Brett Visit: Day 7

Today is Thanksgiving and Grandma’s birthday. Yet again, we get another late start to our morning. We make a pot of coffee and head down to the parade. We had pretty good seats considering how late we were compared to everyone else. In New York everyone likes to wait seven hours before something starts or opens. The parade was pretty cool. The balloons were huge and really neat. We were at the turn and it was funny watching the people try not to run into the buildings as they turned.

There was a man, who squeezed in about eight inches between myself and the person in front of me. So he budged in and I said, “Oh sorry, I didn’t mean to get in your way.” He didn’t say anything back so I said, “It’s cool man, it’s your world I'm just living in It.” Then he moved.

After the parade we started cooking our feast. It was weird not being at home with all of my family and having everyone else prepare the food. Ashley cooked the side dishes and I cooked the turkey and ham. She did very good for having never cooked anything this big. The food was fantastic. We ate so much. And then took the greatest nap.

After we get up Ashley suggests that we take a bus tour of the city. I thought it sounded okay, and was a little skeptical. I thought it was going to be some guy with a monotoned voice telling us boring stuff about the city that no one cares about. So we agree to go and we cannot find a bus that is topless. We wait around for three or four buses and finally find one that has no roof. We start our tour and the guide seems like a good one. He tells us a lot of cool things about the city. It was really cool to drive through the streets at night with all of the buildings lit up and see how old they really are.

The top of the empire state building was lit up red and orange for Thanksgiving. There were so many sights that I haven’t seen until we rode this bus. We went by some of the parks and through most of Manhattan. Then we crossed the Manhattan Bridge going into Brooklyn. This was really cool. We got such a great view of the city from across the Hudson. It was so cool to see the whole city but be out of all of the chaos. I asked Ashley if it was crazy to look over at such a big city and say, this is where I live. This isn’t a vacation. Through the whole tour I was just in awe with all of the things I was seeing and all of the facts the tour guide was telling us. When we got off of the bus I couldn’t believe that I did not want to go. It was such a great experience and I highly recommend going on one the next time anyone goes to New York. Today was a good Thanksgiving full of awesome food and a fun tour. For not having done anything like this before, Ashley and I did a pretty darn good job making quite a feast. I was proud of her.

Day 81

November 26, 2009

HAPPY THANKSGIVING and HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA! She’s the coolest, older lady you’ll ever meet! Ask any of our friends, they’ll tell you. I must admit, it’s really weird not being home for Thanksgiving. It’s my first year in 25 years of my existence I’m not home. I cook dinner! Yes, I do! I’m not patting myself on the back but gosh darn it, the food was delicious! Check out the spread! I made cornbread stuffing, cheesy garlic mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, and chicken and noodles. (Actually the chicken and noodles came frozen in the mail from home!) Brett cooked the turkey and ham, and we had a feast! We ate so much, but I’m so proud of us! We did so good! Now, I have so many leftovers, I won’t need to go grocery shopping until next Thanksgiving.

 

We do go to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade this morning. We didn’t get a good spot. We woke up a little late. I mean, it was like we stayed up all night the night before, or something. Psh… =)

It was cool to see the balloons, but that’s pretty much all we saw. I wish I was little again to where I could hang out on my dad’s shoulders all morning. I quickly realize that these parents gave up the chance to see the parade, so their kids could see it. Ha! I don’t think so! It took me 18 years to get to the height I am now. My kids can wait just as long to be able to see over the tops of the taller people and those less fortunate in height at a parade! I’ll be the mom who straps her kid into the stroller, parks it and locks it to a bike rack, and shoves her way to the front for some free candy! ;) Lol! I’m just kidding! I won’t strap them to a bike rack, but you bet I’ll be the one fighting for a Snickers bar! I don’t care if you are five years old! ;)

After the parade, cooking, then eating…we crash! We both sleep about three hours. Ahh…it was so nice! When we wake up, we’re trying to decide what to do on Thanksgiving night. We get ready and start walking around Times Square. The City Sights bus tour was in full swing, so we hop on! It’s one of those double-decker buses that take you around the city. The fact that it was night outside was amazing, because we got to see New York at night, during the holiday season when the stores and streets are lined with Christmas lights!

