In These Deep City Lights

I text Vince the words "I miss New York City" often. And I think those words at least daily.
I tagged along with him on a business trip as a ninth wedding anniversary treat to ourselves (because, 9!) back in April.  My parents generously moved in and took over Vivian and Luke duty.

It was my first time to New York City.  And the reason I'm still texting Vince about it is that I loved how I felt there: brave and alive.  In my day to day suburban life I am on autopilot : feeding, reminding, driving, encouraging, sweeping, comforting, wrangling, delighting, redirecting, hugging.  Lots of good nuggets mixed in a lot of mundane ones.  It is, to be honest, exhausting and emotional work for me.  There are brave and alive moments but they get lost in the shuffle of the everyday really easily.

And since New York City is not my everyday, it was a beautiful exhale to be in a place that gave me space to be brave and alive and notice it.  I had wondered if being in a hustling and bustling city would do me any good at all but oh, it did!  I loved the anonymity, the green spaces, great food, grittiness and fanciness and old-timeyness, I loved walking fast and hailing cabs and people watching.  I came home and settled right back into this life I'm so grateful for (but I have spent some nap times researching rent in the West Village and wondering how we might finagle a Spring or Fall in NYC.  We'll see how that pans out. ;) )

We spent the first day in the pouring rain, recovering from our red eye with doughnuts,

then on to squishy shoed walks around Chelsea and the Village soaking in all the cute and lovely,

 ate really fantastic pizza at Bleeker Street,

 had the long awaited for crack pie at Milk Bar (it lived up to the hype for me),

 and finished the day with a lovely dinner at Babbo.

The next morning the sun was out, and we got bagels (nothing compares)

and then I got my brave on and went to a Physique 57 class in Soho. This is my very favorite workout video to do at home. I took a class with Tanya Becker, the instructor from the DVDs.  It was a sweaty starstruck awesome hour for me.  

                                                    \\

I sat in Washington Square Park for a long time, 

then got some lunch at Chelsea Market and took it to the Highline

 
(lots of selfies texted to the kids!)

explored the MOMA and then walked by the library to say hi to Patience and Fortitude (library lions) to meet Vince for a drink, and went to the Burger Bar nearby for a quick bite

 

On Friday I explored Central Park

                                        

 

ate Shake Shack by the pond

visited where my mother-in-law's grandparents lived (in a little apartment on the roof of what used to be a bank),

                                     

and had a great dinner at the Spotted Pig before taking my blistered feet to bed.

On Saturday Vince and I had a great brunch in the Village and hung out in Madison Square Garden soaking up the spring day before heading home to our babies.  

We will be back for you, New York City! I've got a major crush on you.