new york, new york

I realize I've neglected the blog the past couple of weeks, but that is due in large part to spending 9 out the last 11 days away from home. I just returned from a wonderful several days in South Carolina, but the weekend before last, I met my dear friends Kim and Jeanine in New York City. Kim tries to come to at least one Clemson home game a year, but it was just not working out this fall. So we decided to meet in NYC instead to see Jeanine and meet her (not-so) new baby boy! Kim lives in Minnesota, so I love getting any time with her that I can. And she had been to New York only one other time, when she and Jeanine and I went in the summer of 2000.

Kim and I met up at our hotel, the Roosevelt Hotel, on 45th and Madison, lamented the fact we were on the smoking floor- you don't get much love when you go through Priceline, and headed over to the Met for happy hour on the roof. Sadly the roof happy hours had ended a few weeks before, which just means we'll have to return to NYC in the summer.

We quickly consoled ourselves with cupcakes...

And met up with Jeanine at a great upper east side wine bar, Felice.

loved being reunited!

Kim was my freshman year roommate in Holmes Hall at Clemson, and Jeanine lived just a few doors down. Hard to believe we've been friends for over 12 years now! Have loved sharing moves, new jobs (both Jeanine and Kim are incredibly smart physicians, Jeanine a pediatrician and Kim a urologist), weddings and first babies and many deep conversations with these girls.

We had a tasty Mexican dinner at Maya, and Will and Lizzi came to see eat with us! My brother Will lives in Hoboken, NJ, and it was truly a treat to see him and catch up. I miss my brothers.

And of course a trip to New York isn't complete without a trip to Serendipity for frozen hot chocolate. Sure it was dessert #2 (3?) of the evening, but calories don't count on vacation!

Kim and the delicious peanut butter frozen hot chocolate, amidst the Christmas decorations already hung

Jeanine hosted us at her apartment for a lovely brunch Saturday morning, and we got to meet baby Alex! He is five months old and absolutely adorable and very sweet. He looks just like his dad did as a baby.

sweet baby- you can't tell that his little polo is monogrammed

J, Alex and his bright, happy nursery

how cute are those little socks?!

After brunch, Kim and I went over to Times Square to the TKTS booth to get broadway tickets for that evening. We all really wanted to see the Book of Mormon, but tickets are sold out months in advance. We had decided on Rock of Ages, a fun take on 80's hair bands, but found out that the only tickets available were partial view. That's the gamble you take with TKTS! We decided instead on Anything Goes, which is classic Broadway with big dance numbers and Cole Porter music and got Orchestra tickets for half-price. I'd recommend Anything Goes, especially when its star Sutton Foster returns in a few weeks.

Times Square

We spent Sunday exploring the City and inadvertently stumbled upon the New York City marathon. What an impressive event! We saw both the female and male winner at the 25th mile mark, and their speed was something to behold. The male winner, Geoffrey Mutai of Kenya, set a course record and finished in 2:05:05- that's well under a 5 minute mile. Unreal.

Bryant Park

2011 ING NYC Marathon winner

Roosevelt Hotel lobby

I sadly told Kim good-bye on Sunday afternoon and took the train over to Hoboken to see Will. He gave me a quick tour of the city and his apartment but wouldn't let me stand in line at Carlo's Bakery to meet the Cake Boss himself. Maybe next time.

I rode the Vamoose bus back to Bethesda, excited to see my husband, but so thankful for friends that last through the years.