, though. After that serious thing, Susan left her driver's license at home. I don't know how she got through the airport. I think with her passport, she did.

[Susan]

And here's the thing. Thing. When we were organizing going on this trip, I said, no problem. We will rent a car at LaGuardia. I'll drive up. I'm from the area. I've driven that route many times. It used to be part of my work territory. Not a problem. And Beckett said, great, because I am not driving in New York. And I said, fine, you don't have to. Until I got to the gate and realized that my driver's license was not on me and I had indeed used my passport. And I have to tell you, at this point now, they do not rent you a car if you do not have a driver's license on you, and you can't even drive it. You can't even be authorized to drive it. So, Beckett, we really tested our friendship because not only is she driving in New York City, it's dark, and, oh.

[Beckett]

Yes, it's raining, and it's rush hour. And my car has had a mysterious neurological condition for a couple of months, and I have no sense of urgency to fix it because I work from home, and it's friend prices, meaning free fixed. So you can't really put pressure on the guy. Plus, I live in a walkable neighborhood, so not only is every stressor present during this drive, I haven't driven for months at the time, and my Boston skills have been gone for years. So I know that you haven't heard me curse, but Susan sure has. And I think I used multiple languages. And I'm like, you know what? If you're feeling a little scared, you should be. I know you should feel scared.

[Susan]

I felt scared and I felt awful. I mean, to my credit, I had taken the driver's license out to pre register with the rental car company, and it had slipped off my lap in my house, in my chair. And then I went to the airport with my passport.

[Beckett]

Well, we took the train back because we just weren't having the dread, the dread of Tuesday. I mean, I am like, I know. All of Sunday, I. All I could think of was like, you know, I. This is glorious that we're here. But, like, what about. I was like, freaked out. So we parked it in a whole other city and hopped on a train, where we met a man who had served with Prince Harry in Helmand Province. You never know who you're going to meet on a train platform. So there's that. That was our opening salvo. It was so much knowledge. We just felt lucky and awesome and happy and really special.

[Susan]

I felt so special and I felt so special that I didn't take one single photograph. I was so excited and so engaged in what we were doing that I didn't take any pictures. I think there's one picture out there that Nancy might have of the entire group. But you know what? I did bring back, and I did ask someone from the National Park Service if I could do this. I wanted to bring back some seed pods from their gardens because the gardens are just beautiful at Valkel. And she said I could and pointed at a bucket of plants that they had just weeded. And I kind of went through them and found some zinnia seed pods. So I got my Eleanor Roosevelt, Val kill seed pods. Yay.

[Beckett]

So then we arrived in New York City and we usually have a day or two to kind of prepare, get the snacks together. I don't know, do we want to go into how?

[Susan]

No, this one we definitely have to go into because you had a Herculean effort. Normally we put local snacks into the swag bags for everybody. We know how important it is. Sometimes you get back to your hotel late and you want a little snack, and having a taste that's local, we Thought was important. We've always done it. But it gets increasingly difficult when we're in these cities. We don't know our way around. We don't know where the local place is. We need to find local foods. And somehow Beckett and I had gotten in our heads that we wanted black and white cookies in these bags. If you don't know the black and white cookie, find one. It's a New York tradition, and they're usually very large. I have a photo of one from upstate when we were on at a diner. We did, like, a tour of diners.

[Beckett]

While we were up there.

[Susan]

And it's the size of my face. Beckett had it in her head that she was going to get these black and white cookies for the swag bags.

[Beckett]

So it required, I don't even know, like, an Olympic relay to get it here. So the first part is, I called the bakery, and I asked for a very large number of individually wrapped cookies to be ready for me on the fly. Oh, absolutely. She hung up the phone. She went and got the guy. They could pull it together for me, no problem. All I had to do was get to Long Island. I'm like, oh, no, I don't have a car. I don't know where you are, et cetera. So then she called around, and she got a truck driver to take it to the closest place to me. One of their customers, one of their grocery store customers. And he was going to leave it at the customer service counter for me, but he couldn't go any further toward me. So that's the first part. Our cookies have left the bakery and have made it to a random grocery store nowhere near where we are. I'm like, okay, I'm going to handle it from there. Okay, so let me tell you the other part here in a second, because in the middle of getting the snacks, we went on almost like a pilgrimage to the Brooklyn Bridge.

[Susan]

Before any of our field trips, we start off with a kickoff luncheon for Beckett and myself and Laura Hart, who is the planner extraordinaire at Like Minds Travel this year. Because we had just covered Emily Roebling, we decided that we wanted to take the trek across the Brooklyn Bridge.

[Beckett]

So we walked across the bridge, something I have actually wanted to do every time I've come to New York. It had special meaning this time, you know, knowing that the New York side was actually not on bedrock, that was not awesome. But walking along, and then, ironically, or maybe not ironically, a whole group of young women was having a picnic lunch right under Emily Robling's plaque. The one that was erected much later than the bridge to give her the credit that she didn't receive when it was first built. So that was spectacular. As part of my black and white cookie strategy plan, I asked if everyone could eat lunch at a restaurant called Juliana's, a pizza restaurant in Brooklyn, the real Grimaldi's, they call it. And from there, I was going to have Instacart. That's as close as Instacart could get to Manhattan. Was that part of Brooklyn? So I called Instacart before we started eating, and the man at Instacart said, no problem. I'm going to go get these at the customer service counter and I'm going to bring them to you. I couldn't believe this is part three if that was going to work. We made it all the way to Juliana's. We had a great pizza lunch, and sure enough, the man pulls up in his van with all these boxes of cookies and hands them off. And then the black and white cookies and all the rest of us got on a ferry back to Manhattan. That's the most trouble I've ever been to for a snack bag. I know those weren't the only snacks, but they were the ones with the longest storyline.

[Susan]

And I have to say, I have a long history with the black and white cookie. And these were very, very good. And not just because you went through such effort to get it to us. They were really good cookies. Yeah.

[Beckett]

I kept taking these updates during lunch. Like, the cookies. The cookies are on their way. The cookies are in the car. The cookies are. Everyone's like, oh, stop talking about the cookies. I was like, by the end, I swear to you, I will take a subway out there. And we are going to get these things if I have to. So hooray for that. Hooray for cookies. So as a little side quest of my own, I went to a couple of places. Number one, I got a New York City Public Library card. Hooray for me. It only lasts for three months, but that's okay. They can't take it away from me unless they come here and get it out of my wallet. Hooray. Also, I went to the Morgan Library and encountered two women that we have not yet covered. But in the area of perhaps research and inspiration, at the Morgan Library, there is a woman named Bella DaCosta Green who was the very first director of the Pierpont Morgan Library, now called the Morgan Library and Museum. She built one of the most important collections of manuscripts and rare books in the world. Really? And Also transformed what had been a private collection into a major public resource. And so while I was there, I saw such things as a diary of Queen Victoria, Charles Dickens, a Christmas Carol manuscript. Yeah. A first edition of Alice in Wonderland. And then I didn't know this was going to be there. There was a special exhibit about the history of ballet. And I ran into a person named Branislava Nijinska, sister of the famous ballet dancer Nijinsky. She had become a choreographer and a dancer on her own, and her career actually spanned much longer than her brothers. And I had never heard of her before. So I took copious notes there and asked a lot of questions. So that was an unexpected treat.

