Editing a Front-Page New York Times Story and Touring Madison Square Garden

In today’s exciting news: I got to edit a front-page New York Times story! (*Pauses for deep inhalation*) It’s “Women Make Primary Foes Start to Sweat.” Super cool!

In other work news, I realized this evening that my desk is definitely in the back of the New York Page One meeting webcam shot that editors around the world see each day. It’s like I’m one of those people at desks behind Lester Holt on NBC News! *Minor panic attack*

Today I toured Madison Square Garden, home of the New York Knicks, New York Rangers, NBA draft, Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, and, for 65 consecutive months, Billy Joel. My first impression? It’s smaller than I thought (the seating capacity is approximately the same as Bankers Life Fieldhouse’s 20,000).

Justin Bieber holds the record for the fastest sellout — he sold out two shows in less than a minute. But Billy Joel holds the record for the most consecutive, with 111 shows over 65 straight months.

I got to go inside one of four beer rooms in the arena (set at a cozy 37 degrees Fahrenheit). There are 521 beer lines and 1,042 kegs. There’s also a cryogenic chamber for the players.

Also on display: Muhammad Ali’s signed boxing glove and a plaque for Reggie Miller’s big moment (take that, Knicks!).

Surprisingly, the dressing room furniture is … shabby? Look at this table! Is that what you’d present to a star performer?

After my arena tour, I ventured to Liberty Bagels Midtown on a rainbow bagel quest. Sadly, my rainbow bagel with birthday cake cream cheese was a poor imitation of the The Bagel Store’s original rainbow bagel in Brooklyn.

The cream cheese was just regular cream cheese with food coloring — such a letdown. And the bagel was just a dyed regular bagel without distinctive flavor like the one in Brooklyn. It was nice and all, but it was no rainbow bagel. Guess I’ll have to trek to Williamsburg and brave the “L” line construction again for a sequel!