Day Two In The Big Apple.....

Day Two in the Big Apple Started with breakfast at NORMA's, a restaurant
located in the posh Parker-Meridian Hotel. We decided to splurge for ONE
meal and do the rest either at the Wilcox's or "on the cheap". The thing is
we pretty much ate breakfast and dinner (and that's it) the entire trip. So
it ended up being OK.

Kyle had heard about Norma's from the group of ladies he works with-they
had raved and raved. I must say that it was "rave-worthy"...although I am pretty
sure the entire breakfast fell into "dessert" category.



Grace had chocolate peanut butter stuffed waffles, covered in
toffee caramel sauce and whipped cream.



Kyle had huevos rancheros extraordinaire...they were to die for good!



Josh had bittersweet chocolate blintzes (crepes) filled with mascarpone
cheese and drizzled with chocolate.


I had blueberry waffles (no syrup). The white stuff is butter, lots and lots
of butter. The meal was seriously unbelievable. I could only eat literally
1/4 of my plate. The waiter came back and asked in shock, "Didn't you like
it?" I said, "NO! It was fabulous, I cannot take another bite I am so full!"

The only stipulation of our trip to Norma's was NO DRINKS!!! (as in O.J.,
dt. coke, milk, etc.) I am only willing to spring for so much when it comes
to an extravagant meal and drinks on this menu were $9 and up.

We drank water! (for free)


We then walked and walked and Grace had to shop and shop.
We laughed as we walked past this store DAFFY's...
their slogan "High fashion, Low prices"

Maybe the prices were so low as there were obviously no clothes to be seen.




Some shots of the Empire State Building.



Gracie contentedly holding her H&M bag. Boy oh boy we wish
H&M would make an appearance in good old Utah. Such a great
store, cute things and even better prices!




Thank goodness for cell phones, so my kids could keep in touch
with their friends. Heaven forbid they couldn't talk to them or
text them for a few hours. (rolling of my eyes!)


Miss Grace, happy happy as can be.



Few shots of the FLATIRON building, Manhattan's "thinnest" skyscraper.


The weather was a bit cold and chilly. We were glad for the warm things
we had packed. When the wind blows through those buildings, you give
up fashion quickly for function.



The view of the Flatiron from Madison Square Park. We stopped here
for lunch at the Shake Shack. Great burgers and a fun place to people
watch. I think I could literally go to NYC for a week and just sit and
watch people. It's a little bit different from Utah. Just a little.



The Shake Shack...seems to always be a line waiting here for food.



Perhaps the ONE picture on the entire trip where Josh did not
have his hoodie on. I think he was going for an early "uni-bomber" look
this trip. He refused to smile for ANY pictures and this is as good
as it gets folks.


And here we have Josh looking like "17 year old Dork".
Grace is being tortured by her brother--don't let the picture fool you.
Pure torture.



Patiently waiting for the food to be done...waiting waiting.

YES! Grace and I shared a burger, Josh ate two, a helping of cheese fries,
a shake, a root beer float and a drink. Oh, to have the metabolism of a
17 year old boy.



Since we are frequent shoppers at the Home Depot, this one in the
middle of the city made us laugh. It's a skyscraper version of the big
box store. We wondered how hard it would be to get sheet rock
delivered in the city and how in the WORLD you get it up an elevator
to your 23rd floor apartment?


The sign below is the Definition of IRONY.
If you have been in NYC you know that horn blowing
happens at every moment of every day. If someone cuts in front of you,
passes you, walks in front of you, drives too slow, well--you get the
picture...they honk. And honk. And honk.


And on to Kleinfelds..."THE" bridal store of all bridal gown stores.
Grace is a faithful follower of the TLC show "Say Yes to The Dress."

She wanted to just "walk past the store" so she could say she saw it
"in real life". Can you see her DASHING across the street to gaze in
the window?? It is a "by appointment only" store so we stopped and
looked in the window for a moment or two.


Gazing and dreaming of "the day"....


Josh, bored out of his skull and Grace, enraptured by the dress
in the window.


So Kyle decided that he would just go in and ask if we could peek.
The receptionist told him we would be allowed to go into the reception
area only and go NO FARTHER than the edge of the carpet. This
allowed for a glance into the bridal floor and showroom. Grace and I
leaned in as far as gravity would allow...peeking and turning to see
as much as we could. We were "ohhhhhing" and "ahhhing" over all
the gorgeous dresses when the cute receptionist looked over at us
and said, "You know-let me call Randy and see if maybe he can come
down for a minute!"

I looked at Grace and LITERALLY her body started quaking. She silently
SQUEALED and got HUGE eyes. "RANDY!" For those of you that don't
watch the show, Randy Fenoli is the reality TV Star of "Say Yes to
The Dress".

We waited a few minutes when what to our wondering eyes should appear??

YES! Randy Fenoli sashaying through the dresses like a dream towards us.

Grace could hardly contain herself. He walked over and introduced himself
and shook Grace's hand. She was quaking like a leaf, hardly able to contain
her excitement. He said, "Oh my! You're shaking!" and gave her a hug.
Then said, "I'm just a regular guy who happens to be the star of a reality
TV show, don't be nervous!" OK Randy...define "regular."

He then shook all our hands and in the 2 seconds it took him to shake my hand
the ONLY thought running through my head is "Holy CRAP! We are tourists
in the same clothes we had on yesterday. I am wearing tennis shoes instead
of my fashionable ballet flats because my feet hurt and I'm not even sure I match.
He's gonna call Stacy and Clinton from "What NOT To Wear" and turn
me in."

Literally, THIS is what I am thinking while I am meeting him.

He, on the other hand, has on a $5000 suit with a $200 tie and matching
pocket hanky and looks freshly made up.

But I digress. He was unbelievable nice and warm and sweet! We all chatted
for a few minutes, then he turned to Grace and said, "Well, we're not too busy
today...how would you like a personal tour of Kleinfeld?"

Of course, we said YES!

He showed us the floor (it is SO much smaller than it looks on TV!) He showed
us the stock rooms with gazillions of dresses. He showed us where they film.
He showed us the designers rooms, the bridal rooms. He stopped by
and helped a bride "fluff" her dress and tell her how she looked. I, of course,
threw in my two cents..."You look GREAT!" (she did--how can one go wrong
in a $20,000 gown, I mean really?)

We finished up and he led us back to Kyle and Josh, whom we had long
since forgotten about and chatted for a few more minutes. We all hugged
good-bye (since we were now bff's!) and said good bye.

I told him he had made my 13 year olds life...and thanked him profusely
for his kindness. He seriously was SO NICE!

On the way out, we asked if he would pose with Grace for a picture. In the first
one my flash didn't go off, you can see him telling me (and i quote) "OH! turn
on the flash--I will look better that way!" He made us laugh.

Thank Randy for a great memory that STILL makes me smile!



Randy & Grace
(notice how much better he looks with the flash on?? LOL!)

We finished up our day seeing the Tony Award winning Show "Memphis".
Great show! Made me laugh, made me cry, and MAN! could those men
sing!! Kyle and Josh had to grab a NYC "slice" (pizza) after the show
for the subway ride home. We walked Times Square in the rain, a
wonderful autumn late night rain, and I am pretty sure we looked in Forever 21
again!

We ended up back at the Wilcox's at 11:30 PM after a 15 hour day of
adventures through the city. Seriously, we LOVE NYC!