Visiting the Museum of the City of New York

A NATIVE NEW YORKER AND HER SPANIARD HUSBAND

Spanish Guy and I spent this afternoon at the Museum of the City of NYC. Unlike other museums where I've mostly felt detached from the exhibited works, this museum spoke to me culturally (Besides the activist exhibit not including the Young Lords and the Black Panthers)! I grew up in NYC, so I enjoyed seeing how the city has changed over the years and learning about the major players (JACOB RIIS, THE HENRY STREET SETTLEMENT, ETC) and of course, there was a general theme of resilience among the many who have called NYC their home.

We really enjoyed the video of the history of New York and learned that NYC Shipping was the first to develop the concept of transportation schedules, as opposed to leaving when boats (or any mode of transportation) was full . Full or not, New York started following a set schedule. CRAZY!

Visiting this museum was an inspiring experience and made me feel proud to be a New Yorker. I left feeling refreshed culturally!

In-Laws Visiting NYC

My in-laws from Spain were in NYC visiting last week. It was my husbands long-lost brother and his girlfriend. They were here for 10 days (a lot for NYC)!


We visited:

• Yankee Stadium & the South Bronx
• A Baptist Church in Harlem and the Apollo
• Brooklyn Heights and the River Cafe
• The Brooklyn Bridge
• Empire State Building
• Chinatown and Little Italy
• A Nets Game at the Barclays Center
• Shopping in Soho, Harlem and the Woodbury Common Outlets
• TimeSquare of course
• The Museum of Natural History
• The Chelsea Market and the High Line
• Dancing and Karaoke in the West Village!

We ate:

• Mexican food
• lots of Hamburgers (not me though, I'm a Vegetarian)
• Sushi
• Traditional American Breakfasts at lots of different Diners
• Mac and Cheese
• Cuban food at Havana Central (Delish)
• Applebees por su puesto
• Drank at lots of NYC Happy Hours

It was amazing to be able to spend so much time with my Spanish Family and talk in Spanish and see NYC through their eyes! Sometimes you need to look at things through a new lens.

A few pics:

Happy Birthday to my sis-in-law, WEST VILLAGE, NYC

Barclays Center, NETS GAME

Bro-in-law, LIKE A TRUE NYer

APPLEBEES, Woodbury Common OUtlets

The Brothers! love them

Our Third Wedding Anniversary in NYC: Lady Gaga's Restaurant, Off-Broadways Shows & MORE!

Last week Spanish Guy and I celebrated our third wedding anniversary. It was our first celebration not traveling so we wanted to make the most of our local celebrations. We didn't have ANY time to plan (the life of NYC working professionals) SO the big day arrived and we were left walking around the charming streets of manhattan-- in the brisk cold with soft steam seeping out of the crease of our lips, we dogged a yellow taxi and helped each other safety cross over black ice, with no reservations, looking for a romantic cozy restaurant.

Luckily, one of the first ones that we saw turned out to be more special than we could have ever imagined. It was a small Italian Restaurant on the Upper West Side called Joannes.

It turned out that it was LADY GAGA's RESTAURANT...

Complementary Dessert from Joannes-- for our anniversary, so sweet!

L-O-V-E

Four years ago when Spanish guy and I moved to NYC a friend of mine gave us free tickets to see Lady Gaga at Madison Sq Garden. It was a magical experience, and one that we never forgot (we were so poor and so disconnected from USA pop culture for years before this). So to be celebrating for the first time in NYC a few feet away from Lady Gagas' Family was SO special to us. We feel like the universe works with us. Things have always fell into place for us and we are so grateful for that.

Besides the amazing Italian Dinner and hours of conversation reflecting on our last year together, that weekend we exchanged gifts, went to see Stomp (bought for us by a dear friend) and went to the Spanish Tapas Chain, Cien Mondaditos! 

What a memorable Wedding Anniversary in NYC

The off-Broadway show, STOMP, a wedding anniversary gift

Cien Montaditos, NYC

Montaditos and Chips from Cien Montaditos, NYC

And of course, we exchanged gifts. I bought my hubby a personalized (leather) gift from Red Envelope and he bought me a super European outfit (with Leather-- the theme of the third anniversary-- shirt and bottom) from Club Monaco (one of my favorite shops).

ON TO OUR FOURTH YEAR! Next blog theme: how we maintain happiness in our marriage as the years go on.