The Sister's Food Tour Part 1

I know I titled this "Sisters", plural, and yes, biologically I only have 1 sister named Emily and she is AMAZING, but we also "adopted" Jenelle a few years ago and she's been a nice addition to our family :) I was very excited to have a Sister Adventure Wkd and it was really nice that they'd both been to NYC before so we could deviate from the normal touristy guidelines. Basically we ate, A LOT, and it was so good.

best $3 spent on dinner.

Em arrived Thursday afternoon just in time to freshen up, grab some dumplings and sesame pancakes from my new fave Prosperity Dumpling, then walk up to St.Marks and meander, get some Pinkberry, then finally make our way to the Ben Rector/Needtobreathe concert. Let me just say, this was a great concert and it was pretty rockin' for "Christian music". We met some really sweet college students who shared our strong dislike for the group of drunk girls beside us (hello, rule #17, you don't get drunk at Christian concerts!) that continually pushed against us and told us to "stop taking their space" and who loudly talked to each other throughout every single song of Ben Rector. Me, being the older and more confrontational sister that I am took it upon myself to make some small talk with them. Our conversation went a little like this,

Ben Rector

    "Hey, seems like you girls have a lot to talk about! I saw you all hand your phones out. Do you have unlimited texting? You do, oh that's great, because I'd really appreciate if you could just text each other what you're thinking instead of saying it loud enough for all of us to hear! I paid to hear the band, not you".
    Their response, "You want us to text and drink at the same time?!".
    Me again, "Yeah, I do. I'm pretty sure you've done that before."

Did it work? Not really but I felt so much better after I said that! Turns out they were "fans" of Needtobreathe so instead of talking they loudly sang most of the songs. Oh well, we still had a good time and I'd hands down recommend going to see both bands if you have the chance!

Needtobreathe

Em and I headed home, and by this time Jenelle had arrived at my apt. Our first official stop of our "Food Tour" was Insomnia Cookies and they have this Coconut Pecan cookie that is to die for! We ordered a few boxes (don't judge, it's way too early in the story for that) to go and made some special deliveries to both the PICU and "Cardiac for Babies" unit so they could meet some of my coworkers and the mother of a patient who I just love (that is a whole different blog post). And then we got hungry on the 10 minute walk home so we grabbed some 99cent pizza!

The next day started out with a stop at Vic's Bagel Bar (are you surprised?) and Jenelle about died from how good it was! We needed that energy for our busy day of traipsing all over Brooklyn, per Emma's request. First we walked down to the LES for a mani-pedi at my favorite, Beauty Cutie, and then we took the subway over to Brooklyn, where we scored some cheap fedoras from a sidewalk vendor, and skipped a traditional lunch for some red velvet ice cream at Shake Shack instead! Our sugar comas led us to a really fun kitchen store, where we bought some amazing veggie peelers & Brooklyn tea towels and we found a cookbook there that left us drooling and decided our next foodie adventure! One Girl
Cookies was such a charming place, it smelled like heaven, and tasted just as good!

One Girl Cookies

cute sister

We decided that we should probably walk off some calories and headed to Brooklyn Bridge Park. While exploring the park, the carousel, and shops (like Brooklyn Industries, love their soft T's) we found Jacques Torres, a chocolatier, who's rumored to make the best chocolate chip cookies so of course we had to try them! By now it's 6pm and we haven't eaten "substantial" food so we got in line for pizza at Grimaldis. After carb-loading on a NY staple we walked the Brooklyn Bridge back to Manhattan and took some AMAZING photos! 

