A slice of...New York City!

Hi everyone! On Thursdays for the next couple of months, I'm going to be including a new feature here on Sometimes Sweet. I've asked a large handful of both my blogging buddies and real life friends to give us a little tour of the city or town they live in, from their point of view, and share with us some of their must-go or must-see places. I have a really wide variety of towns and cities (and amazing ladies!) to feature, and I'm really excited to unveil this. I hope you all enjoy it!

I thought I'd start with one of my dear friends Emily (visit her blog here) who resides in Brooklyn, NY. I was lucky enough to visit her twice last summer and she and her fiance Jesse were amazing hosts, taking me to delicious restaurants and fun spots all around the city (click here to read that post). I'm super excited to share her "Slice of New York City," and I think that whether you've dreamed of visiting the Big Apple or have been there before, you may find a new restaurant to try or fun idea to add to your "must do/see/eat" list when traveling to this area of America. So, without further ado, here is New York City, through Emily's eyes!

Emily and me, in NYC (at Taco Chulo, a restaurant mentioned below)

I can't say enough great things about New York.

Jesse and I moved to Brooklyn 4 years ago, and to date it is the best decision we have ever made. Since moving here we have taken up weekend "staycations" where we explore various parts of our state by either walking around various neighborhoods discovering new coffee shops, galleries, secret gardens, independently owned shops or we plan a beach trip to one of the many beaches in the area. So, when Dani asked me to write about my favorite spots I got REALLY excited! Although some of my favorite spots are not absolute locations and more qualities, they are parts of New York that I truly treasure. I do not take this place for granted.



1. Central Park & Secret Gardens

Although Central Park can be a headache due to the amount of people that fill the area each day, I absolutely love it. It is a solid 6 mile loop of beautiful landscape that makes for a great quick run, a perfect place to lay on a blanket and read, or to mosey around with a dear friend. It is smack-dab in the center of Manhattan and the moment you enter the park the chaos from the city settles and you are brought in a complete state of relaxation. If you have a chance to come to the park make sure you check out the 'turtle pond', there are hundreds of little red ear sliders poking their heads above water while moving their little arms around-- it is incredible! There are gardens throughout all the boroughs that are 100% community run and general in the strangest areas. You will find yourself walking out of brunch and pass a skyline building only to find a teeny-tiny community garden down what you would think to be an alley. There are usually sign-up forms to come in and donate your time and love and it's a great place to meet locals or to take a break from noise and hectic feel of the streets. I recommend the garden on 6th street near Ave B; it's small, quiet, and the guy who owns the land is usually there day in and day out taking care of his plants.




2. Food

I recently came back from a vacation where my fiance and I based our trip on what kind of food we wanted to eat so it's not a surprise that food makes the list. I am a gluten-free, VERY health conscious vegan who has limited time in the kitchen with a full time job in fashion, part time job in fitness and a full time school schedule. So, quickly and healthy food is very important to me and New York DELIVERS. Literally! A few of my favorite restaurants are:

A. Souen: Not only is it macrobiotic, but it is organic and they have gluten-free noodles and soy sauce. www.souen.net (the 1st photo below is of the macro platter at Souen)

B. Candle 79: Basically a vegan's dream. This 5 star restaurant offers all organic fare by top vegan chefs with the BEST service possible. www.candle79.com

C. Viva Herbal: Organic, vegan pizza that is HEALTHY! They have a green slice made on spelt with broccoli, spinach, cucumbers, pesto and vegan cheese (if you want it) all for $5.00. It doesn't get better! http://www.yelp.com/biz/cafe-viva-natural-pizza-new-york

D. Babycakes & Lulas: BC is becoming more and more famous and with a recent cook book release people all over the US get to try their gluten-free, sugar-free cupcakes and treats! Lulu's makes their vegan ice creams on the premise each day with an almond base and they are the tastiest cones I have ever had! This location is conveniently located close to the garden I mentioned on 6th st. making it a great place to enjoy your treat. www.babycakesnyc.com http://www.lulassweetapothecary.com/

E. Taco Chulo: Good grief this place rules. It is a mexican restaurant in Williamsburg that offers healthy, delicious mexican food and a margarita menu that goes on for days. www.tacochulo.com

3. Bridges

Growing up in Utah and Arizona I was never near water, therefore no need for a bridge. Now that I am living in New York I have the pleasure of taking the train every morning and I've never made the trek without looking out the window to admire the way the city glows and prep myself for the day. The bridges are also one of my favorite things to run--When I make it halfway over any bridge going into Manhattan (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Williamsburg) my stomach fills with butterflies at the site of the city. You can feel the excitement in the streets and it feels like a fairy tale knowing that this is MY home.


