Brian and I love New York City and have gone there for a weekend getaway the past few years! This year was a little bit of a different trip for us because 1- I’m pregnant (and tired… and can’t drink wine) & 2- We usually go at Christmas-time with hats on our heads and boots on our PiggyToes (& the city is sparkling)! We had an amazing Fall Weekend together catching up and walking the city. We enjoyed an outdoor concert in Central Park and ate incredible food (& desserts)! A few restaurants even took the time to create a fun non-alcoholic cocktail for me when I told them I’m carrying a little one!
We spent our first day in The West Village and had lunch outside at a restaurant called Mole… INCREDIBLE; you MUST go to this restaurant if you live in the city or plan to visit soon! It is hands down, the BEST Mexican food I have ever had in my life. We both had Tortas (Mexican sandwiches) and whatever they marinated my chicken in was out of this world. For starters, a man came to our table with all of the ingredients to make homemade guacamole and whipped it up right at our table! It was as fresh as can be and was served along side of homemade tortilla chips & homemade salsa. We couldn’t even carry on a conversation because we couldn’t stop talking about the food, the flavors, the ambiance, the West Village… great lunch, great town, the best company I could ask for!
We gallivanted residential areas and acted as if we lived there; it was cool… not touristy like we’ve done in the past. We loved this side of NY and loved to see how people lived outside of the craziness. The shops and restaurants, the tree lined streets, the quietness of the neighborhoods; it was great! We stopped mid-day for a drink, took breaks on a bench, stumbled in a baby boutique where I found the ‘star’ Aden+Anais blanket I was looking for in red, chatted about everything and anything… it was heavenly; just what we needed! Our first night in NY, we went to The ‘Ben Folds Five’ concert in Central Park. Great concert, awesome venue, delicious pizza and Bri got us good tickets so we didn’t have to stand all night in the crowd; perfect for my achy back and tired PiggyToes ; ) I must say, after a day of running around, I was exhausted by the time we got back to our hotel! We attempted a movie but I passed out with my make-up on, sideways on the bed… ever done that? I was a hot mess when I had to get up to cash in for the night. NY + Pregnancy = Exhausting!
Day 2, we decided to visit the WTC Memorial. Such an emotional experience from taking the Metro, to getting off and walking towards the site; looking up to the sky and the buildings… thinking back to the day it all happened and thinking about how so many people got off of the Metro just like we did and thought they were going to another day at their job. I found myself shaking my head as I walked… we really just never know. Flashes of scenes I saw in pictures long ago were in my head. I couldn’t believe I was walking the same streets that were once covered in smoke & debris; streets where people ran in fear and stood still while watching unfathomable things happen right in front of them. And now here we are… I took Brian’s hand. Thanked God for this man in my life. I love him so. We walked and we were both quiet. I think we were thinking about the same things. Before the silence got awkward, we turned the bend and saw the new WTC. We just stopped and all I could say was, ‘WOW.’ ……….. ‘WOW.’ There aren’t many words for how you feel when you stand right below it and feel what the area feels like. We took a few photos of it but none with us in the picture. That just didn’t feel right.
After visiting the WTC, we made our way to a quaint little diner called ‘Kitchenette‘~ Recommended by an old high school friend! They had delicious baked goods, homemade granola sold in plastic pouches and breakfast/brunch foods that were so comforting and good! It was a sweet breakfast.
We went to Brooklyn that afternoon. We walked through a Farmer’s Market, sat on a bench that overlooked the NY skyline, shopped and stopped for a mid-day treat! One thing I learned about my hubby this weekend is that he sure does have a sweet tooth! lol Milkshakes, gelato, cookies… I mean, I knew he loved all of that stuff but we over-did it this weekend; and there was no stopping him!
After dinner that evening, we went to a Jazz Bar in Chelsea and later stumbled upon an Italian Bakery called ‘Pasticceria Rocco’. The enormous cookies in their window displays lured us in immediately! OK, it was my doing to actually go in but Brian ordered a cookie that was bigger than my face. Seriously. We shared it and then felt sick after eating it. A good sick, you know that kind? The cookie was amazing as were the streets of Chelsea, the music, the people… we had a fun night!
NYC was good to us! I love QT with my hubby and pray we can get away for a couple of days alone each and every year! Its so good for us and so important for us to focus on each other for a longer period of time than just a date night. My husband rocks! He makes me laugh; he’s goofy and fun and flirtatious and always has good conversation… And the cutest dimples. Even though he can drive me crazy at times (like they all do), I absolutely adore him and I’m so blessed to have him in my life! Hey babe, if you happen to read this… Here’s to 7 years of wedded bliss… and to the next 7+7+7+7+7+7+7 ; )
xo
