Responding to the Siren Call of New York

Sometimes the siren call of New York is just too strong. The restaurants, the shops, the buzz, and ... the blogger events, each one more amazing than the next. Since I've left New Jersey, the invitations keep on streaming in to my inbox, and every once in a while, I make the journey in. I love an excuse to get back to the city that I love, and have lunch with my baby sister.

Tuesday was one of those days. I flew in first thing in the morning, and had a whirlwind day filled with four events. I started out with a quiet breakfast in a little village coffee shop during which Claire Danes walked in with her little dog. And I was the only patron who even batted an eyelash at this famous neighbor's visit. I could have snapped a picture of her bending over to pooper scoop after her dog, but that would have been too National Enquirer. I'll just say that I wish I could look that good bending over in tight black leggings at 8 in the morning.

Then I had another breakfast, this one loaded with generous dollops of Nutella atop a buttery brioche. Sitting with the delightful Dagmar Bleasdale of New York City Moms Blog, Esti of Prime Time Parenting, and Colleen Padilla of Classy Mommy, we listened to dietitian Connie Evers talk to us about the importance of breakfast and suggesting how a little Nutella might help entice our kids to start their day with a balanced meal.

I then headed to a lunch hosted by Ragu and Molly Ringwald. It was surreal to be a few feet away from someone I had just watched at the Academy Awards and I have to tell you that she looked fantastic up close. Hard to believe that she has three kids at home, including twins less than a year old. When she spoke to us about how she loves to get her first born helping out in the kitchen in preparing dinner, I felt as though I was listening to just another mom, instead of John Hughes' muse.

During the Ragu lunch, I had the pleasure of sitting with Food Network Chef Marcela Valladolid to sample some simple Italian dishes made with Ragu sauces as a base. I had met Marcela a few months ago, at a promotional event for her cookbook, but this time I really got to chat with her. She simply lights up the room with a contagious enthusiasm. Her cookbook, Fresh Mexico, is amazing, really makes Mexican food approachable. I can't wait to see her show when it starts up again on the Food Network in a few months.

I then walked to the next event, a Dove Chocolate pampering lounge in the Chelsea Market with a new friend and fellow New Jersey mom, Ellen, author of the blog Love that Max. Although she and I had never met, we connected quickly, and ended up spending the day together, going from event to event, talking about blogging and freelancing. At the Chelsea Market, I had a chance to catch up with a few other friends including Beth from Role Mommy and Issa from Single Mama NYC. Before heading out to the fourth and last event, a Modern Mom brand showcase, I popped in to Fat Witch bakery for some of their decadent brownies because if you've started your day with chocolate, you might as well keep indulging.

By the time I boarded my 8PM flight home, I felt sweaty, sugar crashed, and thoroughly exhausted. But I also felt elated to have packed so many amazing experiences in one day.

When the alarm rang the next morning at 7AM, I had no idea where I was. The previous day seemed like a wild dream, until I saw the pics on my camera.