So Long Summer Part Three

Consider this your warning, this is going to be a long one.

For so many reasons, this will easily be one of my favorite posts to write. The middle of the summer was by far my favorite part of this year so far. (which by the way, can you believe it's offically Fall tomorrow??)

August consisted of an overload of good friends, lots of memories,

extremely little sleep and occasionally forgetting to eat because of so much excitement.

(Ok, this may have happened more than once. So what.)

I started the month with one of the best concerts I've ever seen.

My summer side kick Mairead and I made the journey out to Upper Darby to see Bon Iver.

If you're at all familiar with the area, you'll know why this was such a big deal. Aside from a few mishaps with torrential rains and car radios that get stuck on obnoxiously loud volumes and refuse to turn off, the night was a success. Throughout the summer Mairead and I had quite a few memorable dates. We were able to cross many things off our summer bucket lists (inluding but not limited to) Phillies games, beach trips, beergaritas, kicking butt in darts, [many many] peach pommtinis, softball games, & breakfast dates.

Yep, we were busy.



Next was my most favorite whirlwind weekend ever.

 As many of you know my best friend for life Molly, lives in LA and for this years annual trip we met up with her brother in NYC. Not only did I get to reuinte with half of my west coast family, but we were able to make it out to New Jersey to visit with lifelong friends. The seven of us revisted our teenage years together by going to the first stop on Blink 182's summer tour.

It was very well one of the greatest nights of our summer.

After not having all been together in more than 5 years, we quickly fell right back in synch and picked up right where we left off. It was scary reassuring to know that not much has changed aside from (some of us) being a little taller and of legal drinking age. After a minor detour, Molly, Rory and I headed back to the city to continue our New York City adventure. We hit up Times Square, saw a Broadway show, and waited in an hour and a half line for Shake Shack (abosolutely worth it).

We even got surprised by their cousin and my best friend Christine, and spent the night right where we're all most comfortable....in Irish pubs throughout the city. Sunday we enjoyed a lazy morning, delicisous brunch, and a walk on the High Line before heading our separate ways home.

What did your favorite summer weekend consist of?

Can We Get a Redo?

Even though its been almost a week already, I'm still reeling from my weekend getaway to the Big Apple.
I would much rather be there right now.

If you had asked me last week if I would ever move to the city,

I would have said absolutely not.

But after a whirlwind three day reuinion in the city that never sleeps, I've reconsidered.

Our East Coast meets West Coast weekend was filled with late nights, extremely little sleep,

shopping, a concert, a Broadway show, a luxurious hotel
(I definitely recommend the Cooper Square Hotel for anyone visiting NYC),  amazing friends, great Irish pubs, and occasionally forgetting to eat because we were having so much fun.

We had the chance to jump on a train to New Jersey and meet up with old friends.
It'd been nearly 8 years since we were all together! It was incredibly reassuring to find that nothing had changed. We're all a little older, a few of us a little taller, but immediately fell back into our comfortable friendships that make these friends my family.

I wish we could redo the entire weekend over and over again!

Quotes

As for New York City, it is a place apart.

There is not its match in any other country in the world.

Pearl S. Buck

[here]

In just two short days I'll be galavanting around this magical city with my dearest friend.

Now that we're older and in the "real world" its hard to find long stretches of time

where we can both be away form work.

Luckily, we're pros at intense, short lived, quality time together.

[we've never lived with less than 2,709 miles between us....

unless you count the occasional two week vacation during which we move in with each others family]

What are your favorites around the city?  Favorite places to visit? Best restaurants?