New York! Part 4.

Before we knew it, it was our last day in New York and we only had 24 hours to cram as much of Manhattan into that short time-frame.  There were so many things we didn't get to see, some of which I saw when I was 17 and on my high school choir trip, but more that we missed out on.  We filled that last day with as much as possible...though I wish we would have been able to check out a Yankee's game!  Next time!

Chris, Old Man Charlie Buckets and me
in Central Park :)

Sam had picked out a deli near Central Park that we stopped at on our way to meet my friend, Chris and his pup, Old Man Charlie Buckets, there that afternoon.  We met by MOMA (the Museum of Modern Art) and found a spot at the park to enjoy our sandwiches and Lunch.  Chris played music from the radio station he works for and we were able to catch up.  He goes by D.J. Baron and you can find the station right here: http://www.acpl.lib.in.us/home/using-the-library/start-here/access-fort-wayne/95-7-welt The gals all loved Old Man Charlie Buckets, and he loved our sandwiches!

After Lunch, Chris went on his way (so great to see him), and while Rachel and Giana went to the Zoo, Sam and I made our way back to Broadway so we could rush a show that evening.  I walked over to the theater 'Wicked' was at but the man at the ticket window said getting a lottery ticket would be very slim since it was so beautiful outside and a Friday, so my best ticket would be $100 and that would be at the back of the house up in the balcony.  I met back up with Sam and we decided we wanted to see Miss Saigon.  I can't figure out where I had heard the music prior, maybe Karaoke, but music is a huge selling point on seeing a show for me!  I picked up some gifts from one of the Tourist Shops and Sam and I also went into the M&M Place before heading back to the Hotel for Happy Hour before Dinner.

Central Park

We had Dinner plans near Broadway since Rachel and Giana were seeing Avenue Q and we had our Miss Saigon tickets.  We went to Ageha, a Sushi place that had a menu that rivaled Cheesecake Factory.  Thankfully it had pictures which made it much easier to go through since the names of things were totally different than your traditional sushi place. We all got fun cocktails and ordered food.  I got a Sashimi Platter, Rock Shrimp Tempura, and a Happy Mango Roll with Spicy Tuna.  It was so much food we actually took it with us and gave it to some people in need on the walk to the theater. 

Sashimi from Ageha

And now...Miss Saigon.  Our seats were in the aisle on the left side fairly close up and we got them at a great price, less than the balcony 'Wicked' tickets.  In all honestly, I prefer being in the balcony; I'd rather look down at the stage than crane to look up.  The show is lead by the Engineer, played by Jon Jon Briones and he was incredible.  He kept the energy of the show going the entire time and was so talented.  Gigi sang one of my favorite songs in the show, "Movie in my Mind," and I loved seeing her in the final scene.  As soon as Kim (Eva Noblezada) started singing, it was breath-taking.  She performed so effortlessly, and even though she's petite, her presence spoke volumes.  By the end of the show, her character has built so much and the anger and frustration is felt by everyone.  Alastair Brummer who portrayed Chris was another integral part to the show; he and Eva worked so well together, especially singing "Last Night of the World."  After hearing it, I can't wait to sing it at Karaoke.  The love was there the entire time, during "Sun & Moon" as well and you see him torn between Kim and his wife, Ellen (played by Katie Rose Clarke).   I was torn in my emotions with Ellen potentially being my favorite character.  "I Still Believe" sang by Kim and Ellen was my ultimate song in the whole show (I put all these songs on a playlist as soon as I got home).  The helicopter scene was definitely neat, and the secondary characters, Chris' boss, and the showgirls, and ensemble were all really incredible.  The choreography was very impressive and the lighting for the show was the best I've ever seen in any production.  Overall, I was glad to see the show and it brought all the emotions out!

After Miss Saigon with Sam

After our shows were over we all met up and decided to go to Latitude, a roof-top bar, where we climbed three flights of stairs to a quaint roof-top, greeted by a very handsome bartender, Charles.  Rachel wasn't a fan, probably because he was cocky as all get-out, but he did get us all shots before we left to head over to the Gansevoort Hotel, where bottle service was waiting for us.  It was quite a production at the Hotel but we danced and enjoyed a couple cocktails and the awesome go-go dancers.  Before it was too late we wanted to hit up one more bar, so we walked over to Churchill Tavern to get a beer before heading back to the Hotel.  Our new friend, Tony, regaled us on Manhattan activities and walked us back to the Hotel but not before getting a Street Dog (Rach and I needed to have one before we left New York) at 4 am!  It was delicious and the perfect close to the evening.

The Gansevoort Hotel in Manhattan!

