As a birthday present, I got a plane ticket to NYC. I was delighted to go and spend a long weekend with my sister, Amy. The last time I was in the city was September of 2005, so it was definitely time to go back.
Arrived on Friday night and it seems I brought the cloudy weather and rain with me from Portland...
Walking to the market Saturday morning.
Farmer's market in Union Square. We brought goods for Sunday night's dinner.
Here I am! Union Square.
Saturday afternoon Amy and I started walking around and shopping. We decided to go inside Grace Church, which is just blocks from Amy's apartment but she's never been inside. It was beautiful, like being in a church in Europe!
After shopping and finally finding a pair of shoes I liked after checking out about 8 shoe shops, we stopped for a break.
Mint iced tea.
Decaf mocha. (It was pouring on and off, and a hot drink felt good. By the time we returned to the apartment from walking around and shopping, our shoes and bottom of our pants were pretty soaked.)
Then we got all dolled up and ready for an evening out.
After dinner we went to friend Gina's apartment for a party! I felt like I was back in college days... totally fun and weird at the same time. We had a great time and didn't leave until 1am. Oy.
There were 5 St. Mary's Academy alum at the party -- all of them the class of 2001 except for me, class of 1995 :) (And yes, some people were wearing Halloween costumes. Just to clarify.)
Sunday... after sleeping in and meeting friend Guthrie for brunch, we went to the flea market on 78th street.
I loved this guy's collection of old-time toasters.
And had fun watching him demo them for the little girl.
The trees were in the peak of changing colors while I was there. So glad the rain abated and it was sunny and beautiful for my second day.
With Guthrie in front of the American Museum of Natural History, where we were meeting Amy and Tyler.
A quick stop inside the museum for the restroom... couldn't resist taking pictures of the dinosaurs in the front lobby to show Jake...
Then a lovely walk through Central Park!
A stop at a cafe for some refreshments. This was a tiny little cafe and we went up this really tiny spiral staircase to a little loft area where we sat.
Subway to MOMA. Except we ended up taking a cab the second half of the trip because the train we needed wasn't running that day.
MOMA! We saw some of Monet's works, which were beautiful. Then I sought out the Van Gogh, which I love.
I also love this one by Klimt, which made me emotional. A beautiful pregnant woman.
We returned from MOMA via the bus down 5th Avenue. Cooked dinner and the skyline from Amy and Tyler's apartment window was spectacular during that time.
We watched a French movie called "The Class" that evening, which was really interesting. The next day, Monday, Amy and I walked to the subway together in the pre-dawn darkness and she headed off to work and me to the airport.
In the meantime, Mike and Jake stayed home and enjoyed a father-son weekend. Jake also got to spend time with the grandparents, during which he ate some Mexican food, visited a toy store, and had sorbeto ice cream on a cone.
Stay tuned for part 2,
what I ate in NYC!
And with Tyler.
Overlooking the rose garden and beyond to ... SF or the Golden Gate Bridge, I can't remember -- I saw several amazing views!
We went to a wonderful playground and had a fun time for a while!
He rode over to visit Theodore the parrot quite a number of times.
8 of us went to dinner at the lodge restaurant, which was a nice treat! (8 of us also meant it was very full and fun at the house.)
Devin, Tyler, and Amy. (Devin and Tyler are brothers.)
Gramma, Papa, Jake.
Lee and Mike.
Yum, apple salad.
The days were packed with playing outside, bike riding, and swimming every day. By bedtime Jake would be a zombie.
We had lots of fun!
There was ping pong and other games..jpg)
.jpg)
Third generation Apple lover :) Music iPod, in orange, his favorite color.
Happiness is opening presents.
Jake was thrilled with his new bike!
And we immediately went out to ride it.
(Forgot to bring the padded front cover from home... thus a cheery substitute for now.)
Cute new Christmas shirt.
Outside the lodge after our Christmas dinner.
Happy Holidays from all of us -- Lee, Tyler, Amy, Mike, Jean, Jake, and Rich.
See? Serious business.
Busy in the kitchen.
Aunt and nephew.
These guys 
A break to go outside and play in the snow!
Then back to the cookies -- time to cut them out into different shapes.
iPhone love.
Merry Christmas from the Vees to you!
The stockings were hung by the 
In the hopes that St. Nicolas would soon be there.
A little boy in his new polar bear pajamas, leaving out milk and cookies for Santa and a carrot for the reindeer.
Reading the night before Christmas book before bed.
Farmer's market in Union Square. We brought goods for Sunday night's dinner.
Here I am! Union Square.
Saturday afternoon Amy and I started walking around and shopping. We decided to go inside Grace Church, which is just blocks from Amy's apartment but she's never been inside. It was beautiful, like being in a church in Europe!
After shopping and finally finding a pair of shoes I liked after checking out about 8 shoe shops, we stopped for a break.
Mint iced tea.
Decaf mocha. (It was pouring on and off, and a hot drink felt good. By the time we returned to the apartment from walking around and shopping, our shoes and bottom of our pants were pretty soaked.)
Then we got all dolled up and ready for an evening out.
After dinner we went to friend Gina's apartment for a party! I felt like I was back in college days... totally fun and weird at the same time. We had a great time and didn't leave until 1am. Oy.
There were 5 St. Mary's Academy alum at the party -- all of them the class of 2001 except for me, class of 1995 :) (And yes, some people were wearing Halloween costumes. Just to clarify.)
Sunday... after sleeping in and meeting friend Guthrie for brunch, we went to the flea market on 78th street.
I loved this guy's collection of old-time toasters.
And had fun watching him demo them for the little girl.
The trees were in the peak of changing colors while I was there. So glad the rain abated and it was sunny and beautiful for my second day.
With Guthrie in front of the American Museum of Natural History, where we were meeting Amy and Tyler.
A quick stop inside the museum for the restroom... couldn't resist taking pictures of the dinosaurs in the front lobby to show Jake...
Then a lovely walk through Central Park!
A stop at a cafe for some refreshments. This was a tiny little cafe and we went up this really tiny spiral staircase to a little loft area where we sat.
Subway to MOMA. Except we ended up taking a cab the second half of the trip because the train we needed wasn't running that day.
MOMA! We saw some of Monet's works, which were beautiful. Then I sought out the Van Gogh, which I love.
I also love this one by Klimt, which made me emotional. A beautiful pregnant woman.
We returned from MOMA via the bus down 5th Avenue. Cooked dinner and the skyline from Amy and Tyler's apartment window was spectacular during that time.
We watched a French movie called "The Class" that evening, which was really interesting. The next day, Monday, Amy and I walked to the subway together in the pre-dawn darkness and she headed off to work and me to the airport.