NYC and Lilly. March 16, 2017

For the last two months, I've been planning OUR TRIP TO NEW YORK CITY.

There had been a Nóréaster - Storm Stella -- on Tuesday. Laguardia airport was closed for a day...and the flights were all FULL.  But everything went as planned...

We arrived on Thursday, and New York City was still recovering from 14” of snow. The bus service was down by about 30%, and there were very few cabs on the streets.

Our hotel (the Westin) was right on 42nd Street, so the first thing we did was to walk over to Broadway to SEE TIMES SQUARE. The lights were amazing.

One of the main places Stacy’s list was the M and M store. The place was JAMMED with people. Lilly and I took our picture in their photo booth. And Lilly started to spend her money.

She bought a $5 fleece blanket that came with a FREE tote bag with a BONUS pound of candy. (that girl is a shopper!).

We were really hungry, and I was hoping we could eat at Ellen’s Stardust Diner, but thanks to social media, the line was out the door and around the block (we tried many times to go there, but it was always like that.)

Times Square was packed!

NYC had cleared every-other-street so traffic could move…kinda…but the cars were moving slowly, and there were hordes of people.

I refused to eat at McDonald’s or Applebee’s…but we didn’t have much of a plan. We couldn’t get into Carmine’s without a reservation…and Guy Fierie’s place had a two hour wait. Then, as we were dejectedly walking along 44th Street -- I saw the sign -- SARDI’S. We went in and were shocked to find we could get a table!! It was about 6:00, and they seated us immediately. I was thrilled…Sardi’s?? It’s such an old school place. Back in the day, it’s where all the Broadway actors would go to wait for the reviews to come in. They still have all those famous caricature drawings on the walls, and the waiters are wearing tuxedos and look to be 80 years old. Our waitress was a woman. (the only one).

I was delighted to be inside this warm, iconic New York City restaurant, maybe at the same table where Johnny Carson and Frank Sinatra used to sit. Our community pot had $500 in it.

But, when they brought the menus, Stacy and Deb suffered some Iowa sticker shock. They each ordered the cheapest thing on the menu -- a $9 bowl of chicken soup. Following suit, I ordered a cup of butternut squash soup, and a quesadilla. Without hesitation, Lexi ordered the tortellini ($25) and the waitress got around to her, Lilly casually said, “I’ll have the New York Strip steak, medium rare.” ($41)

I thought Stacy would die. She nearly screamed, ‘SHE ORDERED THE STEAK!!” and I said, “good for you, Lilly!!” And, of course, I put an extra $40 in the kitty to cover her steak. When the food came, Lilly's steak was, of course, the VERY BEST THING. I got a few bites -- and she did let me eat all of the asparagus.

WE WERE AT SARDI'S -- and Lilly did the right thing. I did not. I was very sorry I hadn't ordered the steak tartare...their house specialty. What a missed opportunity!!

Stacy was wondering what the waiter was making steak tableside, at the party next to us. I explained it was steak tartare. When she realized it was raw meat. Aye yay yay…the idea made her crazy. She'd never heard of such a thing…so there was quite an commotion at our table. We could just as well have been wearing “Iowa Hick Hats” with flashing lights.

Bananagrams at Sardi's.  OF COURSE.

On the first day, Lilly taught ME a lesson.  Good job, hon...