Brooklyn Bridge Park

pretty skyline

probably the most fabulous
picture taken of me, ever

stunning sister

snazzy Jenelle

city lights from the BB

Downtown lights

Somehow, we mustered up some more energy and headed down to Southport to catch the Staten Island Ferry. We decided to brave the cold wind, which we were not dressed for, and as we stood huddled together with my scarf wrapped around all our heads we waived to Lady Liberty and fireworks shot off in the distance. At that moment we all knew, our day together couldn't have been better!

approaching Manhattan on the ferry

Rockaway

The temperatures are warming up a little bit and this is the rare weekend that both Jenn and I are off work AND in town, w/o any company. This combo means we get to hang out with what we affectionately refer to as "Dave's Crew". Bless him, he is manly enough to hang out with 5 women at a time and not be perceived as our gay best friend. Jenn and I had decided to meet the group over at Rockaway Beach after going to church...and then after lunch at Hill Country...and then after some ice cream in Madison Square Park. By now it's early afternoon and we're just starting to make what we thought was just over an hour long trip to the beach. Wrong. It was a 3+ hour ordeal involving multiple transfers due to weekend track work, a few dead ends, a trip to JFK to catch a bus which turned into a "really special ride" and then finally, almost 5 pm arriving at our destination! Of course by this time the gang was about ready to pack it up and head home. We convinced them to stay a little bit longer for us. We desperately needed to smell the ocean, feel the sand between our toes, stare at surfers and pretend that we too had spent our Sunday afternoon chilling at the beach after several weeks of ugly rain.

@ Rockaway Beach

Es running into the cold waters &
one of my seashell finds

on the Jetty

We decided food was a good idea, and earlier in the week Jenn & Dave had met a surfer who had suggested The Wharf so over there we went! Both the food and the views were great!

dinner!

Dave & his harem

We had a pretty fun, car ride home, jammin' to the radio and me coining the phrase "Not my car" each time we hit a bump pretty hard due to the 6 ppl and beach accessories crammed into Dave's old Camry. I volunteered to be DD, partially for selfish reasons as I really wanted to drive across the Brooklyn Bridge at night! I can't help it, I'm just obsessed with that bridge. Even now, as I'm writing this I'm wearing a T-shirt with the BB on it.

city skyline in the back

Dave, Adline, (me), Jenn, Shelly, & Es

Dave & Adline

gorgeous sunset

Once we made a few drop offs and found a spot near Dave's we crashed his place to watch Dumb & Dumber b/c I'd committed the crime of never having watched the whole movie. Everyone else fell asleep, but I now understand "Throw another shrimp on the barbi" and "Lloyd Christmas haircut".

Random NYC pics 'n moments

Here are some random pics that help describe some favorite things about NYC living:

adventurous outfits: mixing prints,
hipster glasses (Warby Parker),
orange lipstick

one of my favorite guilty pleasures:
cheap mani's (weekly)
Mint Candy Apple & California Coral

Ordering in sushi from Seemless.com

the view out my bedroom window,
looking towards Midtown

Jewish baby formula!

necklace inspiration at M&J Trimmings

walking by the Empire State Building
on an almost daily basis

Prosperity Dumpling:
cheapest & most delicious Chinese food

stylin' on my way into work with new
pink lipstick, bangs & mani color combo

not a lot can be said of this night, but these are some
fun chaps

love the Wisteria and Swiss clock tower
near Madison Square Park

i <3 the Flatiron building

yummy strawberry ice cream from
Shake Shack

I Ruv this face

walking around the corner
and running into a
Persian Street Parade

Easter

For the first time in several years I had Easter off, and for the first time in several months I left NYC. There aren't a lot of reasons to leave, just about anything you want to do can be found there, but there are some people that are so important to me that I'd leave fun-land to visit.

I took the bus down to DC to visit with my friend Rachel (you might remember her from my post about visiting the Empire State Building). She's a public health nurse down there and has become a dear friend during these last few months. See, it does payoff to talk to strangers! She allowed me my guilty pleasure of walking the Tidal Basin and visiting the Jefferson and FDR Memorials (2 of my faves) in search of the one, lone, still blooming Cherry Blossom!

We then went and joined some of her friends at Comet Ping Pong, where yes, your tabletops are actually ping pong tables and there are several lively competitions going on in the back of the restaurant. Too bad it was fairly steady or else Rach would've kicked some butt with her customized/hand painted paddle!