[Susan]

I love that we can say things like you just did that I met this person and people know that it's somebody that's long dead, you know?

[Beckett]

Right, right. Yeah.

[Susan]

And I have to say, while she was doing this amazing trip, my cousin had come down from Connecticut to say hi and hang out for a bit. And we went to go see the great elephant migration, which has absolutely nothing to do with women's history. But it's a hundred elephants that are made out of an aggressive weed. And the whole point of this is to bring awareness to the fact that this weed is taking over all their lands and choking out the elephants. So these giant life size statues of elephants made out of this reed kind of material are walking down the street in New York. It's really fascinating. They left New York this past weekend in October. They're heading to Miami and then they're going to Montana. So kind of interesting. Nothing to do with women's history, but still kind of cool.

[Beckett]

I wouldn't mind seeing the truck carrying them. I think that'd be cool too.

[Susan]

Yeah, they were all like landscaped in the middle of the street. There's, you know, mulch and plants and they're all displayed. It was very impressive.

[Beckett]

My long awaited sweater weather pairs perfectly with savory fall foods. But with everybody's busy schedule, you know, it's sports season for the children. It gets dark early sometimes it's just hard to eat the way that you'd really like to. And that's where factor comes in. Their chefs do the shopping for you and the chopping. More important to bring you fresh, never frozen, fully cooked meals right to your doorstep. All you have to do is heat them and eat them so easy.

[Susan]

Isn't it weird? You just turn the lights off a little bit earlier in the sky and the whole schedule goes kerfluy. I can't tell you how many times since it's gotten darker, I've got to supper time and only thought, oh my gosh, I never ate. I have to eat something fast. And that's where the factor meals come in for me. It's not just dinner. It's also lunches and breakfast. You can have smoothies, eggs. I mean, there's all kinds of things to pick from. Factor offers 35 wholesome meals every single week, plus 60 add ons so you can personalize your entire menu.

[Beckett]

If you're keto, calorie, smart, vegan, veggie, whatever you need. You work hard, so treat your body right with factor. No prep, no mess, just delicious meals that feature premium Ingredients. Head to FactorMeals.com hc50 and use code hc50 to get 50% off your first box and 20% off your next month.

[Susan]

That's code [e-mail] hc50 to get 50 percent off your first box plus 20% off your next month.

[Beckett]

And then it was time for the main event. Our friends were arriving and our WhatsApp.

[Susan]

Group was popping for every single one of our tours. We create a single WhatsApp group and they can get together virtually months in advance, plan side quests, get to know each other. So by the time we actually meet up, it's kind of like any other, you know, online meetup. It's like, oh, I met you, we talked about this and whatever in the group. So it's always fun that these people already kind of know each other when they meet in person.

[Beckett]

So the rooftop cocktail party started us off right? We were in the sky, I want to say on the 27th floor.

[Susan]

It's at the Monarch rooftop lounge. And it was right in the shadow of the Empire State Building.

[Beckett]

It was amazing as the sun went down and the drinks flowed and everyone was chattering and hugging and the noise level was such that we were really already friends. I don't know that there was trepidation in the land. Everyone felt familiar almost from the beginning. We have another tradition where we take a bus tour at night of the city we're about to explore. It's a good way to get your bearings, to get inspiration for future side quests you'd like to go on or even future trips you'd like to go on. And you get to see a lot of the sites in a way that you wouldn't normally. Taking a bus through Times Square, that was something else.

[Susan]

It was usually the. The cities are black and white with the lights and they're so pretty, but New York City was Technicolor. It was like walking into Oz, you know, lots of colors.

[Beckett]

Okie doke. News at 11. New York City has color.

[Susan]

Then we came back to Kansas. All sepia.

[Beckett]

You know what? I have to tell you something funny. Jett Graham, when he was little, he held my hand and he, he had some thoughts in his little head and I'm like, what's going on, buddy? And he goes, were you scared when the world went in color? Because he saw that movie and he knew I was from Kansas. And he's like, oh, that must have been very scary. So cute.

[Susan]

Oh, that's adorable. The next morning, we were all back downstairs at our hotel to get on a bus to head out to Sagamore Hill. It's a historic site. It's where Theodore Roosevelt's home was on Oyster Bay. And now it's also run by the National Park Service. It was called the Summer White House the entire time that he was in office from 1901 to 1909.

[Beckett]

And guess who grew up there? Alice Roosevelt. Let's let some of our friends tell the story of what we saw.

[Susan]

Hello, this is Chris. This was my second full time trip and the thing I most surprised me was our first day out to the Sagamore Hill estate. Seeing all of Theodore Roosevelt's items that he had collected and had been gifted over his presidency was really interesting to see incorporated as part of a home.

[Beckett]

That his children grew up in.

[Susan]

I also really enjoyed going to Oyster Bay afterwards and having lunch with Susan.

[Beckett]

Susan, Susan and Sarah, where we had.

[Susan]

Oysters in Oyster Bay. It was a wonderful trip and I can't wait for the next one. Hi, everyone, this is Laura Hart, the tour organizer. I want to give a huge thank you to everyone who joined us on this tour and an extra shout out to those who are with us for the dinner cruise. It was such a fun time. There were so many memorable moments throughout this trip, but I think the one that really stood out to me was our visit to Sagamore Hill. It was nestled in this peaceful corner of Long island and it was so beautiful there. I was fascinated to learn that about 90% of the items in the home are original to the Roosevelt family. That level of authenticity is so rare in historical homes, and it made the experience truly special. Something that really struck me was how Alice Roosevelt Longworth, late in her life, donated her childhood bedroom furniture and even directed the curators on exactly how it should be arranged in the room. And of course, the park rangers were fantastic as always. Their knowledge and passion really brought the history to life and made the visit extra special for everybody. It was truly a standout moment for me in a trip of many standout moments. Thank you, everyone.

[Beckett]

On day two, we paid homage to Jackie Kennedy and had a spectacular champagne tea at the Russian Tea Room.

[Susan]

We were dazzled because we were in a private room and in the center of this room was a giant. I'm saying it was probably 15 foot acrylic bear filled with water and goldfish. It was a fish tank. I was mesmerized.

[Beckett]

There's glass art everywhere. The colors couldn't be more vibrant. I hate to say Instagram worthy, but I think some people got some pretty spectacular pictures. Not only that, we had a special guest. Our friend Greg Young from the Bowery Boys, on his way to interview a famous author, was kind enough to come by and have tea with us. And then we had an amazing adventure. Our first foray into Broadway, we saw the musical Suffs. We saw the original cast. Shayna Taub, who's the writer and also starred as the main character. Alice Paul did extensive research into the suffrage movement. And I mean, to say this was inspirational is to paint it too lightly.

