Bucket List: Statue of Liberty!

Today, I saw the Statue of Liberty for the first time in my life. I had the opportunity to go visit Ellis Island when I was about eight years old and I was visiting my sister over Spring Break. But my young mind could process the value of going to FAO Schwartz much better than engaging in touristy rituals. My poor sister indulged my request and I have regretted that decision over the years. Before coming to NYC this summer, I have visited the city with either my mom or my sister many times before. However, having never seen this national monument, I felt like I had missed out on a bit of the New York City experience. So I made a point to add that to my bucket list this time around.

Let's just say it didn't disappoint.

Now unfortunately Hurricane Sandy decided months ago that the statue needed a break from tourists and decided to do some damage to Ellis Island. The island is closed to the public for reconstruction so at this point the only option I had was to take a ferry that got me close enough to make up for the loss.

So today, I dragged Risi out of her apartment to embark on an adventure to Staten Island. I say adventure because the city is doing major construction on the downtown subway stations making it almost impossible to land at any of the stations at the bottom tip of Manhattan. The trip to Whitehall Station should have taken 20 minutes, but the adventure to Whitehall Station took 1 1/2 hours.

Once we got to Staten Island, we just walked around for 30 minutes until the next ferry came to take us back to Manhattan. Risi and I had fun just hanging out and talking. Even though we both live here, we don't always have time to hang out together so it is nice to get out with her every now and then. We also realized that we missed Manhattan more than we did our regular homes. This was that tragic moment when we realized we could be New Yorkers for real and be perfectly OK with it.

Whitehall Terminal in Manhattan

JFK Ferry from Staten Island to Manhattan

Side of Governor's Island Ferry terminal

One of the ferried docked at St. George Station in Staten Island

Pulling out of Whitehall Station. Bye Manhattan!

Statue of Liberty!

BK Bridge in the distance

The wind was FIERCE!

Subway Violinist

NYC Frolickin' with a few of my favorite people!

My line sisters are here! They came Thursday and we have been partying ever since. Last night, we went bar hopping (Continental --> Karma --> Max Fish --> The Library --> Babel) in the LES and East Village. Sooo much fun! Karma is a great place to hang out with friends and it wasn't too crowded around midnight either. The Library has drink specials AFTER midnight so that was definitely the spot. There is this huge screen where they stream throwback movies in the back as well.

Today, we started off at this wonderful rooftop brunch at the View of the World Terrace Club. It was beautiful and the views still stunned all the way through breakfast.

 

 

The location was extremely close to the World Trade Center Memorial and Museum construction as well, so I got some pictures of the site and One World Trade Center. It made me want to visit even more! Something I definitely need to do next weekend! #BucketListAlert

  

Bucket List: Ralph's Italian Ice

So I lucked out like BIG TIME! There is a Ralph's Italian Ice store LITERALLY around the block from me. I can walk outside in my pajamas, take 15 steps and get a delicious cup of creamy Italian ice. I have never had the kind they make with the cream, it was fantastic. My new favorite treat especially as it begins to get hotter in the city this summer. I had the chocolate avalanche or something Twister and by gawd it was heavenly. Chocolate ice cream (normally has fudge but the machine was broken) over chocolate custard, over coconut creamy ice, over chocolate custard again. I will be going at least once a week. First item on my bucket list: DOWN!

Check out the rest of my bucket list here!

My Weekend with Mom (part 2)

More pictures from my trip to the Met with my mom! (see part 1 of our excursion)

Afterwards, we went to see A Trip to Bountiful on Broadway. The show featured Cicely Tyson, Vanessa Williams, and Cuba Gooding Jr. The show was absolutely phenomenal and I really enjoyed sharing the experience with my mom. She loves Cicely Tyson and I am an Ugly Betty fan (Wilhelmenia was always my fave) so this was like the closest we have been to stars as big as these ever! I would highly recommend seeing the show. The entire cast brought the house down.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my weekend with my mom! She always brightens my day and I hope all these pictures brighten yours! I can't wait till both of my parents come visit in July for my mom's birthday.

My Weekend with Mom (Part 1)

My mother came this weekend to visit! I was too excited. I had been looking forward to this weekend visit for weeks. I really appreciate her coming and making me smile!

She came Friday afternoon and we got right to it, doing all the fun stuff that I had been planning since day one in the city. She has most of the same interests as me so I definitely knew exactly what she would love. So first things first, we went out to eat on Friday at Francisco's Centro Vasco on W. 23rd which is right down the road from me. Like when I tell you it was delicious ... well it was.

We got up the next morning to grab some brunch and head on to the Met Museum (take two for me) to explore more of the exhibits together. We brunched at 3rd Ave. joint The Bluebell Cafe right around the corner from the GW. Let me just say, I have never had better french toast. I will definitely have to go back here. It gets pretty busy around prime brunch time compared to the other brunch offerings within 2-3 blocks so you definitely want to go earlier in the morning to truly enjoy the atmosphere.

This deliciously hearty breakfast prepared us for the next part of the day: the Met. We got to the museum about 12 and stayed till right after 2:30. We visited 3x more exhibits than I did when I went Memorial Day weekend. It was much, much quieter this time even though it was still a Saturday. I took way way too many pictures, but everything was just so amazing and I couldn't decide what I wanted to keep so think of this as picture vomit from my iPhone gallery!