4. Museums

Talk about lucky. We get all the best exhibits and usually have the chance to see them first and usually you can go to the museums for free thanks to various sponsors. When I toured for a living and had off a few weeks between tours I would spend them in museums in the city; my very favorite- The Natural History Museum! I call this museum my sanctuary because the moment I walk in my blood pressure drops and I feel completely at peace. If you have an opportunity to go, you MUST check out the 'Totem Pole" area; you can smell the age in the wood and the history (and creepiness) in the tribal masks.



5. Beaches

One of my favorite ways to spend my weekend is at the beach with a good group of friends. The famous Coney Island is only about 45 minutes away (by train) and always grantees a great time. Although there is a project taking place to improve the "park" you still get the old time feel through the historic rides, freak shows, and old boardwalk. This beach also brings forth the most interesting mesh of people in 1 location you will ever see.


Although this reaches my 5 favorite "things/spots" I could honestly go on for days. Not only do I love these places/things about New York, but I love the overall vibe. As everyone knows, it is NOT cheap to live in New York (cheap rent is 1600 for a 1 bedroom) so to live here you MUST be motivated and you can feel this in the air. Everyone I know here is constantly working to better themselves and have their hands in a million pots at 1 time. I am no different from this group and hope I never lose my drive to continually be learning and doing more. If you haven't been to New York, you MUST come and visit. It is like no other city and you will never run out of things to do.


*the "Slice of..." pie photo at the top of this post was taken from weheartit. I am unsure of the original source, so if you know who took it/where it comes from please please let me know so I can give proper credit! Thanks so much. :)

Emily and Zack

The next couple I am featuring are the wonderful Barnas. I met Emily through my closest girlfriends (one tie would be that her hubby is the brother of my bff Shirley's boyfriend Nate), and from the moment I met her I was instantly drawn to her. She's one of those special people who make you feel oh-so-very comfortable from the get go, and her energy is simply radiant. We have a wonderful friend connection, and lately I've had the chance to get to know her a lot better. Emily is inspiring in many ways- she will be a role model to me when I become a mother, she is an amazingly hard worker who somehow balances her fabulous career with her family, and overall she is really just a stellar human being, as funny as that sounds. When I met her husband Zack I adored him immediately as well- I think their relationship is so inspiring...and I'm sure you'll agree! Read on...



1) Names: Zack & Emily Barna (twitter: @zackbarna and @emilyb44)

2) Years together/years married: We have been together 8 years, and will have been married 5 years in April.

3) How you met: We met through a special friend named Megan who has been one of Zack’s best buddies since they were on swim team at a ripe five years of age. Megan and I became good friends in college, and the summer after graduation, Megan told me, “I have an old friend who is perfect for you, but his heart is on the mend. If you hurt him, I’ll kill you.” She introduced us at her birthday party, and a few months later after many dates and wild nights out, I told Megan, “I’m going to marry that old friend of yours; mark my words.” Less than two years later, we were engaged, and the next year, we got married! Now, we have a beautiful 8-month-old baby girl named Camryn Grace, who is absolutely the light of our lives.







4) What would you say are the top 5 important things in keeping a relationship/marriage strong? Is there anything special you do for your partner/vice versa? What would you say your "keys to success" are in a healthy/fun/loving/etc. relationship?

