NYC 2011

Because sometimes you just need a little "sister time"...in NEW YORK CITY!

I got a call from my sister Moni, asking if I wanted to join her in celebrating her birthday in "The Big Apple." I'd never been before. It sounded like too good of a thing to pass up! Our long time family friend, Paige, and his sweet wife Dulce were planning on going as well. We called in frequent flyer miles, arranged a warm spot for sleeping on the floor of our dear friend Alicia's condo, and off we went. Moni and I and Marisa and Crystal and her son Jacob all took off for the famed city! We walked, ate, and laughed ourselves to exhaustion from 8 am till 2 am the next morning all four days! The city, the shows, the sites and sounds were more than I ever imagined. But I must say, spending time with these people I love, made it all the more sweet.

This was the view from Page and Dulce's hotel room. I had to keep pinching myself asking, "Wait. Is this real?" How can a city street look like day time at midnight? And where on earth did all these Taxi's come from? More importantly, how are we not dead driving in them! Ah, city life is a crazy life.

Us. Posing it up in the subway. Not as scary as I thought it would be but you definitely need to know where you're going to navigate your way in a timely fashion.

My beautiful sisters, Crystal and Moni, looking all stylish in their rain boots. This was taken just in front of our most gracious hosts, Alicia and Joshs' apartment.

Our hosts live a few blocks away from Central Park. We didn't get to explore it this time around but hope to in the near, warmer future!

Crystal and I trying our luck for lotto Wicked tickets. We didn't win, but had fun trying.

We saw Mary Poppins at New Amsterdam Theatre. The singing and tapping and flying were fabulous. Practically perfect in every way!

Paige, Dulce and I scored tickets to Next to Normal which was incredibly intense. I was just as fascinated by the row of Asians sitting next to me bawling their eyes out as I was the show. Pulitzer Prize winner for a reason.

Saw Addams Family which starred Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth. The whole plot revolved around Wednesday bringing her boyfriends family to meet the Addams for the first time. Their love story was so sweet. It was fun, naughty, clever and hilarious! We left snapping our thumbs all the way to the subway.

And finally, I saw In the Heights, third row and still can't stop thinking about it. So close, I could see spit flying. The music, the flavor, the acting, dancing, rapping. Absolutely loved it!!! My kids say I'm obsessed. I say just Breathe.

Anyone that knows me well, knows that I'm a girl who takes her lunch most seriously. Good food makes me happy! I savor every bite. New York did not disappoint. Katzs Deli, Ferrara, Serendipity, Lombardi and Magnolia Bakery to name a few! Ummmm.

We shopped on Canal Street where little Asian men shouted in Spanish with perfect accents, "Bueno, bonito, barrato". Which translates to good, pretty, cheap. They even took us back to some secret rooms filled with purses. Talk about scary.

Me trying to play Twinkle on the Big Piano at FAO Schwartz. Scarier than the secret purse room.

We visited Julliard, Lincoln Center, The Manhattan Temple, The World Trade Center Museum and of course, The Statue of Liberty. Places that left significant impressions on me that I won't soon forget.




Love NYC. LOVE my New York posse! Can't wait to go again soon!

The End.