This last week was probably one of the best weeks I’ve had in the big apple since I first arrived.  Mark, my boyfriend, came to NYC for a conference and just happened to squeeze some time out of his busy schedule to make sure I had the best week ever.  I talked to him on the phone and decided to meet him at the hotel he would be staying at….nothing fancy, just the Algonquin.  He says, “see you in a few…I’ll be the one in the yellow cab” just as 10 yellow cabs in a row drive past….funny.  He showed up and it was like we were never apart, and I got to meet Matilda, the famous Algonquin cat. 

          While we hung out we actually fit a bunch of stuff into the small time we were together…..all apparently coming to fruition whenever Mark would mention it…..couple of examples:

          As we are walking around Time Square Mark is saying how he hopes he sees a celebrity before he goes back home.  Wouldn’t you know it, Rupert from “Hello Deli” and Biff Henderson from the Dave Letterman show are standing outside the Ed Sullivan theatre in between tapings of the tonight show along with several members of the CBS orchestra. 

          Then we start talking about the Naked Cowboy who I have yet to see since I’ve been in the big apple, what-dya-know!  Naked Cowboy was in the middle of Time Square putting on a show. 

We found a little bar to call our own called Jimmy’s corner.  Jimmy is the owner of the bar and an old boxing trainer.  The theme of the bar was boxing and though I’m not the least bit into boxing, the atmosphere in the bar was very comfortable.  Mark was finally able to settle down to a nice Sam Adams after a long day of conference meetings and spilt the entire beer before the first sip.  Jimmy refilled his drink free of charge and was very gracious.  We are definitely going to stop back there next time Mark is in town. 

We also made a stop at the famous Magnolia Bakery (picture below) where we shamelessly stood in line which stretched out the door and around the corner for a cupcake.  The shop is so tiny that it requires a guy at the door to supervise the amount of people going into the shop letting several people in at a time.  Mark noted that he didn’t understand how a guy could act so macho as a bouncer of a cupcake shop.  He had a point.

          Mark also included a couple of laugh-your-hiny-off hilarious moments.  While walking through the hoards of people in Time Square, we paused for a moment to take a picture and I stood idly by while Mark proceeded to walk away with a group of strangers putting his arm around the girl on the end…only seconds later abruptly turning around with a look of sheer mortification, realizing he’d got the wrong girl (only because she said, “..uh, I think you have the wrong girl”) after he quickly made his way back to me, she remarked “Don’t worry, it was nice.”

          The other moment that still makes me laugh out loud every time I think about it is when we were lugging his two suitcases from the subway train to the turnstiles and I mentioned how I don’t know how to get through these turnstiles with the luggage without getting stuck.  “Oh, I just shove my way through them.” Mark boasts as he starts through the turnstile with his large suitcase consequently getting jammed inside the turnstile displaying the most ungraceful & raucous show eventually resorting to clumsily leaping over the bar to free himself and yank out the suitcase.  After I recovered from the gut-splitting laughter I looked at him, “you were saying??”  Seconds after, another subway passenger walked through the door in the gate directly next to the turnstile.  Such sweet irony.

          All in all, it was an incredible week.  It was nice to enjoy the city with someone and I do view the city in a new light.  I added some new pictures from Mark’s visit so check’m out if you like.