The AMAZING Library Hotel!

I told you it was amazing, didn't I? The Library Hotel is a 60 room boutique hotel on the corner of 41st and Madison, just one block from the New York City Public Library. All the rooms are numbered by the Dewey Decimal System (doesn't that throw you back to elementary school?!), with each of the 10 floors having a different "theme," based on one of the ten major categories of the Dewey Decimal System - Social Sciences, Languages, Math and Science, Technology, The Arts, Literature, History, General Knowledge, Philosophy and Religion. We stayed in room 800.004, Dramatic Literature. The hotel was so comfortable and just the perfect place to curl up with coffee and a book (something I, unfortunately, didn't get the chance to do!). The staff and the other guests (most of who were British or Australian!) were all so friendly and it was just a fantastic place to stay!

the lobby... look at all the books!!!

beautiful wreath in the front lobby

14th floor garden terrace and writers room

second floor reading room where we enjoyed breakfast, an afternoon wine and cheese reception and 24 hour snacks and coffee

the AWESOME coffee machine making my decaf cappuccino (probably the fourth that day!)

our floor - the 8th floor - Literature

our room

love the built in bookshelf tucked in the corner!

30 Things We Love About Washington

As I sit here, waiting for the second of three conference calls of the day to begin, I was flipping through this magazine that somehow ended up on my desk with other mail (it's some freebie magazine for tourists to read... I know this because there are maps in the back!) and found this article, proclaiming the 30 things they love about Washington. I thought I'd share a few and offer my own commentary.

1. Spotting grim "suits" with earpieces, a sure sign that a VIP (political or diplomatic) is passing nearby. - This one surprises me... and especially for it to be #1. Everyone in DC has security detail and I think most Washingtonians would tell you that it's more of an annoyance than anything. Same goes with motorcades, especially the presidential one that stretches no less than two blocks and completely closes off streets... cool the first time, super annoying when you're trying to drive somewhere!

2. Veterans honoring their comrades at the World War II Memorial on the Mall. - I completely agree. This, and the Vietnam Memorial, are the two best memorials to visit because you see real people honoring their friends and loved ones.

3. Chinatown's Friendship Arch, once ethnic landmark, now symbol of Penn Quarter nightlife. - I disagree. I think it's a darn shame we don't have ethnic pockets in this city. What used to be Chinatown is now home to a basketball/hockey area, wine bars and chain retail (and my thoroughly modern office building). Depressing.

4. Checking White House dinner guest lists to see how politics and show biz collide. - I have to say that one of the best things about Brad working in the Administration was him getting guest lists, dinner menu's, etc. It won't be Christmas this year without knowing what the Bush's are having for dinner!

6. Intriguing objects at the International Spy Museum like a KGB "bug" in a shoe. - Also disagree. The Spy Museum (located across the street from my office) is one of the only museums in D.C. that charges admission. It constantly surprises me that there are lines out the door for this place, yet there is so much to take in at the Smithsonian FOR FREE! Go there people, your tax money is paying for it! I will never, ever go to a paying museum in D.C.

7. Parking riverside to watch planes fly in and out of Reagan National Airport. - I agree. This is such a fun experience and a great way to spend an afternoon.

10. Cheering on the Nats in the new stadium... just because we've waited so long for baseball to come home. - I was able to enjoy several Nats games at the new stadium last year and have to say that it's a fantastic facility. Too bad the team stinks and most people at the games cheer for the other team!

13. Exotic and fragrant flowers to lift the spirit inside the US Botanic Garden. - LOVE the Botanic Garden... you may remember I took an orchid photography class there a while back. It's a great, warm, relaxing place!

14. Zooming the city's sidewalks and pedestrian malls atop a Segway. - Gotta disagree again. SO. ANNOYING. They run over innocent pedestrians trying to walk to the Metro after a long day...

24. Grotesques (like Darth Vader) and gargoyles peering from parapets at the Washington National Cathedral. - I agree, this is a fantastic church with so many great details!

