I'm taking a greyhound on the hudson river line...

New York Post #2

Transportation

I love New York transportation.

I love catching a taxi and holding on for dear life as the driver navigates through manhattan traffic.

I love figuring out subway routes, and dashing down the steps hoping not to miss your train. I love scrunching into the train, hoping to get a good space with a handle to hold onto, or if you are lucky enough a chair to sit down on.

the subways are so interesting. they are filled with tons of people traveling to different destinations, homeless people trying to find an open bench to sleep on, street musicians trying to make some extra cash, and it's constant excitement. There is an instant adventure to it all.

I love the views of the city from a boat on the water.

I love how grandiose the city is.

Although exploring the Statue of Liberty and Ellis island, are both sites not to be missed...I enjoy the boat ride to and from the island as well. To be able to look all around, from manhattan, to staten island, to new jersey and see the sites is amazing.

Whenever I go to new York, I love to go on the double decker tour bus tour of downtown. It's so great. You just sit there, get some sun, and have someone tell you all about the city and the wonderful things it has to offer. Plus, you can get on and off at the stops and walk around and explore the areas that interest you. The biggest gamble of these tours is trying to get a tour guide that doesn't bore you to death, or give facts about things that you don't care about. I've had some that were funny, interesting, and were able to mix in historical facts about the city and pop cultural references like..."this library is where the film day after tomorrow was supposedly set in". Those guides are the ones I like. Then there are the ones, that ramble on and on about the architectural elements of the the buildings, and shoot our fact after fact about historical things that nobody cares about....big bore fest!

Mitch loves these tours as well. And has gone on them 3 out of the 4 times that I have gone. We are suckers for tour. Another reason why I love that kid.

Traveling to and from New York was an adventure. We were all tired, some flights got messed up, luggage was delayed, and seats were messed up...but at least I had my buddies to complain with!

I'm in a New York state of mind....

I have put off blogging about my New York trip because it seems like such a daunting task. So much to tell, so many pictures to share...So I have decided to split it into categories.

1st post: the city and my people

2nd post: transportation

3rd post: food

4th post: yes, I am a tourist

5th post: the arts

these categories are subject to change, if I get bored. :)

So first category. The city.

I love New York!

This is my 4th time visiting the city, and every time it feels like the first. new things to see, new people to stare at, new adventures to be had. I love it. Nick and Rachel came with me this time and it was so much fun!!

We got to stay with my brother Mitch at his apartment in the West Village, and it was so much fun. The subway was only 1/2 mile from his apartment, and there were plenty of stores, restaurants, and movie theaters right around his area. The area just seems so new york to me.

Most nights, after a long day of walking and activities, we would chill in the apartment, watch tv, or hang out on the fire escape.

Nick thought the New York thing to do was to hang out on the fire escape...so he found was found there every night. He and Rachel would be up until all hours of the night, watching the drama unfold in the wee hours of the morning.

We spent most of our days exploring the city, seeing sites, eating delicious food, and having fun.

(view of Manhattan from the water)

(view of Central Park from the Empire State building---100 city blocks of trees in the middle of the city)

(view of manhattan from Empire State Building)

I loved have some special time with Mitch

He was able to get time off to spend most of the week with us, which was so cool. Plus I got to hang out more with Vanessa, and it was nice to have that time.

the visit was absolutely perfect...well except for the heat. I didn't want to spoil my posts by complaining about the weather, but it must be documented...if for no other reason than to explain my bad hair days. hahahha. having naturally waving hair in a humid environment, doesn't excatly make for good combinations sometimes...but anyway...

It was supposed to rain, so all this moisture was caught up in the air, and it just made for miserable weather during the day. Sooooooo humid. All day it felt like you had just stepped out of a hot shower and put your clothes on without drying off...yeah not awesome! At night we had fans directly on us, so we could sleep, but even then sometimes it was just too hot. But after the 3rd or 4th day it finally rained, and things cooled off to perfect.

This is the way I live....

Emily bought Q a tutu.....

The minute she got it on, she found her pink sunglasses and put them on...I couldn't believe it. so adorable.

Then she proceeded to twirl around...how do they know what to do?

Needless to say, the tutu was a big hit.

Also a big hit....the aquatic center.

