New York, New York

New York, New York

The morning after the Sunday lunch where the Greek God(zilla) bumped the kerb trying to park the car and punctured a tyre – the lunch where I had been toying with the idea of a child-free/husband-free girls weekend in NYC, the Greek God(zilla) received an email from Virgin Atlantic.

The subject box read: 2 for 1 seats on reward flights to NYC.

If I believed in signs, I would have said ‘it’s a sign!’

But, I prefer to think of it as serendipity.  My favourite ever word (and movie, ssshhhhhh).

It was also a very good excuse to pay a long overdue visit to my dear friend Lindsay, also a close friend of our lunch hosts that day,  and who now happens to live in New York.  

Serendipity.

The first time I went to New York was with Lindsay.  We were in our mid twenties and did not sleep much, preferring to drink our way through our jet lag and possibly most of the jetlag of the people staying on the west coast too.

I fell in love with the city and when it was time to leave, I shed a little tear.  Although it is hard to say whether this was down to the emotion of leaving or being overtired and hungover.

The next time I visited New York, I was on my own and had tagged a night in the Big Apple on the end of a work trip to Washington DC.  I took myself out for a steak and a glass of red wine when I arrived, and spent the whole of the next day shopping and exploring the city by foot.  It was brilliant and I loved it all over again.

This time I would be going back as a wife and a mother and will be leaving my child for the longest time since he was born sob sob… but on a 7-hour flight where I will be able to watch romcoms movies and read trashy magazines all of those books I have been meaning to, all the while eating crisps!

It took us a couple of days to co-ordinates dates with each other, our husbands and with Lindsay, but less than a week after the idea was first suggested, we had booked our flights, sorted a hotel and started talking about all the things we would be able to do when CHILD FREE for 3 nights.

Mostly sleep in, shop and have grown up conversations that will not be interspersed with ‘stop picking your nose, darling’, ‘please brush your teeth for mummy, sweetie’ or ‘was that a pop or a poo, my love?’ whilst lifting a small bum to my face in order to get a better whiff.

The most serendipitous part of this exciting weekend away, is that the whole trip, 5* hotel included, has been booked using reward points and my seat on the plane was literally thrown in for free (minus taxes) as part of the 2 for 1 deal.

I am not even obliged to write a review on this blog in return.  Although, if anyone from Virgin Atlantic is reading this and would like my travel companion and I to review the Upper Class cabin, then we will of course be more than happy to oblige.

what a film...

 You can also find me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter @smudgerella

18 Comments

  1. March 6, 2012 / 6:47 AM

    Wow how amazing. Have a wonderful time!

    • Grenglish
      Author
      March 6, 2012 / 7:15 AM

      Thank you, not going until May but REALLY looking forward to it xx

  2. gill
    March 6, 2012 / 9:35 AM

    well jel! xx

    • Grenglish
      Author
      March 6, 2012 / 9:44 AM

      ah, I wish you could come too!!

  3. March 6, 2012 / 1:09 PM

    You’re going to have such a fun time! V jealous!

    • Grenglish
      Author
      March 6, 2012 / 3:01 PM

      I hope so Sharmee!

  4. Peter T (@432Peter)
    March 6, 2012 / 3:00 PM

    When are you going to be there? Extremely slim chance I might be in New York for a couple days in early May

    • Grenglish
      Author
      March 6, 2012 / 3:01 PM

      May 18th-21st… might you be there then? xx

      • Peter T (@432Peter)
        March 6, 2012 / 9:11 PM

        Sadly not, if I make it to NY will be the first week of May, so close, but not close enough. I will see my smudge again (someday)!

        • Grenglish
          Author
          March 7, 2012 / 11:22 AM

          yes you most certainly will! Let’s make a plan… xx

  5. March 6, 2012 / 6:07 PM

    Ooh have a brilliant time there!!! I live a couple of hours from Manhattan so am there quite a bit. Last time I stayed at the http://www.gansevoorthotelgroup.com/parkavenuenyc/index.cfm Gansevoort Park Avenue an amazingly sexy hotel where they have sex toys and condoms in the rooms! Just funny and very continental.

    • Grenglish
      Author
      March 6, 2012 / 8:35 PM

      I have heard of that hotel!! My old boss used to stay there all the time and now it makes complete sense why… 😉
      Am really looking forward to having so much time to myself.. it has been a while!!

  6. Chloe
    March 6, 2012 / 9:56 PM

    Can’t recommend “Big Apple Greeters” enough. Its like having a totally free personal tour from a local and you’ll get taken places you never knew existed. You can pick any of the 5 boroughs – just google it and they come up. Ooh and if you haven’t done it before, make sure you go to Top of the Rock, best at dusk – its much better then the Empire State view. Enjoy!

    • Grenglish
      Author
      March 7, 2012 / 11:22 AM

      brilliant! Thanks so much for these tips Chloe. Will I finally get to meet you later?

      • Chloe
        March 7, 2012 / 12:02 PM

        I will so be there – tres excited about tomato planting!

  7. Noo
    March 8, 2012 / 10:31 PM

    Honestly hon, Upper Class isn’t all that……………!!

  8. March 10, 2012 / 9:32 AM

    Oh my goodness how amazeballs!!! lucky you, you’ll have an incredible time I’m sure!! lovely 🙂 xx

    • Grenglish
      Author
      March 12, 2012 / 4:59 PM

      I know, I am super excited!

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