Bye Bye New York

And that's how we closed out our trip to New York.  A wild night on the town, culture and talent, great food, beautiful scenery and good friends, old and new.  After a terrific four days there it was really hard to say goodbye.  I was bummed to be leaving the next morning but we took advantage of our Continental Breakfast included in our hotel stay and then packed our suitcases before heading to JFK and Giana back to the Upper West Side.  The best part of the flight to LA was my discovery of 'Jane the Virgin' and Justin Baldoni!  Whew.  Look him up!  It's a good thing he's married ;)  The worst part about the flight back was realizing as soon as I stepped into LAX that I felt like something was missing.  I realized it was the same feeling I had whenever I left Winona, Minnesota (where I went to College) or when I'd head back to LA after being back in Wisconsin.  These places felt like home and Manhattan had that same effect on me.  I have no idea what that means, I only wish I could be bi-coastal and live on the West Coast and have a place near Manhattan, at some point in my life, but for now, I'll stick with California...or Arizona, or Texas (Dallas or Austin) or Nashville, Tennessee...  I haven't settled on a place just let, but don't worry, I'll let you know.  The important thing to remember is what a wonderful trip to New York that we had and I can't wait to go back as soon as possible <3

New York City! Part 2.

Our first night in New York was one for the books and I had no doubt that each day was going to be just as exciting.  On our next day, we had a full day ahead of us and lots sweet treats planned!  Here's Day Two...

Sugar & Plumm's Short Rib Eggs Benedict

It continued to rain that morning and we had Brunch at Sugar & Plumm on the Upper West Side planned.  As we walked into the restaurant, there were tons of desserts and confections in every color imaginable; I wanted to try all the macarons!  I was torn between getting a sweet breakfast but actually went the savory route (totally not like me).  I stuck with the Short Rib Eggs Benedict and I'm so glad I chose that.  The rosemary brioche it was served on was so delicious that every bread should be that good!  I was actually surprised at how inexpensive it was, only $18 with tip for Brunch in Manhattan!  Of course, we all had to buy some treats; I ended up with a Birthday Cake and Violet Cassis Macaron, even though there were all sorts of shapes and figures of beautifully crafted chocolate.

Surrounding my Cookie from
Levain Bakery!  Thankfully
we all got our own ;)

Since we were going to see "Waitress: The Musical" later that afternoon we decided to walk around the Upper West Side and check out LeVain Bakery (thanks to Ashley Daniels for the tip) which had a line of people waiting for their famous cookies.  I only took two bites because I was so full from Brunch but that cookie melted in my mouth.  Most of us said it was one of the best cookies we'd ever had!  As we walked towards Theater Row I recognized the scenery from some movies and the closer we got to the theaters, the more excited I was.  Part of the reason for our whole trip was to see Sara Bareilles playing the leading role in "Waitress" because she had written the music for the show and I knew she would do the role justice after hearing her debut 'She Used to be Mine' at one of her LA concerts!  I've seen Sara perform in concert numerous times, so I know her witty banter and ability to sell a song so effortlessly is there but I had no idea she'd bring the talent we saw that day.  As the musical started and Sara began to sing, Giana who was sitting next to me, just looked at me and squeezed my arm.  She said she turned into a Sara Bareilles fan after seeing the show!  Every song was better than the next.  It was such a fun show and the characters were so perfectly cast.  I fell in love with 'When He Sees Me,' 'Bad Idea,' 'Never Ever Getting Rid Of Me,' and 'Everything Changes.'  She sings that song seated, and makes it look so easy, and if you weren't already crying during 'She Used to be Mine' which everyone around us was, you surely were at this point.  It was touching, funny, sweet, had incredibly talented actors and a great ensemble, and Sara just knocked it out of the park!  I was so happy to see her in this role and just blow everyone away.  Although, the real star of the show, to a lot of the audience was the guy who played, Ogie.  He got the most applause!  We actually ended up seeing the actor who plays Dr. Pommater the following night as we were walking to a bar in the area; I couldn't believe I recognized him and he was super polite and humble.  Catch "Waitress" if you can, and especially if you can see Sara playing the role of 'Jenna.'

Even Sara has Bunny Ears!

After that we went to a Sushi Restaurant, Haru for Happy Hour and Tommy, our server took great care of us.  We didn't want to eat too much since we had reservations at Barbetta that night.  Back to the Hotel we went, got changed and then headed back towards Hell's Kitchen and the Theater District.  Barbetta is 111 years old and all the dishes on the menu had the year they were created and added.  Some of the recipes were 111 years old, in fact, Giana ordered one of them which was the Agnolotti.  I ordered a Caprese Salad (always a favorite of mine) and the Gnocchetti Ai Formaggi (Gnocchi and four cheese) and it was absolutely delicious.  I was also pretty proud that I had picked out a beautiful wine that everyone loved!  The staff actually wanted to take pictures with us so we got a few with everyone who had helped us out that evening...so sweet!

We walked back towards the Subway when we came across the Rum House; a piano bar specializing in Rum cocktails.  We listened to a Jazz Band play some live music and contemporary hits and even tuned out from our cell phones for nearly an hour.  Great rule, Rach!  Rachel and I had been talking about our previous night at Jack Dempsey's and all the fun snapchats we had, so we had to go and visit Bob again since we wouldn't get to see him before we went back to LA.  We got a couple cocktails and then called it a night and made our way home.  This was our only night we were in before 2 am ;)

At Barbetta in Manhattan with my Ladies, our Host, Waiter and Sommelier!

