We were sitting in the booth, waiting for the director of whatever play we were working on to get back to the technical part of tech rehearsal. But he was off consulting the actors, so we were talking and griping. Per usual.

L had proudly hung on the wall by his office one of those singing fish that were annoying the masses at that time. Click on the button and the fish would start wiggling about, mouthing the words to "Take Me To The River." When things got too tense in the playhouse, he'd hit the button and we'd either crack up or throw things at him.

Either way, it broke the tension most of the time.

He'd finished bobbing his head to the canned music and paused when M, our charming, visiting intern, asked one of his trademark philosophical scenario questions.

"Would you rather be taken to the river or to the city?"

We each pondered the notion for a minute before going around in a small circle, sharing our answers. There were a couple of rivers and one city before it reached me.

"City. Easy."

"What city?"

"Does it matter?"

I need to be taken to the city. Or, rather, I need to get through the two weeks standing between The City - New York - and me.

For all my love of most things metropolitan, I'm surprisingly unfamiliar with New York. I've traveled there three times - twice in high school, once in college - but never had the opportunity to look at the city without an agenda whisking me from one place to the next. Class trips and friends' parent-sponsored ventures don't count, and the college visit was a whirlwind, 12-hour adventure for a New York Times-sponsored symposium.

I've been one member of a group (seven strong) tentatively planning for the July excursion, but our hopeful plans were only set in stone yesterday. I received a phone call from K with the giddy announcement that "We're set for New York!" yesterday that launched the countdown in my head.

Get through today, one less day before New York.

Two weeks before New York.

Our hotel reservations are set. The first plans are coming together. I'm checking maps to see what we can do, where we can relax between the pair of musical events on the 30th. I'm touching base with the members of our merry band of crazy women with whom I am not closely acquainted (that I'll be sharing this experience with new people provides an added layer of excitement - that I'll also be sharing it with some of my closest friends provides the foundation on which to build).

K laughed as I mentioned how much I was looking forward to the trip.

"I know, we're going to have a ridiculous time," she said. "It's going to be great. Let's face it. We all deserve AND need a great weekend."

Take me to the city.