My Trip to New York….in a New York Minute!
My visit can be summed up in three words: FAMILY,
FRIENDS and FOOD! It was a great two weeks…here’s the proof (in pictures)!
FAMILY
First weekend in NY wouldn't be complete without a Broadway show (avec ma mère)! Come From Away was amazing. One of the best shows I've seen in recent years. I HIGHLY recommend it!
Melissa and I went to see Anastasia on week #2. It stars our friend Blair's friend Christy Altomare. She is incredible!!! Seriously. When she sang Journey to the Past we were pretty much in tears. Not pictured: our lunch with Blair, Adam and Lyla beforehand. SO great to see them and catch up!
Baby @ the beach! This kid LOVED the sand.
Not joking!
Could you get any more adorable?!
Yes, she was singing wheels on the bus whilst turning the wheel.
Visiting GG! Alani loves GG, and GG loves Alani <3
My favorite almost 93-year-old <3
Back to the beach/water park!
FRIENDS
Play time at the park with Auntie Steph & Alani!
Celebrating Emily & Kevin! Wouldn't have missed it for the world!
Not pictured: successful girls night out a week later in the West Village, our old 'hood.
I was so happy I got to join in on Carolyn's bachelorette festivities on Fire Island, even if it was only for a few hours. I had SO much fun that I forgot to take any pics, so I stole this one of the group taken after I had already left, just so that I had a visual to go along with this blurb :) And while I can't make it to Carolyn and Alex's wedding later this summer, I am THRILLED for this amazing couple. Love you guys!
Enjoying the first HEINEKEN After Work event in NYC!
Celebrating KP's birthday (a bit early)!
Besties celebrating a belated 29th @ my all-time fav birthday spot, the Boat Basin!
Besties celebrating a belated 29th @ my all-time fav birthday spot, the Boat Basin!
I am going to let the fact that all of us were in one room for the first time in 3 years make up for the fact that we are somehow standing in the wrong order. You win some, you lose some!
Two weeks in NY seems like a long time, but the truth is, it's not. While I got to spend really good, quality time with a lot of people, there are some other friends I would've loved to see. These two pics are a throwback to blog #4 with Diana, Matt and Amanda. Three amazing friends who I didn't get to spend time with on this trip BUT read blog #4 to hear about their recent visits to Amsterdam :) And to everyone else I didn't get to see this time around, hopefully I'll catch you next time!
Food
This one unfortunately doesn’t come with many pics, and I am wayyyy too embarrassed to admit how many times I had pizza, ice cream, OR frozen yogurt, but I do have some good highlights:
- When your best friend gets you the cutest necklace AND puts a candle in your Yogurt & Such (and gets you three toppings to go with it). That is true friendship! (THANKS STEPH!!!)
- Ordering one of EVERYTHING off the dim sum menu at Buddakan. With a group of 6 people and eyes bigger than our bellys it seemed like a fantastic idea. We actually had to tell the waiter to just STOP. We coudn't possibly eat anymore. Would I do it again? YES! Love that place.
- There were three visits in total to the Celebrity Diner (one for brunch, two for dinner). Glad I got those 3 in because it’s likely the last time our family will be welcome back there. Alani's 'child' portion of mac and cheese was the size of a family-style dish at Carmine's and as soon as the waiter put it down she got a hold of the serving spoon and starting flinging it everywhere. She was SO happy. The restaurant owner was not. Nor was my sister when she was on her hands and knees picking it up ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
- Did I mention that ice cream in a TUB that Jaime and I got from Cool Mess? #demolished
- Nothing says summer on Long Island like lobster, a true American BBQ (or a cookout, for my Southern friends) and Carvel! Luckily, I had all three. And one of the three managed to be documented...Our after-the-beach 'framily' dinner with the Mann's was full of lots of laughs, and lots of ridiculous images:
#mature
^ Copycat
Framily
Maturity level rose as the night progressed
As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. It was bittersweet leaving NY this time. On one hand, by the end of the two weeks I was ready to get back to the Netherlands. It honestly felt like it was time to go 'home' and that Amsterdam really has become my home. I was ready to get back into my routine - normal eating, new adventures/city exploration, and yes, even work.
On the other hand, my family and friends are the two most important things to me, so it was difficult to leave them behind. I am grateful for the awesome friends I have made in the Netherlands so far, but there's nothing like family and old friends - the people who are always by your side. They know what you're thinking without even saying anything, they pick you up when you are down, and they celebrate your successes as if they are their own. I feel so blessed to have you all of you in my life, and although there might be an ocean between us, not a day goes by that I don't treasure our bonds.
"How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard..."
- Winnie the Pooh
On the other hand, my family and friends are the two most important things to me, so it was difficult to leave them behind. I am grateful for the awesome friends I have made in the Netherlands so far, but there's nothing like family and old friends - the people who are always by your side. They know what you're thinking without even saying anything, they pick you up when you are down, and they celebrate your successes as if they are their own. I feel so blessed to have you all of you in my life, and although there might be an ocean between us, not a day goes by that I don't treasure our bonds.
"How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard..."
- Winnie the Pooh
Until next time...
Such great pics! Alani is too much. Thank goodness we got our cool mess friend to take that one of us and our creations. Don't worry, I'm keeping track of all the other ice cream places that we need to try... love you
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