New York recap...entirely too much fun!

So i have a few moments of down time - and i'm going to try and recap our amazing weekend in NY...

I arrived thursday - late afternoon - made my way to the W hotel and checked into my suite. I called Rich to let him know my room and that there was a key waiting for him at the front desk - i also called my dear friend Matt who was in town with his boyfriend Jeremy (who i hadn't met) - to let them know i had landed and was ready for a cocktail. Matt and Jeremy met me in my room - and after i freshened up, we made our way down to the bar - it was too crowded so we wound up at the hotel across the street in their nearly empty lounge enjoying a glass of wine and eachother's company. 2 glasses of wine later - with their reservation at Cafe Des Artistes looming over us - Matt and Jeremy make their way into the night and i head back to the W.

I knew Rich was coming over soon - so i freshened up again - turned on some music - lit some candles and relaxed. It was perfect when he arrived - it was as if we hadn't missed a day - the comfort level - the easiness of 'us' - the strong attraction...nothing had changed. Fabulous! He had some Valentine's presents for me - and we exchanged gifts (i gave him a crocodile cuff link case with a pair of burberry cufflinks and he gave me an assortment of darling gifts including the dvd of my favorite movie "fall" - a book of stories - and some other things i can't mention here...) . I couldn't stop touching him - making sure he was really in front of me - peppering him with little kisses... i've missed him so much. We had plans to go to dinner - but after 2 glasses of wine - a long flight and the emotional anticipation of seeing him again - i was drained - and tired - and given that he had a very long week as well - we decided to stay in - order room service and 'catch up'...

Friday morning we get up - get ready - he heads to his office - i to mine - awesome building - amazing view - and it was great to finally meet the people i've been working over the phone/email with for the past 6 months. I worked until about 2:30 - then taxied to rich's office to meet him and his sister for lunch. Lunch was great - seeing his sister was even better (she's a doll) - we all caught up and then shared a taxi uptown. We stopped at rich's for something then headed back to the W - 'napped' for a bit - meow - and then got ready to meet matt and jeremy for dinner at Pastis in the meat packing district. Rush rush rush - i'm finally ready (sexy black suit - high D&G stiletto's) - and we all taxi to the restaurant for out 9pm reservation...had to pull some strings - called and told them a VIP was coming in and got us a table (phew) - the place was packed with all the beautiful people - handsome boys - chic girls - lots of eye contact - very very fun. Dinner was amazing - had a great time with matt & jeremy (they both loved rich) - have the onion soup - omg - completely decadent - so fabulous to catch up with matt - and i thought jeremy was awesome - he's from london - darling darling guy. Dinner ended around 12:30...it was freezing outside and we decided not to go have cocktails as we were all quite tired at this point...so we dropped them off at their hotel and made our way back to the W.

Saturday was great - we slept in and then made our way down to SoHo - shopped along Broadway - Mercer - Spring - etc - hit Aldo (bought the sexiest shoes) - Louis Vuitton - Mont Blanc - Lounge and others and stopped for a delicious and 'see and be seen' lunch at Mercer Kitchen - yum...2 glasses of wine and many shops later we hopped into a cab and made our way back to the hotel close to 6:30. We actually napped this time - and when we woke to go to a party - i wasn't feeling well - i think it was a mussel from Pastis - and i didn't feel well enough to go out...we ended up ordering in - watching Fall (so amazing) - and playing until the wee hours of the morning...

Sunday was brunch with friends (after checking out of the hotel) - and then off to Eli's to pick up dessert (chocolate decadence and cheesecake along with cookies) for dinner at rich's parent's. His sister and her boyfriend (nice guy - funny) picked us up and we made our way to New Jersey. I was nervous but rich held my hand and that made everything better...it's the little things. I met his mom first - darling - adorable - chic - and then his dad - sweet and funny. The day was relaxed - we hung out - watched home movies (hysterical) - and then sat down for a lovely dinner. The desserts were a hit - and i felt very much at home. I can absolutely see our parents getting along well - they're very similar - and i know it won't be an issue. Rich's aunt and uncle along with his nephew were also there - rich played his guitar for his nephew who is just starting to take lessons - and everyone had a great time. It really was such fun - i'm looking forward to going back. It started to snow and the four of us headed back to NY after saying our goodbye's. Once we got home - rich and i just relaxed...

