A Sizzling Summer

Since Skye's graduation, life's been pretty exciting around here:)
I've blogged about our fun NYC weekend, still bringing back sweet memories even as I write this--thanks so much to my family for helping with such a memorable gift:)

The following weekend, June 5th, Skye came home, & with Keith & I, helped celebrate a church family wedding, Josh & Anna's, who both grew up at Peace:)
Last Saturday I attended a baby shower for another church couple's daughter, Kristina.
Precious milestones for our friends' children:)

June 20th was Father's Day. Cameron, Holly, Seth, & Kelley & Three came over for a hot dog lunch:) They gave Keith a pretty ceiling fan/light for the living room:) I think I made out on that deal as well:)

This week dear old friends from our upstate NY days dropped by on a southern vacation trip & stayed for a few nights:) I'm afraid the record NC heat wave was not welcoming, but what a great blessing to catch up on Patty & Peg's news after almost 30 years!! I can't tell you how good it was to see them!

Patty was in our youth group when we lived in NY, & Peg is her mom. After we moved back to NC, Patty came to live with us for about a year (in 1980).
Peg is 80 years young; a pretty, petite lady, who is as gracious as any southern woman & as mentally sharp & alert as ever! Patty teaches elementary education at a local prison (near Stone Ridge), has a Spaniel named Bella that she adores, loves her free summers, & seems to be recuperating well from health problems she's experienced in the last few years.
We enjoyed dinner at Tribeca Tavern Wednesday evening, along with Cameron, Seth, & Kelley. Even in this terrible heat wave we dined outside on their upstairs porch, cooled by ceiling fans. The food was delicious:)
Thursday, Keith & 'us girls' toured the new NC Art Museum. (I haven't decided how I feel about it. Maybe I'll blog my thoughts another time) Afterward Patty, Peg, Keith, & I enjoyed a light lunch at Carolina Cafe in Cameron Village followed by shopping at The Seagrove Pottery store, which I always think is a treat:) Then it was nap time, the best idea when it's 100 degrees! Hot weather is exhausting.

Since the temperature was still unrelenting that evening, P, P, & I voted not to attend the Peace tournament softball game with Keith & Seth, choosing instead to have a light supper here, while continuing to catch up on far too many years apart.
(Thankfully the team won, so I'll get to see the final games:))

Friday morning the girls said goodbye after a late breakfast & headed out to Roanoke, Va., where Patty's uncle/Peg's brother lives, & where they'll spend the weekend before traveling home to upstate NY. Hopefully they'll find cooler weather!

Friday afternoon I went in to work till 5pm. At 6pm Christy & George (my sister & brother in law) & their twin granddaughters Harley & Kendyll, picked me up to go see Rascal Flatts in concert at Walnut Creek in Raleigh:) (Niece Amy had generously provided tickets--bless you Amy!!) Keith opted not to go, deciding to enjoy his recliner in the cool AC instead:)
Rascal Flatts were kicking off their 2010/Tenth Year Tour last night, & I must say they put on the best concert I've ever seen--sizzling in more ways than one! (BTW Chris Young & Kelly Pickler opened & they were very good as well) The music was GREAT, & the visuals were AMAZING!! Video screens moved & videos of gorgeous painted scenes & beautiful woods scenes changed throughout each song, plus the video graphics in between & at the end were astounding.
Can't say enough!!! WHOA! A feast for the eyes & ears!

So today is a respite day.
A quiet day.
I will be honest. Even with all these exciting events, seeing old friend, being with family, I've struggled with a disgusting nagging cough that has hung on for months, AND being diagnosed with diabetes (I've mentioned here previously). Both those health situations, plus changes=stress at work, have left me fighting off some depression.
This week the cough finally seems to be letting up, thank the Lord.
And, many people have been encouraging in my struggle with the diabetes diet.

Prayer, sweet moments with dear ones, celebrations, glorious music, all lift my spirits.
God sends us blessings each day that make our hearts' sing, if we listen:)

NYC--the 3rd day & 4th morning

Our third morning, Sunday, we slept in:) Got brunch on the opposite side of our hotel, at Lou's Cafe. They weren't fast, but the food was good, especially the coffee (which I needed desperately by that time!).

By noon we started our trek to the Guggenheim Museum, 30 blocks from the Hilton. Now we didn't start out thinking we'd walk all the way, but as we strolled, we decided we could do it--even Betsy in her heels! Kelley & Betsy looked in a few shops for a purse for Kelley but she couldn't decide on one.
Madison Ave. is amazing--pretty trees & flowers & wrought iron gates & fencing:)

After passing by the Met., we arrived at the spectacular white G. building--a Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece. I especially wanted to see the structure, outside & in!:) We walked through the 5 floors, taking in the creative, modern exhibits--nothing too impressive to me. But the side gallery on the first floor was hung with wonderful Impressionist paintings!!
SO glad I got to see the place:)

