Sunday Afternoon in NYC

Doug was still quite ill on Sunday morning so he stayed in bed while I took a stroll through Central Park with our friends.  This sign cracked me up given that I don't think grass is going to be growing in Central Park for a long time to come!  We found our way to Strawberry Fields and the John Lennon memorial.  The day was dazzling with beauty once again and it was a joy to see the good folks of NYC enjoying their beautiful park.  After we said good-bye to our friends, Doug and I decided to try for an afternoon matinee.  We scored tickets to the 3.00 showing of Avenue Q at 2.45!  We ran to the theater and enjoyed a very entertaining afternoon.  This show is not for everyone as it has some bawdy moments but we rather enjoyed the clever way in which the show addressed many social issues through the use of puppets!  The show has been best described as Rent meets Sesame Street and that really does about sum it up!  Afterward, we found our way to an Italian restaurant and Doug got a huge pizza while I feasted on a pasta dish made with delicious Italian sausage, a favorite food that is quite difficult to find in Stockholm.  Doug was a real trooper.  He didn't feel good at all and his leg was still under recovery and yet, he knew how badly I wanted to go to the Empire State Building so we jumped on the subway and made our way to this icon of New York City.  There were no lines at all and we zipped right up to the top.  The views were beautiful but it was a chilly night so we didn't spend too much time out on the balcony.  Even so, it was great to drink in the sprawling beauty of this amazing city, to see the harbor and the bridges all lit up, to enjoy the architecture that surrounded us.  We kissed at the top and then scurried on home so Doug could get some sleep.  Once we had paid for our last subway ride, we realized that we had a few more rides on our cards so we gave them to a local woman riding the train.  You would've thought we had bought her Rockefeller Center!  She was so grateful and lovely and nice.  It was cool.
I went to bed on Sunday night so full of joy and thanksgiving.  What an incredible weekend we had shared.  It was marred only by Doug's poor health so I felt that finding a walk-in clinic would be a good idea before we headed out to Chicago.
I got up early Monday morning and asked where the nearest clinic was.  I wandered around trying to find this place and stumbled upon Crumbs Bakery...my buddy Kathleen had told me that Crumbs puts Magnolia to shame so I quickly ducked into the shop and purchased a chocolate peanut butter cupcake.  As I took my first bite, I had an out of body food moment.  This cupcake was by far the best cupcake I've ever tasted.  So again, sorry to the Magnolia faithful but Crumbs has you beat by a long shot!
The next surprise en route to the walk-in clinic was stumbling across a crowd and wondering why they were there.  I suddenly realized I was outside of the taping of the Today Show!  I looked up and there sat Matt Lauer bringing the US their morning news! I didn't have time to stick around for Al Roker but it was fun to see where it all takes place.
The last sites that I took in were the Apple Store and FAO Swartz from a distance and then I wandered through The Plaza and took a peek at the famous Walnut Room.  Beautiful.  Next time I will have to venture into these places.
Doug did get to the clinic and got some medicine and we made it out to La Guardia in time to catch our flight to Chicago.  I left NYC with a storehouse of memories, a deep desire to return again one day and a sense of gratitude that my husband took the time to plan this trip and invite me to enjoy it on the occasion of my 50th birthday.

Saturday in the Park

We woke up to a beautiful Saturday.  Bright sunny skies combined with the large snowfall that had fallen on the city made for an unforgettable Central Park. We decided that a carriage ride through this fantastic place was in order.  So we walked the two blocks from our hotel to the Park and found a horse and driver! Our driver was awesome and helped us enjoy the entire experience.  Sharing this experience with our good friends Tom and Deb created a superb memory.
Highlights included watching the locals playing in the park with their kids and dogs!  People were jogging and walking and the whole scene was alive with life.  It is hard to believe that you are in the heart of one of the most urban areas in the USA when rolling through Central Park in a horse drawn carriage.

 My favorite stop was the "Friends" fountain...the fountain where the opening shots of the television show Friends was shot.  Of course, instead of flowing with water, it was covered in snow.  My buddy Deb and I celebrated our friendship at this iconic spot! 
What a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon in New York!  My senses were delighted by the beauty that surrounded me and the warmth of our long time friendship with Tom and Deb filled me with inexpressible joy.