[Susan]

Mm.

[Beckett]

Yeah.

[Susan]

Unfortunately, the musical is closing. It won two Tony Awards this year, but it is still closing. That just tells you how tough it is to succeed.

[Beckett]

I mean, what does it take?

[Susan]

I don't know. I don't know, because this musical was amazing. And I don't think I'm just saying that because I'm a, you know, a huge women's history nerd. Like all of us that were there, but we laughed, we cried, we cheered because it was so good.

[Beckett]

Yeah. And I think if you have a chance, if you're in New York, it doesn't close until right after the new year, so you still have a chance after that. There's buzz that it might go on tour. And if it does, run and don't walk to your nearest ticket office. I'm here to tell you it doesn't matter where you sit, really. I guess. But, like, I always get first row balcony. That's my preferred seat. So if it comes to Kansas City, I'm going to fight you for that.

[Susan]

Maybe we can go together.

[Beckett]

Right?

[Susan]

Hi, this is Dana Jacques. I just wanted to say one of the best experiences I had on the trip was to see the musical Suffs. I really didn't know anything about it before I attended. And I have to say, attending this musical with a bunch of women who.

[Beckett]

Really knew and understood the history and.

[Susan]

Were just as enthralled with it, as I was, was a really magical experience. I will remember this for a very long time, and I didn't expect this. I just didn't expect it, and I was so grateful to be a part of it. Thanks. Hi, my name is Parker from British Columbia. This was my first trip with the History Chicks and my first time to New York City. One of my favorite things about traveling with the History Chicks was being with a group of people who are just as passionate about history as I am. Whether it was the unique architecture, the famous paintings we saw at the Met, or iconic sites of historical events, it was wonderful to be with a group of people who are just as excited about where we were as I was. I think the thing that surprised me the most about this trip was going to see Suffs. I'm not one for Broadway musicals. I haven't been to a show in over 20 years, and I was blown away. The music was so well put together. The cast was incredible. I laughed, I cried, I was moved. It was a really, really well thought out play, especially in our current political environment. It really made me feel passionate about the women who have worked so hard to get us to where we are today and how much work we have still ahead of us. It was an incredible experience, and I'm so grateful that I got to see it.

[Beckett]

Hi, this is Ashley from Augusta, Georgia. The most moving part of this field trip was seeing Suffs on Broadway. Suffs chronicles the American suffragist movements in the nineteen teens and twenties and was such a moving, funny, and inspiring show. Our group cried, laughed, and cheered together. It's easy to be cynical about politics, especially in a highly contentious election season, but Suffs reminded me just how far we've come in the last 100 years and how far we have yet to go. It inspired me to get more engaged with our election process. So when I got home, I started writing letters to voters and trained to be a poll worker. I think we all left the theater feeling proud and inspired. And I certainly was reminded that just as Alice and Ida, Lucy and Inez were shaping history with their lives, we have the same power to write the history our daughters and granddaughters will read about one day. I hope to make them proud. Thanks, Susan and Beckett and Laura for an amazing trip.

[Susan]

I can't wait for the next one. Hello, this is Greg Young from the Barry Boys Podcast, and I had such a great time. It was so honored to be invited into some of the History Chicks New York City adventures. I hope you all loved the tours on the Bowery Boys walks. I know that the tour guides loved you all, so we really appreciate that. Now, I was also on the cruise and I got to meet some of you and that was marvelous. We had such a great time dancing on the boat. Like, do you remember where it felt like it was going to tip over in front of Lady Liberty? That actually would have been fabulous. But that didn't happen, thankfully. But I think the thing that I will take away the most is I'm really grateful to have been invited to the Russian Tea Room with you all because that's a place that when you live in New York, when you live in any place, you kind of take those types of places for granted. I would never just go to the Russian Tea Room, but it was so lush, so luxurious inside. The food was delicious, the conversation was amazing. And so that was my favorite part. I mean, I hope you all had a wonderful time. What gracious hosts. And please come back to New York City again and I'll see you next time on another voyage around the island.

[Beckett]

You've heard us talking about Lumi Whole Body deodorant for months, but guess what? They just came out with their very first whole body deodorant spray. The same outrageous 72 hour odor control that's earned them 300,000 five star reviews, but in a brand new easy to apply spray.

[Susan]

I was so excited when I saw this, so I went ahead and I ordered it. I got the soft powder scent and I love it. You know, you can hold the can upside down if you need to. It sprays on nicely. The scent is very light. You know, I do love my perfumes and I do not like to have any competing scents going on. So I have been using the 72 hour spray for, gosh, probably three weeks now. And I love it. It does exactly the same thing. It's just as effective as the stick and the cream deodorant that Lumi makes. And I'm a big fan.

[Beckett]

The 72 hour deodorant spray is powered by innovative pH optimized technology that stops odor before it starts rather than simply covering odor up with fragrance. Lumi's starter pack is perfect for new customers. It comes with a solid stick deodorant cream tube deodorant, two free products of your choice like mini body wash and those famous deodorant wipes that Susan likes so much.

[Susan]

And free shipping as a special offer for our listeners. New customers get 15% off all Lume products with our exclusive code. And if you combine that 15% off with the already discounted starter pack that equals over 40% off their starter pack.

[Beckett]

Use code Chicks for 15% off your first [e-mail]. that's code Chicks at L U M E D E O D O r a n t.com on day three, man, day three was packed. We went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. And I have to tell you, for the first time, I asked a random guard, can you tell me where Hatshepsut is? And she said, absolutely, follow me. And knew exactly who I was talking about and where to go, I hope. Same lady, different area of the museum. I said, while I've got you, can you tell me the way to get to the Edmonia Lewis statues? And that is amazing to me. She took me right to them. They have two. They're a lot smaller than, you know, you would think they are in real life. But she knew exactly where they were. She knew who Admonia Lewis was and all about her. And as I am no slouch, I handed her a business card. But so those are my two highlights for the Metropolitan Museum. I actually, since I'd been there before, let Chris Graham kind of run other than those two things, run the tour from there because I wanted him to have the opportunity to go where he wanted to go. So.

[Susan]

Right. And I had brought one of my friends from Kansas City, Susan, who was now called Susan's Susan. And I had been to the Met before. So I let her guide us where she wanted to go. So we walked around on our own self guided tour. But personally my highlight was seeing a three foot tall statue of the Statue of Liberty. It was one of the original fundraising statues and it was just standing there, our Lady Liberty, right there in the Met, right around the corner from some fabulous Faberge eggs, which, you know, totally reminded me of the Romanovs, of course. So those were my highlights.

[Beckett]

And then Chris Graham and I sat on the steps of the Met and had a hot dog and we felt super cool.

[Susan]

Well, I have to tell you, I felt super cool too. Okay. We always tell the stories that people come in and they hear us talking and they find us. I was in the gift shop, not talking to anybody, just looking at some aprons and someone tapped me on the shoulder and she was a listener from Texas and her mom had just happened to be at the Met and she recognized me walking around, which is really bizarre. Like I didn't even say anything.

