A week late?

Hey Hey Hey. So I've been super swamped between school, Troubadours retreat, Battle of the Acapellas, and Chicago (which opens tonight btw, more details about that later), so I'm about a week behind in my blogging. I know you are all hanging off the edges of your seats waiting for the next chapter of my life to unfold...so I'm still going to put up everything, in the order that it happened. It will probably take a few blogs...but to me, you're worth it (I'm being snide btw...I've been told my sarcasm doesn't always come across in text).

Last weekend I went to New York for retreat with the Troubs (short for Troubadours) and we had a blast. Among other things, I got lost in the mean streets of New York. Well...intentionally lost. I met my boy Sam (who came armed with snacks/coffee/and of course a BLT for me from GW Deli) and we caught a cab to 10th and H streets to catch our bus to New York. Btw, it is really cheap to get to New York...literally type in "D.C. to New York bus" in Google, and there are a million options (we chose Bolt Bus).

Here's a pic of Sam and I on the bus, all fresh-faced and excited at 9:00am Friday for retreat:

We all made plans to explore a little bit during the day and meet up later to go to Annie's house in Long Island where we hung out, caroused, and rallied ourselves for Battle. I was supposed to meet up with a few members of my group but since they were running late (which in New York speak means hours late) I explored New York on my own for the first time ever. I started at Penn Station and visited Madison Square Garden. A friendly man who worked in Penn Station gave me a map (and some sense of direction) so I felt confident enough to venture toward Chelsea Park.

Eventually I did away with the map and just walked around block by bloack finding things I liked/wanted to see organically. I passed by a million cheap (and good) retaurants (Seriously...I'm talking $1 fried chicken w/ $1 sides...and it was delicious). I actually stumbled into Time Square on accident. I was walking down one street and I asked this man to direct me toward Times Square and he was all "You're in it honey." It was sooo New York, and so wonderful.

I saw the fancy little ball thingy that drops at the end of every year (its not that big which was disappointing somehow). I went to the M&M store, the Hershey's store, and then I sat in the middle of Times Square at these tables they had set up and felt like reading for some strange reason (I didn't...something about the image of someone reading in the middle of Times Square alarms me).

By 5:00pm I was feeling tired so I went to go see "Why Did I Get Married Too," at the IMAX Theatre in Times Square. The movie isn't Tyler Perry's best but it was still interesting...and as an added bonus there is a scene in the movie where Janet Jackson destroys like 30 pieces of furniture with a golf club. It was probably inappropriate that I found it so funny.

 After that my other friends started to arrive so we all met up at a Restaurant/Bar called "Shades of Green" w/ a Troubadours alum aaaaaaaaaaaannnnd her husband (isn't that crazy? I know married people...who are like friends of mine!)! And that was only the beginning of the weekend. Just wait til I get my camera working and some free time.

Til Next Time,

Ekiria

Girlllll. You know you have questions: magalae@gmail.com