How to get kissed on top of the Empire State Building

The Empire State Building is known as one of the most romantic places in NYC, but it has to be done just right or else it could feel like any other tourist trap. I went with my kids and parents once. It was fun. But romantic? No way. So last week for our anniversary, I wanted to try it again. And this time, I wanted do things differently to see if the Empire State Building really could be romantic.

1. Timing. This is most important. Go after the crowds die down at 12am. Last elevator up at 1:15am and everything closes at 2am.
2. Bad Weather. Go on a rainy day/cold/imperfect weather day. You'll have the place to yourself. We went on a day that I swore we would cancel due to rain, but right before we went up, the sky cleared.
3. Plan ahead. Buy tickets before you get there and avoid the hassle of waiting in line. Thanks NYCTrip.com for sending me tickets ahead of time! When I got to the building, I felt like Meg Ryan breezing right to the 86th floor at the end of Sleepless in Seattle. She must have planned ahead too. ha
4. Your date. Go with your favorite person in all the world.
5. Wait for right moment. There will be people asking you to take their picture and a few packs of giggling girls, but I promise you'll get a moment that can only be filled with a kiss. Wait for it.
6. Exit Though the Gift Shop. Afterwards, buy something cheesy from the gift shop. We bought an Empire State Building cookie and a coke. When we walked out of the building, we found a bench and tried to look all the way to the top of the building. The cookie was surprisingly good.
7. Flowers. Flowers on the walk home completes the night.  Even if they are carnations.

So did my plan work? Of course. The kiss? As good as any movie. Happy Anniversary Rob. Love you.

Married

Rob and I got married 8 years ago today. I was 21 years old. A little young, like a decade young. Three children later, I'm still sticking around. Mainly for Rob's next joke. Thanks for keeping me laughing all these years. Love you.

A while ago, I framed the journal entry I wrote right before our first date. It's currently hanging over our toilet. Please don't over analyze that. I typed it for all the world to see below. It's exactly how I wrote it 10 years ago. I was 19 years old.

*Forgive the oversized blurry picture. I thought of this post at 10:00pm last night and quickly took this picture. I wanted to show us holding the actual framed journal entry. And I wanted us looking in love. Check and Check.

Feb.12, 2001

So I can't even concentrate on anything. Because I met a person today* that I can't stop thinking about. And it's weird because I never get like this. I mean, I do but never this bad. I mean this is like CHASE WESTFALL* bad, well maybe not THAT bad. Chase was pretty amazing. Cause this guy, I think his name is Rob, but I'm not quite sure, wants to hang out tonight like for dinner or something. I will be going home in about 45 minutes to get ready for this little date. Ok Ok ... I know this sounds weird and it's probably because I've been at this college for too long but nevermind ...  I think he could be the guy I've been looking for. Ok that's psycho I know that. I really do, I mean in one day? But I don't know if he looks at all people like this, but he looks at me in a way I have always dreamed of a guy to look at me. Like there is something in his eyes that is just different. Ok, most guys like him do . . . but it's fun just to have it like this right now and just think that someday it will feel like this FOREVER. Like someday, I will find someone that I can have a conversation like I had with Rob everyday ... Man, I hope that's his name. I'm in the LIBRARY right now and there was this guy sitting next to me that I just felt like was reading this. So I'm all hunched over this letter trying to write small. The only problem with this is that if it goes bad, then I can never enjoy El Camino Real* ever again because it will ... nevermind. I don't know what I'm talking about. But you know what today's lunch felt like, the lunch felt like? Lightning. The kind of lightning from Meet Joe Black*. Like the conversation from the diner. Not that this guy is BRAD PITT . . . I wish! But he does have those electric eyes ... I hope he's dressed cool ... like I could really be turned off if he's dressed badly ... I mean my roommates are meeting him and I just want him to look NORMAL.

*We met in the cafeteria lunch line and ate together. As we put our trays away, Rob asked me out on this date.
*Chase Westfall = High school crush that's not on Facebook. Boo
*El Camino Real = Rob's college band. He wore eyeliner on stage!
*Meet Joe Black = I've completely forgotten what this reference means. I need to watch it again.

That's it. The date was horrible but that's another story. It wasn't because of his clothes though. If we make it to our ninth anniversary I promise to tell it.