New York

As soon as we landed I felt this immediate pressure... "I've got to make it here!  Get out of the way, I'm going to be late for my audition!"  What?  I'm not an actor or a dancer, and I'm just visiting.  My friend who lived here once put it perfectly, "when you live in New York you have to give 100% all the time.  If you don't, there is always someone right behind you who is just as good or better than you are, waiting to take your place."  The energy was amazing.  I don't think I talked very much the first few days because I was on sensory overload, and it was taking time to sink in.  I loved watching all the people, wondering what their story was.  

Every thing in New York is tiny- tiny cups, tiny chairs, tiny booths, tiny bathrooms, it reminded me of Europe.  I loved walking down the street and just grabbing some fruit from a market.  So many memories of walking on the streets in Portugal came to mind.  Especially as we walked in the rain, ALL weekend!  We got lucky and hit "the storm of the decade."  It was raining buckets, with 65 mph wind gusts.  Reminds me of moving to Chicago from Denver- our family was greeted with a wind chill of 70 mph.  I think that is when we started to quote Young Frankenstein- "It could be worse, it could be raining."

Our first day we ventured down to SoHo.  Here we are getting started at Anthropologie.

We ate our first delicious meal at Balthazar.  We were so happy to be out of the rain!

The French Onion Soup was to die for- as was the steak and frittes.

Mom and I enjoying our first show, In the Heights.

( I really was happy, just tired.  Jay kept insisting we take pictures.  I'm of course now

grateful to her for photographing the memories .  But then... not feeling so 'smokin' hot.')

Yummy breakfast at Sarabeth's

(I'm still not ready for pictures, but Jay looks beautiful as always)

Ahhh, Bloomingdales!  The shoe section was heaven.  

Not only because of the shoe selection, but because we were inside a warm and dry place.  People were literally walking into the store looking like they had just stepped out of the shower, drenched!  Every store had a security guard at the door waiting with a plastic bag to shove your umbrella in to prevent a slippery mess. 

Just about to eat the most delicious pizza.  Unfortunately I made the mistake Rob told me not to.  I asked for a "piece" of cheese pizza, not a "slice."  

Umm, we're not from here, do you have anything besides Mexican food?

Jay saved me multiple times from hunger by pulling out different chocolates, treats, even fresh crudites, from her purse.  Thanks to you for being prepared as usual!

 

The walk from Bloomingdales to FAO Schwartz was hillarious.  The wind and rain were so ridiculous.  Our umbrellas kept flapping open, then backward, then shut, then half way open.  In New York there are garbage cans on every corner.  On this day, every can was FULL of broken umbrellas.  We couldn't stop laughing at all of them as we thought about people thinking, "forget it, this umbrella isn't doing anything anyway!"  Nothing is better than laughing!

While we were at FAO Schwartz we started to accept the fact that shopping was over for the day.  Kim put it perfectly, "now it's all about the food."  

So off we went to get some yummy chocolate at Dean and Deluca.  "Wait, we have to go outside and get a cab in this?"  Thanks to Jay for capturing my favorite pictures from the trip.  We were in hysterics trying not to drop our bags, lose and or break our umbrellas, and wave down a cab driver at the same time.  Hmm, could be worse we laughed.

Ahhh, refuge.  Dean and Deluca.  Jaynann was in heaven at the dessert counter.  She got talking with the baker, asking questions about the options.  He began handing out free cookies and pastries for her to try.  Watching her during this moment was a joy!  I think it was like watching Kim at the Guggenheim, seeing the art feed her soul.  

Both are stellar memories for me.

Kim hoping her BIG BROWN BAG stays in tact until we make it back to our hotel.

Finally, after another crazy walk in the rain and wind, we made it to the Guggenheim!  Thanks  Kim for showing us around, for inspiring us, and sharing the history of art with us.  I'm so grateful for your talents!

Stepping out on day three we headed straight to LuLu Lemon!  Kim got up early to go to the MOMA.  Mom, Jay and I were just too tired that morning.  Mom had been fighting an awful cold.  Jay and I just needed more sleep before we returned home to our younger children.  When Jay woke up and looked out the window I asked her how bad the weather looked.  She said, "not too bad, wait, I just saw a woman doing this... she pretends to hold an umbrella and fight with it in the wind."  OK, one more hour.  It turned out to be much better.  Just light rain and a little wind.

Times Square!  Mom, you look so good!  

We had a great dinner at Bubba Gump Shrimp's.  

Then Mom treated us to another play, Billy Elliot.  Fabulous!!! We loved it!

Our last day, hmmm... where to eat?  We had time for a few more shops, 

and stopped at the Shake Shack on our way out of town.  So good.

A little more wind, a little more rain.

Our hotel, The Lucerne.  

I love that the temple is right on Broadway!  It was beautiful!  Great picture Mom and Jay.

Jay looked so good in her new hat!

Thank you to Mom and Dad for this unforgettable vacation.  

Couldn't have been better.  Could have been worse.