The tour was awesome! We learned a lot of fun facts, like NYC used to have trains that ran above the city streets, instead of below. Cool, huh? My favorite part was going across the Manhattan Bridge into Brooklyn. I really like it there. It’s very quiet and a little more suburbia living. We go to the Fulton Pier and look out over Manhattan. It was insanely beautiful. Brett and I were standing there and he goes, “Is it weird looking over there, knowing that’s where you live?” It was so crazy looking at the crowded and cramped city, realizing that in fact, this is now my home. I feel like I’m still on vacation, or something. But no. This is my home and looking at it from a distance gave me chills. It’s truly incredible to look at a 13-mile strip of island, filled with millions of people, and realizing that you have the opportunity to live there and pursue your dreams and make your life into the fabulous life you’ve always imagined and aspired for yourself.

Note to self: Doing is the best way to learn. When cooking your first Thanksgiving feast, make sure you know what you’re doing and what tools you’re using. Don’t try and use the grapefruit peeler as a knife, or a lettuce knife to cut your sweet potatoes. I promise you, it’s difficult and not worth it! When you have a ghetto can opener that won’t turn, so you have to “cut” the can open with individual slices with the stupid contraption, go buy a new one you cheapo! Pay attention to when you put your mashed sweet potatoes into the oven, so you don’t have sweet potatoes spilling out over your dish onto your stove.  Make sure you have enough cans of green beans for the casserole, so you don’t have to add peas to make it thicker and denser. Things always go wrong, regardless of it’s your first time doing something or not, but hey…how are you supposed to learn if you never do it? Just go for it! Make the mistakes, laugh about it, then move on! Be proud of those mistakes, because at the end of the day, they aren’t mistakes! They’re great tasting food!

Day 85

November 30, 2009

HELLO BLOGWORLD!!! Long time no talk!!! I apologize for my absence, but the last ten days have been one big ball of eating, drinking, sight seeing, causing havoc in the city, and creating never-to-forget memories with my brother! I have yet to find the time to blog about our experiences, but I'm working on the perfect scripts to post. Bear with me, great blogs are in the near future!

After Brett left, I did nothing but sleep! How amazing is that? Bless my boss at The Capital Grille for not scheduling me to work on Sunday! I was lazy and I don't care! As Monday comes, I'm not ready for reality. I miss my college days when responsibility was not in my vocabulary, rent payments were not coming out of my bank account, and the idea of sleeping in is last year's luxury. Oh college is the life! However, I would not trade anything to go back. Homework? Ha! I don't think so!

Better Homes & Garden is fantastic today! More free stuff today! Which means...more Christmas presents for my family and friends! This internship is a poor woman's dream! ;) I have so much anti-aging cream, my family and friends are going to look like they're 20 forever! It's great!

Winter has officially kicked in and my layering has officially begun. My Under Armour Cold Gear I got for my birthday have yet to leave my body! Okay, I have washed them, but the minute I wake up, they go on for the rest of the day! Ashley + cold = I don't think so! My mom says to be a while back, "Ashley, now I want you to run your heat, no matter how much it costs." Don't worry ma! I would rather not eat for a month and be warm!

This is a busy week for me. I have a going away party, the tree lighting in Rockefellar Center, work, birthday party. I like how my social life is starting to pick up out here! Granted, I've only been out here three months, so I have  to give it time. But as you all know, I am not patient. Whatsoever. It's just never been a part of my vocabulary. When I want something, I expect it right away. This is sometimes good, sometimes not so much. But hey, I push the buttons and boundaries until I feel necessary. (Or until it comes to bite me in the butt!) ;)

Note to self: Don't blab about random things. Get to writing about your brother's trip! That's what people are excited to hear about! Don't worry, folks! I promise, within the week, you will be reading about everything we did for the last nine days! Also, you really learn to appreciate what you don't have on a daily basis, when they come to visit. Sure, you ball like a baby when they leave, but it's okay because it means that you miss home and you miss the comfort of those you love. It's not a bad thing, but comforting to know that you have such a great family that is always available to talk to you on the phone, or answer funny e-mails, or spend your birthday and Thanksgiving with you in one of the greatest cities in the world! Love your family and always make sure they know, they are the most important people in your life. Forever.