Mab Visit = Good food, Guggenheim, 9/11, and the Twins!

A couple week's ago Brennan's mom, Mab, came to visit. It's fun having visitors because it forces me to break my routine and remember that I live in New York City! She spoiled us rotten, it was a blast.

Here's a highlight of some of our adventures...

 Brennan and I in front of the Guggenheim museum.

 Inside the Guggenheim, looking down. Such a cool building.

 The 9/11 Memorial. This place is quite amazing (thanks for the pic mab). There are two pools in the place of the Twin Towers. Water flows down on all four sides and empties into the square in the middle. It's quite beautiful, and so significant of the amount of loss and grief experienced that day.

 The water flows down, never filling up the pool, and falling into the abyss of unknown.

 You can't see the bottom of the pool, as if it is never ending.

 The names of the victims circle the two pools. It was quite emotional.

 Here is one of the towers being built.

 This is called the Survivor Tree. It was found in the aftermath of the attack and was planted on the memorial.

Whew. So that was a lot of emotional stuff, but we also went to a Yankees vs. Twins game! And, the Twins won!! New York was not happy with us that night, but we had a great time cheering on our home team.

It was a great week full of fun times! New York ain't so bad when visitors come!

Just another day in Washington Square Park...

The High Line

The High Line is one of Manhattan's little gems. It's a park built on the rail line elevated above the streets. It's full of amazing architecture, design, and green. That's right, green grass, plants, and birds. A perfect little escape from the hustle of the street.

Here's some bird feeders on part of the walkway. Just in time for spring!


And a perfect place for relaxing!

Cafe Lalo

Does this look familiar?


Or this?


Or this?


What if I stand in front, like this?


If you haven't figured it out yet, you do not love cheesy, romantic chick flicks like me. This is where Meg Ryan waited for Tom Hanks in the beloved movie You've Got Mail. I love this movie. Ever since it came out it made me want to move to New York and open a cute little bookstore and live in an amazing Upper West Side apartment. :) Well, at least I live in New York.

Cafe Lalo is about a block away from church. Brennan and I have walked by it a few times and every time I said, "That is so darn cute? Do you think it's expensive? It looks expensive. Let's go there. It's probably expensive. How cute!"

But, last Sunday, on our search for a coffee, we stepped in and Brennan said, "This is the place from You've Got Mail." I wasn't sure I believed him, but then I thought, YES, it is! And then we argued about it for a while, and then we saw the sign on the window that said it was true. Hahaha. So I had to take a bagillion pictures so I could have proof. And now I have made Brennan promise to take me there. I'll wait inside with my rose, and he will come in and sweep me off my feet, and we will pretend we live in Paris.

Man, I love New York. And for the record Brennan, You've Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle are NOT the same movie. Geesh.

It's not March, but...

I am Irish. And I don't feel bad about it.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter everyone! I love Easter! It's like Christmas for me, kind of. Early church and celebrating Jesus, and then... egg hunts, candy, pretty dresses and hats, cinnamon rolls, ham, baskets, pastels. What more could make a day so amazing? Peep jousting. Yes, peep jousting.

This is how it works.

Step 1: Get your peep, place your sword, face your opponent.


Step 2: Place in microwave and watch the battle. Peeps will expand, joust, and possibly explode (if you're lucky).


Step 3: Announce your Champeepion! Congrats, Dan!

And that is Easter! He has risen indeed!

p.s. Mom, the cheesy hashbrown potatoes were a hit.