Holiday adventures.....

Disclaimer.....I have no idea why the pictures are loading sideways.....I will try to fix it later on my computer....I just really wanted to show you photos....My apologies....

Christmas was full of festivities this year. The Wednesday before Christmas I finally made it up to Rockefeller Center to see the tree. It is amazing how 20 blocks can seem so far away. It was a brisk walk from Grand Central Station up 5th Avenue but it was a beautiful crisp night and the tree was magnificent. It certainly gets you into the holiday spirit.

Rockefeller Center Tree

After I was cold enough, I hoped on the 6 train and made my way back to Murray Hill to our tree. Not as large but just as charming. Thanks for the decorations under the tree Dorthy. They were the most beautifully wrapped presents I have ever seen. Thank you to all of you who sent cards and stockings. It made our apartment warm and cozy through the season!


I carried it all the way home and up 5 flights of stairs....Worth it.

On the evening of the 23rd, I set off for California. Taking trains to the airport was relatively easy and painless, however you must remember to only pack what you can carry. The train stations are not full of ramps and moving walkways.

Christmas was full of family, hugs and kisses. We made standing rib roast and elephant ears and and time for a bloody mary. It was so wonderful to be home and see my family. I am so fortunate.



The Boys...Peyton is diligently helping his dad uninstall the Sling Box. Trev, you know you couldn't have done it without him.


You may have heard that during this time the East Coast was experiencing a few light snow flurries.....Please see previous post......Needless to say my flight out on the 26th was cancelled. Then my flight out on the 27th was cancelled giving me 2 whole extra days to spend with my wonderful family. (Others were not as fortunate so I feel so lucky that I was on the family side of things!) I even got to see San Francisco!



Golden Gate Bridge....Just in case you needed help. ;)

 When Delta finally picked up the phone on Monday night I was told the first flight out was the 31st! I had 2 thoughts; work is going to kill me, I wasn't supposed to be able to come home in the first place and I can't leave Victoria alone for New Years!! After several phone calls and hours on hold I found a flight. At 8:15am on Tuesday I flew out of SFO to Minneapolis, no problem. 2 hour layover in Minneapolis turned into 3 and a half, turned into 5, turned into 6. Fun. Then we take off, and land in JFK. Few, we're there right...Nope. No gates available so we have to taxi around in circles. Over an hour later we pull up to the gate. Now we're there....Nope. 2am doesn't usually call for several jet way operators, so 10 minutes later we have a jet way.....Then off to the cab line. I began my trip at 5:15 California time and ended it at 3:00am New York time. A good solid 19 hour trip......BUT safe! What more could I ask?

Now we turn our attention to New Year's Eve. We have a fun little group  put together and I am trying to work the perks of my job into a table at the party we are going to.....Wish me luck!

Happy New Year!! Love you all!!

~Lucy

Christmas in New York

So my first Christmas away from family was a success. In fact it was quite multi-cultural!


Lucy packed her bags and headed home to California on Thursday and I made plans to spend the holidays with a couple different friends. And even though I missed my family tremendously all weekend, my spirits were high thanks to some truly wonderful people in New York.



Christmas Eve I made my way to the Lower East Side with my friend Andrew. We spent the evening with his family enjoying delicious Puerto Rican food - including lobster, pork roast, rice, and something that resembled tomales (but to my surprise weren't even close!). His family was incredibly welcoming and made me feel like I was back home with all the food and laughter. And of course Andrew's uncle made sure Andrew kept my wine glass filled!

Christmas day was spent out in Queens with Michaela & Shane (and a few more). Michaela made a wonderful traditional Irish sit down dinner. I didn't know so much food could fit on one plate - and everything was devine! We sat around after dinner enjoying more cocktails and Irish Coffees (Michaela wouldn't let anyones glass get empty) while playing a round of girls vs boys pictionary. Naturally, the girls won. So much fun!

I was a bit bummed that I didn't get a "white Christmas" after everyone that texted that day kept asking. And as if my mini wish had been heard (sorry New York) we were hit with a blizzard the following day - dumping a total of around 20" overnight. When I woke up on Monday to go to work I could barely walk down the streets. The street plows had not come through often enough and the sidewalks were non-existent. People were walking in the streets with the cars because the snow on the sidwalk was almost waist deep and most had not been shoveled clear by the building owners yet.

