Toys R Us Times Square

You've Seen Fire & Rain, But Not Pompeii

It was a dark day in the town of Pompeii, back in 79 AD. The evidence seems to indicate that the citizens heard the rumbling, saw the great Mt. Vesuvius crack open, and knew there was no time to run.

Families gathered each other close, huddled together, and waited for the end. After two days of a rain of ash and pumice, the area disappeared.

In 1749, the town was rediscovered, and excavations continued on through 1860. It was during this period of the work where holes in the floors of compacted ash were found, holes with very distinct patterns. Workers mixed and injected a plaster into the spaces, and what they found when the forms released the concoction was astonishing—and more than a bit upsetting.

Preserved in the hot ash of Vesuvius were the shapes of the people, frozen at the moment of their demise. Much of their physical evidence was lost to decay and time, but the plaster retrieved something of an echo of their existence, with several of the castings showing unimaginable detail.

Discovery Times Square , 226 West 44th St., New York, is hosting " Pompeii the Exhibit: Life and Death in the Shadow of Vesuvius ." The show features more than 250 artifacts from the excavations, including art, objects and the largest collection of body casts ever organized in one place.

You can witness the dark side of natural history, and peer into a world that was lost more than 2,000 years ago. Discovery Times Square, a museum wing of the Discovery media empire, promises a once-in-a-lifetime journey into this historic occurrence, which is why we've selected it for this installment of Day Tripper, a weekly look at destinations that are out of town, but in reach, and worth the trip.

DAY TRIPPER DIGEST

Estimated Travel Time:  About one hour by car, in decent traffic, but you've got other options as well.

Why it’s Worth the Trip:   Seldom does someone get a chance to look at history up close, and because of the scale of the Pompeii exhibit, there might not be something this complete on the subject in the Tri-State Area for many years. Take this opportunity now while it is available. 

How to Get There from Here:  It's New York, so you've got your pick of transit options.  See the museum's directions page for pointers .

You’ll Probably Get Hungry:  The question is not whether you can find a place to eat. The question is what you're in the mood for. It's Times Square, so there's  Ruby Foo’s Chinese , steak at  Palm , seafood at  Blue Fin ,  Fresco Tortillas ,  Carmine’s , the  Hard Rock Café  ... the list goes on and on. Looking for more choices? For a starting point,  check out Mapquest's finds near the museum  [every one of those little blue dots is an eatery].

TOYS“R”US® STORES NATIONWIDE TO REMAIN OPEN FOR 88 CONTINUOUS ...

, Offering the most last-minute shoppers every opportunity to find the right toy for the child on their holiday gift lists. This is the first time that all Toys“R”Us stores across the country will stay open 24-hours per day during the final countdown to Christmas. 

Additionally, on Tuesday, December 21 and Wednesday, December 22, the company’s final two-day sale of the season will offer holiday shoppers incredible deals and values, with savings of 50% or more on featured items. And, even with Christmas just a few days away, Toys“R”Us stores remain stocked with the hottest toys of the season, including Sing-a-ma-jigs! .  

“We are committed to keeping our stores open continuously during the days leading up to Christmas to ensure shoppers have all the time they need to cross off everything on their little ones’ wish lists,” said Greg Ahearn, Senior Vice President, Marketing and e-commerce, Toys“R”Us, Inc. “Each day, from now through Christmas Eve, our stores continue to receive shipments of the hot products to help parents find that ‘must-have’ toy to put under the tree.”

In addition to ongoing savings on the hottest products, Toys“R”Us will offer special “Midnight Madness” deals valid in-store from midnight through 6am each day, beginning at midnight December 22.  These offers will be sent to customers each day via e-mail.

Savvy shoppers looking for savings in the coming week will find the following deals and discounts, among many others, available at Toys“R”Us stores nationwide all day Tuesday, December 21 and Wednesday, December 22, while supplies last

Toys“R”Us Times Square Gives the ‘City that Never Sleeps’ Even More Hours to Shop

To help New Yorkers and out-of-town visitors find time to complete their last-minute holiday shopping, Toys“R”Us Times Square will remain open from 6am on Friday, December 17 through 10pm on Christmas Eve, providing gift-givers with 184 continuous hours of shopping.  In addition to offering the same deals and savings as Toys“R”Us stores nationwide, customers at Toys“R”Us Times Square can hear the roar of the life-sized T-Rex dinosaur or make themselves at home in the 4,000 square-foot Barbie dollhouse, two of the store’s many unique attractions.

Toys“R”Us Times Square also offers specialty services, such as Personal Shopping and Corporate Sales, where highly-trained staff can provide one-on-one attention and expert assistance in helping shoppers find the right gift quickly and easily.  Personal Shoppers are available Monday through Saturday from 8am to 11pm and Sunday from 8am to 9pm.  Gift-wrapping and shipping (to local, national, and international locations) are also available at Toys“R”Us Times Square to offer customers a convenient shopping experience.

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