My plane landed before 6 am ET (think 3 am PT) and I glimpsed the sun rising as I found my way to the AirTrain. I refilled my MTA card from earlier this summer and joined the throngs riding public transportation to Manhattan.
I avoided a deluge by ducking into a Starbucks and was delighted to see that my hotel was just across the street. They let me check in super early (7:30 am!) and I promptly slept for 4 solid hours. Rested and refreshed, a little bit of work was followed by a walk down Broadway to find the Museum of Mathematics.
Kristen Vu, Katherine Kosin, and I explored exhibits, talked with MoMath Exponent fellows, and had a fantastic time.
We closed down the museum and would happily have stayed and played longer if we could.
Afterwards, MoMath’s 2022 Distinguished Visiting Professor Tim Chartier gave us a tour of a nearby rooftop. Amazing views! The Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, the Financial District, and New Jersey. I stayed to watch sunset while Tim ran a webinar.
The evening was topped off by a delicious Thai meal with Tim and Cindy Lawrence, executive director and CEO of MoMath. Good company, wonderful stories. I feel like I hit the jackpot.
I took the 6 to the S back to Times Square and maneuvered through the bustling crowds to return to the hotel. Lights flash outside my window and a symphony of sounds —from horns honking to sweet Christmas bells and just about everything in between—rise up from the street.
What an incredible day in NYC.
Math in the Time of Corona 