City Trips: DC and NYC

 Hopefully it isn't too late to post this because both of these trips were from the end of the 2011, so I suppose they really are old news.  Oh well, at least they will be new to you. 

This past November, my sweet husband suggested we take a weekend trip to northern VA to visit our nation's capital and to make a long anticipated shopping stop into Ikea.  I had been talking his ear off about going to Ikea for the past several months, so of course I thought that was a great suggestion! 

We started our trek to Woodbridge, VA on Friday.  After a delicious lunch at Chipotle, we pulled into the parking garage of the place I had been waiting for all my life, (well, not quite that long) Ikea.  Unfortunately we did not get any pictures of the giiinormousss blue and yellow building, but we did find some great buys that are actually hanging in our family room right now (I will have a more detailed post on that later:).  

After several hours in Ikea (time surely flies when you're having fun), we made our way to a hotel that I had booked to the west of DC.  Because the hotel was outside the city, we got an excellent deal on it...like a dirt cheap deal for a very clean and nicely decorated Marriott in a lovely setting, and it was just a five minute drive to the metro station. 

The view from our hotel room.  I was so glad we were still able to see some of the brilliant colors of the fall leaves.

My Drew Babe and I with our hotel is in the background.

We spent one night in the hotel then got up Saturday morning to make our way to the capital.  This is the drive leaving the Marriott.  Don't you agree it's a beautiful setting?

Our first stop in DC was the Eastern Market.  I have been to DC several times and never ventured here.  We were so thankful to have perfect fall weather to walk through the multiple vendors and outdoor markets.  

He is just SO cute...even while checking his phone ;)

DC metro: the fastest and easiest way to maneuver through the city.

I think Drew Babe is pretty proud of this picture.

Definitely a perfect day to walk all over DC.

The Library of Congress.  All I could think about while walking through here was National Treasure.

After getting lost, doing a few u-turns, and asking a couple people, we finally found quaint Georgetown.  There is not a metro stop in Georgetown, so it is a little harder to get to by foot.  While there, we saw Georgetown Cupcake from the TLC show DC Cupcakes.  I don't know why, but I always make a big deal out of anything I see in real life, that I have previously seen on TV.  As you can see, I'm not the only one who thought this cupcake shop was a big deal.  Although I am sure their cupcakes are divine, Drew Babe and I opted out of taking time to stand in the long line.  

Love him :)

We decided to visit the monuments (Washington, WWII, Lincoln) at sunset/night.  That turned out to be a  good idea because everything gave off a beautiful creamy glow.  

Now off to NYC!  

You may have read in the Christmas post that Drew Babe surprised me with a trip to NYC as part of my Christmas gift.  It has been at lease a ten year long dream of mine to visit the Big Apple during the Christmas season, and when I found out on Christmas day that Drew Babe was going to make my dreams come true, I cried.  Goodness gracious, I never used to be a crier.  I just don't know what happened. 

Anyways, I was super excited to be going to the city with my Drew Babe.  Like I said before, when I see things in real life that I have seen on TV or in movies it makes me happy, and NYC has a lot of those types of things (Times Square, Rockefeller Center, Central Park, the Statue of Liberty, and so on and so on).  I kept envisioning Miracle on 34th Street, Home Alone 2, and Elf.  

We left a couple days after Christmas.  My Aunt and Uncle who live in New York graciously let us stay at the home and helped us map out our adventures in the city.  Our first stop was central park.

They had lots of these cute carriages throughout the park, all decorated differently.

My Aunt and Uncle told us the cart food in New York is usually some of the best.  Surprisingly, we were able to find an organic cart.  Drew Babe ordered an organic hotdog with organic chili.  I had a bite, as I usually do of all his meals, and it really was yummy,

The ice skating rink in Central Park.

I don't think I have heard of this store before, but it had some very exquisite and detailed window displays.  They all incorporated fashion with animals in the theme entitled "Carnival of the Animals."  

"Breaking the Ice" scene.

Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.  It was quite chilly when we were in the city, but I loved having a good and actually necessary excuse to wear a scarf, a long coat, and my Ugg boots.  I really have a thing for coats and winter accessories.

Times Square

I am not sure if we would really go to NYC again right after Christmas and so close to New Years Eve.  It seemed as if everyone and their brother was in Times Square.  In some places it was hard to walk and we even had to cut through stores to get around crowds.  I'm glad I have a tall and strong husband who's hand I can hold while going through crowds, because my southern gentility would definitely not help out at all.

We ate lunch in Little Italy.  The restaurant was probably around the same size as a usual bedroom.  Maybe 10-12 tables at most.  It was so quaint and SO delicious.  Drew Babe said it was some of the best chicken parm (his favorite dish) he has ever had.  

Mulberry Street in Little Italy is lined with dozens of Italian restaurants.

In some of the subway stations and even on one of the subways there were various musicians.  They were playing everything from a guitar to an accordion, and even a stringed instrument that I have never seen before.  

Our last meal in Queens at a neighborhood irish pub.  Best french fries (according to me) and best burger (according to Drew Babe) ever! 

Leaving the city with the view from the Queensboro bridge. 

Drew Babe and I loved our time together in the big city and are so grateful to my Aunt and Uncle for opening up their home to us while we were there.  Our trip was definitely packed full of seeing all the well-known sites and tasting various kinds of food (fyi the best hot chocolate is the Italian thick hot chocolate at Chocolate by the Bald Man in Union Square, and the six dollars-a-pop price is totally worth it).

NYC with my Drew Babe was truly a wonderful surprise to end 2011.