New York – Rant and Roll

Will you still need me?

I do love that red brick.

Wait a second…

YEP.

Who wants to join me?

Gather round, and I shall tell you a tale

Dudes!

I’m back.

First, I would like to apologize for being completely MIA for the past little while. But let’s be honest here – blogging and any semblance of a writing schedule must be completely thrown by the wayside when visiting the coolest city on earth, to celebrate the marriage of two people you love like mad, right?

I mean, let’s not beat around the bush here.

NEW YORK IS THE BEST.

And that’s coming from a pretty seasoned traveller here. I’m been to London, and Paris, and Athens, and St. Petersburg, and a whack of other amazing and tantalizing places, but none of them quite feel the same as the Big Apple.

There is just something to the city that I absolutely love.

I love the complete lack of insecurity and judgement. I love how everyone is just doing their own thing, and owning it – whatever “it” happens to be.

I love the activity, the buzz. The electricity that seems to run throughout your veins, and itches your fingertips.

I love the crazy humidity, and freak thunder showers.

I love seeing how far Marc and I can walk in the rain without stopping to buy an umbrella.

I love the museums, and the fashion, and the men and women scampering about in business suits, and the other men and woman scampering about in little (to nothing!) at all.

I love the food.

I love Central Park, and the city’s clever, (and never wasted) use of green space.

I love the theatre.

I love the firemen who yell at me when I run past, letting them know they are looking for fit, strong women to join the force.

I love Brooklyn and its beautiful brownstones, and bustling young families.

I love getting dressed every morning, picking out the perfect outfit in which to walk the miles, and miles, and miles of sidewalk.

I love meeting up with other fabulous, funny, and completely endearing blogger friends.

I love riding the subway.

I love the friendliness of New Yorkers.

I love that my sister has found the love of her life, and that they make their home in a place where we can all gather, and congregate, and have the times of our lives.

It’s just like the t-shirt says:

I HEART NY.

Day 1.

Lots of napping upon arrival (red eyes will knacker you but good!)

Then it was time for some exploration, the Brooklyn flea market, and an absolutely delicious sushi dinner.

The night capped off with wine and stories with good family friends, and the most mind-blowingly delicious biscotti I have ever eaten.

Day 2.

RUN IT BABY!

Next, time for a little NY City Pride!

Then, more adventuring about Soho. Marc bought some snaztastic shorts, and we refreshed ourselves with some tapas and Prosecco.

Then, more window shopping and WEDDING PLANNING.

Day 3.

Brooklyn Bridge walking extravaganza!

Only of course to be met by a literal wall of water upon our arrival on the other side. Good thing we had the wonderful Ms. Java of Ambling and Rambling to spend time with for the next two hours.

After which, it was off to Wall Street, the Museum of the Native American, then Times Square, Central Park, Fifth Avenue, Rockefeller Centre, NBC, CBS, and Radio City Music Hall!

Day 4.

Get lost out on a run (I should have taken that left turn at Albuquerque, er, Dekalb.)

Planning, planning, planning!

Then a trek to the East Village for walking, walking, walking, sushi eating and sake drinking, cannoli eating, and cannoli buying.

More wedding planning!

Then off to the bar to drink rose. (Too much rose.)

Day 5.

WEDDING!

We made sure the day went off without a hitch.

And it was perfect.

And this makes my little heart smile.

Day 6.

Solo trip downtown for Union Square, Empire State Building, and more Fifth Avenue.

Met Marc at MoMA, and then set off to Chelsea to watch the most amazing play I have ever seen.

I will be talking about Sleep No More for the end of my days.

Day 7.

Convene with the newlyweds, and then set out for Central Park with mum.

Walk all about, and then one final crack at Fifth Avenue.

Enjoy wonderful food, drinks, friends, and conversation at Habana Restaurant.

Hold back my tears saying goodbye to the most important people in my life.

Know that we will be together before too long.

Say goodbye to New York.

Know that we will be together before too long.

Love, love me do – you know I love you

Friends.

This week has been absolutely bonkers.

And I am knackered.

BUT!

Some big news:

Today is my last day at my current job. My new position starts July 22nd.

This means I have three weeks of relaxation time (with that fab chap of a husband of mine!), before starting what is, for all intents and purposes, my dream job.

I AM SO HAPPY I THINK MY HEART MIGHT BURST.

Also, speaking of Marc, five years ago today this happened:

It was a very good day.

That morning he wrote to me:

I am waiting to see you for the first time again. (It will always be for the first time, every time I see you.)

I love you, until the end of the world.

And I wrote to him:

YOLO!

JUST KIDDING.

I love you with so much of my heart, that none is left to protest.

Tonight we are flying away to New York for my sister Kate’s wedding to her brilliant fiance. I already refer to my soon-to-be sister in-law Mel as my sister (and have so for years!), so I couldn’t be more excited for this marriage if I tried.

What can I say?

I really love love.

I do.

So let me end by reiterating how much I adore all of you beautiful bloggers. Your words, your passions, your love – it makes the world sparkle.

And remember:

We love life, not because we are used to living, but because we are used to loving. – Nietzsche

Thanks for the dance

Yesterday I didn’t have too great of a day.

I worked too much, and didn’t eat enough.

What I did eat was absolute garbage, and mostly just consisted of one thing: doughnuts.

I arrived home way past my usual ETA – deflated, rain-splattered, and exhausted.

Holed up on the couch, I ate some carrots, and watched a few episodes of Arrested Development, before schlepping my rickety bones up to bed.

By 9 o’clock I was out like a light.

And oh how I slept.

Today, thank goodness, was different.

The rain was good enough to stay away, and my workload was manageable.

I even only ate one doughnut. ONE!

(Seriously, any day where I stick to one dessert per meal is a win in my books.)

It’s also my big sister’s birthday.

I miss this beauty cat more than you could possibly know, and it makes my little heart sad knowing that I cannot be with her to help her celebrate. However, I take solace in knowing that in but a few short weeks I will be there in New York PARTYING IT DOWN, feting her wedding like my life depends on it.

So happy birthday Kate! You are the most magnificent big sis a gal could ever hope for.

In other wonderful news, today I met up with Ms. Laura Beth of Perched on a Whim AND IT WAS AWESOME.

Inspiring.

Hilarious.

And just plain old fabulous.

She is in town visiting with her husband, and I was lucky enough to catch her before they took off for the wild, bewildering beauty of Whistler village.

I couldn’t have asked for a better lunch hour.

Sometimes you meet people and everything just clicks. It’s easy – the conversation, the rhythm, the energy.

Our time together, although brief, left me energized and enthused.

What an amazing thing that we could connect through our writing, and have the chance to meet each other in person.

The world truly is a magical place!

AND YOU GUYS.

My first blogger meet up!

This just means I will get to meet more of you, right?

Because goodness knows you all do light up my life.

So happy Wednesday folks.

I couldn’t do it without you.