Monday came along with 4 inches of snow from sunday night - it was so beautiful! We lounged around for a bit and then made our way to Madison - to have lunch at Serafina - delicious. Window shopped for a bit - bought a 'throw away' camera and headed - all bundled up - to Central Park and the Gates. It was amazing. Gorgeous. The contrast of the stark white snow with the bright orange gates made for a really beautiful exhibit...i'm so happy we went. The park was packed with people - most with cameras (or sleds) - dogs chasing snow balls - kids sledding and building snow men - couples cozying up next to eachother for warmth - it was picturesque - truly...We took the entire role of the Gates - with i think 3 of us in the pictures. We spent a little over an hour in the park and then made our way over to the Met - but decided instead to go to Bergdorf Goodman's - i needed my shopping fix - it's my favorite store and i had to go. We made our way through the floors - looking at all the beautiful things - and then stopped and perused the home collection - passed on the sterling dipped sea shells - but i think i'll get them next time...next we headed to Takashimaya - where i purchased a darling bear for sammy and a sweet little bunny for cole - we made our way through the floors there too - and then headed out - gucci - dior - fendi - louis vuitton - god i love 5th ave - but i was SO good and only spent money on others...nothing decadent for me. Damn. We ended up at a cigar store - almost bought a pretty (tiny porcelain) versace ashtray with an ocean motif to use as a ring holder - but passed - and then we made our way back to rich's. We had reservations at Balthazar - it's always amazing - had to have the onion soup - rich had the escargot (delicious) - and then i had the turbot while rich had a wonderful duck confit...a split of a french red wine and dinner couldn't have been better...star sighting - helena bohnam carter and tim burton sat 2 tables to our left - she's a quirky little thing - but her eyes are just as big and expressive as they are on screen - and her skin - so beautiful. Taxi to rich's with a naughty restaurant tour on our way back - and we fell into bed - sated and tired and ensconced in eachother's arms.

Tuesday - rich got up and headed to work - i checked email and voicemail from his house - and then made my way back to Soho - a few purchases later i'm waiting for rich - we meet up - and head uptown to Dylan's candy bar. A few more purchases - lunch at a french brasseriere and then back to the W to pick up a darling book for Sammy...We make our way back to his apartment where i'm tasked with fitting all my purchases into my suitcase (note to self - buy bigger suitcase) - after moving several things around - and leaving a few things behind for rich to ship to me - i'm basically packed and ready to go. The sadness is setting in - and i'm a little weepy. I don't want to leave and i'm contemplating calling and extending my trip - but i know doing that will just delay the inevitable - going home. My flight is at 6 and we hail a cab around 4:30...long kisses goodbye and hugs and a few tears are the way we leave things...my hand pressed against the back window - waving - is my final goodbye as we turn on to the FDR. I don't think i waited 2 minutes before i fished my phone out of my bag and called him - wanting to hear his voice again - missing him already - terribly.

I barely made my flight - traffic and long lines at security - but when we took off - i popped in the CD he made me for my flight home - so many of my favorite songs - so many that remind me of us...a few more tears - god i hate tearing up and crying in public so i pushed them away and listened to the CD for the entire flight. I called him as soon as i land - letting him know i've arrived - he knew already as he'd been tracking my flight on the internet...i then called my parents to let them know i was home. I went to bed - alone - in my apartment which seemed incredibly empty. This is so tough...

At work yesterday he sent me the most beautiful bouquet of roses - and the loveliest card to go along with them... i'm so lucky. He's amazing. An hour doesn't go by without my thinking of him - smiling - laughing - knowing how perfect we are for eachother. The weekend couldn't have been better -it was fabulous - it was wonderful - it was amazing and i can't wait to go back...

K