[Beckett]

Like I didn't laugh.

[Susan]

You didn't hear my laugh from across the room. It was very weird.

[Beckett]

Ooh. We didn't Say this. You know what? Earlier, we were at Theodore Roosevelt's, actually his mother Anna Roosevelt's house on the grounds of the FDR library. And we were talking to some new listeners who had expressed appreciation for Frances Perkins. A mention of Frances Perkins by the guide, and were clapping. And so we made sure to go talk to them and hand them cards and talk to them about Frances Perkins. And two heads poked around the corner, having heard Susan's voice and maybe my voice, but, you know, let's be honest, Susan's voice from It's a little bit louder from downstairs. And came back up around and like, excuse me, I'm sorry to interrupt, but are you the history chicks? It was kind of amazing. But in that case, they did hear. They did hear you.

[Susan]

Yeah. Which is what happened. I mean, it doesn't happen all the time, but when it happens, that's how it happened. So I was. This is kind of like a little milestone for me.

[Beckett]

Yay.

[Susan]

I was walking taller that day. Taller than my 5 foot 2.

[Beckett]

From there, we went on a Gilded Age Mansions tour with the Bowery Boys.

[Susan]

Bowery Boys have walking tours of New York. So they are the experts of New York. They do the Bowery Boys New York history podcast, and they have a series of walking tours. And this one is of Gilded Age mansions. It was in the area right around the Met and right around Central Park. It's the Upper east side. It's just where all these huge mansions had been in the Gilded Age. So our guys were pointing them out. Now, even now, that is a very high rent area. Currently you can pay $750,000 for a one bedroom, one bath, tiny little apartment, man. I know.

[Beckett]

And the end of the day, we went back to Broadway for Hamilton. Oh, yes. It was worth the wait. And I don't know what's wrong with me, but of course I fall in love with all the villains. King George, you're dear to my heart, but only in this show. And Thomas Jefferson, also nefarious in this show. I loved his character, too. So I don't know why the villains always get the best lines, but there you go. That's my fault. My failings.

[Susan]

Well, you wanna hear my huge failing?

[Beckett]

Absolutely.

[Susan]

This was not the first time I've seen Hamilton. I saw it when they were touring here in Kansas City. I've watched it on Disney Channel. I've listened to the soundtrack so much that my kids were done with it. Apparently. I learned when the gentleman sitting next to me elbowed me and said, could you stop singing? That I was Singing. I didn't even know it. I was so embarrassed. And then I was mad, and then I was embarrassed again.

[Beckett]

It was off.

[Susan]

I didn't even realize I was singing along with it.

[Beckett]

Well, you know, I wish you were sitting in front of me because the lady in front of us was also, like, a super fan and was singing like she was at a Taylor Swift concert, but I thought it was great. And she was, like, pumping her fist, and they were grooving out up there. And Chris Graham's like, man, people really. People really know this show, huh? And I'm like, yeah, you know, they're feeling it. And so we actually reveled in her joy at the show, but we could still hear over her because she wasn't actually so much singing as she was like, yeah, go get. Blah, blah, blah.

[Susan]

You know, if I was singing, it was just at a whisper level. And this young guy who's probably 22, wearing jeans and sneakers, elbows me and tells me to stop singing. Not even, could you please stop? No. Stop singing. Like, I'm so sorry. I didn't even know. Yeah.

[Beckett]

Hi, this is Emily from Washington state. I've been to New York several times, but this was my first trip with the History Chicks, and I was invited by my bonus mom, Sharon, who's now been on four of these. I would say that there were many things that I found special and interesting and very thought provoking about this trip, but I think that my most favorite experience was going to see the two Broadway musicals. We went to see Suffs first, and that show was just so inspiring in.

[Susan]

A lot of ways. I now have a new theme song and a new T shirt that proclaims it to the world.

[Beckett]

And I got to do the stage door at that show, which was really cool because I got to meet all the actresses and the show's creator, who.

[Susan]

Put all these suffragists lives on display every night and showcase such a wonderful and important message.

[Beckett]

But then also, when we went to see Hamilton and we were walking back from the theater to the hotel, I.

[Susan]

Got to just gush a long time.

[Beckett]

With different people who had been complete strangers a few days ago about musical theater and different shows and things that.

[Susan]

I love about it.

[Beckett]

And musical theater is something that has my whole heart. So it was such a joy to be able to share that with so.

[Susan]

Many people who were so receptive to talking about it. This trip is what we consider a long weekend. It went from a Wednesday to a Sunday. We had a lot of activities packed in, so there really wasn't a lot of free time for people to go off and do their own side quests. But people have side quests. They have things they want to do. So they were able to kind of weave them around where we were and, you know, little breaks in our schedule. I always think that that's exciting to hear where people want to go, you know, the places that they want to see that are not on our general itinerary. One of the side quests that I did and I was able to weave around was after we went to Hamilton, a group of us, a very large group of us went to the Algonquin. We went to Dorothy Parker's old stomping grounds and had a drink. And I had a Dorothy Parker. Can't tell you what was in it. I think it was gin. It was delicious. But it was just so fun to be in there in in the Algonquin toasting to Dorothy Parker, which is exactly what we all did. Hi, I'm Sharon. I had a wonderful time with the history Chicks field trip on my first visit to New York City. Thank you Beckett, Susan, Laura Hart, and like minds travel for creating these experiences. One of the things I appreciate about these field trips is the opportunity for side quests having and taking time to see additional things to the tour. I made a side quest to the New York City Public Library on Fifth Avenue to visit its museum in hopes of seeing the original Winnie the Pooh stuff character the books are based on. And there they were. But moving on in the museum, another book in one of the cases, caught my eye. It was a picture book that I'd often read to my own children and kindergarten students. I was about to learn of its history with the New York City Public Library. This picture book has the record of being the most frequently borrowed book in the library's history, with a total count of more than 485,000 checkouts. Amazing. And I had no idea. Published in 1962, this classic picture book is the Snowy Day. Written and illustrated by Ezra Jack Heats. It's a lovely simple story of a young African American boy named Peter and his adventures in a city on a snowy day. If you don't know of it, you might check it out. This is Karen Gardner, and my story is about a side quest I took.

[Beckett]

On the New York City trip.

[Susan]

I got into town the day before the field trip started and I took a walking tour of Central Park. Our guide took us to several landmarks within the park, including the mall where a row of statues is located. Most are male literary figures from the 1800s. But it's also where the new Women's Rights Pioneers monument was added in 2020. This is a statue of Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton all gathered around a table having a lively discussion. As we kept walking, I asked the.

[Beckett]

Guide about another statue I wanted to see.

[Susan]

Balto, the sled dog who helped deliver vaccines to a remote town in Alaska in 1925. The guy told me how to find Balto. And then she told me something that blew my mind. She said there was a statue of a dog in Central park almost 100 years before there was a statue of an actual woman here. Unless you count angels in Alice in Wonderland. It was a very real example of how recognition for the contributions of women throughout history doesn't just happen. Their stories have to be told, which is why the History Chicks podcast is so important. So, Susan and Beckett, thank you for all you do to tell these stories and to lift us all up in the process. And thank you, Susan, Beckett, and Laura, for a fantastic field trip. Hey, this is Chris Graham calling about my trip to New York City. I have to say that the entire place just absolutely amazed me.