Q has absolutely no fear of the water, and will walk as deep as I will let her. Often times the water is up to her mouth, and she doesn't mind at all.

She loves for me to hold her, while she lays on her back and puts her head back into water, or switch back and forth from stomach to back, while she kicks her legs and laughs....I hope she never grows out of her love of the water.

It's my party and I'll cry if I want to.

Friday was my birthday.

Yippee! At first, I was going to consider my new york birthday present enough and not really do anything for my special day. I didn't want to think about planning something, finding a sitter for Q, or really put forth any effort. But then I realized that wasn't me at all...I needed to celebrate. I love my birthday, and love planning something special, so at the last minute I whipped together a little evening of fun for me and my friends. Vikki offered to watch Q, which was perfect, and I put some ideas together.

Phase 1: Aquatic Center with Q

Purchasing a season pass to the aquatic was one of my most brilliant ideas. Q LOVES the water...throw in some yummy snacks, and cuddling with her mommy and you got one happy girl. Plus with a season pass you don't feel pressure to stay all day in order to get your money's worth, so Q and I go as long as she is happy and leave when it's time for a nap. it's great. We stayed at the aquatic center for a couple hours, then went home and took a great 2 hour nap together.

Phase 2: Pedicures

with Michelle

and Emily

Michelle, Emily, and I had so much fun just sitting and talking while we got the rub down on our feet.

We were quite entertaining...especially when Michelle started getting really ticklish and couldn't stop laughing.

Don't we look pretty

Phase 3: Sushi

Oh man, I crave these rolls every day.

Rachel was able to join us at this point (picture on emily's camera...coming soon), and it just made the night that much more fun. Add in a pitcher of their strongest diet pepsi, and we were ready to go...hahahah

I love these girls.

Phase 4: Movie

I can count on one hand the number of movies I have seen in the theater since Q has been born, so when I had a chance to get out this was one thing I had to do. sadly, the selection of movies in moses Lake leaves a lot to be desired, but it was the opening night of Toy Story 3D, so I was pretty excited for it.

The movie was soooooooooooooo adorable, and I even cried at the end.

Phase 5: Old Fashioned Slumber party

Emily and the ladies at work had decorated my desk for my birthday on thursday. Apparently, Emily had forgotten that my personality is not one that likes unwanted attention and really wouldn't enjoy having a desk completely decorated and patients coming up to me all day long asking about it. So I let her take a picture (coming soon), and then promptly cleaned up my desk...with the promise that we could use the luau decorations at home, and that yes, I would wear the seashell bra all night. So the minute we got home, we dressed up and got festive.

When I went to my bedroom to get my comfy pants on i saw a note on my door, that led me into an amazing scavenger hunt for my birthday present from Emily. it wasn't until after the hunt, that we realized we should have been taping it...so we decided to recreate the events.

Later that night we just sat around the family room, and listened to a birthday music mix that I had assigned Emily to put together for me. She had made a mix of over 60+ songs that reminded her of me or experiences that all of us had shared as friends...it was amazing.

And what girl's slumber party would be complete without a good old fashioned sing along...all that was missing was some hairbrush microphones, and dance steps.

I had a fabulous birthday...good friends, good food, good times....and the best part was, I didn't have to pay for a thing!

happy Birthday Me!

Summer Lovin' had me a blast....

Q and I spend as many evenings outside as possible.

We usually eat our dinner on the front stoop

then play around in our yard, or walk around.

The minute we get home, she is usually begging to go "side" (outside), and I admit, I like just chillin in the fresh air, and watching her play around.

last night she wanted to walk down and see the horses....well she wanted to see the horses, but apparently she felt I should carry her the whole way. I wasn't having it. So this is what happened. It was too funny to not capture on film.

Once we got down to the horses, she was so excited though. She help me call the horses over and after I showed her it was okay to touch them. She gave it a shot.

She also was able to point out their noses, eyes, and ears to me...She loved the horses.

Right when we got back from the horses, it started raining. So of course, I went inside....but Q wasn't happy with that. She still wanted to be outside, and no amount of me persuading her that it was cold and yucky outside was working. So I opened the door, sat inside on the carpet and let her stand in the rain.

She even walked down the steps and played in the grass a little bit. I let her rain party last a few minutes, and then dragged her inside...kicking and screaming...last thing I want is a sick kid.