What Life Was Like The First Weekend NYC Reopened

The spring of 2021, you remember it, don’t you? The weather was warming. The flowers were blooming and we all came out of our lockdown caves, and squinted at the sun. We walked onto shaky ground, hoping upon hope, that maybe life would somehow get back to “normal”. That June, we had a little help rediscovering one of our favorite places on the planet from an unlikely source. This is the story of how Jimmy Fallon helped us experience what life was like the first weekend NYC reopened.

The Jimmy Fallon Connection

Stephen enters a lottery every year for tickets to Saturday Night Live and The Tonight Show. While getting these tickets is not as rare as winning the Mega Ball, the odds are still less than 1 in 100,000.

Two people holding up tickets to the Tonight Show

For the first time ever, the Comedy Gods smiled on us and we were granted tickets to the Tonight Show! As we excited as we were, we knew that there was a decent chance the guests that day might not be people we really cared about. After all, when we went to the Seth Myer show in 2015, the guests were Willie Nelson and Ann Wintour. Meh. But we about lost our minds when the SPECIAL GUEST was announced.

Image of a man in 18th century clothing — *Credit to The Guardian for this shot from Hamilton*

It was none other than Lin-Manuel Miranda, of Hamilton fame! (In order to attend, I had to promise I wouldn’t charge the stage or shout anything embarrassing during the taping.)

We didn’t have a lot of time to make travel arrangements but we didn’t mind, after all, we were going to THE TONIGHT SHOW and we’d be spending the weekend in NYC. (Also I have a really awesome travel guy. Click here if you want to learn more!)

First up, we got a kick a$$ room

Normally we stay in chain hotels when we’re in NYC because they’re less expensive and they sometimes have free breakfast. But because of the lack of tourists, we were able to get a room in the “retro-glam” Washington Square Hotel.

What life was like the first weekend NYC reopened - we got a room at a fancy hotel. Image of a hotel lobby with tiled floor and wood paneling. — Fab lobby

Image of a woman in a mask pointing at a pay phone — Fab lobby

Now that you know how Jimmy Fallon made it happen and where we stayed, let’s talk about the REAL thing you want to know…

What it was like the first weekend NYC reopened

1. We were mostly masked

What life was like the first weekend NYC reopened - we were mostly masked. Image of two people wearing masks on a train.

We had to wear masks on the plane, on public transportation, and in most indoor spaces. While this usually wasn’t too much of a problem, the weather was a bit of an issue because…

2. It was hot

What life was like the first weekend NYC reopened - it was HOT. Image of two sweaty people standing in front of a large globe.

No, you don’t get it. It was like “skin melting off your bones” hot. And wearing a mask in that weather…felt darn close to heat stroke!

3. It wasn’t crowded

What life was like the first weekend NYC reopened - it was pretty empty. Image of picnic tables and umbrellas in front of Nathan's hot dogs. No people are present.

What life was like the first weekend NYC reopened - it was pretty empty. Image of an empty walkway leading up to the One World Trade Center. No people are present.

If you’ve ever been to NYC or even seen pictures of it, you know it’s a rare thing to see the sites without tourists. On the one hand, it made me worry that some of these great places might not have enough money to stay open. On the other hand, it was AWESOME seeing everything at our own pace and being able to get a table at a restaurant.

4. It was emotional

What life was like the first weekend NYC reopened - it was emotional. Image of a crowd of people standing together and singing. — Marie’s Crises Cafe

Because of the on-going lockdowns, there were times I wondered if we’d EVER gather with other people again. Having the opportunity to sing show tunes in a crowded bar, made me a bit teary.

6. Hand sanitizer was EVERYWHERE

What life was like the first weekend NYC reopened - there was hand sanitizer everywhere. Image of a bottle of hand sanitizer.

Actually, I’m hoping things STAY this way. I mean…who couldn’t use a shot of hand sanitizer after touching the railing at a subway station?

5. There was a lot of PRIDE!

What life was like the first weekend NYC reopened - it was Pride week. Image of an outdoor space with lawn furniture ad a large movie screen colored like a rainbow.

Because it was Pride week, we were able to celebrate in some really cool ways – like watching The Bird Cage at the Greens. The show was hosted by an absolutely fab drag queen, who made me feel like I need to up my hair and makeup game.

6. It was full of new experiences like…

The new places we ate

What life was like the first weekend NYC reopened - it was full of new experiences. Image of a woman eating a taco. — Taco Tuesday at Cantina

What life was like the first weekend NYC reopened - it was full of new experiences. Image of a man and woman with glasses full of beer. — Taco Tuesday at Cantina

and the new things we saw

What life was like the first weekend NYC reopened - it was full of new experiences. Image of an own in a wooden box behind a fence. — Queens Zoo

Image of a man and a woman standing in front of a colorful building with red octopus tentacles coming out the top. — Queens Zoo

7. and lastly, it was unforgettable!

What life was like the first weekend NYC reopened - it was unforgettable. Image of a crowd of performers on a stage with a large crowd behind them. In the foreground is Jimmy Fallon and Lin-Manuel Miranda.

If you haven’t seen this yet, you’ve got to check out Broadway’s Back! I will NEVER forget sitting in the dark theater, watching the actors get in place. When I watch this clip, I still feel all the joy of that moment.

So now you know what it was like that first weekend NYC reopened. It was magical and emotional and just what we needed.

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