New York, New York!

Getting old is really no fun.  Although it certainly beats the alternative, getting grey hair, watching your metabolism dwindle, and feeling the Grim Reaper getting closer and closer to your doorstep is a real bummer. 

So, I have decided that from now on, I am going to do something really spectacular for my birthday, to take the sting out of the experience.  For just a little bit.

And I'm pretty sure that this has been my favorite birthday so far!

I decided to go to NYC this year.

For the flight to NY, Johnny somehow got first class tickets for CHEAP.   Johnny has a crippling fear of flying, so if there is someone on standby to wipe the drool off of his chin while he is passed out from his free-alcohol-induced coma, it makes things a bit more bearable for him.  So there's that.

When we arrived at the hotel (which I snagged with a 45% discount, thankyouverymuch!), we were informed that our room had been upgraded (!!!!!) to a SUITE (!!!!) because it was my birthday!   YAY!!!!

Dining area to the right, off-camera

I'm pretty sure our hotel room was bigger than Johnny's old apartment in Dallas.

I love this place!!!

So anyhoo, we went shopping in Chinatown.

Ceiling of a tea shop

I got a Faux-kidoki duffel bag!

With Engrish!

We returned to our room and THIS was on the table:

I love this hotel!

BTW, here is the view from our room:

Thursday night, we saw a production of Heathers:  The Musical.  It was pretty much what you would expect for an off-Broadway musical.  The  highlight of the play was the in-theatre bar service, from which Johnny ordered a blue fizzy drink that was created in honor of the play.  

FRIDAY:

Macy's!!!

They were having an in-store floral display thing called The Secret Garden.  So there were flower displays everywhere.  Including this gigantic lady:

I finally got to go to the Magnolia Bakery!  It is completely overrated!  I got a lemon cupcake, and the icing tasted like butter.  Not good.  I think Johnny liked his chocolate cupcake, though.

We went to the MOMA, but it was Free Friday, and there was a line around the block to get in, so we went to the gift store. We didn't get anything, because there was a huge line in there too.  Maybe next time.

For our evening activity, we saw THIS:

The first time I saw Les Miserables on Broadway was in about 1990 or 1991.  I saw it later in Dallas.  I thought the Broadway version was better.  I don't know if my perception of the musical has changed in twenty-something years, or if the play has changed.  This version seemed a lot less subtle, a lot more in-your-face and tended to spell out important themes just a little too much for my taste.  It's still better than any of the movies, though.  But the important thing is, JOHNNY LOVED IT!  I think we have another convert!  Mwahahahahaaaaa!!!

After the play, we went to the Hard Rock Cafe.  Because if I'm gonna be a tourist, then I'm gonna be a TOURIST.

SATURDAY:

We started our day back in Chinatown and Little Italy.  We had missed the Vegetarian Chinese restaurant the first time, so we went back.

Mock Sesame Chicken and Mock Orange Beef!

The staff was super rude and scowly.  The faux chicken had a weird, off taste to it.  The orange beef was delicious.

Next stop:

WE FOUND THE FLUEVOG STORE!!!

I got these:

Aren't they adorable????

Johnny got these:

I CONVERTED HIM TO FLUEVOGS!!!!!

And when you have shoes, you gotta have socks, amirite???

From the Sock Man.  Of course.

SUNDAY (My birthday!!!)

We started off our day with a Quest.   A Quest for Pizza.

We found THIS:

Which looks a lot like my pizza:  

And that's a good thing.

After that, we went to my favorite museum EVER, the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

We saw Art Nouveau...

Guys sketching Art...

Tiffany stained glass...

Creepy art...

This was in a stairwell.  Thanks for the nightmares, Met...

After looking at Art, we went to my favorite sushi restaurant in the whole wide world, Komegashi Too.  Which is in New Jersey. Really. 

The Banana Mama roll and Salmon Sashimi

Ankimo,  a.k.a. Monkfish Liver!  Oishii!!!

LADY M- Green Tea Mille Crepe  

Deliciate green tea Mille Crepe is a sight to behold with no less than 20 lacy thin crepes enveloping the lightest pastry cream, vibrant green tea flavors gently humming in the background. Powdered green tea on top.

YUM!

The best thing about Komegashi is the view:

The view from our table.

We had a great time in NYC and can't wait to go back!