It's Not Too Late Baby Now for Friday Fragments

I don't know if I have enough for a post today, so it's possible my Friday Fragments will actually be fragments.

Does anybody even read blogs after 3 PM on a Friday?
We'll see.

I've gotten serious this week about recording what I'm eating and it's been enlightening. The biggest surprise is how often I mindlessly start to eat something that doesn't seem like much of anything...a small bite of this or that, mostly when I'm cooking, but when you put it all down on paper (or enter it into the iPad app) those meaningless bites of nothing special add up to honest to goodness calories. Calories I'd rather have used elsewhere.

I've been inspired to try some new recipes, because hubs (the man with the metabolism of a teenager) can only eat so much grilled chicken and steamed broccoli. I made this baked crispy hoisin chicken not long ago, and we both loved it. Very spicy, so if you don't like very spicy you'll want to reduce the amount of red pepper in yours. We like very spicy here.

It seems like one or both of my girls are traveling every.single.weekend. and I think I'm getting used to it.

Sort of.

And they've
resigned themselves accepted the mom drill, which is-text me when you're at the airport, text me when you board, text me when you land, and then do it all again on the day of your return flight.

I bet there are times when even Generation Y hates technology.

In other news, the weather forecasters say temps in NYC will reach 50 degrees on Saturday. I do hope this isn't one of those times when they're wrong.

Hubs and I have tickets to see Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, this weekend. I am a huge fan of her music and am really excited to see the show.  Almost as excited as I am about the 50 degree forecast. I mentioned to someone today that we were going to the show, and she hadn't heard of it. When I said it's the Carole King Story, she said, 'Who?'

People!! Come on!! Do 'youngsters' only 15 years younger than me really not know Carole King?

And on that note I'll leave you with one of my all time favorites, and wishes for a happy weekend wherever you are.

Oh What a Night

Late December back in 63...what a very special time for me as I remember what a night....okay, so it was actually late November in 2009 but it was still special. And I do know that Frankie was talking about somethin' completely else but I feel the need to spout Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons lyrics today. So I'll just hang on to what I got...I don't have much but I got a lot...let's see...time to walk like a man and get this post written. That's really bad I know but I can't help it. I'll stop now. Well maybe.

My father in law turned 75 in August. We weren't together for his birthday but we did get him tickets to see Jersey Boys in NYC since we knew he would be in town for Thanksgiving. My in-laws arrived this weekend and on Sunday we took them into the city for dinner and the show.

The show is awesome. It is so much fun and the music...oh it just makes you happy...when they break into Sherry I dare you not to smile. Hubs and I had seen the show in London with our girls and we all loved it. We loved it just as much this time around too. I think the NY version has a bit more of an edge to it...it's a little more 'Jersey'...they did throw out the big naughty word a few times and we don't remember that so much in the London version. But the guys who made up the original Four Seasons were Jersey boys from the rough streets of Newark so I think the language was probably pretty accurate. Regardless the show really is all about the music which was fantastic!

We saw the 3 pm performance and after the show we walked across the street to Gallaghers Steak House for dinner. There are probably 14,325 steak houses in NY city but Gallaghers is an old (1927) and well known institution. The tables are covered with red checked cloths and the walls are covered with photographs of the many famous people who have dined there through the decades. And the steaks...

yeah.

I could probably produce an entire photo album of my husband with waiters around the world...he always makes friends with the waiter wherever we happen to be...after our meal these nice gentlemen brought out a scrumptious chocolate mousse cake with whipped cream, strawberries and chocolate syrup as a birthday surprise. I'm sure I don't need to tell you it was delicious... or I could just say Who loves you pretty baby? Do you think Frankie was addressing chocolate in that song?

After dinner we took a cab to Times Square because you gotta see Times Square when you're in the city at night.

Can you tell this city makes me a little bit giddy? I love the beautiful countryside we live in but I'm so thankful to have easy access to this amazing place too. We headed to Rockefeller Plaza next...I mean why not???

We're here, the air is cool but not bitter and the city is already looking so festive. Here is the official tree (wrapped in scaffolding) being made ready for the official lighting ceremony to be held officially on December 2nd. It's officially massive...they say the ideal tree for Rockefeller Center is at least 65 feet tall and 35 feet wide but most years they are at least ten feet taller than that.

.

Can't take my eyes off of you...

sorry.

I'm so looking forward to coming back in to NYC when our girls are home for the holidays and several times during the month of December. We have tickets to see the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall the week before Christmas...we haven't been to this show in many years and it is truly 'spectacular'...ooh, I just remembered how much (and how often!) I like to use that word.

It was getting late and although we wanted to staaaaaay, just a little bit longer we made our way back to the car, forked over the equivalent of a semester's worth of college tuition to release our vehicle from its space in the garage and headed for home.

Oh what a night indeed.