Me, the wife & kids got in the AURA yesterday around 2:15 PM and decided to head-up to NYC. We usually go before Christmas every year and typically for the whole day, but as we're getting older and have more to do, we're finding it harder to make the time to get there before the holidays. A very long 3 hours later (normally a 1.5 hour trip - too much traffic on the NJ Turnpike, a 40-minute wait to get into the Lincoln Tunnel, and traffic backups on all NYC streets should have made me turn around!), we're parking the car and walking around Times Square, Rockefeller Center, and on Fifth Avenue (a stop at the World of Disney NYC was a must). We ate at Planet Hollywood (the wife's favorite spot as far as francished restaurants go) and ended our night in Times Square. Pontiac has a red with a single black racing stripe & customized rims G8 GT sedan on display in the middle of Times Square, and I'm guessing it will be seen on some of the networks filming during New Year's Eve. My 13 y-o step son "Anthony" asks where the ball drops from and as we turn around to show him - there's the ball all lit up!!! I'm scrambling to get the camera out to take a picture, but by the time I do the ball has dropped all the way down and the "2008" sign was on. I guess they were doing test runs for tonight? We were very surprised to see that, as I figured they did their testing during the daylight hours. Not too many people around us noticed, and I'm sure we wouldn't have either if Anthony didn't ask us. Seeing how I've never been in NYC on New Year's Eve and never seen the ball drop other than on TV, it was an interesting experience (I'll still elect to watch it from the comfort of my couch!). 1.5 hours later (traffic wasn't too bad leaving NYC around 10:00 PM), I'm pulling back into the garage, ready to relax and give the AURA a break from the drive.

cool, you get a pic of the g8 too?

Pontiac has a red with a single black racing stripe & customized rims G8 GT sedan on display in the middle of Times Square, and I'm guessing it will be seen on some of the networks filming during New Year's Eve.

Sounds like this one:

http://www.cheersandgears.com/forums/index...showtopic=20758

Hey GMTruckGuy,

That sounds like an awesome experience all the way around (of course, with the exception of the commute/driving...heh).

I can't remember where I heard/saw it, but I know last year I heard/saw that they do a "test run" of the ball drop before "just in case". I've never quite understood what that "just in case" was all about, but whatever.

Very cool, though ... too bad you didn't get the camera out sooner.

And, I second the query for the pics of the Pontiac....

Cort:34swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve.pacemaker

WRMNshowcase.lego.HO.model.MCs.RT.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"The world rolls by a million miles away" ... James Taylor ... 'Our Town'

Hah, now THAT is a once in a lifetime experience. Other people saw it too, but I bet you guys will be the only ones to say you were ever in NYC and saw the ball drop, all lighted...BEFORE New Year's.

Darn I wish I could even get back to NYC sometime soon...it's been too long since my last stroll around, lunch at Planet Hollywood, etc.

That's awesome!

I wanted to go to Times Square for New Years, but a friend of mine enlightened me to what a pain in the ass it is. I think I can find better things to do.

HAPPY NEW YEAR "2008"!!!

Of course the wife was flipping through about 8 channels or so broadcasting their new year's eve celebrations... and everyone of those channels showed the G8 on TV that I saw in person last night! And if you noticed, just about everyone in the crowd was wearing a red Pontiac G8 hat! Too bad they weren't giving them out last night. At least Pontiac seems to be promoting the G8 off on a good start... let's see how well it works out.

Yes, saw it--but also knew what to look for :AH-HA_wink:

As always, enjoyed watching the GM commercials repeatedly too...especially the fun Malibu-only ones

Hey...I had to do SOMETHING after everyone in the house passed out asleep in various places before even 10...well, aside from also clicking on & off C&G.

Edited January 1, 200818 yr by caddycruiser

HAPPY NEW YEAR "2008"!!!

Of course the wife was flipping through about 8 channels or so broadcasting their new year's eve celebrations... and everyone of those channels showed the G8 on TV that I saw in person last night! And if you noticed, just about everyone in the crowd was wearing a red Pontiac G8 hat! Too bad they weren't giving them out last night. At least Pontiac seems to be promoting the G8 off on a good start... let's see how well it works out.

Let's hope it works out well....

I noticed the hats, too. Too bad you all didn't get one .

Hope New Year's Day is the start to a GREAT 2008!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Cort:34swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve&pacemaker

WRMNshowcase.legos.HO.models.MCs.RTs.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"It's time to take a leap of faith" ... Steven Curtis Chapman ... 'Dive'

For those of you that MUST have one of these Pontiac G8 hats, eBay is here to help you achieve your goal:

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Years-Eve-2008-Tim...1QQcmdZViewItem

Even though this is the only one on eBay right now, I'm sure with the thousands that were given out, more will appear on there soon.

yea i saw EVERYONE was wearing the G8 hats.. when they showed the shots above times square, it was a sea of red..

Even though this is the only one on eBay right now, I'm sure with the thousands that were given out, more will appear on there soon.

I would expect so, too.

Hmmm......maybe the first purchase of '08? he he

Cort:34swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve&pacemaker

WRMNshowcase.legos.HO.models.MCs.RTs.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"I knew she was a jewel in disguise" ... Kathy Mattea ... '455 Rocket'

Me, the wife & kids got in the AURA yesterday around 2:15 PM and decided to head-up to NYC. We usually go before Christmas every year and typically for the whole day, but as we're getting older and have more to do, we're finding it harder to make the time to get there before the holidays. A very long 3 hours later (normally a 1.5 hour trip - too much traffic on the NJ Turnpike, a 40-minute wait to get into the Lincoln Tunnel, and traffic backups on all NYC streets should have made me turn around!), we're parking the car and walking around Times Square, Rockefeller Center, and on Fifth Avenue (a stop at the World of Disney NYC was a must). We ate at Planet Hollywood (the wife's favorite spot as far as francished restaurants go) and ended our night in Times Square. Pontiac has a red with a single black racing stripe & customized rims G8 GT sedan on display in the middle of Times Square, and I'm guessing it will be seen on some of the networks filming during New Year's Eve. My 13 y-o step son "Anthony" asks where the ball drops from and as we turn around to show him - there's the ball all lit up!!! I'm scrambling to get the camera out to take a picture, but by the time I do the ball has dropped all the way down and the "2008" sign was on. I guess they were doing test runs for tonight? We were very surprised to see that, as I figured they did their testing during the daylight hours. Not too many people around us noticed, and I'm sure we wouldn't have either if Anthony didn't ask us. Seeing how I've never been in NYC on New Year's Eve and never seen the ball drop other than on TV, it was an interesting experience (I'll still elect to watch it from the comfort of my couch!). 1.5 hours later (traffic wasn't too bad leaving NYC around 10:00 PM), I'm pulling back into the garage, ready to relax and give the AURA a break from the drive.

Well, don't forget, this was a brand-new ball with LED lights and computerized displays... they had to give it a test run! Could you imagine making Dick Clark countdown twice?!