[Beckett]

But something that moved or surprised me.

[Susan]

Was how warm, actually everybody was. I felt like I belonged there. It wasn't the typical New York City you hear about, although I did see some of it. But everyone that I interacted with was warm and inviting and acted like they.

[Beckett]

Really wanted to have me there. So I absolutely love that Something new.

[Susan]

That I learned was in the tenement museum. Half of the stuff that was in my house as a kid I saw in those rooms. So that was very cool. That was really neat. My side Quest was the 120th floor of the Empire State Building, where I.

[Beckett]

Had to tiptoe up to the edge.

[Susan]

Of the glass just to look over for probably the first 20 minutes I.

[Beckett]

Was up there, and then finally got.

[Susan]

To look out and saw some of the most incredible lights and incredible scenery.

[Beckett]

That I've ever seen.

[Susan]

I mean, the city goes on forever. It's amazing how big that place is, and you don't realize it until you get up that high to see it.

[Beckett]

So, anyways, I had a great time.

[Susan]

Really love New York. I'm gonna definitely go again.

[Beckett]

Hello, the History Chicks listeners. This episode is proudly brought to you by Lola V. An award winning hair care line founded by the fabul iconic Jennifer Aniston.

[Susan]

You know, as the leaves are starting to fall and the air turns cool, it's kind of a good time to reassess our hair care and if your hair is not looking its greatest, it might not actually be that weather, the drier weather. It might be something in your scalp.

[Beckett]

We learned that when we covered Madam C.J. walker. You got to go back to the origin of your hair and Lola V.

[Susan]

Does with their Exfoliate and Detox Scalp Shampoo. It combines the power of a scalp scrub and a clarifying shampoo. It features a unique blend of activated charcoal powder, bamboo extract and gentle ahas that get rid of all that gunk weighing down your hair. I am a huge believer in detoxing your hair. And Lola Vie's Exfoliate and Detox Scalp Shampoo is perfect for that. When I do it at least once a month, my hair suddenly performs the way I want it to, using the products that I've always loved and always relied on that were starting to build up on my hair.

[Beckett]

The Exfoliate and Detox Scalp Shampoo is clinically proven to increase scalp hydration and hair volume, plus reduce scalp flaking after just one use. Check out all Lolavi products at their [e-mail] as our loyal listeners. You'll get an exclusive 15% off your entire order when you use code Chicks15 at checkout.

[Susan]

That's 15% off your order at L O L A V I E.com with promo code Chicks15.

[Beckett]

Please note you can only use one promo code per order and discounts can't be combined. But after you purchase, they'll ask you where you heard about them. Please support our show and tell them we sent you your hair.

[Susan]

Will thank you.

[Beckett]

On day four, we started out strong at the Tenement Museum and a lot of our friends have a lot to say about that. So we are going to simply end with this sentence. I was going to mention the fabulous dumplings that we had for lunch, but somebody mentioned that too.

[Susan]

This whole day was really emotional from the Tenement Museum where we heard about the lives of immigrants of different eras and different nationalities. It's a wonderful museum. I know that our friends talk it up and I can't tell you anything different other than if you can go to one place and you like the show, you should go to the Tenement Museum. It's on the Lower east side on Orchard Street. We will link you up in the show notes. They actually have this really cool virtual visits on their website, so we'll link you up to that. So even if you can't get to New York, you can still experience some of the things that the Tenement Museum has to offer.

[Beckett]

Hi, this is Beth I love New York.

[Susan]

It's the best city in the United States.

[Beckett]

I loved traveling with all of you.

[Susan]

History chicks and getting to know you and eat with you and visit all the wonderful sites and not one, but two Broadway shows.

[Beckett]

Suffs was particularly moving to me.

[Susan]

Before listening to history chicks, I wasn't really aware of the horrible way women were treated just for wanting to to vote. And the show just really, really made me aware of the horrible brutality that they suffered at the hands of men and really changed kind of the way I think about things lately.

[Beckett]

The Tenement Museum was also just really eye opening. I worked in some factories when I.

[Susan]

Was young and made shoes in one. And just the way that they had to organize their apartments and their lives.

[Beckett]

And live in such miserable conditions really.

[Susan]

Was a testament to the fortitude of our ancestors. It was pretty amazing. Hi, my name is Stephanie and I've wanted to go to New York City for a number of years and was excited to get to join the history chicks on this tour. One of our visits I wouldn't have done with family and friends and that was our visit to the Tenement Museum. Having the opportunity to tour the tenements with tour guides who shared the stories of the immigrants, who showed us the census reports that really gave a visual of how many people really lived in these small buildings. Sharing the newspaper clippings and the media reports of how immigrants were treated or seen in society. Something that could have been happening in today's world was something that really stuck with me even after the trip. I've dabbled in my own family's immigration story and this just caused me to come back and get excited to look a little deeper, dig a little deeper to see what else I can find about my own family's story. I'm thankful that I had the opportunity to experience such an amazing trip with really wonderful women. Hi, this is Teresa from Illinois. This was my second history Chick field trip and it was so nice to pick up on friendships made on my previous trip and to make new ones. Most memorable for me was the Tenement museum tour and the sharp contrast in living that we saw from Sagamore Hills, idyllic setting and beauty both inside and out, to the harsh realities of living in close quarters and the struggle it must have been for women to just live their lives daily. Dark corridors, long distance to the bathroom facilities, carrying water and food up the stairs, caring for their children, all while trying to eke out a living for basic needs as best they could. I and my family have always lived in rural areas and the realities of city living are so different than the stories I have heard from the same time periods from my family. Thank you Laura, Becca and Susan for another great trip. Hi, this is Rachelle and I really.

[Beckett]

Enjoyed my trip to New York City with the History Chicks. The one thing that really stood out to me was when we went to the Tenement Museum. I guess I had in my head that they lived in squalor and basically just nothing.

[Susan]

800 people to a room. But in actual fact, looking at all.

[Beckett]

Of the layers of flooring and layers of paint, they actually did try to make it as homey and took pride in where they lived. It was just amazing to think about.

[Susan]

Being in that situation and yet absolutely.

[Beckett]

Trying to make the best of it. I will definitely go on other trips with the History Chicks and thank you so much. Bye.