Comet was featured on Diners, Dives, and Drive Ins

After staying up way too late (like you should for any good slumber party) we grabbed a few hours of sleep before heading out to the sunrise service at the Lincoln Memorial. The service itself was amazing and horrible all at the same time! It was so majestic to watch the sun rise behind the Capitol building and Washington Monumnet, especially as we sang praise songs about our Risen King...but the pastor was that stereotypical "Southern Preacher" you'd see in a movie. Listening to him was just embarrassing. He was this close to being as bad as the "Nascar Prayer" guy who thanked Jesus for his smoking hott wife. This guy referred to his wife as a Vixen and his Bride (guess what, that's past tense...both of them!). He also made some jokes about the offering and that the closer to the front the more $ you should give, it just feeds into people's perceptions of the church wanting your money. Sad. If you've ever wanted to go for the sunrise service there, just consider yourself warned. Not the best message, but if you already know the real Easter message then you'll enjoy the sights and singing.

Rach and I grabbed a yummy brunch together then I took the metro up to Baltimore to spend the rest of Easter with Alicia, Bob, the twins, her parents...basically I was craving a family and they are the closest substitute I have! I had a great time playing with the kids, decorating some cupcakes, spending time just sitting down and talking and being surrounded by a loving family.

It was exactly the break I needed from my past-paced city life. The kids are getting so big, and talk up a storm. It's so touching that they not only know my name, but want ME to do things with them. Yes, I felt special when they wanted to show me that they "pee peed in the potty". And that they wanted me to tuck them into bed. And that they looked for me when they woke up. It was just too sweet! I also enjoyed some fun adult time with Bob and Alicia making s'mores over their firepit. It was a good reminder that I can still enjoy the small things in life. This fancy city life of mine is only for a season, and when it ends, I'll be ok.

Rain or shine, someone's turning 29!

It's hard to believe that it's April already! Seriously, when did this happen? I know that everything is blooming and I should embrace that spring is here (which I'm really glad for) but really, it's April?!? As kids we look forward to April 1st to celebrate April Fools Day, but these past 2 years I'm more concerned with celebrating my travel bestie Jenn Brown's birthday!

I worked on Friday night, and met up with Jenn and her friend Joy for brunch on a cold, rainy, Saturday morning. While I would have enjoyed being warm and dry in my own bed on such a great day to sleep, I couldn't turn down the fun I knew I was going to have with these 2 girls! We headed down to the LES in search of brunch, hoping that we'd beat the crowd since it was before 10. The wait was already over an hour for Clinton St. Bakery (yes, it's that good and multiple ppl were standing in the rain waiting patiently) so we moved on in search of food. Half a mile later and another hour wait (this time for them to open---TIP: a lot of places in LES open at 11) we were finally sitting down to brunch at the Sunburnt Cow. Ladies, please put this on your map. It's run by Aussies. They all have accents. They were all attractive. Now add on some amazing varieties of eggs benedict + and 80's soundtrack. Enough said. We left around 1, chanting Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi!!! heading a few blocks north for Mani Pedis. Sadly this is when it gets ugly for me as my need for sleep (going on being awake for 20 hours), the greyhounds, and now someone massaging my feet sent me into that horrible downward spiral where you can't keep your eyes open, talk straight, let alone walk straight! I hit a wall and had to peace out w/o the mani or else I would have slept in that massaging pedicure chair ALL DAY.  I hailed a cab and made it to bed pronto. Unfortunately I didn't get up in time for her birthday dinner but she graciously forgave me and I decided to make it up to her on Sunday!

Sunday I went to the Gallery Church again, it's kinda crazy that my schedule has allowed me to go to church every Sunday morning for a month now, met a few more people, signed up for a small group, declined lunch and raced home to prepare for Jenn's birthday picnic in Central Park. As much as we prayed for sunshine it turned out to be a cold, windy day with scattered showers but still we braved the park! She had a dream and we were going to make it happen! We had quite the spread, a great group of people, and Blondies still warm from the oven to celebrate! We were quite the rule breakers with some Arnold Palmer (what did you expect, she's a Florida girl), a bottle of wine, and open flames (for the candles). It was so fun to watch the activity in the park, especially the 50+ Arminian family reunion playing dodgeball "Hunger Games" style right beside us. Seriously, it was intense. 

