I love NY in January... How about you?

I had an opportunity to be a bit spontaneous and head out on a New York City adventure with a friend this last weekend. Darcie is going to get her Masters degree in an online program from Rutgers, in New Jersey. She had to attend an in-person orientation and decided to jet over to "the city" for a weekend of fun. And why not join her?

I arrived in New York on Friday early afternoon and spent the day wandering around Times Square all by myself, took a tour of Radio City Music Hall, walked by Carnegie Hall and Carnegie Deli, had a cupcake at The Magnolia Bakery and ate a pretzel down the streets of NY.

Friday evening I met Darcie at Penn Station where she came in on the train from New Jersey. We got the best recommendation for our concierge for a small Italian restaurant up the street and had the most wonderful lobster ravioli. Next it was off to Don't Tell Mama a cabaret bar for the locals! We sang Billy Joel and Elton John while sipping our $16 drinks (a two drink minimum)next to two ladies from New Jersey! To end the night we had dessert at B.B. Kings -- NY Cheesecake -- over some blues.

The next morning we headed off to view Van Gogh's Starry Night, works by Monet, Dali, Kahlo, Warhol, Picasso, Pollack -- all so amazing to see the brush strokes in Waterlilies and objects held on by all the pain in a Jackson Pollack! I brought home a Jackson Pollack book, called "Action Jackson" for the boy, he loved it.

Then we walked 5th avenue and passed by all the high-end shops on our way to FAO Schwarz. Jackson had asked me to take pictures of everything that I saw that "was cool" so of course I had to take a picture of the giant toy soldier made of all jelly beans inside the store. I purchased teddy bears for the kids and then we were on our way to Rockefeller Center, where we witnessed a beautiful marriage proposal.

Next up was a bus tour through the city to get us by all the rest of the sites and keep our poor legs from falling off. We got off at the 9/11 memorial site for an emotional stop to see the memorials and the current construction. We found another bus to finish off the tour and get us back to our hotel in time for our very first Broadway production!

We had dinner at a wonderful seafood place, Blue Fin in the W Times Square hotel before taking in The Addams family with Bebe Neuwirth and Nathan Lane. We spent a small fortunate on the tickets but the seats were so worth it, in the orchestra level about 12 rows back. After leaving the fabulous and hilarious production we came upon the gates surrounding the stage door exit and decided to stick around... we were able to see and get autographs of the entire cast including Bebe Neuwirth! She stopped to chat and sign autographs, it was awesome. Nathan Lane makes his exit elsewhere apparently.

And the next morning it was time to head home. I was thrilled to see the kids and my legs felt like jello for the next two days!