New York Trip......LAST YEAR!!!!

So, let me get this straight, I tease you by saying that I'm going to NY, I visit all of these fantastic places and meet so many wonderful people and I never TOLD you about it?????? How could you let me get AWAY with something like that? I am so sorry!!! The sad thing is now struggling to remember all the details of that heavenly trip and when specific things happened. One of the very first things we did was head over to ground zero. What a reverent, beautiful reminder. I am so glad that we stayed as long as we did and listened to every bit of information. The rain didn't dampen our spirits but it did lend a chance to use my scarf in different ways ; D.

Just around the corner we found an amazing Indian restaurant tucked in between some shops and ate heartily. Kev was in heaven with all of the options =).

I loved their cute lil cups LOL!

Kev was so amazing at mapping out where everything was on his phone. He was a whiz with the subway and I never worried about getting lost. Before we went we wrote down all the things we wanted to see and asked friends, of course, since we had both never been. Ladies, WE SAW EVERYTHING on our list!!! It was the most jam packed wonderful three days EvEr and I can't wait for me and Kev to do more world traveling if this is what is in store. I LOVE ebing on the go, waking up early and seeing 5 things before breakfast time. Just love it!!! Well, one thing on Kev's list was to see the amazing NY Apple store which was pretty close to our hotel.

  It was pretty visually stimulating and happened to be next door to another list item. FAO Schwarz =). The big piano? Yeah, we hit that. Zoltar? Yeah, we spoke face to face LOL. I'm a geek, I know.

 So the whole reason we were able to go on this wonderful trip was because Kevin is a graphic designer and one of his apps was nominated for an award. There was to be a huge banquet and presenting of the awards to those that won. It was so pricey ($400 a plate) that I opted to not go but hit a broadway musical instead. Another couple had flown out as well (her hubby was also nominated for another category) so her and I set out to Times Square to see what adventures lay before us. Thanks to my wonderful friend, who was touring with Billy Elliot at the time, and her counsel, we scored some tickets for Newsies and couldn't conTAIN our excitement!!! IT WAS AMAZING!!!!!

 For all of you So You Think You Can Dance fans here's Evan from season 5. I spotted him RIGHT away and couldn't stop watching this amazing dancer. I was so stoked afterward to get to meet him! I cannot even TELL you how sad I am that this picture is so blurry but it's all I have so I must use it lol. During the performance I got a text (which ANYone will tell you the ushers will flash their lights at you for) from Kevin saying he had WON!!!!!!!! I was so proud that I was busting at the seams!!!!!! I wish I could have been there to clap the loudest for my man and give him hugs and kisses. It was SO hard to sit still after that text = D.

So the city never sleeps eh? Well what about restaurants??? After the show, my friend and I went shopping at the FIVE story Forever 21....yeah it was awesome, met up with our men then went out for some grub. It was only 1am but we couldn't find a place ANYwhere to go!!! Finally, we went back to the hotel to ask. They said there was a great bar just down the road that had great food. Let me tell you how funny it was to have the waitress tell us there was no room at the bar and sadly there were only tables available in the dining room. Since non of us drink at all we were ecstatic and told her to lead the way to the table!!! I had THE most amazing goat cheese and spinach salad that I still dream about it!!! I took a pic of their sign so I wouldn't forget where to go at 1am the next time I'm in town LOL.

One thing that is very pertinent to this cosmetics site was visiting my bestie at VH1 the Buzz where she is Carrie Keagan's personal makeup artist. We showed up that morning, got our lovely security badges and up we went. Jess showed me the beautiful green room where they get all the talent ready (specifically Carrie) and what she uses on her. Do you spy Lisa Loebe in the mirror and me being not two feet away from her??? Love her!!!

                                                              In the best hands possible!

 Carrie asking about Hulk Hogan's latest scandal.

 Learning about the set.

 Panoramic Kev took of the green room.

 Me Carrie and Jess. Ironic that I reeaaallly don't like my makeup here!

