*Nueva York

We had such a great time in New York with Ben's family!!! I have always always wanted to go. Our stay was way too short, however, and I never really had a bearing of where exactly I was, what direction was what, what neighborhood has what feel, etc. It was a good little overview though, and I can't wait to go back someday :) It was definitely very distinct from the other big cities I've visited and I would so love to get to know it! At one point I had taken Vera out of a restaurant to walk on the sidewalk and I pretended that I was blending in: just another resident of the West Village [I confess, I always like to imagine I'm a local... :)]


Vera was a little star - going to bed super late, surviving on mostly milk, ice cream and yogurt, skipping naps [making her tired enough to sleep through diaper/PJ changes!!] and all the while happy and easy-going and so excited to be with her auntie, uncles and Lola + Poppop [still not sure what she'll eventually call him...]. Really it is so fun now how she knows who people are and can anticipate things. The very first morning she raised her head and seeing Lola and Matty through the door lit up in the sweetest, biggest smile. Throughout the day she'd go up to Ben's mom and just say "Hi Lola!" - it was so cute.

Anyway, some highlights. I wish my pictures were better, but you get the idea [maybe Matty can send me some of his always amazing shots?]:

...walking, one of my favorite things about a big city:


...Central Park - to always hear so much about it and finally get to experience it:



...Metropolitan Museum of Art. I couldn't believe how well little V behaved herself. She spent most of her time with Mike and Rosie and apparently she loved pointing out all the horseys. My favorites were the Cezanne, Degas, Van Gogh and whatever you call it post-Modern pieces by Jackson Pollock (sp), Lichtenstein, etc. I love seeing things that I remember learning about in my one college art history class. I also loved the whole medieval armor/swords. You kind of come to think they were just a fabrication of Monty Python or The Sword and the Stone, but they're not!




The food! We had some delicious meals, always so much fun with Ben's family [well mine too], as they all know and love to eat good food and share a meal together. We had Argentinean, Greek, Jewish deli fare and an extra special Italian meal at L'Artusi - tho' I still wish I ordered what Ben did :)

Jessie and Ben's adorable tiny apartment. If I could hire a personal interior designer/stylist/buyer it would be her!

...the taxi rides! except the one where we accidentally left a backpack and never to be seen again laptop. oops - part of the experience?

...and I didn't get any pictures on my camera, but... seeing Jessie graduate from such a prestigious, demanding program at Columbia!!