Bright Lights, Big City...NYC Trip Rewind

I am slowly but surely recovering from this weekend's non-stop funfilled madness of a whirlwind trip to NYC...but WOW, was it worth it! I can't say enough about how much of an adventure it was from start to finish--lucky to have an incredible group of friends that Jeff and I love to travel with!
Here we are starting out bright and early on the plane Friday morning--keep in mind we all look exhausted because we got up around 3AM to catch our flight!

 Above the city in the plane...I never get tired of seeing this gorgeous place!!

Upon arrival at the airport, we worked our magic and got a limo to shuttle us over to our hotel, The Crowne Plaza, located right in the middle of Times Square--perfection! After we got checked in, it was time to hit the city and take in all the sights. Our first stop was right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Broadway, Junior's for lunch, and then to Toys R Us to see the giant indoor ferris wheel.

 Then we headed to hop on the  City Sights NY bus tour to take in everything uptown--Harlem, Central Park, Rockefeller Center, and loads of other landmarks. Here are some of my snapshots:

The boys in the back of the bus

Now by this time, I am getting quite ancy as 2 of the group members had "disappeared" though Lauren had no idea what was about to take place...her boyfriend Andy had been scheming for weeks on when and how to propose and talked to Jeff and I about a few options. He ended up renting a car/driver to chaffeur them around town, while Lauren thought he was just taking her to Saks to do some Christmas shopping. Low and behold, they were dropped off in Central Park where he asked her to marry him--woo hoo!!
After our tour on the bus ended, we made plans to meet at FAO Schwartz and when we walked in, someone had a little announcement they wanted to make...can you tell Lauren is elated? They have been dating for 6 years so it's about time they make it official!! It was just so exciting being able to share in this very special moment in their lives and I know we were all as giddy as could be to celebrate her brand new bling ;).

That evening, we went back to the hotel to get ready and I was able to surprise Lauren with her first engagement gift...an ornament I had packed away in my suitcase that says "Just Engaged" and her first bridal magazine--just a little something to commemorate such a special occasion! After we all got ready, we met in front of the hotel's gorgeous Christmas tree to take some fun group pictures before dinner.

Good looking group!

Me and my ladies all dressed up and ready to go

Fast forward to Angelo and Maxie's and some VERY happy bellies after a wonderful dinner and champagne toast for our newly engaged friends.

 The husband's monster ribeye

 Surf and turf for me ;)

 And of course, the Apple Crisp for dessert--amazing!!

 Toasting to the newly engaged couple...the future Mr. and Mrs. Andy Lawson!

Saturday morning started off with us walking to Columbus Circle to indulge in one of my favorite bakery's treats...Bouchon! We then hopped back on the bus for the downtown tour of the city--we took in the Empire State Building, Herald Square, Greenwich Village, and then SoHo before hopping off to do some major shopping that afternoon. We walked through tons of shops purchasing a few treats, and then headed to Little Italy for some authentic italian food. Then it was down to one of my locales--Chinatown! I think my friends saw how nuts I am, mingling with the "fake purse men" and working magic to make some deals...yes, I thrive on stuff like this. A few of us were able to snag some new bags and jewelry before we headed back to the hotel to get ready for the night's festivities.

 Can you see the "tiny" ball?? They had just put it in its place
for the big New Year's festivities

 Only the best department store ever...Macy's in Herald Square

 Gorgeous window displays

 my amazing pizza for lunch!

Jeff had a little snafoo with his balsamic vinegar--haha

 A fun parade going through Little Italy and Chinatown

For dinner, we had reserved a table at 48 NYC, a fun lounge in Midtown where we could sit back and relax a bit before our big night out on Broadway. The apps were incredible and the ambiance was perfect for our group--not to mention us girls love to get dressed up! Then it was off to see The Lion King...one word--INCREDIBLE! If you visit NYC, you absolutely have to see it. We were all blown away by the music, the costumes, and of course the set design...perfect show! Afterwards, I called it a night and went to the hotel, while everyone else went to see the trees in Rockefeller Center and have some late night cocktails and pizza...yes, pregnant lady had to get some sleep.

Sunday marked our final day in the city so we started off early to get as much knocked out as possible. We had brunch at Pastis and then hopped on the subway to take in everything downtown--the World Trade Center site, Century 21,  Wall Street, and the Financial District. Then the boys headed to a pub to watch football while us girls did our last shopping at Macy's to take home ornaments from the trip.

 The tasty brioche french toast 

 Jeff and Aaron in front of the bull

 The NYSE

This trip was fun from start to finish and I have our fantastic friends to thank for it...it was so special to see New York during Christmas time and I think we had a successful adventure for their first NYC experience! I know we'll all be able to look back on this trip for years to come with really fond memories {and way too many laughs and inside jokes}--tremendous fun with my best friends--and of course feeling lucky to have had one last "adult trip" before someone makes their arrival next year, too ;)

Happy Thursday to You

Ahhhh!! Work is finally picking back up these days and I couldn't be happier...I can hardly focus without a full plate and I have a feeling there are others out there like me. I missed "What I Love" Wednesday, so I thought I would do my own loves today instead: 

Gap has a huge sale online ...dear heavens, I love their maternity clothes so
I stocked up on some new pieces {including this adorable dress} for
fall/winter, including some corduroys--yippee!!

I got Annie the Acura back yesterday...bless her heart, she got a little bumper "tap"
a few weeks ago and she's been getting fixed--carpooling with the
hubs was fun and all, but I wanted my ride back ;)

House renovation is coming along REALLY well...the built-ins for the nursery closet
have begun, the downstairs bathroom now has a shower door, bookcases are
being constructed for the family room to accomodate major storage, and I
can't wait to show off the progess very soon

The Bell Buckle Craft Fair is THIS weekend...Mom and I look forward to this every year and I cannot wait--the weather is supposed to be gorgeous and I have a feeling we'll be carting home some new purchases and gifts once all is said and done

A little more than 2 months until we'll be jetting off to NYC with our friends for our holiday trip...we're venturing to the Big Apple the weekend before Christmas and we have a jam-packed agenda. The Lion King on Broadway, dinners at the 48 Lounge and Angelo's & Maxie's already booked, loads of fantastic shopping and touristy attractions since our friends have never been...oh bring on the fun now please!