• When in doubt, talk it out. I’d have to say that communication is the key to keeping our relationship healthy. I figure, if you’re communicating openly, you have trust, honesty, understanding and a connection to each other. I’m not sure there’s such a thing as talking “too much” when it comes to a relationship.
• Never stop dating. After a few years of marriage, it’s so easy to let everyday stresses get in the way of romance, and to fall into the: “Go to work. Pay bills. Talk about said bills. Go to sleep.” routine. If you’re not careful, you turn into business partners instead of the partners in crime you were when you were first dating. But it’s so important to keep the chemistry alive! So we totally prioritize our quality time without the distractions of Blackberries and laptops and kids and friends and household chores. Just us, having a quiet dinner together so we can look each other in the eye and enjoy a deep conversation and just RECONNECT.
• There is an ‘I’ in Team. You may have seen Alana’s post about how Zack refers to us as “Team Us,” by which he means: what we face, we face together. And we absolutely are a team unit bonded by our love, and by mutual respect and shared values and ideals. But one of the reasons I believe we are so strong together is because we stand strong on our own. We each have our own outlets and hobbies (and opinions), and have stayed true to these things throughout our years of marriage. It’s so important not to sacrifice your identity on account of your relationship. Your uniqueness is what your partner fell in love with, after all!
• Live and love like there’s no tomorrow. Cliché, right? But it’s so true. When you’re thinking something good about your partner, SAY IT. Write it, email it, text it, Tweet it! Take time each day to tell them how much they mean to you. There are times where Zack will catch me totally off-guard with a compliment as simple as, “you are such a good mom.” And it gives me such a positive jolt, and makes my day.
• Be active together. This tip is less prolific than the others, but it is absolutely one of the keys to our happiness. We run, lift weights, do yoga, and otherwise work out together, and it is such a fun bond to share. The endorphins feel good, and that time together is just really special. And we figure it balances out the time that we spend drinking wine together. ;)

5) What is your favorite part about being married/engaged?

I love the fact that I get to share every aspect of my life with my biggest fan and my favorite person. I seriously feel like I am having a lifelong slumber party with my best friend… with benefits (hee hee).

6) Include anything your partner would like to add here about ideas/tips or favorite part about being married.

Zack says: I love being part of a kick-ass team.

Emily and Jesse

Over this next week, in the spirit of Valentine's Day we'll be visiting with some of my favorite couples to hear their stories and some of their "secrets" to keeping their beautiful relationships going strong. I chose each of these couples because they are all so incredibly different, and so incredibly inspiring to me, so I thought it would be great to share this inspiration with you all. Each of these couples are friends of mine "in real life," and I have known all of them for a long, long time. Their stories are particularly special to me because I've seen a lot of them unfold, and nothing is better than seeing true love from its inception.

The first couple I am super excited about featuring is someone I've talked about before on this blog...my dear friend Emily, and her fiance Jesse. Emily and I have been friends for a long, long time and we have a very special bond. Throughout our many years of friendship, I've seen her fall more and more in love with the wonderful Jesse. This past summer I spent a week with the two of them in New York and got a chance to see them months before they got engaged. It was such a great time, and let me tell you...being around them is intoxicating. Because they've been together for so long, their love is everywhere, and so beautiful. It's a comfortable, beautiful, deep kind of love that is obvious to anyone who is around them. I feel so happy that my sweet Emily has someone so special in her life forever, and I love that I am able to share her story with all of you! Enjoy...



1) Names:

Emily Trujillo and Jesse Lindmar - http://smellmilly.blogspot.com

2) Years together and also years married (or time engaged):

8 years and 3 months together, engaged 2 months

3) How you met:

At 16 I helped run an animal rights organization based out of Phoenix. Because I was so young and inexperienced I enlisted the help of a blooming (at the time) animal rights group in Utah (UARC). They would help me find events, get materials and handle the media, if needed.

I traveled to Utah in November of 2000 to pick up materials for an upcoming event in Phoenix and also to help participate in "Fur Free Friday." After the event a big storm hit and I was unable to drive myself back to AZ for another day or two. UARC was hosting a "Thanksgiving/Tofurkey Day" celebration the next day so Crystal and I decided we would stay. Because it was snowing, my little Nissan Pulsar was not the ideal candidate to make the trek to Park City where the dinner was held. I asked around and there were 2 seats available in someone elses car--Yippee! So, Crystal and I met at the UARC office and waited. When the HUGE white truck pulled up we jumped in the backseat. Immediately I froze. Jesse was sitting in the front seat and I became EXTREMELY nervous. Crystal and I looked at each other and started giggling. We both thought he was the bee's knees.

Once we were in Park City I took to helping everyone put the last minute touches on our feast all while watching Jesse in the other room. He was quiet, anti-social and kept to hanging around the person who drove us to PC. When we sat for dinner around a very, very large table (about 30 of us) I sat made it a point to sit right next to Jesse. At this point we had maybe said 2 sentences to each other.

Then it came, word vomit. I started talking and couldn't stop. I wanted to know ALL about him and I was suddenly nervous and excited and continued with question after question. He didn't talk much, except to answer my questions and never really asked me anything, just kept to himself. I am a nervous eater so as soon as my plate was clear I started on his plate, and to this day I think it's hilarious that I ate his dinner and he just sat back and let me.

