A funny thing happened to me last night.
It took like a bazillion years to get home on the train. Something about a cable being broken, a deer getting hit, and not being able to get a cab. It was nearly midnight when I crawled into my bed. Despite being exhausted from a killer weekend, I was a wee bit sad because since I was finally home and in bed ... the weekend was really over.
I spy a super sweet boat near Mystic, CT.
It was a really great weekend in NYC filled with old friends, new experiences, and great memories all around. I managed to get on a mid-day Friday train to Manhattan which permitted me to be in Central Park sipping an iced latte with a friend when I would normally be sipping a beer at Clery's after work. Pretty great right? Answer. Yespleaseandthankyou.
So, what did I do? I'll tell you.
Friday. Delivered some bacon jam to the Upper East Side, followed by a walk in Central Park. My friend is gorgeously pregnant. Apparently the little blessing growing inside her has also blessed her with an increased love of bacon... which naturally made her a perfect recipient of bacon jam.
I also managed to fit in dinner and drinks with one of my oldest guy friends and his fiance (soon to be bride) in Tribeca. And thanks to my late night dining in Miami, I was totally prepared for a 9 pm reservation at
Gigino Trattoria followed by rooftop Moscow Mules at the Conrad Hotel. Please take note, having now been to my first rooftop bar... I now want all bars to be roof-less.
all bars should have their roofs removed and be placed near large bodies of water.
Saturday. One of my favorite things to do when I worked in NYC was to get up early and walk through the greenmarket in Union Square ... so that's what I did ... except I walked a little further. I walked from my hotel, to Madison Square Park, to Union Square, to Washington Square ... and even a little jaunt over the Brooklyn Bridge (sssh, I took a little subway ride to the bridge). I've always wanted to walk over the bridge and it was totally worth it.
washington square.
bagpipers? sure okay with me. I like surprises.
so this is what brooklyn looks like.
le bridge.
After a 5 mile walk a girl deserves a good lunch and boy did I have it. My newly married friend (
remember here?) took me on a tour of Greenwich Village area and lunch at
Westville West. One of the best things about her is that she gives into what is fun... like ordering a hot dog and splitting it. I've always been a fan of hot dogs (twss), but that was one that I'll always remember. Oh, and for fun we swung by Magnolia Bakery for a sweet treat, walked the High Line, and went to a blow dry bar. (Dear Boston, please get one soon. I'll be a frequent customer.)
I wish you could have tasted how amazing that crispy polenta was...
I was not done having fun there either. I pull on my big girl shoes and went out for the night. Just as I finished telling Baby Sister that I could use a gin and tonic, I had one in my hand with a big ole slice of cucumber in it from
Kingswood ... followed by a phenomenal meal at
Whitehall that was just across the road. Not a bad way to celebrate a Saturday night in NYC. Who needs sleep right?
how many pairs of shoes can you see? answer = not all the shoes that I brought with me.
Sunday. I love living in the North End but there are no bagels here... there are plenty of bagels in New York thankfully. So I grabbed an everything bagel and giant ice coffee from The Corner Cafe while I sat in Madison Square Park and debriefed the weekend with my friend Meghan over the ole phone. We had a lot to talk about :)
Madison Square Park.
de-liccccc-ious.
in the olden days ... or just last year... I used to work in that building on the left.
In an effort to squeeze in more fun before getting on an Acela back to Boston, I closed out my Sunday with a 2 hour walk around Chelsea and the Meatpacking District. I did accidentally walk through the projects and stumble into a police chase ... which was just a smidge more exciting than walking on the High Line ... but next time I'll skip the police chase.
oh, don't make that face.
making the street art colorful.
To recover from all that excitement, I spent the next couple of hours soaking in some sun on the Hudson and eating a tasty burger and fries with my friends. When the people watching was too much to handle, we hoped in a cab and I was off to Penn Station.
not pictured: pregnant friend and amazing people watching.
Maybe you understand why all I was able to accomplish on the way home was a few sections of the Sunday New York Times .... a few bazillion Instagrams.... and of course watched a romcom on the ole iPad. So tired. So very tired.
this picture is blurry, but when my eyes are tired it looks crisp and clear. so there.
Since we all love when I bring bizness into my personal life, let's talk key takeaways. - If someone suggests you take a last minute trip to NYC, you do it.
- Never turn down bacon.
- Ice coffee is better sitting in a park.
- Sleep is overrated.
Oh, and schedule a buffer day if you plan on having too much fun. Your coworkers don't want to see how cranky you are to be at a desk and not on the High Line Park.
