New York, New York

Ladies and gentlemen,

If you haven't been to New York, you have not lived.

Well that's not true, but you are seriously, SERIOUSLY missing out. In the same way that Vegas is other-worldly, New York's charm is not like anything else I've ever experienced. Crazy people on subways, pigeons in airports, and memorable celebrity sitings (we had one- Carson Kressly of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy sipping on a martini..I know, not THAT impressive, we did have to look up his name when we got home).

Wednesday night we left on a red eye from Sky Harbor to JFK. We were on our way to the land of honking horns, bright lights and the most breathtaking skyline you will ever see. Seriously, it's not one of those things that you see once and each time after it starts to lose its appeal (*COUGH* Grand Canyon); if I had to choose one thing to look at for the rest of my life (well besides Scott Avett), it would easily be the view of Manhattan from the Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Anyway, once we arrived and made our towards the big city via subway very, very early, we checked in to our hotel on the Upper West Side.

We had easy access to the 1 subway and the cutest darn jazz bar in the city- Smoke. We got to check this out on Saturday-it is truly a nostalgic and romantic place (it has a very 40s feel to it). If you get the chance to go, you definitely should. You will love it.

The first day we were there, we grabbed some delicious breakfast at Cafe Lalo (they filmed a scene from you've got mail here! Tom Hanks would be proud).

Afterwards, loopy from the coffee and full of excitement, we wandered around Central Park pretty much all afternoon. We just couldn't get enough.

We then wandered around through The Plaza, Rockefeller Center, Times Square, etc. Lots got done this first day, including a much needed nap to the lullaby of angry New York drivers holding down their horns (Fun fact: did you know that people get fined for using their horns in NY? I told you, it's like another world!).

The next day we got up and headed straight for the Empire State Building/34th street. Annie and I went by our lonesomes to the top of the Empire (do yourself a favor and don't pay the $15 extra to go to the 102nd floor. It is indoors and the pictures aren't as neat. The first level pretty much gets the job done.)

    
When we got back down, Lindsey and Megan were watching the Veteran's Day Parade.

We took the Staten Island Ferry so we could get a free view of the Statue of Liberty. In New York, free is good, and the view was certainly not terrible! We didn't get as close as I'd hoped we would, but a view on an afternoon like this makes it really, really difficult to complain.

We met up with our friend Lance (he came down from D.C.) and went dancing at a place called Home Sweet Home. The girls were Stylin' and the blue walls in our hotel were great for fun photos beforehand.

Before we went out, we wandered around Chinatown (great for looking at Graffiti, not so great for wandering at night), and ate at a Mexican food restaurant that claimed "we have black beans" several times on their menu...strange, but the quirky kind of stuff you have to love and embrace in New York. 

We went, we dance, we conquered..

(Wow, this post is getting pretty long. I'll speed it up a bit.)

We also were able to check out the 9/11 site, occupy wall street (not very impressed), and OF COURSE the infamous Carrie Bradshaw's stoop (and Lindsey was interviewed by it for some British documentary!)

Overall, it was a very successful trip with some FABULOUS friends. I truly can't imagine a greater city to hang out with your girlfriends (and boy-friends *ahem* Lance) in. So much to do, so little time. I guess that just gives us an excuse to go back...

For now, New York..