These streets will make you feel brand new

When I was younger, I ached to be in New York City. I had been a couple of times, but it wasn't enough. After going with friends in high school, I would have dreams of going back. But when you're in high school and college, earning minor ducats in thankless jobs, I began to feel like this:

So imagine my joy when I started to date a boy who grew up just across the river from Manhattan. Now we can go to NYC whenever we want because we are blessed to live a reasonable drive away and we have a place to stay, thus eliminating the two expensive things that kept me from NYC when I was a teenager: airfare and hotels. Now when we go into the city, it's not a rush to try to see and do everything, because we know we'll be back again. Oh the joy!

And just to clear the air, we still can't quite afford to heart NY to the fullest. We splurge on broadway tickets (this time it was "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying"---LOVED it!) so we have to save on dinner---thus the "Gray's Papaya" photo above. A hot dog dinner for two for less than ten dollars, and then free entertainment in Washington Square Park. Sounds like a perfect New York evening to me.

Basically, there are still cities that I need to go to, but I feel like I can make the bold claim that NYC is the greatest in the world. And I am so happy for this time to live on the east coast to go visit when we have a long weekend. Jay-Z and Alicia Keys have it right: "In New York, there's nothing you can't do, the lights will inspire you."

So it was a great weekend. It's really nice to have family close by--and by pretty close, I mean closer than Utah. I love NYC, but I do love my family more!