How a Fat Rat changed my weekend plans

So much I want to show and tell! This post could take all week.

I was taking pictures of my kids on the lawn at Lincoln Center on Friday. I decide to tweet Natalie from Nat the Fat Rat my location, she tweets me back that she's on her way, and minutes later I see her walking around the fountain towards me. She's with her baby Huck and bloggers Susan and Ez. Why hello! Hp flew Susan and Ez out to see the Project Runway show. So awesome. We were chatting and suddenly they get the idea to add me to the guest list to the Project Runway Reunion Party. Really? Me? I'm in? Not out? Hooray!

Later that night we ditch the kids and we all meet up again.  This time blogger Megan from Not Martha joined us too. These women are incredible.  We head to Times Square to shop at Forever 21. I found the perfect dress for the party for a whopping $26 bucks! I added a metallic vintage belt from Susan's closet and I felt up to par for the party.  I was so so excited for Saturday night.

So finally, the party! It had a guest list and my name was on it! Can you imagine? There was a red carpet with bright lights and cameramen. Of course the photographers didn't want to have anything to do with me, but I didn't mind.  By the end of the night one of the photographers took a pity shot of me and Natalie.  Ok, you got your shot, time to move it along, girls. UPDATE: here's Hp's flickr stream :)

What else can I say about the party? The designers were really nice and approachable. I would compare them to successful/talented bloggers.  Totally nice people that are flattered when someone is a fan of their work.

Here's some of my favorite parts of the night:
*The party was held on the roof at the Empire Hotel. Stunning views of Lincoln Center!
*I ate almost every hors d'oeuvre that was offered to me. Tacky? Are there rules on this?
*All I had was my camera phone with about 20% of it's battery. Whoops. It died of course.
*I was shocked that hardly anyone was smoking outside. I smelled pot for a second. But that was it.
*It was sweet that Chris March wrote a quick note to my niece.  She's in the second grade, just got her first sewing machine and adores him.  

Perhaps for some people, nights like this are common place. But for me? I'll be bringing it up for years! Thanks Natalie for checking your tweets and Susan and Ez for putting my name on the guest list. It was one of the best nights of my life. Oh! I forgot to tell! I met my fashion icon: Betsy Johnson!!! I adore her. I hope to grow old just like her.

It was fun to meet and see all the people from the Project Runway, but  my favorite people I met were the bloggers. See us all in the picture to the left. When I started my whole blogging shenanigan, I wanted it to be a place to work on my writing skills and eventually use it as a portfolio to get a writing job.  Over the last few months, surprisingly, I've met friends from it. I feel so lucky to have stumbled into this NYC blogging world!

First Day of School 2011

 Biggest surprise of the day? Ella had only eleven kids show up to her first grade class! Yay! I know the class will probably grow a little over the next few weeks, but so far so good. And, get this, they have a teacher AND a teacher's aide all day! Who said NYC public schools are doomed? I found my hidden gem and I'm sticking with it!

The boys did great too. They are not only having structure for the first time (secret: i've never signed them up for any classes! whoops), but also being separated for the first time. It was so effortless for them. Sometimes I wonder if they are even twins.

about Zabar's

Today we ate lunch at an Upper Westside institution: Zabar's.  This grocery store has been here for over 70 years and it's around 12 blocks from my house and it's mentioned in just about every New York sitcom/movie.  When I spot places like this, I note it for when guests come to town.  I want them to try it all: A baguette, smoked salmon, bagels, something from the cheese counter, and for dessert: Zabar's cinnamon rugelach.  Then walk to my very own Riverside Park for a picnic.  I'm beginning to think of that park as my own vs Central Park. That's another post. 
Next to the grocery store, they have a small deli with tables to eat lunch. Space was tight so I was glad I didn't have my stroller with me. While we ate our grilled cheese sandwiches (which were amazing) and lentil soup, I got a sense of community inside the place. Not that I was apart of it, it was my first time there. But I could tell people were interested in what each other were saying without them joining in on their conversations.  The mom across from me feeding her kid tuna salad looked familiar.  I witnessed old friends being reunited on a whim. The workers were really nice with a NYC edge.  
It's right next to a subway entrance so the pace of the restaurant ebbed and flowed with the coming and goings of the subway lines. I loved lunch and can't wait to go back to explore the grocery store. I can't imagine anything but great things. 
Here's a picture of Owen eating his soup in the corner alone. He preferred it that way. When he saw me take his picture he shouted, "You're ruining my soup, Mom!" It's the only picture I took inside the restaurant. 

NYC taught me that the Upper West Side is just enough

Besides all the parks, trees and museums for the kids, I love that it's not too fashionable and I haven't found a restaurant that is too hipster for me to eat in. I hate to admit this, but a lot of the times it reminds me of Burlingame or Palo Alto if you know what I mean.