Kev had never seen Phantom so we went. I had seen it a baziiiiilion times and have seen better but I was super glad he wanted to go and that he appreciates the beautiful art that is Opera.

That night Jess took us out on the town. Kev loves 30 Rock so he wanted to at least walk by the building =). The Jess took us to this sky bar where you could get amazing views of the whole city, especially the Empire State Bldg. This place was new to us though since it was cold, it was outside, they had cloaks for you to wear. Red cloaks, shining in the red glow that came from the heaters. I felt like I was in the den of the Illuminate! Needless to say I don't know how often they wash them in between patrons wearing them so I opted not to accessorize that night. We had scrumptious hot fries and steaming hot chocolate. Now some things you need to know about my friend Jess are that she is SUPER kind, very thoughtful, selfless and loves God and her Savior and sings their praises without embarrassment. Boooooy when the waitress said she wouldn't split our little check she had a THING or two to say about that. When she got no satisfaction from her she went to her boss then his until they preformed the simplest of tasks...splitting the check. It was then that I started noticing how NY is not a place to find the best customer service experiences (and how I wanted Jess around for all of it) HA!

 Want to hear a sad yet funny story? That is, if you are still reading this. Mom? Are you the only one? HI! I'll see you in a few days!!! lol KAY! So I've seen quite a few movies where the Empire State Bldg has been in the background. Lovely, majestic, easily recognizable. Well, when Kev and I went to see it earlier that day I walked RIGHT past it!!! He's like, "Jen, we're here." I assured him we weren't. He wasn't quite sure how to take that. After all, he had never steered us wrong visiting any landmark. He stood there looking at me (insert me wearing a very matter of fact face). "What do you mean we aren't here. It's right in front of you." "But...it's not....black." He was very confused at this point and his face showed it. "In every movie I've ever seen, the Empire State Bldg is black." Crickets chirping, thoughts of wondering if he married Jessica Simpson I'm sure were happening in his head. Sleepless in Seattle, On the Town, An Affair To Remember.....ALL of them showed images of it at night time. Of COURSE it looked black MORON!!! I have to say though, I was a little disappointed =(. Okay stop laughing. I thought it was all black tinted windows not black concrete...or I guess it could have been. Regardless I was happy at that sky bar because my beloved Empire State Bldg was black. Kev still won't let me live that down.

NO. SLEEP. TILL BROOKLYN!!!!! 

Now THIS was an awesome day (although I will always remember my feet killing from my boots). We went all around Brooklyn, then walked the Brooklyn Bridge and had some yummy pizza at Grimaldi's. NOW I know the obsession that is NY pizza, Thanks Kat!!! 

 On our last day we went to Hoboken NJ to visit Carlo's Bakery from Cake Boss and DIED eating all the scrumptiousness!!! I was so impressed with how it wasn't very busy (maybe one other person in the shop) how inexpensive it was and how very tasty.

We ended up buying even more to take back home to our boys and family.

Loved the display window (worthy of Disneyland), a pic of Kev in the alley where they would always pull pranks and our yummy treats before we ate them right there on a bench like ravenous beasts!

Can't go to NY without seeing Central Park. It was SO close to our hotel too! We walked around and saw spots that are in our fav movies, hello? One Fine Day, Home Alone, the Muppets!!!  

to the Boathouse for one last lunch with Jess. Again, customer service left MUCH to be desired but the company more than made up for it!

Jess was such a wonderful tour guide and we miss her! If you haven't already heard, Carrie has left VH1 to pursue other ventures in California so now we get to see her again whenever we go to Disneyland with the boys. Yay!!! =D

All in all, amAZING trip to NYC and am so glad we were able to go. So proud of my hubby, loved seeing historic things, visiting museums, galleries, Broadway shows, seeing friends and spending so much uninterrupted time with Kev. Hope you enjoyed this long over due post/novel/are you still awake??? ; D