No Time to Blog!

It's been so hectic in the past couple of weeks. The last week of school combined with my starting a new project has meant that I've been swamped of late.

I was in NYC a few days ago and was planning on a long detailed blog about the trip, but I need to pack for our departure for Barcelona tonight. Or at least finish all the laundry I'm doing. So you'll have to console yourself with a few highlights:

• my taxi tried to break all land-speed records getting me from JFK to Midtown, including hitting warp speed as the lights flashed by in the Midtown Tunnel
• I had a nice dinner at Momofuku Ssam Bar, sitting at the bar by myself, and had a fabulous dish of raw sliced hamachi with an edamame puree and little bits of crunchy seaweed scattered over the top. The chef David Chang has won all sorts of honors, and I've managed to experience 2 of his restaurants. Just 1 to go...
  
• my exercise consisted of a rapid 40 block walk (there and back) up to Dylan's Candy Bar on the Upper East Side. Dylan's has moved their cafe and party room up to the 2nd floor considerably expanding both the main floor and the basement area. More room for candy!
• my quick lunch was down in the basement of Grand Central Station in their "Dining Concourse" which was a very nice food court, where all the vendors were local or independent businesses. I had a nice slice from Two Boots pizzeria but was eyeing a lot of other potential stops, including an enormous salad from Juniors. I did end up with a scoop of gelato from Ciao Bella later in the day.

All in all, a very quick 24 hour stay in New York. However, I'll be back there in less than 3 weeks, so no big deal.
Today, as I realize we're leaving for the airport in 8 hours, I'll risk boring you with my priority list for the day, in no particular order.

• Water orchids
• Wonder if bringing 5 pairs of shoes is insane (in my defense, one pair is just flip flops for the pool, which really shouldn't count - and another is a pair of heels since I need to add a few days to the end of the trip for some business meetings)
• Hunt for sunblock
• Realize that kids are trying to bring the entire contents of their rooms crammed into a small backpack wheelie, and take half the things out of their wheelie. Check throughout day to ensure that said items are not surreptitiously snuck back into the wheelie.
• Laundry, laundry, laundry
• Stop by the local bowling alley to book younger daughter's birthday party in July. One month later than her birthday. Oh well - she'll celebrate her actual birthday in Spain. What kind of place doesn't allow you to book a party over the phone or online? You guessed it - a bowling alley!
• Conclude that adding 3 days of meetings to the end of a big family vacation trip is really much more effort than it's worth, now that I need to pack heels and multiple work outfits that will not be useful in the south of Spain. Not useful at all.
• Start mentally preparing myself for my first over-the-water trip in Economy class in 10 years. Really. Yes, I'm spoiled.
• Start preparing my children for their first over-the-water trip in Economy class ever. Really. Yes, they're spoiled.

OK, must go make a cup of tea and chill. See you in Barcelona!