Quoting Nora Ephron

I love Nora Ephron.  She was wit and wisdom personified.  She was famous for her films.  A humorous chronicler of contemporary culture.  Only recently I started reading her books. The last one a few weeks ago.  I Feel Bad About my Neck.  It's so good. Really.  Like her other books, I couldn't put it down.  Here are a few lines that really stuck with me:

Married in Manhattan

On Memorial Day weekend my brother in law and his beautiful fiancee tied the knot in a series of events that not only were fun and jubilant, but celebrated who they are, as individuals, in each others' lives. 

I loved the no-fuss wedding from the start.  The officiant was a long time musician friend, and the wedding was full of them.  One of the groomsmen, another long time friend, played Mendelssohn in his best George Harrison as they walked down the "aisle."  They held each others' hands til death do them 'part.

The ceremony and reception, followed by an intimate, seated 4-course lunch took place in one of their favorite restaurants in the East Village.  This is where they had their first date four years ago, and to commemorate this, the owners of the restaurant set the small patio table, where they ate that first evening, with candle lights.  Close family and friends gathered around in the small but cozy restaurant and watched them exchanged vows. Followed by emotional and funny toasts; recollections about their years in high school; their passions growing up and the friendships made along the way, which brought some people to tears, and others to deep belly laughs.  Various generations conglomerated in that tiny room. Forty-six handpicked and very special individuals filled the room, in the words of the bride, "with two simple feelings so palpable in this very room: generosity and loyalty, we thank you for being here," to celebrate this joyous occasion.  And by the way, beautiful brides, do toast at their own wedding!

The photographer was the bride's sister, and a few friends, including me, took up to the task of embossing the day's images with extra cameras to ensure they had plenty of memories to look at. 

Of course, there's isn't anything closer to a NYC event than an after-party, and the groom is the king of the after parties.  After the memorable lunch, we walked a few city blocks to a lounge with a roof terrace, to keep the momentum going.  The rest of their friends joined us and we danced, and drank, and had a great time!  I loved how the groom's DJ friends stepped in to provide the music. And the cigar boxes, provided by my dad, were a huge hit, as the men (and some women)  proceeded to enjoy their puffs.  (Thanks, dad!)

The last venue, another bar a few blocks east, welcomed us with an assortment of delicious dumplings, provided by a friend of the groom and bride, including an edemame one that was just heavenlicious!  What a great New York wedding this was.  Cheers to the lucky couple!

Chinatown,{the other} Little Italy and the West Village

One of the things I enjoyed the most was staying at the Hilton Millennium in downtown. It's right in front of the once WTC and now Freedom Tower and 9/11 Memorial. I enjoyed being within walking distance of Broadway's shopping, Chinatown, Little Italy and Battery Park. I definitely recommend staying around this area. It's much livelier, but you see NYC in full action.

NYC evening with a friend

On Memorial Day weekend, my husband and I drove to NYC for a three-day mini-vacation getaway.  It was the first time Emilu was away from us. My parents had flew in to stay with her and our dog.  We arrived on Sat. around 4 p.m. and I immediately met with my friend, a fashion blogger, for lunch in the East Village.  We walked around and caught up with our lives.  We stopped for espresso, then hopped over to Greenwich to grab a cupcake from Magnolia.  I had always wanted to try one but the lines are always too long. 

This time there wasn't a line.  I got a key lime pie mini cake, and it was delicious.  No kidding around, it tasted like the ones back in Florida (the key is key limes and sweetened milk). We sat in an adjacent park enjoying our treat. Later, we encountered the wall of Tiles for America on the corner of 7th Street, the first memorial to the victims of the September 11th attacks.  This city for all its rudeness, is quiet emotional and full of gratitude for the men and women who perished helping in the aftermath of the attacks. New Yorkers will never forget.

Later in the evening we sat down in a corner bar, enjoyed a couple of glasses of wine and realized we were both lucky beyond measure.  We had our health, our faculties, and our families' love and support.  We live in cities we both love. The rest is icing on the cake.  We ended in Starbucks and around 10:30 p.m I grabbed a cab to our hotel in the Financial District, right in front of ground zero.