25. The Franciscan Monastery, with replicas of Holy Land sites inside the chapel and in a grotto. - This is on my places to photograph because I've never been there. However, I have heard that they have fantastic tulips that sprout up in the spring!

Oh, and good news - my call got cancelled! A free extra hour of my day :)

PS I promise NYC pictures SOON!

NYC at Christmas time!

My husband... he's the best, isn't he? Last Thursday evening, we boarded an Amtrak train at Union Station and took a 3 1/2 hour ride up to Penn Station in NYC. For those of you who have never traveled this way, I am telling you, this is THE way to travel! It's relaxing, there are no security/seat beat/flight attendant/grouchy passenger hassles. You can relax in a first class type seat, get a snack from the cafe car or even bring your own food and water on board (and full sized shampoo!). It was such a nice relaxing trip.

While we were on the train, Brad told me where we were staying: the fabulous Library Hotel! This is a small, boutique hotel, located right down the street from the New York Public Library, right in midtown at 41st and Madison. The hotel was absolutely fantastic; perhaps the best part being free coffee/lattes/cappuccino's, bottled water and snacks 24/7. Their decaf cappuccino's became my (twice) daily favorite snack :) All their rooms are numbered by the Dewey Decimal System - we stayed in 800.004, the Dramatic Literature room. Anyone who knows me, knows how much I LOVE books, so this was just the absolutely perfect place to stay.

We took New York by storm and did everything! A helicopter tour Friday morning (if you have never been on a helicopter before, I highly don't recommend it, it's quite scary!); a trip to B&H - the world's most fabulous photography/video/audio store (I managed to spend less than $100 and left without the beautiful Nikon D300... although that was difficult!); a visit to Rockefeller Center to see the tree and head up to the top of 30 Rock; fantastic dinner's at Butter in NOHO and Trattoria Del Arte in Midtown; a visit to the Original Ray's Pizza for authentic NYC pie; a walk hand-in-hand through Central Park; a stroll through the Met; several fantastic shows, including the New York City Ballet's Nutcracker, the Radio City Christmas Spectacular (with the Rockettes!!) and the Broadway show Gypsy, staring the fantastic Patti LuPone; a visit to Ground Zero to pay our respects and a visit to Wall Street and the NYSE to shake our fists; several Subway rides and a midnight stroll through Times Square with a giant hot pretzel and fat snowflakes falling from the sky.

Of course, I took a lot of pictures (but shockingly less than 400!), so I promise to post some on here when I get them organized... If you've never been to New York City at Christmas, you have to go. Yes, it's cold. Yes, it's (very) crowded. But the decorations are beautiful and the spirit of the season is infectious!

Cathedral of St. Paul

While in Minnesota we visited the Cathedral of St. Paul. It was AMAZING! Of course, I had to take 80 million pictures... here are a few:

Thanksgiving

Brad and I had a great time in Minneapolis visiting my grandparents, Dad, brother, aunt, uncle and cousins and great-grandmother for Thanksgiving. We had a table full, but the food was fantastic, we enjoyed shopping on Friday and hanging out on Saturday. And then Brad got sick... but I guess that's life :)

I've been tagged..

twice! By my cousin-in-law (I guess? She's married to my cousin? :) ) Mindy and my Aunt Diane!

This was a picture tag, with very specific rules:
Go to your Pictures file
Go to the 5th folder
Open the 5th picture and post it
Tag 5 people when you're done.

Unfortunately, most of my pictures are at home on my external hard drive, so we're working with a limited number here...

Fortunately, I like this picture! It's the Chicago skyline, taken during our trip there to celebrate our one year wedding anniversary this past October. It was a beautiful morning when we headed up to the North Ave. Beach and took pictures of the Hancock Center and the rest of the beautiful buildings!

I now tag Erin C., Katy, MK, Jamie and Kim!

My little obsession...

