Monday, March 22, 2010

Our little bite of the BIG APPLE

Guess what...we went to New York City last week! Long story short: We had planned to go for our anniversary last year, but things just didn't pan out. So when I found a screamin' hotel deal online a couple of months ago I jumped at the chance for us to make it happen for real this time. We went as kind of an early graduation trip for Richard, and a belated one for me...and it was Spring Break for him, so the timing was perfect. I could spend hours telling you about our trip...rather than do that, though, I thought I'd break it down with pictures...

We took the red-eye...neither of us slept well at all...can you tell?
After a bumpy shuttle ride to the hotel, a much needed nap, and some primping, we were ready for our first day on the town...


Little did we realize that what looked like a drizzle from the hotel room was actually cats and dogs raining down from the heavens...hair and makeup a total waste of time.


Here I am, yelling at Richard to "hurry up and take the dang picture already!" at Columbus Circle in Central Park...he was hiding under a park concession stand.


We ducked for cover in a subway station after I insisted that we walk about 12 blocks...don't ask why...i don't know.

We were almost completely soaked to the bone!


Our first stop: The American Museum of Natural History



Our hotel was only a few blocks from Times Square...plus we were already drenched, so we figured, why not?! p.s. the wind was horrendous.




There was a giant Hershey's store that lured us in...it smells divine in that place!


This machine was so spot on...you'd say Richard is teal, too, right? hahaha


Day #2: a little more dry, and a lot awesome...the Metropolitan Museum of Art (the Met). One of our absolute favorite stops!




We saw West Side Story on Broadway at the Palace Theater...fantastic! Richard thinks he's a Shark...I want to be Anita!


The first time we'd seen the sun on our trip...it was thrilling!


This sculpture was at the World Trade Center on 9/11, and was damaged, but survived. They moved it to Battery Park as a monument. They're rebuilding the plaza right now, and they'll move it back when it's all done.


Sometimes I feel like I live in Grand Central Station...not really, but that's what Beyonce says in the song, and that's where I am in this picture.


Might seem silly, but this stop was high on my list of priorities. It was just as awesome as I'd imagined it would be!


The Frozen Hot Chocolate was pretty good...Richard loved it...clearly.

We sat at the actual table that they filmed at in the movie Serendipity...it was fate, I tell you!


Isn't that the greatest face ever?! We were laughing so hard...we saw a guy in this cage-like thing up against the side of Bloomingdales (so weird!), and it was pouring rain outside...and Richard was giving me his outrageous explanation of the situation...I love him so much!


Standing in line for the ferry out to the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island...they're both really tiny out in the distance behind us.


Rich was dying for a pretzel, but he took two bites and threw it away because is was so nasty haha


Let freedom ring...Richard & Lady Liberty.


Our view from Liberty Island...pretty sweet, huh?



Ellis Island...another one of our faves.

This is the room they would do eye exams (don't you love Richard's demonstration?!) and legal interviews in.


The Kissing Post: This is the spot where families would reunite after a father had come to work and earn money, and then send back to the "old country" for his family to come to America.


A shop window in Chinatown...yummmmm!


Our new fave restaurant, Sal's, in Little Italy. These are some pics of celebrities who've eaten there. The Manicotti was TO DIE FOR!!!! I've seriously been having dreams about it!


You know you're in Little Italy when...

We walked into this pastry shop for a cannoli, and I pretty much died and went to heaven!


We were just walking to the Empire State Building, and we ran into Madison Square Garden!


Ahhh, we made it inside at last! You have no idea how many movies were running through my head at this point...I may or may not have been fantasizing that I was Annie (Meg Ryan) and that Richard was Sam (Tom Hanks) in Sleepless in Seattle. I don't care what you think - I lived one of my all-time favorite movies - how many people can say that?!


riding up the elevator...only 86 floors...

It was still just a little windy haha


Stopped to get some New York hot dogs at the famous Gray's Papaya.


Just hanging out in our hotel...on the most comfortable bed in the world!

Day #4: Today Show, Dr. Oz, Manhattan Temple, Central Park...a beautiful, sunny day!


Meredith Viera interviewing Kirstie Alley


striking a pose in the midst of trying to get on camera.
Here I am with Lenny. He is at the Today Show every single morning!


Al Roker singing his Willard Scott song.


Rockafeller Plaza...no ice skating for us.


Richard didn't even know who Dr. Oz was, but he was sure excited to go watch his show. He is such a goof!


A little peace in the middle of all the hustle and bustle.



Central Park was FANTASTIC!!! It is soooo big and soooo awesome.
What do you think of my fake Dolce & Gabana sunglasses? Thank you, Chinatown!
Bethesda Fountain


Richard was so psyched to see the very place that Kevin (Macully Culkin) ran through the park in Home Alone 2. It was fun to see him get excited about a movie, too!

Belvedere Castle

Bow Bridge


The Imagine Mosaic in Strawberry Fields, the part of Central Park that was dedicated to John Lennon. Its also right across the street from the Dakota where he lived and was killed.





We walked all the way across the Brooklyn Bridge. The whole way!