After dinner we stuck together like glue, again without him talking much and me talking too much. He stood outside with me in the cold winter snow while I smoked (gross, I know) and just listened to me blab on.

The evening fell quick and it was time for everyone to go. Crystal was kind of seeing someone at the party so we ended up staying the evening there. Jesse went home in the same truck we all came in and it was a very sad goodbye. We gave each other a huge hug and just stood there silent for a minute. We both knew we were young (I was 16, Jesse 17) and I lived in another state. So, I think we both chalked it up to a great evening with a wonderful new person.

On our drive back to AZ I told Crystal "There is something very special about that boy...I wish I got his phone number." She agreed and we went on with the drive.

The moment I got home I started looking for him. At the time the only social network type of place was www.makeoutclub.com, hahaha. So, I searched it...daily, sometimes twice a day looking for this special boy. I then remembered that he played in a friends band (Cherem) and started asking him little questions about Jesse. He didn't say much about him, and I started to think I was at a dead end.

I came back out to Utah for my great grandmother's birthday in Feb 2001. I still hadn't found Jesse online or heard much more about him. I strategically placed a phone call and visit to my friend's house that he played in the band with, and finagled my way into seeing Jesse. I still remember him walking into the house. His eyes met mine and we both instantly looked away. This time I was extremely shy too because I was a bit embarrassed with myself. I mean, I was essentially stalking this man and he had no idea. The night was awful. We didn't talk but 2 sentences, literally. I left the house and decided that was it.

A few months later I get an instant message via AIM:
him: "Umm.. hello?"
me: "umm. hi?"
him: "Is this the emily that is in AZ, friends with Bill and came to Utah for Thanksgiving?"
me: "why yes it is, who's this?"
him: "Jesse. I am the one you talked to that night.. I play bass in Cherem, I saw you in February"
me: ((shock)).. "HI!"

He went on to say how he was so sorry for not asking me for my number. That he was too nervous to talk to me in February. That he has been looking for me online and was too nervous to ask Bill for my info. I don't think I sent a message back for 5 minutes. I just stared at the IM. He was doing the exact same thing I was and we both had NO idea!

(thank you makeoutclub)

We continued to talk daily via AIM, started sending care packages with photo booth pictures and treats and eventually started conversations via the phone. At this point I was 17, had my GED and was starting to daydream the idea of me moving back to Utah.

A few months into our daily conversations we decided we would date. Yes, we were going to be in a committed relationship via the Internet until I could make the jump and move to Utah.

Exactly 1 year after we met at the Vegan Thanksgiving I moved to Utah. The first night he picked me up in an extremely bad snow storm we just held each other for hours. I was already in love and I just KNEW this was it.

8 years and 3 months later I can still say that he gives me butterflies. He brings so much light, love, inspiration and joy to my life. He is constantly showing me what it means to not only be a good person, but a good partner.

We are recently engaged and plan to marry sometime in the next few years (maybe at our 10 year?). I am so happy to have found my love at such a young age and to have the person I love the very most in the entire world, love me back at the exact same level. It's truly remarkable.

4) What would you say are the top 5 important things in keeping a relationship/marriage strong? Is there anything special you do for your partner/vice versa? What would you say your "keys to success" are in a healthy/fun/loving/etc. relationship?

Wow, top 5 things, eh? That's tough, but here are ours.

-Love without rules. What I mean is, you can't say you love someone but would leave them if they did "this" or "that." I'm not talking about cheating here, I'm talking about people evolving and learning new things, or gaining new beliefs. In our experience we have changed SO very much and are not even close to the people we once were. I hear my friends who are struggling in relationships say "they aren't the same, they have just changed." But, that is natural. We should change. How sad would it be to be the same people for our entire lives? Anyway. Acceptance to change is key for Jesse and I.

-Trust. I hate to say it, but I am a very jealous girl. I know how special Jesse is and I know that many ladies see it too. I had to learn to trust that he could have girl friends and he had to trust that I can have boy friends.

-Honesty. A lot of times relationships, especially in the "honeymoon phase" you tend to keep your true feelings at bay for fear of running the person away, or disagreeing. Jesse and I disagree on a lot of things, but we accept the differences, and are honest and true to our personal view. I am always honest with Jesse, even if I KNOW it's not what he wants to hear and even if I know it's going to make him upset/sad. He does the same. We tackle things head-on and know that the other person is only sharing and keeping the gates open for love and respect.

