One-A-Day: Through the years; New York

The first time I learned about New York was on T.V. I saw a city of beauty and charm. A city that was run by tourists, artists, actors, pretty people, rich people, powerful people. Until 2008, the closest I got to N.Y. was through stories told by my friends of their trips there; crowding at Times Square on New Year's Eve watching the ball coming down; sleeping on the subway because there was no where else to go; navigating Central Park, and visiting the elegant stores, and expensive restaurants. I formed a mental picture of one day being able to go.

Five years after I landed in America, that day arrived. In June 2008, I found myself sitting on the train with a one-way ticket to Penn station. And the love-hate relationship with NY began. For the entire month of June I lived large in New York. I stayed in one corporate apartment on 2nd Avenue, then another on Columbus Circle, lived on a corporate expense account, spent per diem money, and did not think twice about the restaurants I dined in. I even watched Mary Poppins on Broadway and treated Jeff to fancy breakfasts, elaborate lunches, fun happy hours, and exotic dinners on the weekends he took the bus to see me.

Then, I moved back home to our condo in Courthouse. Our visits to NY continued, but had a different flavor; we were now spending our own money rather than someone else's! It was still a blast, but the sting came at the time our credit card bill rolled around. And that's where the hate part of the relationship kicks in. Such a beautiful city, with such a high price tag. But that did not deter us. Four years later, we are still loyal NY travellers, and have even turned JR into much of the same. Although not yet 3, JR has been to NY three times already, with her first trip when she was 8 weeks old, and with at least one more trip in her future.

Here are some of our favotire NY photos from the trips past.