Just 50 more days till I'm in New York. So, since you know from "100 MORE Random Things About Me", that I make lists; and I've demonstrated numerous times that I'm a big (yes) HUGE fan of continuity - I think it's appropriate that I do a 50 things that I want to do in New York list. Interestingly enough, most of them involve friends and food, but that should come as no surprise. So in no particular order...
1. Go to the cemetary to visit the graves of my Mom, my maternal grandparents and my great aunt and uncle.
2. Take Lyndzi and Jackie to "The Condos" so they can see where I grew up.
3. While at "The Condos", visit my old neighbor Elayne. (She knows we're coming)
4. Show Lyndzi and Jackie where I went to elementary school.
5. Take everyone on a tour of New City. I think it will be really interesting to see what's changed.
6. Go to a diner in Rockland County
7. Spend the afternoon with Ruthie (AKA Big V) and her husband Joe and daughter, Olivia.
8. Go to The Rockland Bakery. I have memories of walking in and having the delicious smell of fresh baked bread hit me in the face; and catching HOT rolls as they came shooting out of the oven. Now that was heaven.
9. Try to catch up with Stefanie S.
10. See my friend Patti from High School.
11. Visit with my old roommate, Tammy and her daughters Allie and Isabelle. Although I've never met Tammy's girl's, I have a feeling that Lyndzi and Allie are gonna be the best of friends.
12. See "Mamma Mia"
13. Meet up with at least two of the girl's (now women) that I used to work with when I was a Social worker.
14. Have lunch with my friend June.
15. Although I haven't called her yet, I REALLY want to see my mom's best friend, Millie. I'm not sure when or how I'll be able to do so; but no trip to NY would be complete without seeing her.
16. Eat and buy New York Bagels. It's the one thing that Luis has asked me to bring home.
17. Spend as much time as possible with the magnificent, Rachel S.
18. Never let Michele Q out of my sight.
19. Go to The Hamptons
20. Show Lyndzi and Jackie where I went to college.
21. I was going to say Eat Splat (Fresh clams, shrimp, steamers, mussels, and lobster) at the Lobster Inn in Southampton, but I've read mixed reviews. I'll have to check with Michele Q on this one and if in fact it's not as good as I remember; we may just have to make our own.
22. Go to Central Park. I'm a native New Yorker, and in the 26 years that I lived in NY, I'd never been.
23. Go to the Statue of Liberty. It's the one place that Lyndzi has asked to go, and additionally, another place that I've never been.
24. Have a NY hot dog from a cart.
25. Go to China town
26. Go to Little Italy
27. Hang out with my childhood friend, the SLENDIFEROUS, Judy.
28. Enjoy the company of my dear friends Dawn and Michael.
29. Visit with the magnificent, Rachel S' extraordinary mom, Penny.
30. Meet my cousins.
31. See my friend Jasmine
32. See my friend Bobbi
33. Spend time with my friend Stacy S.
34. Catch up with my friend Stacy F.
35. Meet the wife of my senior prom date, Berger.
36. Enjoy as many meals as possible with as many friends as possible.
37. Eat Challah french toast
38. See my beautiful, friend Stephanie M while I'm in The Hamptons.
39. Go to the beach
40. Laugh
41. Hug all of my friends - A LOT!
42. Snuggle with Lyndzi
43. Introduce all of my friends to my incredible daughter and my wonderful cousin.
44. Go dancing in The Hamptons
45. Take lots of pictures!
46. See everyone and anyone who wants to see me; even people who haven't made plans with me yet - hint, hint!
47. PLAY
48. Eat Pizza
49. Shop!
50. Relax. - Really, I'm gonna try.
No matter how many of these things I actually do, I know it's going to be the best trip EVER! Can't wait to tell you all about it.
Till next time...
Queen of EVERYTHING
Even though the kids and I have yet to rid ourselves entirely of the lingering cough that is caused by the Flu; I thought that we were all on the mend. But at 530 this morning, Nicky came downstairs complaining of a pain in his neck. His glands; to be more exact. His gland underneath his right ear, was visibly swollen. I could feel a small lump when I touched it; so I gave him some Ibuprofen and told him to try and rest, until I could call the Doctor's office at 8am.
I was able to get an appointment for 10:30; and thankfully, the Dr. assessed that it appeared to be an infected gland; which was unaccompanied by other symptoms or illness. The Dr. prescribed an antibiotic and some sour, sucking candy. No need to read that again; I DID say SOUR, SUCKING CANDY; like Sour patch kids or lemon heads etc. The Dr. explained that sometimes little nodules form in the gland and the sucking motion and the sourness of the candy, somehow helps to shrink it. I looked it up (yes, I did;) and found a few references to sour, sucking candy and swollen glands, but nothing definitive; Queen of RESEARCH that I'm not.
It was just about lunchtime after Nicky and I purchased the yogurt that the Dr. recommended to counteract the anti-biotic; and the sour, sucking candy; and I suggested that we get "Real" Pizza. Now surely I'll explain. I put pizza into two different categories. Category one includes: Pizza Hut, Domino's, Hungry Howie's, Little Caesar's, Sam's, Costco etc. Category two includes New York Style, Pizzeria Pizza; which in our area would be purchased at Number One Brother's, Ray's, NYPD etc. The pizza in category one, tends to be a little less expensive; but it's also not nearly what I would refer to as authentic pizza. The pizza in category two, is about as close to New York pizza as I'm going to get for quite some time; and since it's been 17 years since I've actually had Pizza in New York; it's as similar to what I can remember it to tasting like. If you know what I mean.
Luis didn't grow up eating pizza; and he's not the biggest fan; so we don't order it very often. When we do, it's usually pizza from a category one place; and it's typically just the kids that eat it. But today, I was in the mood for "Real" pizza and Nicky was the perfect person to share it with; because out of the three of my kids; he is the one with a profound predilection for pizza.
After making two trips to the Pharmacy; we were able to head home to enjoy our lunch. Nicky and I took a bite of our respective slices and we were both in heaven. It's amazing how great something can taste when you haven't had it in a while. While eating my cheese slice, I travelled through my Pizza Timeline and recalled the pizza places that my family used to go to when I was a kid. Richie Howell fancied himself a foodie (even though that wasn't even a term back in the day;) and he drove out of his way to get what he considered to be "Good" pizza. While some that lived in the condo, were happy to get their "pie" from Mr.Pizza, just two minutes away; Richie Howell was content to drive 10 minutes away to Peppino's, for his. I remembered the meatball pizza that I loved from The Nanuet Hotel, and the stuffed pizza from La Pizziola in Southampton; and how I stupidly ate it the night before my tonsillectomy, when I couldn't have water after midnight. I recalled the early 90's and grabbing a slice of pizza in the Bronx after leaving a bar with my roommates; and then I was brought back to present day and the perfect piece of pizza that I was enjoying with my extraordinary, son.
It's absolutely amazing how a bite of a food; can cause you to time travel. In the few minutes that it took me to eat my slice (OK, two slices) of pizza; I went from being a 43 year old, mom in Arizona to being a kid in New City, a teen in Piermont, a young adult in Southampton; a 20something year old in the Bronx and back to a 43 year old, pizza loving mama, in Arizona. YUM! What a delicious journey.
Till next time...
Queen of EVERYTHING
