NYC With Kelly!

6&7 January 2006

After a couple of days in the Bloomfield NJ office, dinner with the boss, and a bit of jet lag, it was time to cut loose with Kelly!

Our goal: good food, good drinks, and good girl talk! Friday night found us scouring Manhattan for just the thing - and so much to choose from - Mexican, Spanish tapas, international, Japanese... We finally opted for drinks in the bar as we waiting for a table at a very cool tapas restaurant called Pipa. It was a very popular place with great music and good food. The old tin-tray ceiling held clusters of antique crystal chandeliers from the decorator store next door. Display only - not one of them was on and we found ourselves holding the drink menu up to candles to read. (No, both our eye prescriptions are up to date!) Kelly waded her way through the other waiting patrons to the bar and was soon 0 for 2 with our drink orders - no frozen drinks tonight, no limes, no... With a dose of perseverance and chuckles, we eventually got some cocktails just as we were called to our table.

The tapas menu was tempting, at least what we could see in the shadowy depths of the restaurant, and we ordered a variety of goodies to try. Blindly stabbing in the dark, we somehow managed to get them on forks and to our mouths. The gooey-eyed couples seated at our table seemed oblivious to the wan light as they swayed to the playing music. It was definately a cool place, especially if you didn't want to see your date! Were you trying to tell me something, Kel?

Next we scoped out a very chic locale called the "W" and then a neighboring wine bar before settling in for, yes, more food at Rosa Mexicana. It is certainly the chicest Mexican restaurant I have ever been in and there we finally found the perfect munchies, drinks and atmosphere to catch each other up on life and love!

I returned for more the next day and again met Kelly at her cool new apartment in Jersey City. Saturday's mission was the Whitney Museum before it closed. Kelly is a trooper and I drag her to all kinds of touristy places and art museums when in town! We hopped the Jersey Path train and disembarked in Manhattan at the World Train Center stop. As we headed for our subway transfer, I spyed what seemed a very popular address. Then my fateful question, "Kel, what's that store? Century 21?" She answered that it was a discount designer store. I needed a wallet... just a quick look... we emerged from the store many hours and many shopping bags later. Guess the Whitney will have to wait for another day!

Back at her flat, Kelly cooked up a great dinner that night. Her boyfriend, Anthony, must have smelled the good food as he came by just in time to join us! Yum! Unfortunately, I had to leave the fun to squeeze all my new purchases into my shrinking suitcase. I was heading to Colorado early the next day for my next big adventure...

- Tiffany