Yum, Fun, and Pretty!

After a week in NYC, I feel like I'm living the dream! It's really the ideal situation: We get to pretend as if we live in NYC for a month, and then we get to go home. I've been having the best time. Every day is busy with class (even Saturdays and Sundays!), but being in the city makes it all worth it. If I were to categorize the three things we spend our time doing, it's eating, having fun, and enjoying the sights. Oh yeah, and studying, reading, and working too, but that's not as fun in pictures.

Yum
On day 1, we hit up JG Melon, Bobby Flay's favorite burger joint. We were hoping to see him there, but no such luck. It's also one of Brent's favorite burgers (one of the many things he and Bobby have in common). I'm not gonna lie: It was one.delicious.burger. No frills here. Just meat, cheese, and bread, but they do it right.

As fans of the show "Best Thing I Ever Ate", we scoped out this favorite haunt of Food Network's Anne Burrell, Extra Virgin, in the West Village. We sat outside on this adorable little deck and watched the hipsters go by. We had delicious summer drinks including a watermelon martini. Then we shared mussels in white wine sauce (heavenly). Brent had mushroom crusted chicken and basil risotto and I had shrimp & lobster pasta. I fell in love with this part of NYC. How have I never been down there before??

Another one of our favorite shows is No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain. He loves this place called "The Spotted Pig", also in the West Village. When Anthony went there, he got the special "chef's menu" on the secret third floor where he ate a whole pig's head. We decided to forgo this and eat in the regular dining room. We had their famous shoestring fries... I mean they were good. Infused with garlic and rosemary and tons of salt...

When I was a kid, my parents took me to New York, and I remember eating at this Oyster bar in Grand Central Station. It's been there since 1913! It's still there, and I've been wanting to go back. It's down under the subway, so the ceilings are so cool! It's a really fun atmosphere, and it brought back memories. Brent & I shared a feast of clam chowder, oysters Rockefeller (also featured on "Best Thing I Ever Ate" - Scott Conant, if you're interested), and a platter of 10 RAW oysters, 2 clams, 3 mussels, 2 shrimp, and half a lobster. It was so fun to try something different. Neither Brent or I had had a raw oyster ever (surprisingly), and they were good!! I mean I wouldn't eat it everyday... but it was truly delicious and a fun adventure.

Fun

OK, so we mostly eat (as you can see), but to GET to the restaurants, we normally walk so we can eat more AND so we can see the great sights. Here's the obligatory Times Square picture.

Loooooove Central Park. Praise God that it's not unbearably hot as it was last year. It's actually quite pleasant and good for walking these days!

I am having SO.MUCH.FUN with my classmates. We're a cohort of only 12 people, so we are basically together 8 hours a day 7 days a week for 4 weeks for 3 summers. That's a lot of hours. We also take online courses together throughout the year. So... we're pretty close. I love these girls. It makes class fun when you're there with 11 of your closest friends. We eat lunch together every day, and today we had a most delightful lunch in the middle of Broadway. Here's me with Jamie and our sub sandwiches and Meredith being her crazy self.

Pretty

There are so many things in NYC that are just plain pretty. Brent & I both think that the city is getting cleaner, prettier, and friendlier every day. I must say that I am truly enjoying this place. It is fantastic! Here's a cute little house covered in ivy. I love how it is just enveloping this house! Central Park views - blue skies!

Grand Central Terminal - truly "grand".

"I want to be a part of it.......New York, New York!"

Until next time, I'll be eating, having fun, eating some more, and, um, studying......