Saturday - split between DC & NYC

We left for DC early Saturday morning. Early meaning at 5:30am to catch the 6:30 am train. We we're were all dead tired from out late night seeing WICKED; Saturday morning came too early!

Printing off our Amtrak tickets; waiting for our track assignment

Jo & Car slept; Kristie & Mom slept

I updated pictures on my laptop until my battery died

Yahoo! We arrived in Penn Station, Washington, DC.

Kristie snapped me talking with my BFF Jessica. I planned on spending the day with Jessica and her little family - grabbed a cab to meet her at the Smithsonian Castle

Penn Station; these crazy girls toured DC and the National Mall,

while I spent the day with Jessica and her cuties.

The Capitol

Jessica & Me. Our time together was too short!

Gratefully she & her husband + twin boys will be coming to Utah in May.

Hopefully Asher & Soren will remember me!

Jason & Norman met us as we got off the subway from our day in DC.

It was close to 9pm and we headed for a late supper. I'm always up for eating

Holy Guacamole! I could have eaten this whole bowl for dinner and been fine.

There must have been 5 avocados smashed in this delicious dip.

Trying to figure out how much everyone owes - my least favorite part about eating out.

What a silly sign! Only on the upper East Side

Ahh, Magnolia's Bakery (as seen on Season 3 of Sex in the City - Jo & Car

wanted me to stand by the picture).

We arrived and they were out of cupcakes! What the...? Plus, there was this man & woman who were filling containers with the cupcakes that were just frosted, not giving anyone else a chance to buy a single or double. Aren't they supposed to pre-order if they want more than 1/2 dozen??? We left with no cupcakes, but searched Bleeker Street for other bakeries to satisfy our cravings.

Wednesday in NYC: No one mourns the WICKED

Friday was all about shopping and getting ready to see WICKED! Jason came in from Brooklyn early to go running with Jo, Car, Kris, & Fern, while Mom & I got ready for the day. No way were we going to burn our lungs walking in the freezing cold. (It was 38 degrees in NYC. Meanwhile, back in our good 'ole hometown it was a rockin' 70 degrees!)

Ground Zero & Battery Park. Jo, Mom, & Carly beneath the Cross Monument

Jo, Car, Kris; & Jason & Norman. Headed to Century 21 for shopping

Designer dresses...?

After shopping all morning & afternoon - Kristie, Jo, & Car showing off their new hats

We love Jason & Fern!

Look at this fabulous library - upstairs in the loft

Kris & Jo, dressed for our WICKED evening!

My mom is so lucky! She has 4 daughters and 2 sons
(but Josh wasn't able to make the "all girls trip")

The handsome couple, Jason & Norman

Love, love, LOVE these pictures snapped by Jason & Norman. We're waltzing down Canal Street to catch the subway for dinner. Mom commented that we looked like Sex in the City-with out the sex.

We're here!!! The catch line for WICKED says, "So much happened before Dorothy dropped in" and it is true!

Jo in the fabulous gold-leaf chair; Jo, Me, Sue excited to get to our seats!
We were in the mezzanine - all 7 of us were seated together. It was awesome, and WICKED was THE BEST SHOW I'VE EVER SEEN.
(Better than Chicago, Les Miserables, and even better than my all-time favorite, Phantom of the Opera).

Subway ride home. It's almost midnight, and I just bolted out a song from WICKED.
(I forgot we were on the subway with other passengers. Oops!)

Jason, Kristie, & Norman

Thursday in New York City

Thursday morning came early. I thought it was already 7am, and ran to the upstairs bedroom to wake Kristie & Jo...they frustratingly told me it was only 5 am! Sorry sisters.

Beautiful tulips Jason got for us all

Carly, Jo, & Fern on an early morning walk around City Hall; Brooklyn Bridge in background

Kristie snapped a picture from the loft's overlook upstairs

Me, Jo, & Car crammed in the elevator - poor Norman got squished in the back!

Leaving the loft and heading for breakfast @ Petite Abeille. We had several entrees and shared. Delicious!

Waltzing down Museum Mile headed to The Metropolitan Museum

Jo & Norman waiting on me. The Met added a "new" display of American Decorative Art, which was my favorite exhibit by far. (Click on the Collection Highlights link and scroll through the pieces of the beautiful collection).

We visited the New Greek & Roman Galleries, & saw a newly added Greek Chariot - in superb condition!

Raining & Cold. Outside The Metropolitan Museum

F.A.O. Schwartz! Carly & Me in front of a giant candy Toy Soldier; and my pic with the real FAO Schwartz Soldier

Dinner @ Vynl. THE BEST French Toast ever!

I ordered their Brioche French Toast. Yummy!

Subway pictures - gotta have 'em!

On-set!

We walked through a Law & Order set on our way home, and a member

of the filming crew took a picture for us!

Look for us on a future episode!

2 vacations in 2 weeks?!

These last 2 weeks have been crazy busy with packing & traveling, & packing & traveling some more. I'm finally home (for a while anyways) and ready to catch up on my activities. Here goes...

My Mom, my three sisters, and I took an all girl's trip to New York City to visit my brother Jason for 4 days. Jason has lived in NY for almost 15 years, and although we've all visited him at one time or another, this was the first time that we were all able to visit him together. Talk about fun!!! Lots of laughter; lots of walking; freezing cold & blistering wind; breakfast, lunch, dinner @ fabulous places; seeing WICKED on Broadway (I burst out in song on the subway ride home!); shopping; almost fighting over cupcakes at Magnolia Bakery; a fabulous trip to DC; and being with our brother and Norman, who both took time off work to spend with us. Thank you for these wonderful memories!

Waiting for our plane to leave. Carly flew to NYC from Arizona, and met us there with Jason & Norman & Fern - their lovable rescue dog.

Kristie, Fern, Me, & Jo. It was well after midnight. I was so wired and couldn't sleep, and I begged Kristie & Jo & Carly to take a picture with me. They're ready to pass out!