Happy Birthday to me....and Hope!!

What should I be doing right now? Sleeping. What AM I doing right now? Blogging. I love it!

So last Thursday my roommates approached me with an idea I just couldn't resist..... a trip to the Big Apple for my 25th Birthday! Being born in December has its downsides, one of which is that I have spent my last 10 or so birthdays studying for or taking finals (even in high school, can you believe it?!). The realization that I could do whatever I wanted this year was all too sweet and I accepted the invitation to join Kami, Diana, and Hope on their trip. Hope's birthday was on the 14th, so this really was an all-out birthday celebration.

We began our journey by catching a bus from Chinatown in DC at 1:50 AM. It was pretty nice to fall asleep in DC and wake up in New York..... it's like magic!! We arrived in Chinatown in NYC at 5:40ish and were off like a bolt of lighting....mostly because it was so cold that walking was the only way to keep from loosing a limb!

The day looked like this:

• Times Square
• Rockefeller Center
• Natural History Museum
• Temple
• Central Park
• Christmas Market
• Serendipity for lunch....frozen hot chocolate, yum!
• Bloomingdale's
• Ice Skating in Central Park
• Carriage ride around Central Park
• Grand Central Station (where we got Juniors Cheesecake)
• Little Italy
• Chinatown (where we caught the bus at 7PM)

Whew! Talk about a whirlwind adventure!!

First of all, Chinatown buses: scary but affordable....'nuff said. Second, New York is absolutely peaceful at 6 AM on a Saturday. Third, I have FABULOUS roommates!!

All and all the trip was wonderful. We all did really well considering the temperature and lack of sleep.....we were like little energizer bunnies, we just kept going. Kami was our guide and did an amazing job. I pride myself on my ability to go to a new city and find my way around, but I took one look at the subway map and knew I had met my match. Kami, however, wasn't even phased! Thanks Kami!


So, I know that I am by no means a New Yorker, but I really did fall in the love with the city. I am so glad that we went at Christmas time.....it was magical (one of the perks of having a December birthday...everyone is feeling festive already). The Christmas tree at Rockefeller center was so beautiful, and if we hadn't arrived in the city so early, we wouldn't have gotten to see it in the dark.....score one for our crazy travel schedule!

Equally magical was Diana's singing.......she is a diva after all. She regaled us with songs from "Enchanted" as we walked through central park and it was almost as if McDreamy were there with us. Thanks Di!
Hope also contributed to the perfection of our trip by suggesting that we go to lunch at Serendipity (which matched perfectly with ice skating in central park, as anyone who loves John Cusack would know). It was serendipitous (well not really) that we all ordered the same thing....chicken pot pie. It might sound strange that we would want such "home-cooking" when we were out at an amazing restaurant, but don't be fooled, this was the BEST chicken pot pie I have ever had. Thanks Hope!