So, only my nearest and dearest (and now the entire blogging world) knows my obsession with Sarah Brightman. You may know her as Andrew Lloyd Webber's ex-wife and the original Christine in the Phantom of the Opera. She also sang at the opening ceremonies of both the 1992 Barcelona and 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics and has sung at some other major events as well.

She is beautiful (oh, SO BEAUTIFUL! Only gets better with age), she is talented (her lower register has become so much deeper the older she has gotten) and just an all around fantastic person and performer. Last night, my wonderful hubby took me to see her in concert at the Verizon Center where our basketball and hockey teams play (also nicely located two blocks from my office!). He went into the concert with the "grin and bear it" attitude, and came out a fan.

The show was SO TOTALLY AWESOME! Maybe her best yet (this was my fourth time seeing her, after all). May we all be blessed with those pipes and that body when we're 49 years old! The highlight was when she sang my most favorite song of hers "First of May," which I've never seen her perform in concert before. Yes, tears were shed :)

Before the concert, we went to Jaleo for tapas and sangria for dinner, which was also great and a wonderful treat out. Thank you so much Brad, for taking me to the concert and thank you SO MUCH SARAH for putting on such a fantastic show!

**Additional Note!!!*** I have found this fantastic website which features a bunch of (way better) pictures from last night's show! Not that anyone cares :) http://www.contactmusic.com/pictures/sarah_brightman/1-1

Section 201, Seats 15 and 16, ready for action!

giddy with excitement!
There she is! There she is!

cool trick with mirrors that made the dancers look like they were synchronized swimming

sparkly thigh high boots!

beautiful black gown!

absolutely AMAZING duet of "Canto della terra" with Mario Frangoulis. He had an absolutely amazing voice!

rose petals raining down

stage set up at intermission... the panels are big mirrors. The stage was pretty fantastic
beginning of second act

beginning of her performing "Phantom of the Opera," which was different than it was at all her other shows and the best version I've seen yet!

singing Phantom with Alessandro Safina (who as also amazing)

singing "First of May" - just before the tears began!! ;)

"Time to Say Goodbye" - her last song :(

encore #1 - "Deliver Me" in a stunning black dress with feather wings :)

encore #2 - "Running"

Lookin' good

I was just looking through my point and shoot camera and found these two pictures of Brad and I in Barbados in August. They made me feel warm, and we look so tan and relaxed and I think they're decent pictures, so I thought I'd share :) These were taken while lunching at the yacht club (rough life, yes I know)

PS Keep watching the blog for a BIG post, full of concert pictures!!

One of those days...

Winter has finally arrived in Washington, D.C. today! Not so much the temperature (a balmy 39 degrees), but the wind chill (an equally balmy 28 degrees).

And with winter's arrival, my brain seems to have gone on vacation. I was all proud of myself this morning, getting up at a decent time, making my own lunch to bring to work and getting out the door at a decent hour. I waited at the bus stop in the cold and crazy wind, but read my book (currently "Under the Tuscan Sun"... it's summer in Tuscany (in the book), so it makes me feel warm!) and soon enough made it to the warm(er) Metro. I rode the train all the way into D.C. and was just coming up the escalator at the station by my office when I realized I had made a big boo-boo. My laptop, which I brought home yesterday so I could work a half day from home and wait for the UPS man. I packed it up last night and put it on the floor, right by the door, right next to my work bag.... and that's where it was still sitting. So I half laughed/half cried and turned around and got back on the Metro. Went all the way home, picked up my bag and went through my morning commute all over again. My coworkers and I had a good chuckle about it when I finally rolled in at 11am, only two hours late!


So in honor of the fact that I'm still thawing out, in honor of the fact that my office building is under construction and I think they're going to drill through the ceiling of my office, in honor of the fact that I have so many documents to read and edit my brain doesn't want to work and in honor of the fact that I'm leaving work tonight at 6pm so Brad and I can take a cooking class (where we'll probably make unhealthy food I can't eat!), lets all close our eyes for a minute and pretend we're in Barbados....