[Susan]

Hi, I'm Lori. This was my fifth plus History Chicks field trip. I was moved by the Tenement Museum. Consisting of time capsules showing how immigrants lived when they first came to the U.S. the building consists of four 300 square foot apartments per floor. The first one we visited was the home of a Jewish family in the early 20th century. Somehow, eight people squeezed into this tiny three room apartment. This family was lucky. By the time they were tenants, running water had been installed. Before that, residents had to go downstairs to a water pump outside. One thing that stood out to me was the many layers of linoleum on the kitchen floor. What a story those layers could tell. My husband's family immigrated from Poland at about the same time as this family did. Although they didn't settle in New York. I wonder how similar their living conditions were. As a bonus, when we went to Ellis island, my daughter was able to find the names of her great grandmother and great great aunt on the immigration Wall of Honor. After the museum, we had a bit of an adventure. Our friend and fellow traveler Diana lives in the city. She met us at the museum and took us to a local place where we had pork dumplings. 10 for $4. Best deal in town. Not knowing when we would find a restroom next, we made a quick visit to a theater she works at, then a subway ride. Then we dashed through Washington Square to catch up with the group for the next tour. Thank you Laura for once again putting together a great outing and finding excursions I wouldn't come up with on my own. And Susan and Beckett, thanks for the podcast we all love and for the great group of friends you've created.

[Beckett]

Hi, this is Allison Lusk and this was my first History Chick trip. I was Able to travel with my daughter on this field trip. The thing that surprised me was how fast everyone became friends. It was so enjoyable to get to meet such great people from around the country.

[Susan]

The Tenement Museum was one of my favorite things we did on the trip. It was amazing to me that the.

[Beckett]

Museum has been able to preserve the building along with the handwritten notes on the wall from the business owners keeping.

[Susan]

Track of their inventory.

[Beckett]

A special memory was going to the Empire State Building with my daughter. We went to the glass window top. The guide there was able to play a game with us where he would say I spy and we would have to point out, find things that he told us about or would point out. And it was so fun to have.

[Susan]

That one on one and to learn about New York.

[Beckett]

Thank you, Laura, Becca and Susan for.

[Susan]

Such a wonderful trip.

[Beckett]

As a part of another Bowery Boys tour of women of New York, we went by the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Memorial, which I have to say, pulled on our heartstrings quite a lot. I don't know if you know the story, but there was a industrial disaster involving a large number of workers, mostly women and girls, who were trapped inside of their workplace when a fire broke out. This was pre osha, pre safety regulations, and it caught the attention of the world. It also caught the attention of one Frances Perkins, who saw it happening from where she was staying across Washington Square park and ran over as a witness to this disaster. Having seen that really shape the direction of her career. She went on to be labor Secretary and was able to change regulations in workplaces on a national level. So this is where it all started and it was just something else to be at the place where it happened.

[Susan]

Yeah, I kept looking through Washington Square park because the building is just outside of it and thinking she's running all the way across this park, you know, in her long dresses, because this building is on fire. Ultimately, there was 146 people who died. And all of their names on this memorial are carved into a piece of metal above our heads. And they're backwards if you look at them. But when the light shines down, the names are all illuminated on a piece of black marble. So their names and their ages and it's just. I mean, I'm getting chills just thinking about it. And I think that was a highlight for that of that day for a lot of people.

[Beckett]

Do not miss.

[Susan]

Hello, Susan and Beckett. This is Natalie from Norwich, Vermont. I had a fabulous time on the New York City History Chicks trip. And my favorite thing, well, Possibly not a favorite thing, but more of a. Probably more of a sobering thing was the Triangle Shirtwaist fiery memorial. It was a horrible event. So many young women and a few young men died because of negligence because of building's owner's greed. And what I had forgotten was that Frances Perkins, one of our chicks, was living nearby and actually witnessed the fire and the horrible aftermath of all these, you know, dead young immigrant women and a few men. And this galvanized her to enact changes in government. You know, she was secretary of labor, which for women at that time was quite a. So it was sobering to stand there and just picture the horror and also picture Frances Perkins watching the horror and how that changed her and how that motivated her. So that's my probably the most poignant takeaway of the whole trip. The other bits were so much fun. So much fun being around people that love history as much as I do. So thank you again. I had a wonderful time and I hope to see you all again. Hi, this is Laurie from Colorado. I was there with my sister Mary and was delighted to meet Beckett and Susan. Impressed by the trip Laura put together and orchestrated. And this was our first, but not last, field trip with the history chicks. The thing that moved me and that I continue to reflect back on was seeing the Triangle Shirtwaist factory in person and having our tour guide talk about the story. And then importantly, seeing the memorial, which has only recently been erected. The way the memorial is erected is to see the names of the girls and women who were killed in that disaster in reflection versus carved into the stone. And I just thought it was really a great way to display and honor these women and girls. And was also shocked to see how young many of the girls were. It is something my kids had learned about in middle school, but I hadn't thought much about myself. And so I actually sent a picture to my kids while we were there. And thinking about these poor folks trapped on those upper floors, it just really moved me and made me go back and listen to the Frances Perkins episode again. So thanks for that and I had a wonderful time on the trip.

[Beckett]

So I have been sleeping on this blissy pillowcase for a while now. And let me tell you, my hair has never looked better. There was a problem with mermaid hair. Blissey's silk pillowcase is the best thing you can do for your hair. It reduces frizz and tangles. That is something that long, wavy hair is just subject to. Also, the silk pillowcase can reduce blemishes in the appearance of Fine lines. Not only that, it keeps your skincare products on your face because you've spent all this money on skincare products and that's where you would like them to stay, right on your skin.

[Susan]

Yeah. Silk and satin are not the same material. You are looking for silk and Blissey has 100% mulberry silk. Ever since I started to let my hair go to its natural curl, I've been using Blissey's pillowcases and bonnets and I have seen an incredible increase in the manageability of my hair. I don't wake up in the morning with it going out everywhere. It's easy to put it right back where it belongs with no effort at all. So much so that I got Blissy pillowcases for my curly haired kids for Christmas. They're getting two Blissey silk pillowcases and brand new pillows because that's a great.

[Beckett]

Gift even for the little guys. They have collaborations with brands like Harry Potter and Minions for the truly small and more on the way.

[Susan]

Blissy's been featured on Good Morning America, the View Live with Kelly and Mark and Dermatologist. Recommended.

[Beckett]

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[Susan]

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[Beckett]

That night we welcomed almost 30 additional friends for our exclusive boat ride. Our dinner cruise was amazing. It went off the rails in the best possible way. We had a dj, we had dinner, we had drinks, we had sequins and glitter and feather boas and it was amazing. The guy driving the boat, driving. Do you drive a boat?

[Susan]

Piloting? Yes.

[Beckett]

The driver, the captain, was spectacular. He knew his oats. He knew when to stop. We never got such good pictures of the Statue of Liberty as we did that night and pictures of the skyline. So all the new friends met all the even newer friends. It was amazing. We all became one by the end. We were dancing and pump their fists in the air and singing and I think we might have scared Greg.

[Susan]

I know we had. Greg Young from the Valerie Boys and Carl Raymond from Gilded Gentlemen were our special guests at this dinner cruise and I think they didn't know what to expect and quite honestly, I wouldn't have either if I hadn't been on these before. But I always describe them as like your friend group has a wedding, so you have very little filter. You just go in to have fun. You don't care. You're dancing to everything in a big, like, you know, adult mosh pit without any, you know, danger kind of thing. It's just so much fun. And this particular dinner cruise, it was a beautiful night. The skyline was stunning. I mean, we went under the Brooklyn Bridge, we saw the Statue of Liberty. It was all lit up, and it was just a magical night, I think, and I'm not misusing that word, it was a magical night for everybody that was on board.

