so nice they named it twice...

So, there is a lot of stuff going on for me, personally, I don't really want to get into it right now. But I realize I didn't say ANYTHING about my trip to NYC a few weeks ago, and since thinking New York makes me ridiculously happy, and happy has been hard to come by this past week, I am going to talk about my trip.

I had been nervous to go, because of all of the news out of NYC having to do with the bedbug "epidemic". Because look - suddenly these things weren't just in hotels anymore. They were in stores, in movie theaters, in all kinds of public places. All I do in NYC is eat and sleep and shop and go to shows. Very much risk for picking up unwanted guests with these activities, yes?? I was scared to death of going to a hotel and getting bitten by creepy crawlies when I slept, and I was absolutely TERRIFIED of unknowingly bringing these critters home with me. DISASTER! Being me, my head went into Worst Case Scenario Mode and it made me crazy. No matter that I had been there in June and we'd been FINE (I didn't know. But still). I dithered for ages, trying to make up my mind. But what the hell? I finally decided that I couldn't just sit around and seal myself up over something that might or might not happen. You've gotta live your life, am I right?

So I found myself buying theater tickets. Booking a flight. Reserving a hotel. Canceling said hotel when I saw a Trip Advisor report of the Bugs. Booking another hotel. And then suddenly it was Tuesday, November 16 and I was at O'Hare! Honestly, at that point, I figured that a bout with bed bugs might actually be BETTER than all of the crap I was dealing with at work.

It was the easiest flight I've ever taken - checked my bag curbside, went through security in about 2 seconds (no full body scan) boarded, took off, yada yada yada, landed at LaGuardia, bag was waiting for me when I got to baggage claim, got on a cab, off I went.

I cannot say enough about the hotel I chose - the Hotel Belleclaire (77th and Broadway). I found it online, booked it because it was bedbug free (!) and had a great stay there. Everyone was so warm and friendly, it was ideally located (right across from the Manhattan Diner!) my room was clean and quiet and blessedly bug free (I checked). I hate elevators, so I never took it - I was on the 3rd floor and so it was easy for me to climb them up and down.

I went to the Shake Shack for lunch - I got the New York dog - without reading the menu. I had no idea New Yorkers put sauerkraut on their hot dogs! What's up with that NYC? Shoulda gotten the "Shack-cago" dog. Even though I don't eat them that way either (and I freaking live here!).

And then I walked. I bought an umbrella at Duane Reade, and then I just started walking. I thought that the city might have changed somehow, with all of this bug stuff. I don't know what all I thought I'd see - buildings with Scarlet B's on them? People furtively itching as they made their way down the streets and on the subway trains? But it was exactly the same as it always was - crowded and chaotic and inviting. I love the feel of New York City. Without a whole lot of effort, I can see myself living there.

So I walked to Lincoln Center and visited the Metropolitan Opera. Alas, no opera on this trip, but I paid my respects to the gift shop. It started raining and so I grabbed the train to Times Square. Oy, Times Square. It's one of those places that you totally have to see, but once you've seen it, it just becomes a massive pain in the ass to deal with. I actually try to avoid it as much as possible, which is difficult, since all of the theaters are right in that area. I had a show at 7:00 (Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, for those of you keeping score at home) but until then, the afternoon was mine and I wandered happily. I ended up in Bryant Park - there's a little holiday craft thing there, little kiosks selling ornaments, knit goods, other gifty type things. I didn't buy anything, but it was fun to just look. I continued wandering, and looking for a place to grab dinner. It was WAY early for dinner, but I stopped at a little Italian place (right near the Belasco Theater, which I found accidentally) and had some delicious lentil soup and a caesar salad. There was a tv playing over the bar, where I was sitting, first it was a soccer game. Then the owners (maybe?), gabbing in Italian, changed the channel - so they could watch the Barefoot Contessa. She was doing something holiday related and the owners were joined by the servers in watching the BC prepare a herb sauce for chicken or turkey or something. That? Was hilarious.

I was early (but what else is new?) so I picked up all of my show tickets, trawled Shubert Alley and spent a whole bunch of time hovering outside of BBAJ.

More on the show later....