It was another eventful night in New York City and yet, our trip had just begun!

New York City! Part 1.

When I got off the plane in Los Angeles after being in New York for five days, something felt off.  There's only a couple places I call home.  Obviously Plymouth, Wisconsin, where I grew up for 18 years and Winona, Minnesota, where I went to college because the second I stepped onto campus, I knew it was the right fit.  So when I landed in LA, after being in NY, I felt like I just left my home, the same way I do when I leave Wisconsin.  I can't explain it.  I've only been to New York twice in my life; once when I was 17 and then this past April, but I just fit in the moment I got off the plane at JFK airport.  It was raining, I was excited, each part of the city we passed as we made our way into Manhattan, was another second closer to feeling like this is where I should be.  And where my heart has felt incomplete since.  Yes, I'll get over it; could I really do long cold winters for at least four months out of the year?  Where would Rutherford go to the bathroom?  Do I want to start all over in a new place as an Actress?  But for now, and the purpose of this blog, I'm going to share my New York trip and a city that has a piece of my heart forever.

Our view of the Empire State Building
from our Hotel in Midtown Manhattan.

I've never taken a Spring Break or a Girl's Trip.  I always wanted to but the closest I would come is Florida for Cheerleading in College or family vacations to Mexico.  I don't count going to Las Vegas, only because it's a few hours from Los Angeles; it would be totally different if I was going there from Wisconsin.  So for the first time in 33 years, I was taking a Spring Break, and it was an adult one at that.  Rachel, Sam and I were heading to New York City, Manhattan specifically, and Giana was already there, as she had moved just a couple weeks prior.  She was feeling homesick so we were excited to spend some time with her and bring a little LA to her!  Our sleeping arrangements fell through on Saturday and we scrambled to find something by our arrival in New York on Tuesday.  Thankfully, I found a great Hotel in Midtown, that was centrally located to everything, for a great rate and it included Breakfast every morning.  My Mom would have been proud :)

We flew Delta on our way to New York (I got us a great flight to and from NY for an awesome price by watching flights) and we were all very excited for our little five day getaway.  Gary Sinise kicked off the trip when I grabbed a Bagel at Coffee Bean; all the employee's knew him well.  Little did we know that breakfast was included on the flight, and I was wide awake so I ended up watching 'Collateral Beauty' (which if you haven't seen, was absolutely amazing - I shed plenty of tears) and then 'The Unknowns' about the Guards that watch the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and of course, we had to get a quick glimpse of the 'Sex & The City' movie since the Core Four would all be together in NY.  We checked into our Hotel, a La Quinta Inn & Suites and decided to head straight to the Roof-Top Bar since it was Happy Hour.  To make the Hotel even better, we were directly next to the Empire State Building and we had the best view of it!

Giana & I at Beauty & Essex...first night in New York :)

Giana met us at the Hotel and we all got ready for our first night in New York!  We had reservations at Beauty & Essex that night, got all gussied up, and rode the Subway to the East Village.  Emerald Gimlets, complimentary Beet Appetizers, Tuna Tacos, and our entrees which included Salmon, Lobster Mac & Cheese, Pesto, and my Scallops (which were the best I've ever had) were all a part of our lovely dinner.  I had checked out all of our restaurants on Instagram and found that at Beauty & Essex, in their downstairs bathroom/powder room, they offered complimentary Champagne.  The Ladies and I enjoyed a couple glasses, tipping our Champagne gal for our Bubbly and all the photos she took and it really made the evening a total package.  We wanted to hit up a club after so I took over, pulling out my phone to GPS to us to our next location, but let me tell you, it was raining (I gave up on my hair after the second day of this strange atmosphere) and I walked us eight blocks in the wrong direction.  We all did this at some point on the trip, and I'm not sure what kind of signal our phones were getting, but it happened to all of us.  Of course, as soon as Rachel explained the grid, and I did some exploring on my own, it was quite easy to figure out.  But I could see how easy it was to get turned around, especially at night, definitely after cocktails, multiple glasses of champagne, and our Happy Hour drinks!  We stopped at The Box, which was a new hot club that had "shows" starting at 1:30 am but we wanted to move on so we actually headed back towards our Hotel and when Giana and Sam went home, Rachel and I walked a few blocks to get another cocktail.  We came upon Jack Dempsey's, which would be where Giana's FOMO kicked in after we regaled her with our tales from the previous evening.  Rachel and I met Bob, the Bartender, and instantly felt like we were regulars.  We stayed till nearly three in the morning but didn't head home yet.  We were in New York!  It was time for a slice of the finest NY Pizza; and it hit the spot!  And no pizza in New York is complete without Garlic Knots...lots and lots of Garlic Knots.

Dinner & Champagne at Beauty & Essex with the Ladies!

That's how our trip began...and I knew I was in for the time of my life, with some of my favorite people, in a city, that felt "just right."