-"I Love You in the AM/PM". This sounds so funny, but I can't hear "I love you" too much. Both of us used to go on tour (him with bands, me with work) and we developed a routine of "I love yous." Each morning the first thing we would do was call the other person to say "I love you" and each night before bed we would call to say "I love you." Of course when we are together we also say it, constantly. We will be walking down the street and just randomly look over to tell the other person "Hey, guess what? I love you." I especially love it when we are disagreeing with each other... "So, I know we are upset right now, but I love you." I like this about us.

-Alone time. Yes, I said it. I NEED to be alone sometimes, and so does he. We have our own lives; some of our friends are mutual, some aren't. We enjoy time together and spend most of our nights in. But, we also enjoy nights solo. This could be something as simple as me laying in bed reading a book while he is out on the town, or even in the living room editing photos. He will also be HONEST with me and say "Babe, I need the apartment to myself tonight to concentrate on editing" and I will make plans to go out for a few hours to give him a quiet space.

5) What is your favorite part about being married/engaged?

I like the word "fiance"... "Hello, this is my fiance Jesse." I'm proud to display a symbol of our commitment and proud to show the world that we are SO in love that we are committing to each other for all eternity.

Feel free to include anything your partner would like to add here about ideas/tips or favorite part about being married/engaged.

My advice for couples is simple- "Storms bring rainbows." Stick with it, even when it rains. Yes, there are times when I want to throw things around the house and get SO angry I could explode. But guess what? It's not worth it.

Jesse and I developed a routine if we are upset. We are HONEST and say "I need 5-10 minutes to work this through and then I can talk." This works for us. It gives us time to calm down and chose our words in a respectful manner that will still come across with our true emotion, but without the hard edge arguing can bring.

Goodnight weekend

making homemade tabouli, originally uploaded by daniellehampton.

Well, I am about to say goodnight to another great weekend that I really don't want to end...but I guess in order to appreciate them so much work is necessary. This photo I added is of the tabouli I made for Hank and me today, it was truly delicious and already almost devoured. Approved by both Hank and Dustin, so you know it's good!

I already blogged earlier today, and I was just heading out to see "The Time Traveler's Wife" with my mother-in-law and Brooke. I had high expectations for the film, but I wish I wouldn't have, because there is no way the film could have ever lived up to the book. The film was definitely entertaining, but because it left out so much of the book, I felt the characters weren't developed enough and their relationship didn't have the same depth that made the novel so agonizingly upsetting. I still recommend that you see the movie, but take it for what it is; a watered down version of an amazing book. I do love Rachel McAdams though, in any role she plays, so that helped a lot. She is a true beauty. I do have to make note though, of the crazy environment inside the theater. I met Hank's mom and sister there, and they had already gotten seats by the time I arrived. When I walked into the theater I knew it probably wasn't going to be the best experience because it was filled to the brim with senior citizens. Now don't get me wrong, I love old people. I'm not one of those people who really get annoyed by them...I usually find them endearing and adorable. But going to a movie at noon on a Sunday basically means you can count on a theater of them. I sat down and pretty soon after that the previews began, and I started to hear a "whoosh, whoosh" sound every five seconds or so. It took me a moment to figure it out, but the guy in front of us was on an oxygen tank and the "whooshing" sound was the sound of oxygen getting sucked into his nose via the tube. The sound started to drive me crazy because it was like clockwork obviously, every breath he took there was a "whoosh, whoosh," and I was fixated on that...I couldn't focus on anything else. I decided I was going to move and sit on the other side of Hank's mom, so I did...only to still hear the oxygen tank. Soon that sound was accompanied by a very loud buzzing sound coming from the woman next to me. For about 20 minutes I thought it was her phone constantly vibrating but then I looked over and noticed she had a semi-large hand held fan! Yes, this lady was cooling her and her daughter off while they watched the movie...and it was the most annoying thing I've ever heard. I am definitely not a complainer, and I always try to make the best of situations...but this was way too much. Oxygen tank man on one side, hand held fan lady on the other, and all I wanted to do was watch this movie I'd been anticipating for months. I feel like maybe I didn't love the film because I was in theater hell, so I feel like I may try to see it again soon.