[Beckett]

Day five, we saw an old friend more close up than even the night before. We saw her in the day, and unlike a lot of people that you see the day after a big club night, she looked spectacular. It was the Statue of Liberty. We went to Liberty island and they have a museum at the ground level that includes the original torch. And also there's a video of her construction. There's a very well curated timeline of her creation and how she's been used in marketing and as a symbol of liberty and as a symbol of immigration. Couldn't have asked for a better introduction to the Statue of Liberty, I suppose. If you haven't heard our show on the Statue of Liberty, I was walking.

[Susan]

Around that museum, which I had never seen before. I had gone to the Statue of Liberty, but I'd never been into that museum. And I kept thinking that it was such a good companion to our episode. Like, oh, yeah, we talked about that there. The thing is that we were just talking about on that particular episode, and just little things that you and I could only describe in words. There was pictures of, you know, or the actual artifact was right there. It was wonderful experience.

[Beckett]

And as part of that trip, you catch the ferry to the next stop, which is Ellis island, the first place people landed when they came to the United States for many, many decades. Wow.

[Susan]

We've talked about Ellis Island a lot on this show, so I'm not going to go into too much detail here, but it's just always so exciting to stand in the place that we've talked about, you know, and to see where the immigrants had come in on their ships and take the walk into that building and go into that giant hall that they would have been processed through. It's just so great when you have an opportunity to touch history like that.

[Beckett]

Speaking of touching history, I fell straight down the stairs at Ellis island and landed on my kneecaps. So that's a secret I kept from all of you. I Had two giant black knees for the rest.

[Susan]

Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh.

[Beckett]

I'm like, well.

[Susan]

And she says that she literally just told me about this the other day. We were together for, you know, another 10 days in France after this, and she just told me about falling down the stairs in Ellis Island.

[Beckett]

Yeah.

[Susan]

I don't know how you. I would, like, been telling everybody I got hurt.

[Beckett]

Well, it was Laura's birthday. Laura Hart. And I'm like, I'm not gonna put a worry on her because whatever, I could still walk. And if they were broken, what could she do about it, you know, so.

[Susan]

Throw you over his shoulder, carry you around.

[Beckett]

So. And my husband was with me, so we were good. You know, if I had fallen apart, I could have dealt with it, but it didn't look good and it definitely didn't feel good, but it was great to see Ellis Island. Luckily, it happened right at the end, so I'd already absorbed. I'd absorbed the feeling, and then I got the pain at the end.

[Susan]

Oh, gosh. Hi, this is June. The New York City field trip was my fourth with the History Chicks. Another amazing job by Laura Hart to arrange such special experiences. Thank you, Laura. And of course, thanks to Susan and Beckett for creating the podcast that has brought us all together. I had previously visited the Statue of Liberty in Ellis island, so I went on a mini side quest to see a bit more. I took the hard hat tour of Ellis island, which takes you through the unrestored hospital buildings. I found the hospital wards even more moving than the Great hall, where so many thousands came with their American dreams. Those hospitalized were often not sure if they would be allowed to remain in the United States after treatment or be deported. Children were frequently hospitalized for weeks or even months while their families had been transported on to New York City. Often they could not visit, which I found heartbreaking. Our guide showed us the room he.

[Beckett]

Feels has the best view of the.

[Susan]

Statue of Liberty, which was the ward for terminal cases, what we would call hospice. He said some visitors feel it was cruel that dying immigrants were so close and yet so far. But I agreed with the guide that if the last thing they saw was the Statue of Liberty, they died knowing they were in America. After I went to Ellis Island, I visited the crown of the Statue of Liberty. It has nearly 300 steps up from the level below. This is Caroline Turlington Hammond, longtime history Chicks listener, first time field trip traveler. What moved me most were our stops at the Tenement Museum and Ellis Island. Immigrant stories have always fascinated me, and I love Seeing the items that travelers.

[Beckett]

Felt were most important to bring with them to their new country.

[Susan]

I could have stared at the apartments at the Tenement Museum and the display cases at Ellis island for hours and hours. These are the artifacts of the human experience preserved for us to see. And to me, that is just very moving and humbling. I traveled on this trip with my mother and sister, and this was our first experience with group travel. We were intimidated at first.

[Beckett]

With such a large group and a.

[Susan]

Packed schedule, we weren't sure if we would get along with our fellow travelers or be able to handle such a tight turnaround schedule, but agreed that Laura.

[Beckett]

Planned an incredible itinerary and kept her.

[Susan]

Cool when things inevitably hit snags, as they do whenever you travel. So cheers to Laura, Susan Beckett, and our fellow travelers, and see you on the next trip.

[Beckett]

After we got back, we had a little bit of a free afternoon, and Chris Cram and I and several others, but not with us, decided to head over to the 911 memorial. And I mean, this was an emotional day. It was almost too much for us to be in that area. The memorial is mostly composed of names around a disappearing set of fountains that go into the earth that cover the footprint of the original two towers. There were two groups of people there. There were people who had been adults or older teenagers when it happened that were very moved and were grieving almost. It's making a pilgrimage almost. And I'm sorry to say there was another group, much younger, that was doing things like taking selfies and posing in their fancy outfits. So that was kind of shocking to us, and I think it bothered us excessively.

[Susan]

Yeah.

[Beckett]

And you know, what we. We took from that is we are in a curious. We're in a curious point with this memorial where it is still within living memory, isn't it? But you know what? In a matter of four or five decades, it won't be, and it will be just history, and you'll just have to approach it academically.

[Susan]

Right.

[Beckett]

And that was kind of heavy to realize. And that was a stark reminder of living history. Doesn't live forever.

[Susan]

Right, right, right. We never mentioned the tour actually started on 9 11. So we are in this weekend of 9 11, you know, memorial events while we were there. So, you know, I think that that added to it too, for us, you know, the emotion of it.

[Beckett]

Well, then Chris Graham and I went, at the suggestion of our bartender, we kind of pieced out of there. We got a little over, overcome and went and had lunch. And then our bartender said, actually, you should Take the time to go down to Oharas Publishing and it's just a block away. And it was just outside of the radius of destruction. And so a lot of the crews ended up there. It was like a decompression zone for a lot of the crews of first responders. And so from all over the world, first responders, you know, police force, sheriffs organizations, army, they bring their patches from their uniforms and put them up on the wall of O'Hara's Pub and they cover the ceiling, all the walls, the whole bar. It's quite amazing. So that's another kind of unexpected little field trip that we made.

