For the first time...I feel....WICKED

I'm telling you, we did our second anniversary right, taking a bite out of the Big Apple (although, with how exhausted I feel today, I'm wondering if it didn't take a bite out of us!). We had a blast. That really sums it up. A blast. It was incredible.

We drove down Friday, and jumped right in, going to dinner and a Broadway show. Not just any Broadway show... Wicked. AMAZING. I was a little skeptical, because everyone had talked it up so much...but it did not disappoint. Definitely the highlight of the trip. We finished off the night at Times Square.

Over the next 2 days, we ate lots of yummy food (NYC is a Celiac's dream), and meandered (in fast mode) around the city seeing anything and everything our hearts desired. Here's a few of our adventures:

*Happened on a fun flea market in Greenwich Village, and couldn't resist strolling and strolling and strolling through it in the gorgeous weather.
*Explored 5th Ave, with it's shops, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Rockefeller Plaza, the NBC store, the NY Library and Bryant Park.
*Avoided our usual pattern of vacation catastrophe: no one got sick, the weather was gorgeous, we didn't lock any keys anywhere, our car didn't die, and our luggage hung out with us the whole time. A new record!!!
*Laid on a blanket in Central Park for awhile (watching adorable dogs, and people who sooooooo aren't afraid of PDA), and then wandered over to Strawberry Fields and the Dakota.
*Rode the subway lots (and were very disturbed by a 12 year old couple who could've taught us a thing or two about the birds and the bees...ewwwwwwwww).
*Checked out Grand Central Terminal (Brian loved the old fashioned ticket windows, and decided he would love to ride a train into the city some day, arriving at Grand Central...so I think another trip to NYC is in our future! :))
*Took a quick peek at Madison Square Garden and ESPN Zone
*Stayed in a Long Island City hotel, and were sooooo blown away by our room...2 of the 4 walls were completely windowified (he he he...Wicked reference...couldn't resist). It was awesome...not that we were ever there, with our 1:30a.m. nights!
*Walked the Brooklyn Bridge, and again loved it.
*Climbed the Statue of Liberty (and enjoyed a pretty boat ride to Liberty Island...my boy loves boats...)
*Cha-chinged around the Financial District, getting up close and personal with Wall St, Ground Zero, a pretty fountain (yes ooga, I thought of you!), the bull, Trinity Church and the Battery.
*Walked blocks and blocks and blocks out of our way for a gluten-free cupcake and oatmeal cookie from a totally gluten-free bakery.
*Thought we'd try the Empire State Building at sunset...on a Saturday...in May... and got to experience waiting in line for 2 hours with the hundreds of other people who had the same idea :). But it WAS a gorgeous view!
*Learned that next time Amber will wear sneakers until she arrives at the Broadway theatre, regardless of how spastic that would look with nylons and a dress...cuz heels in NYC create quite the collection of blisters.
*Strolled crazy-packed Canal St, avoiding any vendors who wanted to take us in shady warehouses (I just wasn't brave enough without you mom :)). But we did buy a bag from a nice, reputable dealer...
*"So, uh, Brian...I've never been kissed at the Empire State building... So, uh...I've never been kissed in St. Patrick's Cathedral..." ha ha ha. Enjoyed being kissed for the first time at various famous sites (he he he...yes...we're dorks, and not the PDA type, so they were short smooches)
*Toughed through the drive home late last night by singing along to the Wicked songtrack (number 15 is the best...). I'm telling you, you know a vacation was good when you are sooooooo tired driving home, that your emotions are all over the place. I was bouncing from slapping Brian for honking at a guy who nearly ran us off the road, to suddenly finding myself singing nonsensical songs, to gushing about my love for Brian and the last 2 years, to being annoyed at Brian's reaction to the millioneth toll booth, to... well... you get the picture. I'm not entirely sure I was entirely awake during some of those moments...but I'm a firm believer in 2 people in the car awake at all times so I figured if my lips were moving, it counted... A comedic ending to our little trip.

And what a trip it was! Come to think of it, not a bad two years either!

(There's lots of pictures! Sorry! I did cut it down, but we were busy!)