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.

NYC sans kids

Kids are great, but so risky. Look at my boys scaling the rocks along the East River. Someone hire a babysitter stat. I'm obviously not taking proper care of them. I'm too focused on my shot of the Brooklyn Bridge!

When parenthood gets to this point, it's time to discover the city sans kids. Here's a list of my recommendations for a couple visiting NYC. Times Square, The Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, shopping on Madison Ave have been left off on purpose. I'm sure my list will evolve over time. Did I miss anything?

1. Go to Lincoln Center to see the ballet, opera, or symphony. Even if you don't love either of those things, the experience is worth it. Dinner: Across the street Cafe Fiorello. Must order the fresh mozzarella sampler and the chocolate moose. And then choose anything off the antipasti menu. Not the spaghetti.
2. The MET, buy an audio tour, afterwards walk a few blocks and eat at E.A.T.
3. The Museum of Natural History. Afterwards eat at the Shake Shack across the street. Order hamburger, french fries, and a milk shake. Not a hot dog.
4. The NY Botanical Garden. Take the 20 minute train ride out of Grand Central Station. Before you leave, take a quick tour of the station.
5. The Brooklyn Botanical Garden. Afterwards eat at Tom's (not to be confused with Tom's Restaurant from Seinfield--don't eat there! horrible!)
7. See a Broadway Show for cheap! (click on link for details)
8. Go to Top of the Rock. totally tourist thing to do, but I've been 3 times and love it!  Go to the basement and eat at Hale and Hearty Soup.
9. Buy lunch foods at Zabar's, walk to Central Park, picnic at the Great Lawn, walk to Belvedere Castle.
10. NYC Public Library, buy a sandwich from 'wichcraft, and eat it outside at Bryant Park.
11. Walk the Brooklyn Bridge!
12. The High Line Park. A Must! Afterwards eat at Chelsea Market. I can't believe I forgot this one. Thanks Amanda.

about love at first sight

My first week in Manhattan went like this: When I saw the Chrysler building for the first time, I felt nothing. When I heard jazz musicians playing in Central Park, I wasn't into it. And the Roman wing of the MET bored me to tears. The Museum of Natural History was so museumy. Everything felt so untouchable behind those glass cases.

I panicked when I did not love the city instantly.

But with each month I live here, I become more invested in the city. I've been back to the MET's Roman wing and adored it. I got a membership to the Museum of Natural History after visiting it twice. We go every two weeks. And walking everywhere has actually had a slowing effect on my life that has been wonderful. Also I'm making friends!

This isn't the first time I've had to give some time in order to fall in love. It took me a whole year to realize Rob is hilarious which led me to fall in love with him. And look at us now! I'm still sticking around for his next joke.

Motherhood was the same. I remember panicking when I didn't have this crazy bonding experience with Ella and the boys when they were first born.  I envy mothers who have that instantly. It took me months of bonding. Now I don't know what I would do with out those little guys. Oh yeah, not get woken up at 5:30am.

I met a woman the other day who had lived in San Francisco for 25 years. We reminisced about the Ferry Building and Acme Bread. But then she leaned into me and said in almost a whisper, "You want to know something? You'll never go back. You'll go back of course, but you can never live there again." Such a shocking thing to say to me, but the more I live here, the more I think she might be right.  I'm getting spoiled by having access to the best of the best. Some of it's out of reach ($35,000 private elementary schools for example), but most of it I can enjoy at some level (Spanish Immersion in the public schools).

And with that, I leave this post with a clip from one of NYC's biggest fan's: Woody Allen. The first 3 minutes of the movie Manhattan captures the feelings many New Yorkers have with this place. I hope someday, I too can claim this city as mine.