ANYWAY, after the movie I went food shopping at New Frontiers, picked up some things for the week and came home and started cooking food for my lunches this week. Afterward Hank had Matt and Dustin over for sports and hangouts, and I did some housecleaning. Now I'm relaxing, about to go to bed and not super stoked on work tomorrow. I keep thinking about the 3 day weekend coming up next weekend and that's helping me stay positive. And Emily and I are currently planning my NY trip in October (I'll know more later this week) and I am so stoked. While she is at work during the week I am going to try and take the train for a day train into NJ to visit some of my childhood friends which I am super pumped about too. I've kept in touch with so many of them, and it's going to be so fun to see them.

Alright, enough blogging for tonight. Goodnight everyone.

Can't wait...

my heart!, originally uploaded by daniellehampton.

to see my friend Emily soon, hopefully in the next two months. This picture makes me so happy so I wanted to post it. <333

NYC, July 2009

I just returned home from NYC on Monday and now I'm in San Diego, so I didn't have a minute to blog about my trip before we left for another. Today is a shopping day for me, but it's only 8:45am so I figured I would try and post quickly before I forgot details of my wonderful time spent there. My dear friend Emily and I got a chance to spend time together when I was on the East Coast in June, and the one day we had together definitely wasn't enough, so we decided to plan for me to visit in July. And that's just what I did...and it was the most beautiful time!

I grew up in NJ, so I have spent lots of time in the city, but we moved when I was 13 so following the move I've gone a lot, but never really done touristy things. The last time I went with friends was in 2005, when I flew out with Erin and Rachel to visit Hank on tour with Life in Pictures. They were supposed to play Hellfest, which was canceled that year. It was a great time, but we didn't have much time for sightseeing besides one day in the city. I went back a few times following that year with my family and with Hank, but still just kind of visited friends and family without really exploring. This visit was totally different though, and I already can't wait to go back and do more things, see more things, etc.

I left at 11am on JetBlue and arrived into JFK around 8pm or so. I somehow managed to figure out the Airtrain, and then connected to the J train, where Em and her boyfriend Jesse met me at their stop. We walked back from to there home so I could drop off my luggage, and we decided to go out for awhile. So we hopped back on the subway and headed over to the Little Branch speakeasy, where Becky (a friend of Em's) was bartending. This spot was so insane- there's no sign, it's simply a black door you have to knock on to be admitted. Someone takes you downstairs, and you're literally in a 1920s speakeasy! It's small and super cute! I had some of the best drinks of my life at this bar...they have a whole bar full of fruit and you just tell them what flavors you like and they make you a healthy drink that is to die for! Emily, Jesse and I spent the entire night there, catching up and chatting. It was an amazing way to start my trip.

first photo of the trip- I am so tired and just arrived!


Em and Jesse down in the speakeasy- it was super dark and I didn't want to ruin the ambiance with a flash, so apologies for the grainy photo.


We went to bed pretty late, but Em and I decided to still get up early to go on a long run over the Williamsburg Bridge. Friday ended up being super humid and it was definitely a challenge, but really rewarding when we reached the other side and got water. Turning around and going back the other way was a different story though... ;)



After our run we got ready for the day and spent our afternoon walking around, shopping, and spending time together. Em and I are already in great touch so it was nice to not have to go over all the details of our lives and just pick up from the present. It was the best day, although it was crazy hot we still enjoyed the city, sweaty and worn out (well, I was) from our run!



We went to lunch at Souen, a vegan/raw spot that I just loved. I got the macro platter, which was the best macro platter I've ever had.






After our long day in the city, we headed home to wait for Meg to arrive from Westchester. We went to dinner (I am spacing on the name), and I got a delicious hand-packed veggie burger and we ended our meal with the most delectable piece of vegan blueberry/peach pie I've ever had. I am such a pie girl too, so calling something delectable is a true compliment. ;) It was so good to see Meg, it had been years and years, so the dinner was a great time for catching up.









After dinner we got into Meg's car and headed out to Westchester, where Megan lives with her daughter and family. We arrived pretty late, but I could totally tell how beautiful my surroundings were. I am a total tree/green/forest lover and Westchester was all of the above, much like my 2nd favorite place in the US besides Hawaii- Vermont. We spent the night drinking wine, making Meg a match.com profile (so fun) and giggling our heads off. Perfect night.


