New York Recap

It's been about a week since my trip to New York City. I haven't wanted to sit down and recap the trip, because then it really is over. I had the best time, and I loved spending time with Bridgette and exploring the place she's called home for six months now.

On the plane ride from Houston (where my layover was) to LaGuardia, I met such a lovely woman. She's lived in New York for twelve years now, after dreaming about moving there for years. She told me all about what it's like living in the city, and it was such a treat to hear the love of NY in her voice. I wasn't sure how I was getting home from the airport (I guess no subways run to LaGuardia?), so she offered to share a cab with me, and she waived away my offer to split the cost. Who says New Yorkers aren't nice?

It was about 7 o'clock when I reached Bridgette's brownstone and we did the running toward each other and hugging in the street thing that I knew we would do. I assure you it was twice as awkward because of my roll-y suitcase. I met her roommate Evan, and we instantly hit it off. I mean, who wouldn't love this guy?

We were all starving, so we went to this soul food restaurant in Harlem. 

Turns out, soul food is not super vegetarian friendly, so Bridgette and I ordered a whole bunch of sides like mac and cheese, collard greens, mashed potatoes, and corn bread. It was definitely tasty.

On the walk home, we passed this church:

There are so many of these where I'm from that I couldn't help but laugh at passing one in Harlem. These churches are all beautiful brick buildings with perfect landscaping where I live, so it was definitely weird to see one that was attached to another building and was several stories high with a steeple on top. I didn't even notice what it was at first, I just said, "Oh, look. What a pretty building!" You can take the girl outta Mesa...

After dinner, we started to get ready to go out to this club where Evan had some connections.

The club was really different and wild, and it was such a fun experience to see something totally out of the ordinary. Another experience was riding the subway into Harlem at 4 am. We wrapped up the night by watching the Grey's Anatomy they had Tivo'd that week.

We started off Saturday morning by walking to the Seinfeld diner. 

When Bridgette was taking this picture for me, a guy behind her was also taking a picture of the restaurant, so I guess I'll forever be remembered in his photo album. 

There was all sorts of Seinfeld memorabilia in the diner. It was only a little awkward taking a picture of these strangers eating their lunch.

Bridgette and I each got an order of cheese fries. The perfect way to start the day, if you ask us. It's so nice to vacation with a friend who has the same weird eating habits that I do.

After finishing our fries, we headed to Chelsea to check out the high line and the Chelsea Market.

We passed the rest of the day eating and shopping. I picked up a few goodies at Kate Spade, bought a gorgeous dress at a sample sale, and spent way too much money on a watch. Saturday was basically my ideal vacation day.

After the little shopping spree, we stopped into Bridgette's work and got a couple of free margaritas. & so began our insane Cinco de Mayo festivities.

The only picture from that night:

We had literally too much fun on Saturday night and so Sunday was spent on the couch watching a Sex & the City marathon, pay-per-viewing movies, and ordering in pizza. It was a completely different type of ideal vacation day. 

Even though I feel like I had the most perfect trip imaginable, there are still so many things we didn't have a chance to do...visit the Standard Hotel, find the castle from Stepmom in Central Park, visit Astoria... I guess I'll have to get back there sooner rather than later.