[Susan]

Hi, this is Angela Kettlehut. And the New York City field trip made me a 2 ton. I first have to say that the very special memory was on the first night when the entire bus sang me Happy Birthday. I do want to talk about Sunday though, as a very special memory. I was sad when my travel buddy Rochelle had to leave early, but she told me invite a family member instead. So my brother John took up the offer. The last time I was at the Statue of Liberty, it was when he was a young Boy Scout and I had to chaperone his troop. We enjoyed reliving those memories. Then we moved over to Ellis island where we spent our time looking for our great grandparents name on the memorial walls outside. I took a pencil rubbing and we took lots of pictures together. We broke from the group for a while and wandered around the village and met back up with the group for Delmonico's. When John said he would join me, his comment was, who passes up a steak dinner at Delmonico's? But in the end, we both agreed that the baked Alaska was our favorite. So thank you to Laura and Susan and Beckett and all of the travelers for a most spectacular trip. And in closing, I just want to reiterate something another traveler said from another trip. If you think you know a city, go on the field trip anyway, you will always learn something.

[Beckett]

And we have reached the end. This is the last day. And we had our farewell dinner at Delmonico's, the famous Delmonico's, the home of the Gilded Age fancy dinner.

[Susan]

Oh, and it was quite a fancy dinner. The plates were branded Delmonico's. You know, the chargers that were on the table when we got there. And there was cocktails, there was wine, there were several courses, and all of it was delicious. But we're at these tables and we know that this is it. This is the end of our trip. This is our final goodbye. You Know, this is kind of like our senior prom, you know, I don't know what else to say.

[Beckett]

You know what? It seemed like, I don't know if any of you, and it always seems like this to me, if any of you have ever been in a show, like a limited run theater show, and at the end you've had the final show, you have a cast party and you've become such friends in such a short period of time and you know, you might see each other again, but it's never going to be in this exact configuration with your same memories that you had with your same in jokes that you had. And it's simultaneously bonding and melancholy. And that's what these end dinners always are to me. And that's what this one was too. Everyone was exchanging information and giving each other hugs. And again, these trips are such a bonding experience. I, I believe that the original London crew is still very close friends, so.

[Susan]

Oh, I know they are. And those WhatsApp groups that are created for each of these are still very active. Somebody will pop in with, oh, I went to this place that we had all gone to together and the next thing you know there's this whole conversation about all kinds of different things within that WhatsApp group because these people all know each other so well. In the New York city field trip, WhatsApp group, Beckett and I asked for one photograph from people that they wanted to share to be put into our show notes. And all of a sudden the whole thing was like lit up. It was ding, ding, ding, you know, all the notifications. So all of those photos are going to be on the show notes for this episode. It's just another community, you know, within the community.

[Beckett]

So in that spirit, we are going to end this show with a little miniseries of our friend commentaries, a couple of recaps of the week at large. And then Michelle, Madame Adventuress, who went swimming in Coney island, she did.

[Susan]

And when she was in London, if you listen to the London the Second Trip, the recap episode, she's the woman who went off to find some place to swim because she's an open water swimmer and she loves to swim when she travels with different swim groups. And so she is the swimmer. I have to tell you, we had not yet covered Gertrude Ederle when we had done this trip. But we were researching her and I told Michelle about it because I was just so excited. I couldn't wait for her to know that we were going to cover another open water swimmer. And she was thrilled.

[Beckett]

So that's it. For Susan and I today, but not for the show. And we will see you next time.

[Susan]

Bye. Hi, this is Daryl and Gates. Hi. And we went to New York City with the History Chicks and we had a lot of fun.

[Beckett]

We did.

[Susan]

Okay, So a few of my favorite things that I really liked was Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. I wish we could have spent more time on Ellis island because that was really cool.

[Beckett]

Yeah, No, a lot to see there.

[Susan]

Yeah. And then just like, being able to kind of like, walk through Ellis island as an immigrant, I think that was really cool. And how myself, I'm an immigrant, it's like, oh, like, what could have been my life been like in the early 1900s, you know? That was kind of cool.

[Beckett]

Yeah.

[Susan]

I really liked Sagamore Hill. It was really cool seeing just how Teddy Roosevelt and his family lived. And I actually learned about Alice Roosevelt thanks to this trip.

[Beckett]

So I'm really grateful for that.

[Susan]

And I also enjoyed going to Hamilton and taking a magical New York Times Square rickshaw. The rickshaw was so fun. It was, yeah. And then also I really liked the Empire State Building. Empire State Building, yes. That was a side quest we went on. And it was a very fun side quest. Hi, this is Poppy. And this was my second History Chicks field trip. It won't be my last. I was so stoked for this trip I planned for months. I brain dumped everything I wanted to see and do in New York City. And then I studied maps to compare where our hotel and group adventures would be in relation to my side quests. Then I had to pare down my list. I watched travel vlogs on repeat until I knew I could get to and from the airport and ride the subway by myself. Coming from a small town and not having traveled much, the subway was a little intimidating. But I crushed it like a champ. I got to see things like the Stonewall National Monument, the Alice in Wonderland statue, and the original Winnie the Pooh. I visited places like Trinity Church, the Strand, and I hung out in Washington Square Park. I stood in front of places that warmed my music loving heart, like Janis Joplin's apartment in the Fillmore East. I went to the observatory at the Empire State Building at night. And I can tell you how to get to Sesame Street. Take all of these adventures, what Laura had planned for the group, and mix in meeting new friends and getting to see some of the history Chiclets in person. And I had one amazing, fabulous, wonderful vacation. Thank you, Susan and Beckett, for creating this wonderful community. And thank you, Laura, for all your hard work. And cat herding. You make it look easy. Hi, this is Michelle A. The swimmer. And this is my poem inspired by Hamilton. Look around, look around. History is happening. New York, a city of continuous construction. 20 layers of wallpaper in the tenement is just the metaphor I'm looking for. Peeling back the layers, past and present persist. Drinks at the Algonquin. Cheers to too many HC subjects to list. America's first influencer, Alice's tiny bed. Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. See what Emily led. Sick husband and young son. Women, we get the job done. And if you don't know, now you know. I went up the Empire State while Mom stayed back to watch the debate. Ultimate glass ceiling to break. History is happening. City smells assault our noses. Oh, did I mention Robert Moses? He worked with Francis Perkins, wpa Till Eleanor stopped him from bridging the bay. Hair and skin still wet from my coney swim. Looking down from Liberty's crown her green gown. Seeing what my ancestors saw. Did any ever try to swim for it? Woolen skirts pulling them down. I was born so they didn't drown. Adventure over now and on a plane, full flight, middle seat and no maska. Can't stop thinking of baked Alaska. One more rhyme. Thank you, Beckett, Susan and Laura for the trip of a lifetime.

[Beckett]

Mwah. Sound me alone on an open door tonight.

[Susan]

You are the sparking on the gasoline. So much to taste. So come on, let's take goodbye. No one to say who we should or shouldn't be. I'm going to the city Work every day just to play on the weekend.

[Beckett]

Make that bread and spin it quickly. Stars in our eyes like when we were children.

[Susan]

Who's that boy with a Zeppelin T shirt?

[Beckett]

I'll shoot him a smile?

[Susan]

Cause I've got that feeling.