Brianna outside the Gershwin Theatre before seeing "Wicked" on Broadway.

Top 10 Things to Do in NYC
(That you can't do in Pardeeville, Wisconsin)

By Brianna, 17
"By Girls, For Girls" National Advisory Committee member

I just returned from a weekend in the Big Apple. What does a small town girl do in New York City? Read on to find out!

10. Witness a proposal at the Empire State Building. During my visit, I watched as a man knelt down and asked his girlfriend to marry him. It was better than a movie!

9. See Van Gogh's "Irises". At the Metropolitan Museum of Art, I got up close to my mother's favorite painting. I don't see famous paintings in Pardeeville!

8. Barter with a street vendor. While shopping, I honed my bargaining skills to get a good deal. After a few great buys, I definitely felt more confident and assertive.

7. Eat a decadent pastry. After passing a few chocolate dipped confections in bakery windows, I couldn't resist any longer. Indulging in a rich croissant will brighten any girl's day!

6. See the SNL stage. I'm a huge fan of Saturday Night Live, so I practically drooled when my tour of NBC took me to Studio 8H.

5. Walk around Central Park. None of the parks in Pardeeville are quite like this one. People of all types jog, play Frisbee®, and visit Strawberry Fields to pay tribute to John Lennon.

4. Shop in Chinatown. It's a whole new ethnic experience that I don't get in Wisconsin! I found cute Asian-inspired accessories at great prices.

3. Find your ancestors' names at Ellis Island. I got in touch with the past by searching for my relatives. Also, I enjoyed the language tree showing the backgrounds of American words. Did you know that the phrase "hunky-dory" is Dutch in origin?

2. Experience live music. Guitarists in Times Square, sax players on the corner, or bands at blues clubs – you've got to hear it live! Listening to a CD just isn't the same.

1. See a Broadway show. Belting divas and elaborate costumes make a night at the theatre the ultimate New York experience!

And one thing I can do in Pardeeville that I can't do in New York:

Read on the front porch. The constant drone of car horns and people chatting on cell phones really bothered me. NYC doesn't have a place where you can sit and read in quiet! I enjoy the silence of my small neighborhood. I guess I agree with Dorothy–there's no place like home.