Empire State of Mind

Okay so here is the long version of Monday/Tuesday.
After being very VERY ill all weekend (read here if you missed it).
My parent came to drop my brother off on Sunday afternoon.


The fam is headed to Portugal because this week is the first anniversary mass for my grandfather.
Which floors me that it was a year ago when that happened.
Remember? (here).
My parents called to tell me they were going last week.
So not really an option to go but that's not really my thing.
I know that seems kind of flippant and I don't mean it like that at all.
It's just I don't do well with that and then the added enclosed space with family is enough of a pressure cooker to add a lot of stress.


So my brother arrived on Sunday.
I planned on taking him to a really cool NFL super bowl party that was set to have NFL Cheerleaders there and everything and well that obviously was not happening.
I also have no cable.
So my brother walked to the hotel across the street from my place to watch it in their bar.
He wasn't too bothered by the idea because it allowed him to drink his face off and stay out until one.
Whereas I got to sleep a ton more (yea for sick me!)


So Monday morning I had to work.
I planned on leaving work at 1pm.
At 1:40pm I still hadn't left.
Though I had checked in to our 4pm international flight.

I rushed home all stressed about this and when I pulled up to my condo...it looked oddly dark.
And that was because there was no power.
So that required a 27 flight climb with all my work gear/laptop etc.
And then a 27 climb down with small luggage.
Its not the exercise that killed me.
It was the dizzying four directions per flight of the stairs.
Hurried.
And without eating all day.


Then we drove downtown (because that hour plus commute via public transit obviously didn't compare to just over 25 minute drive).
So we rushed to my downtown office and I had to drop something off there for Tuesday.


Then we took the subway to what I thought was going to be the stop to get to the airport.


Nope.


It was the spot to get to the shuttle that takes you to the ferry to get to the airport.


I couldn't MAKE this sh*t up.


We flew out of the Toronto Island Airport.


We were on the shuttle at 3pm.
Which was quick and the ferry was super fast.
In fact I don't understand why they don't just build a small covered bridge/human moving straight escalator thingy.  

Do you see the NARROWEST part there.
That is why you need to take a ferry.
Why do all these people look relaxed?!
I was in full on panic about to miss my flight mode...

I think the entire trip takes 10 minutes.
Just saying I've walked along airports that seemed to have longer people movers...just saying.

Kind of annoying.
Especially when you are panicking about missing a  flight.
Look how close it actually is!

Anywho we made it there.


And it was a blessing because unlike the Pearson Airport you actually clear customs once you are in the US.
Confused yet?
In Canada at the main international airport you clear US customs in Canada.
Which always made me wonder where the US customs officers lived?
I digress.


So I was a huge huge HUGE bundle of nerves.
But tried not to show it.
Here is the comfy lounge.
And yes I consider these my lucky shoes.
And yes I know it is in poor taste to put them on the coffee table...what can I say?  
I was nervous.

I did enjoy this airline immensely because you get drinks/snacks for free.
This gave me a teeny tiny taste of Tay's fabulous traveling adventures with fun food.
Obviously mine more of the cookie and chip variety than champagne and fancy first class meals but hey I can't complain.
And that was my lunch.
Chocolate chip cookies and water.
The least healthy ever.
Again at least I got something.

Like I said I actually really really enjoyed the airline and would absolutely fly them again.
Drinks are included (as in beer/wine/coffee/tea/soda/water) and so are snacks.
Before we knew it we landed in New York.

And my heart was pounding.
They asked where we were going.
We were pretty excited to let them know we were attending the Jay-Z benefit at Carnegie Hall.
The agent scanned our passports and said "have fun".


And that was it.
Well he did scan mine three times (seriously).
But then that was it.


I felt euphoric.
And so so SO excited to be in NYC.
The feeling  was actually oddly reminiscent of landing in Las Vegas that December in 2008.


So we hopped in a cab.
How amazing is New York?!

We had to swing by Carnegie Hall to pick up tickets.
Then rush to the hotel to get changed.
And in all the excitement I did not get one picture of my cute Taylor inspired outfit!
I know I'm so mad about that!


So we lined up outside Carnegie hall.
And waited to file in.

And when we walked in...
Simply Stunning!

I loved the little things.
The seats.

The fact that my little bro is SUCH a huge Jay-Z fan that the first celeb he spotted was Jay-Z's mom.
And he asked me to try and take a pic.
Here are my poor attempts.

The response in the almost full place when Liza Minnelli came in (shrieks/screams/applause) and how she walked down the aisle waving at EVERYONE.
What a New York legend!


The whole evening was INCREDIBLE.
And I got to cross something off my own personal bucket list.

It was incredible.
And after we were starving.
My brother suggested a burger place.


A secret burger place.
Hidden inside LeParkerMeridian.
Do y'all know about this place?

To the left of the sign in desk in the fancy hotel.
Think classical music.
Elegant and beautiful.

It looks like a curtained wall.
But if you actually walk towards it and glance down a narrow dark hall way you see this light.

And when you round the corner.
It's a small burger joint.
Cash only.
The only thing you can order (and you must do it correctly or get sent to the back of the line) are hamburgers/cheeseburgers/fries (one size only)/beer/pop.
There is writing all over the walls and it was PACKED.
My apologies for all my dark iPhone pics...it didn't seem cool to use a flash in there haha.

I was there in heels, a cocktail dress and a fascinator (I know always the spectacle).


Here is the sign of the hours I snapped.

And y'all the food.

After that we headed back to our hotel to have some drinks in the bar.

A lychee martini for me and a beer for my bro.

We had a pretty early flight in the morning so we headed to bed.
I enjoyed this hotel.
Great midtown location.
In the Thompson group.
And very cool retro 1960s decor but without feeling super dated.

I LOVED the tile in the bathroom.

So with that I went to bed.
And woke up to fly back home to Canada.
And now am so so sooooooooooooo super excited for my next trip!
Despite the hectic rush of the day.
It really could not have gone any better.