We got in a good 2 hours before the rain really hit us and then we packed up and moved the party to Gin Mill, a Florida Gator bar in the UWS. By this point it's 8pm and we've not actually eaten a real meal so a few from our group headed down to Little Italy with some of their friends visiting from Puerto Rico, while Jenn, KC, Joy and I headed north a few blocks to visit Jacob's Pickles. I'd heard how great this place was from Jenn and KC so I was excited to try it myself. Man, the pickles are AMAZING, and so are the grits, the honey chicken, the root beer, the biscuits...just go! On our way back to KC's we walked by Cafe Lalo where a scene from You've Got Mail was taped. I think that would be a fun place to visit when Jenelle and Em come visit!

All in all, I think it she had a good birthday! 

   

If you would have told me 10 years ago...

...that I would spend a whole day with my high school math teacher and then top it off with a glass of wine, I would NOT have believed you! It's always funny where life takes you, and how God keeps certain people in your life, and also the variety of people that I call my friends.

Mrs. Martin had msgd me a few weeks ago to say that she'd been in town while her husband was on business in the city so we made plans to meet up. Originally I had intended to take her to Brooklyn to visit their art museum and botanical garden BUT that museum isn't open on Tuesday so she suggested visiting the USS Intrepid. I'd heard from a few people that it's definitely worth visiting, but somehow this WWII Essex -class Naval ship didn't make my "must see in NYC" list. I'm so glad she suggested it, as it truly is a gem of history/unique museum here in NYC. We joined one of the tour groups and our guide was very knowledgeable about the history of the ship throughout her years of service, but he didn't know one very important fact: Mrs. Martin's dad actually served on that ship back in the 60's! I think visiting the Intrepid, a.k.a. the Fighting "I", was all that more enjoyable because of her personal connection to the ship. We were even able tour an old submarine, which again was really special since her youngest son is currently serving on one. I can't imagine living in such tight quarters and I'm probably a foot shorter than the average Naval man! After listening to some really inspiring war stories and seeing where her dad, a meteorologist, would have worked we headed over a few blocks to restaurant row and found this great, slightly fancy, Jewish-Italian place called La Rivista Ristorante and took the opportunity to warm up, chat about her travels to Italy, how I want to travel to Italy, her sons, and her grandkids, etc. After some DELICIOUS food, we decided to head to the UES to visit the Frick Museum since they had a special exhibit on Renoir. Their collection had about 10 portraits, and we enjoyed walking through the rest of the house, however it was slightly embarrassing for me since I never had a basic art introduction class in high school or college, so I'm sorely lacking on appreciation for these works of art and who these artists are---and she's an art genius!

The wind had calmed down some so we decided to walk through CP while deciding what we should do next since her husband had a work dinner that evening. It was amazing to see how colorful CP was from the previous week when I was there with my Raleigh friends. Spring has sprung!!! The colors were so pretty and seeing these pretty blossoms can't help but put you in a good mood. We headed down 5th to catch the train at Grand Central, then stopped in SoHo for an errand and grabbed a late dinner at Spring Street Natural. If you're looking for a good salad this place was spot on! We both devoured ours and the service was great. I really think we had our food in less than 5 minutes after ordering!

I honestly had such a wonderful 10 hour visit with my schoolmate's mom/high school math teacher/ Godly woman role model/ family friend and was sad to see it end. We shared so many great new experiences together, and also a lot of memories of when we lived in MD and it was so interesting to see the perspective from student to teacher, and now adult to adult. Who would have thought that 10 years past Algebra class we'd be sitting in SoHo drinking a glass of wine and enjoying the journey that life has taken us on? Not me, but I love the unexpected.