The next morning Emily got up early with Megan's Dad, Patrick to go for a run in the national park there. I elected to stay in bed and enjoyed another two hours of peaceful sleep! When they got home, I got to hang out with Chloe, Megan's daughter, and I totally fell in love with the little munchkin. Side note: both Emily and I are god-mothers to a Chloe! Me, to Autumn's Chloe, and Em to Meg's. Too funny. So after saying goodbye we got into Patrick's SUV and headed to the train station, where we boarded and headed back into the city, traveling along the Hudson River. It was a really pretty ride and it was nice to watch the river go by as we rode next to it.






We arrived in Grand Central station and were just starving, so we got some sushi (surprisingly really good) and gelato. I had never been in GC and I was blown away with the beautiful architechture and detail throughout the building.






After leaving GC we decided to do a bit of a tourist afternoon and visit FAO Schwartz and Central Park. We walked through a huge street fair to get there too, which was neat. The last time I had been in FAO I was just a kid, and probably just wanted to see the "BIG" piano, so this time it was neat to really take everything in...it really is an amazing store!

Street fair






Muppets in FAO!








After FAO we headed over the Central Park to take advantage of the truly gorgeous day and lounge around a little.




view from our spot on the grass :)




After Central Park we went over to Union Sqaure to see 500 Days of Summer with the lovely Zooey. I had super high hopes for this film and liked it, but didn't love it. I wasn't necessarily let down, but perhaps my expectations were a bit too high. I am curious to see what my friends thought though, so if you've seen it, what did you think?

After the movie we decided to go over to Babycakes to finally (last time I was in the city with Em they were sold out) try their cupcakes. I have heard a lot of things about this shop, both good and bad, and I have to say that I LOVED what I tasted. We got the cupcake tops, which is just like a muffin top...but a cupcake. YUM! I also tried a couple of samples and really loved what I tasted. I thought the frosting was to die for, and as we were leaving I noticed the "Frosting Shot" sign on the wall, so I will definitely be taking that route next time!






After Babycakes we went home to get ready for a night out with friends! We started the night at Taco Chulo (amazing, amazing Vegan tacos...best ever) and ended up at the Levee, then out dancing before ending the night at Vinny's for pizza.










at Taco Chulo- like I said before, best tacos...and best healthy (as healthy as alcohol can get) margaritas!


Em and Jenn












So as I mentioned above, after a looong night of fun we ended up at Vinny's for pizza, which was delicious. We took a car home and I literally fell asleep before my head even hit the pillow. Not before I got some cuddle time in with Ms. Salsa though! :)


The next morning we woke up pretty late (thank goodness- I needed it!) and decided to go to Coney Island. Coty and Brandy picked us up and somehow we got lost along the way and ended up just going to a smaller beach. This beach was great, but super weird because along the shore was every kind of fruit you could imagine from coconuts to pears. Halves and wholes, pieces and fragments...scattered everywhere! It was bizarre, and the beach recieved a new name- "Fruit Island." Emily had ended up borrowing my banana bikini, which was quite appropriate for the day!






After the beach we went back and got ready to head out to a party with some friends from Jesse's work. The bbq was held in Brooklyn in a courtyard of an apartment building, and was such a cute spot. There were tons of dogs too, and even a doggy pool.


walking to the train


















When we got home that night we spent a relaxing night in, watching movies and hanging out while Emily got caught up on some work. It was the best way to end a busy/wonderful weekend.

The next morning I woke up, excited because my flight didn't leave until 8pm that night, so I had an entire day of sightseeing ahead of me while Em was at work. I packed up my stuff, and took the train to the Financial District so I could leave my suitcases with her while I wandered around. She had already been up since 7 or so, that crazy girl! I spent the day shopping, eating and just really enjoying a "me" day. I tried Magnolia cupcakes (Babycakes IS better!) and walked my little heart out, covering a lot of ground all over NYC.




Overall it was one of the best trips/vacations I've ever been on. I could write a million pages about how wonderful it was, but the photos really do a better job. I could also write a million pages on how much it filled my heart to spend 5 solid days with Emily. We've been friends for a long time, and I loved being able to be around her for an extended period of time like we used to be able to do. She is like a sister to me, and it's amazing to know that no matter where life has taken us, we have remained close through our ups and downs, and our friendship continues to grow stronger! Jesse and Em were truly the best hosts- so generous and accommodating and I will always be thankful for how "at home" I felt in their beautiful house. We are already planning for me to come out in September and I can't wait. I've been out of NYC for two days, but I am still so so happy and cannot wipe this smile off of my face. :)