This is the first hamburger (made of beef) that I've eaten in about 2 years...I'm not going back to beef, but it was totally worth it! The Shake Shack was scrumptious!


More pastries, from our second trip to Little Italy...Mmmmmmm...


We walked past this diner and made fun of it at least twice a day, and we swore we'd never eat anything from there simply because of the name, plus Rich poked his head in once and said that it even smelled hot and crusty...

but look who caved because he just had to have one last slice of pizza for breakfast the day we left!

We went to the Redwoods last year, and Richard said that our motto for vacations should be "Go big, or go home!" I love traveling to new places and experiencing new things with my very best friend. I'm seriously already planning for our next trip haha. Only 4 more weeks until graduation, babe - you're going to make it!


Tuesday, March 2, 2010

I got a feelin!

Ok, I'm not gonna lie, lately I've been feeling a little disheartened and down. Seriously. You know when you hear one bad thing after another after another, and it just starts to wear you down? That's the way I'd been feeling for a little while. The things that have been going on with politics are depressing...celebrities are disgusting...marriages are breaking up...kids are growing up WAY too fast...and it all just seemed to overwhelm and drag me down. I don't feel that way very often, because I tend to be somewhat of an eternal optimist and an hopeless romantic, so when that feeling gets a hold on me it really does some dirty work. Luckily, though, something saved me from my funk. That something was none other than YouTube, my friends. I don't get on my Facebook account very often (mostly because I loathe Facebook), but I did for a few minutes while in the midst of my funk, and someone had posted this video on their wall...




If that didn't make you smile or laugh, you've got to watch it again because it will! Not even a week after I saw this little nugget, a friend showed me this treasure...



I know that these are just people dancing to songs, but really it is so much more than that. Just when I was losing my faith in humanity, these videos put a smile on my face and brought tears to my eyes (yes, I really cried when watching both of these!) because they showed me that people are still willing to come together in the midst of all the craziness of our world to make others smile. There was no other reason than to make people happy. Strangers came together for just a little while to do something good. They didn't end world hunger or bring about world peace, but they did something. It made my day, and I hope it makes yours.

Sunday, February 28, 2010

all by myself...

The other day I did something I've never done before in my life...I went to a movie ALL BY MYSELF! Alone. Solo. I don't know how many ways there are to say it, but I couldn't find anyone to go to with me, and I just wasn't willing to miss it, so I just did it. Actually, my mom was supposed to be my date, but for some reason she thinks her Relief Society President duties trump watching Celine with her oldest daughter. I know, I don't get it either. That's right my friends, it was a movie about Celine - Celine: Through the Eyes of the World. And it was awesome. Just like I knew it would be.
And although I arrived to the movie by alone, it didn't stay that way for long. These two sweet ladies, Charlene and Donna (the only other two in the theater!), invited me to sit with them! I did, clearly, and we had a wonderful time. We talked about Celine, and they shared their treats with me. It was fantastic!




The movie's not in theaters anymore (I know you're all heart-broken), so here's a little peek at what you missed...


Monday, February 8, 2010

Front Row Joe!

So, a few weekends ago we got to go to a Jazz game. But this wasn't just any Jazz game, my friends - we've been to Jazz games before, and loved every minute of them (even got on the Jumbo Tron once!), but this time the game felt a little different...okay, A LOT different! Let me take you through our night...
These are our tickets...the kind you get to wear around your neck...the kind that get you the best dinner you've ever had upstairs at ESA at a magnificent buffet that offers you chocolate eclairs, the likes of which you've never tasted before.
This is Adam. He's the real pal that hooked us up with the sweet tickets. He's sitting next to Richard, who is sitting about 15 feet away from Paul Milsap who is waiting to get a killer rebound. He later threw the ball inbounds, and Richard had to physically hold me back from trying to touch him just a little. I was so close!
This is Jerry Sloan, who is running up and down the sidelines screaming profanities at the refs...I love this guy!

This is the Jazz Bear - the greatest professional mascot there is...and that is me next to him too excited to make a normal face even for a very rare photo such as this...good one.


Here we are, during a Time-Out just relaxing with all the rich folk who are used to having these kinds of seats...luckily my face has gone back to normal, but don't worry I still felt like I was having a heart attack.


This is me, posing only feet away from my fave Jazz player Carlos Boozer (don't know if you noticed, but I'm wearing his jersey!)...don't judge me, I know he can be a spotty player! Don't judge him either - he's awesome! Want to know what else was awesome? When I kicked the Jazz Dancer sitting right in front of me...it was more like she sat back into my foot and it didn't even faze her, but I still really enjoyed it...Jazz Dancers are not awesome.


At half-time we got to go to this super special room with treats & drinks (the Secret Combinations of Jazz Season Ticket Holders are great - we want in!)...Rich chilled with Gene, reliving his Halloween Glory days.


Here we are after the game, really trying to take it all in because when will this ever happen again...seriously?! They won (actually killed the New Jersey Nets), but I'm sure we'd still have big stinkin' grins on our faces even if they lost...It was definitely a top night!


Thanks Adam!!!