Mommy and Me

My Mom and I are very different. And this is exemplified when we go on a vacation to NYC. She gets too tired, too old, too hot, too whatever. That's why next year - even though we had a good time, saw her old school, her first apartment, where she met my Dad, saw Sex and the City, Strawberry Fields, ate a great big piece of pizza and even went to a Yankees game before they tear down the stadium - we promised each other to go somewhere more relaxing. Like Maine or Colorado. A place where she doesn't have to walk or do anything at all except maybe get a massage. And that's perfectly fine by me.

With that said, here are some pictures from our trip. Don't get too hot looking at them. It was only 97 degrees when we were there.


She was very excited to show me where she lived. It was cute.



At the Yankees game with Jerry, our gracious host for the week.



The Mom's high school, blocked by a fence to keep people like my Mom from getting back in.



You know when you ask someone where the best black and white cookie may be, and they highly suggest a chain bakery? Well, we didn't realize Zaro's was a chain until we got there and I was just not impressed at all. It was like going to Fridays for a filet mignon. So I tried to erase this little mishap from my mind and went to a place I knew would carry a black and white that would be suitable to my snobby taste buds. Simply put, all I had to do was go to a local Jewish bakery. Duh!



Indeed, it was hot. 95 degrees on this particular day. We would find shelter, though, in the coolest of places like Grand Central Station or the New York Public Library.



This was the one thing I really cared about seeing. Sure, I didn't shed a tear when we saw Sex and the City and my Mom thinks I have no heart at all (actually, I think those were the exact cruel words she used) but just being near the construction of the World Trade Center site made me think about all the times I had gone there when it was there. I loved this place, the sphere that used to be here. I would buy tix here. I would go up top to see the view. I would just sit here all the time. So when I came back, for the first time in about 8 years, I cried like a baby. Because, even if some stupid movie can't get it up for me, it's the real shit that does.



This was something The Mom had to see. I didn't mind, because a) it's right next to Columbia and b) it's right next to my favorite pizza joint!



Which brings me to this perfect picture of the Mom enjoying an extra cheese slice twice the size of her face.



The guy actually forgot to make me pay, and normally I'd just say aha! I got a free meal, but considering my Mom insisted on paying for practically everything on this trip I felt I should splurge the $11 and tell the dude that I NEED to pay.



And this was our bathroom, in Jerry and Fran's apartment that they've lived in for FIFTY YEARS! It hasn't changed one bit.

Oh snap. Where did I go?

Hello all!

I have nothing to report.

Wait, I went to the opera yesterday.

Did you know that there are handy subtitles above the stage? This is good because I don't know German.

I was supposed to blog about a lot of things. About how I'm seeing this guy (who took me to the opera). About how my old boss just quit (wah wah). About how I went camping. About how...oh fuck it. Let's get on with what I wanted to blog about ages ago.

My mom came to visit back in July. It was great fun. The summer here hasn't been as nice as last year's, but for some reason that week she came was perfect. Sunny skies every day. Comfortable 78 degree weather. Seriously just perfect.

The really amazing part was when we showed up to the whale watching boat, and they didn't have our reservation written down even though I called, gave my name and my credit card to someone - thus, we had to reschedule for the next day. Obviously this would upset anyone what with identity theft and all. But we made a deal that we'd go for free the next day and all was right with the world.

What was actually quite great about this is that my dad wasn't there during this minor hiccup. Because if he was, the whole whale watching situation would have been so much messier. There would have been screaming and probably threats of suing and shutting down businesses and oh god. It would've ruined the day, if not the rest of the vacation. We'd have to go to certain restaurants that didn't have crowds. We'd have to play by his rules and be very accomodating just so he wouldn't blow up for whatever lameo reason.

I only say this, because I know it to be true. Because it's happened every time we've ever gone on vacation with him.

But this time was different. This time was good. This time my mom was happy. Probably the happiest I've seen her. And if anything, I hope this encourages her to have more fun. More trips. More good times.

Because she deserves it.