Anyone Want to Come Over For Dinner?

This is what I had for dinner tonight.

I am not going to lie, it was a little gross to start. But, I think it is an acquired taste that I might be able to come to like. This is how it started - pre-blended:

That is a half of an avocado, 3 strawberries, 2 cups of baby arugula, a scoop of plain greek yogurt, orange juice and some ice.

Jenn has been telling me about this drink, except for instead of the arugula I should have used spinach (Whole Foods was out of that on Sunday though). The original recipe also calls for mango instead of strawberries but I don't know how much of a difference that would make. I also think I need to add more liquid (juice or soymilk) because my drink tonight was kind of thick. I still have half of an avocado and arugula left, so I am going to try this again one night this week using frozen mangos instead. We'll see how it goes...

Day After Thanksgiving

Mom loves her early morning day after Thanksgiving shopping. In Arizona, Kellyn always goes with her - it is not worth getting up at 3:30am to me to get $10 to certain stores or a free snow globe. Well, this year since Kellyn was not in NYC with us, I had to get up to go with mom. We left my apartment at about 3:40am and walked to the subway to go to JC Penny's in Herald Square. They opened at 4am and mom needed to get her free snow globe there. After Penny's we hopped on the subway to go to Sports Authority which opened at 5am. We each got a $10 gift certificate to spend. There was a Starbucks next to Sports Authority, so we stopped there for breakfast before going to Bed Bath & Beyond at 6am. We were home and back in bed by 7am.

After we were done shopping, we came back to my apartment and slept for a few hours. We then went to lunch at Juniors in Times Square for lunch.

Mom and I then walked through Bryant Park area and,

down 5th Avenue to see all the windows.

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

On Thanksgiving morning we got up early (like 5:30am), grabbed an H&H Bagel, walked about 15 blocks south and then across the Park to Central Park West. The parade started at about 79th Street and headed south along Central Park West, to Broadway and then to 6th Avenue before it ended in Herald Square. We got to the parade route by about 6:30am (parade started at 9am) so we had a pretty decent spot. The parade was much busier this year because the weather was very mild.

This is Cyndi Lauper.

And this is Gloria Gaynor.

Our favorite float - HORTON! This tree was in my way for every float picture.

After the parade we walked back to my apartment through Central Park. I love fall in Central Park - it is so pretty.

We just hung out at my apartment after the parade, and then we went to an apartment in Soho for Thanksgiving dinner. This guy who goes to Trinity Grace has a huge apartment (for NYC standards) and so he had about 25 people over for Thanksgiving dinner.

Macy's Balloon Inflation

The night before Thanksgiving we went to the Macy's Balloon Inflation. All the balloons are blown up the night before and "netted" to the ground at the starting point on the Upper West Side. We stopped at Starbucks before we walked across Central Park.

Once we got out of the park, there were so many people everywhere - you could barely move. We got in line to the entrance and made our way through the crowds.

This is what we saw - all the balloons were under nets and ready to go for the next morning.

And these were all the people.

Mom, Dad and Snoopy. It started raining a little more at the end.

We were there for about an hour or so to make the walk around the block, and then we walked back across the park to my apartment.

If you can't tell from my post, I don't think I will be attending the balloon inflation again. There were too many people just to see the balloons on the ground.

Mom and Dad's November Trip

I have finally finished posting about my long trip to Arizona in November, so next up is Mom and Dad's trip to NYC for Thanksgiving. They (along with Otis) arrived on Monday night, November 23. This trip consisted of: West Side Story, the balloon inflation, Central Park, H&H Bagels, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Thanksgiving dinner in Soho, 4am day after Thanksgiving shopping, Juniors, 5th Avenue windows, Liberty Island and the crown, Levain Bakery cookies and Columbus Circle.

I worked on Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving, but on Tuesday during the day Mom and Dad went down to South Street Seaport to get tickets to see West Side Story on Tuesday night.

It was good and a Broadway show that I wanted to see, but not one of my favorites.

Thirty, Flirty and Thriving

I turned 30 on November 14, 2009. After Kellyn set a date for her wedding, I started making plans to be in AZ for another week so I made sure that I was there for my birthday. If it was any other birthday I wouldn't have really cared, but for 30 I felt like I needed to do something, otherwise I think I would have regretted it. Lauren and Jason bought a new house about a year ago and Lauren offered to have the party at their place. Since I love 80s music, I made it an 80s dress up party.

Thanks Lauren for hosting - your house is a great "party house"!

The newlyweds - you guys looked great!

Montana and Aubrey. Love the short shorts :)

Jenn and I have known each other since 3rd grade when we dressed like this "in real life." Well, not exactly like this - if either of us really did dress like this in our growing up days we probably would not have been allowed to leave the house.

Kyle and Brooke. Kyle had this costume from a couple of years ago - he looked great!

Kathryn even came! Next time you are dressing up though Kathryn...

Such great friends - I love you all!

One of Kellyn's wedding gifts was a big cupcake mold so she made dessert.

Tug and Rooke

Jason was one of the non-dress up people.

Everyone who dressed up.

Doing a little 80s karaoke.

With our new brother-in-law (and husband).

Thanks everyone for coming out - I had a great night. This party was on the 13th, and on my actual birthday I just had a relaxing day at home and then I went to dinner with mom and dad.

It is odd saying I am "30" and my life looks so different than where I would have pictured myself at thirty but I don't have any complaints - God is good. I am also happy to say that I had this conversation last Sunday night at church when I was walking in:

Pastor Jon Tyson: I have a question for you, how old do you think I look?

Me: I know how old you are because you have told us during your sermons. Why do you want to know?

Jon: I have a bet going on with my wife. Do you think I look my age?

Me: You're 32, right? I don't think you look it at all, although I am 30 so it is hard for me to say.

Jon: Actually, I am 33. I would have never guessed you were 30 though.

After the service when I was walking out the door...

Jon: I would have guessed you were 23.

I LOVE that I don't look 30 :)