We were all tired out after the G. so a taxi ride back to the hotel was due. B&K wanted to return to some of the 5th Ave. shops after a rest, but Skye & I wanted to tackle a more eclectic area of the city. After texting a few of her friends Skye decided on the East Village:) Fine with me:) We flagged down a taxi & told him our destination. The first thing we did was order a nacho snack & cold drinks at a local Mexican restaurant. Then we began hiking. Someone had suggested Tompkins Park, so we headed there. Across from the park a coffeeshop/restaurant called Life Cafe was mentioned as a nice place to eat---and we were so thirsty, again! We chose a seat outside. I spied banana crepes on the menu &amp ordered those as well as drinks--just yummy!
With a few hours left, we began slowly working our way back toward 5th Ave. At Union Square, a very busy shopping/congregating area, I found a funky copper moonstone ring crafted by a sidewalk vendor:)
Finally, after covering quite a bit of territory, we gave in & got a cab for the last leg of our adventure:)

We met B&K back at the hotel (Kelley had found a purse:)),so together we walked toward Times Square to have a last dinner in the Big City:) Skye & I weren't hungry after snacking our way through the East Village, so she ordered a drink & I had a grilled cheese. B&K had sandwiches, then split a blueberry cheesecake. Skye & I had a little taste; it was very good!!
Next door was a souvenir shop---the last shopping stop (other than a few things at the airport) before flying home:) I found some neat gifts:)
At sunset we leisurely strolled back to the hotel before saying good-night.
5am would come early!!

Thankfully Memorial Day morning our taxi ride to JFK & the JetBlue flight home was uneventful & easy...by noon we were back in NC.
Oh, the time went by far too quickly for me but a super trip, packed with so many good memories:)!!!
Thank you Betsy, Kelley, & Skye:)
And for all the prayers of countless friends:)

NYC--our 2nd day:)

Our 2nd day in the Big Apple began with brunch at Astro's once again. They actually serve grits in the middle of Manhattan--amazing! 

The Saturday adventures began with a trip to the Top of the Rock in Rockefeller Center. I was a little nervous, since heights are not my thing:( But, must say the elevator was so smooth & quick it felt like we were beamed up the 70 floors! And I didn't have to go outside to see a stunning view--acrylic panels are not comforting to me! The idea of stepping out onto the deck made my feet sweat (weird), but overall a great way to see the city!

Before going to the Top of the Rock, Skye had found a neat place to get an Americana coffee which she had had to give up when we got on the elevator, so she bought a 2nd one afterward, then we stopped in The Met Store to buy a few gifts, & afterward caught a taxi to Fish Eddy, a quaint shop Kelley had found online. It was Skye's favorite store (mine too)--cool plates, cups, saucers, plaques, towels, all unusual & reasonably priced :)

After purchasing some goodies we walked for a while, finding a farmer's market where Skye & I bought NY apples. She also saw 'Pete' from 30 Rock around the same time--a cool sighting:)!

Later grabbed a taxi to take us to Ground Zero.

Memorial Day was an appropriate time to go. We spent some time at St. Paul's Chapel where many, many people took refuge on 9/11. The site itself where the Twin Towers stood is surrounded by fencing, so it's hard to visualize how devastating it must have been. After a long hike to get a better view down into the area, all that was visible were cranes & other construction vehicles. I stopped briefly on our walk imagining how many screams & prayers hung in the air that day ....a sad, haunting place.

We took a break at a tree-lined park close by, located on the Battery, bought some ice cream & water, then caught another taxi back to our hotel for a much needed rest. That evening we ate dinner at The Mesa Grill, owned by Bobby Flay! Kelley had made reservations before our trip, so we were excited about our fancy meal.:) I had a shrimp & cornbread dish, prepared in a corn husk, with squash blossoms on the side--superb:) To finish off our fabulous dinner we shared a slice of his Coconut cake:) No Bobby in the house that evening, but what a treat!!

Walking back, we shopped a little at Anthropologie, then strolled north toward the Empire State Building, glowing in red, white, & blue lights in honor of Memorial Day, & on toward our hotel--a pretty evening:)

After arriving at the Hilton Skye was ready to head back out for some more nightlife, but the rest of us were just too tired:(! Sorry Skye:(

NYC--our first day!

Last Friday, Skye, Kelley, Kelley's mom Betsy, & I flew to NYC for a 3 day vacation to the Big Apple!

We were celebrating a milestone birthday for Betsy & me, & celebrating Skye's graduation from college:)!
Kelley helped with reservations beforehand, then, after arriving, guided us around Manhattan. She had spent a short semester during her Salem College years working at MTV, so she was pretty 'city savvy' as far as Skye & I were concerned (Betsy knew quite a bit too:)).

We stayed on 6th & 53rd...a very nice location:)
After a good brunch at Astro's (close by our hotel), we headed to 5th Ave. & Tiffany's, where Betsy bought a small souvenir. Then on to Central Park where we decided spur of the moment to do the tourist thing & take a carriage ride:)
And for the rest of the afternoon we walked around, through, took taxi cabs by, thoroughly enjoying scouting out, this beautiful lush 800+ acre park:)!

By mid afternoon we headed back to the hotel to check in & take a nap (we'd been up since 3:30 am!).

After resting for a few hours we headed down the block to the Modern Museum of Art. On Friday nights admission is free from 4-8pm. So we dived in to see some great artwork along with about half of NYC! It was truly an art party:)!

Then we strolled toward Times Square looking for a place to have dinner. We ended up at Angelo's Pizza where we enjoyed mouth-watering white pizza. Afterward we walked further down the crowded Times Square ( crowds reminded me of the NC State Fair), saw where MTV was located/where Kelley worked, & capped off our evening with dessert at Magnolia Bakery, not far from our Hilton--yummy!

A grand first day in the Big Town!