Needless to say the city was in a panic, and many of the smaller businesses didn't bother to open. All the airports closed and flights were canceled (including Lucy's). Fortunately, she is on a plane back to New York as I write this. Piles of snow remain all down the streets, but that's not stopping me from preparing for New Years in New York and my pending house guest (Jen is also on a flight as I write this). Looking forward to sightseeing with her all through the city.

Overall, the holiday weekend was wonderful. Even though I could not be with my family I felt the love from my friends here in my new hometown. And for that I am grateful. Let's raise our glass to another blessed year - may we be so lucky to repeat it in 2011.

Hugs & kisses to everyone back home!

xoxo

Victoria

3rd & Long Holiday Party......

It was an open bar....enough said.....

Just kidding, but seriously....despite being exhausted, hungover and Victoria having worked all day, how could we say no. We pulled ourselves together and kept our promise to Craig. Afterall, a bouncer is the last person you want to disappoint.

We firmly decided on ONE drink. Yeah right. We all know how our "one drink" motto works at 3rd & Long and with an open bar and the staff on the fun side of the bar we didn't have a chance. There were cocktails, there was beer and yes there were shots. Classic.

However we both made it home safely there was only one hurricane run in and we made it to work with a surprisingly minor hangover.

I will be honest though, after all the festivities we both have the sniffles.... ;-)

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!!

We love you!!

~Lucy

The big 2-6!

The birthday celebration was a huge success! It took all 8 of us to piece it all together the next day but we all decided that the each of our remembered parts was fabulous. The night began with Victoria and I popping a bottle of champagne at the apartment. (Shocking, I know. I will give you a moment to get back up after falling out of your chair with shock.....Ok.)  Michaela (a friend from the restaurant that we work at,) and her husband Shane met us for dinner. The location was spontaneous but we couldn't have chosen better.

We had only been to the little Italian place around the corner one night on our way back from the Oyster Festival when all we wanted was a hearty meal and a good glass of wine. Apparently, we made an impression because as we walked in last weekend we were greeted with hugs and kisses and where have you been's AND a bottle of champagne on the house. YAY! We all see where this is going right.....
The wonderful meal and company forced our otherguests to meet us at the restaurant rather than the apartment as previously planned. Although the witty Irish dinner conversation is certainly up there as a dinner highlight, I think my favorite part was when they brought out the chocolate cake. It had a candle and all and everyone sang, it was fantastic! I made a wish, (no I'm not telling, but the order is out there,) blew out the candle and looked at the writing on the plate which said, "Happy Birthday Stacey!" Michaela and I ROARED with laughter, but did not say a word. You don't send back birthday cake and you definitely don't complain about chocolate cake. So we got extra forks and away we went.

Back at the apartment we opened more champagne and everyone get to know one another. With the guestlist we had this could have gone so many directions but everyone mingled and laughed and I don't think a smile left my face the whole night.
The Guest List:

• Micheala & Shane
• Mariano (Victoria's friend from school)
• Favorite quote: When asked by Micheala if he was gay or straight he replied by sticking his patten leather shoe in the air and saying, "Honey, do these shoes look straight?"
• Christian (Mariano's friend who we met as his birthday celebration a month or so before)
• Mo (Brooklyn's Ambassador)
• Adam (Victoria's friend)
• Victoria
• Lucy

After we had done another 3 bottles worth of damage at the apartment it was time to air ourselves out. With every intention of making it to Gramercy, (in the 20's) we made it 4 blocks to a place called Banc. The music seemed to be the perfect mix for our group so in we went. We found an abandoned table, Mariano and Christian convinced the waitress that we needed the table without bottle service so we ordered a round of martinis and began dancing. There was no dance floor mind you but with 2 gay guys and Lady Gaga followed by Beyonce on the playlist a dance floor will be made. And it was! We danced until we could dance no more then we hugged and kissed and went our separate ways.

Naturally, Victoria and my way led us through 3rd and Long on the way home. Craig the bouncer found it hysterical and made us laugh some more but after not even making it to the bar, we promised to come back tomorrow for their holiday party and stumbled safely home. That's right there would be more festivities to come......

~Lucy