I spent this past week in NY for a bunch of work meetings and a conference. This was the first time I was in NY when it wasn't blisteringly bone-chillingly cold. Instead, it was HOT and muggy. At first I felt like I was in a sauna, but then I realized it was more of being in a nasty sauna where the heat would open my pores and then all the nastiness of NYC pollution and sewage would block them up again. Dan, my coworker who happened to be out in NY at the same time, and I both felt like we were breaking out.

Most people know me for whipping out my camera everywhere I go, but sadly enough I didn't take that many pictures this time. So here are some highlights of my short trip:

• A dream come true - I went to see ABT in person at the Met!! I went with Joyce to see Swan Lake. The sad part? I specifically bought tickets to that Wednesday 6/28 performance because Ethan Stiefel was listed in the casting to perform as Prince Siegfried. But then that day while I was at work, I decided to check the casting again and he wasn't there!! Some other guy subbed in for him. He better have had a VERY good reason for not showing up!! In any case, we still got to see Gillian Murphy, who is like the new Julie Kent of ABT. She. was. amazing. A-mazing. 26 pirouettes in a row without flinching. The most I could ever do was 10 or so.
  
• Enjoyed yummy Brazilian-inspired sushi at Sushi Samba 7 in the West Village.
  
• Dined at Otto Pizzeria, a restaurant owned by Mario Batali (I have his cookbook!).
• Banana bread pudding and red velvet cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery... yum!! This is the first time I went and they actually had red velvet in cupcake form.
• Brunch at The Diner in the meatpacking district, followed by a quick trip to Chelsea Market (which is right across the street from the office!) While walking around, we also saw an adorable pug who bit SJ (because he was so excited, not out of aggression)
  
• Exploring Soho. Got a lot of quality shopping done ;)
  
• Dinner on W 32nd street (i.e. K-town) at Kunjip, followed by dessert at Pinkberry, later followed by a chicken combo rice plate from that famous 53rd and 6th Halal street vendor. When we went, the line was seriously 30 people long.
  
• Brunch at Norma's in the Le Parker Meridien Hotel. I enjoyed blueberry pancakes and SJ had a Belgian waffle. The most hilarious thing - they had some lobster frittata dish that came w/ sturgeon caviar. One option was $100, and the 2nd option was $1000, and on the menu was printed in orange font: "Norma dares you to expense this." :-)
  

Pictures to come soon!

I'm back in good old CA but am finding myself missing NY quite a bit. The ease of transportation (you can get ANYWHERE without needing a car), heaps and heaps of good restaurants and eateries, the diversity of people, and things you come across that are simply just OINY (only in New York).