Nueva York!

Why, yes. I am done with school. And I didn't even do too badly this semester. I am filled with contentment. I went back last Saturday after my brother's confirmation (way to go, Andrew! I won't even take any of the credit for being the sponsor) to find the room eerily white and vacant. I signed all the appropriate forms, bid adieu to Bill and hugged Lindsey. Couldn't find Kris or Chris, but I'm sure I'll see them both once they move into Franklin Co-op next week. Karli, Tori and I capped off our year by conquering IKEA. Or at least walking through, pointing at pretty things and buying pretty cups. Then Tori headed off to Eric's graduation and Karli drove home. I miss them already.

Sunday, though, began the real celebration. I spent Sunday through Thursday in New York City with my mom, 3 aunts, an uncle, a grandma, a great-grandma and 2 cousins, one of which was graduating from Columbia (and the reason for our trip). It was a fantastic trip. After settling into our hotel we hiked up the flea market on 9th street and enjoyed some warm weather for once. And I got a sparkly skirt. Sunday night we went to see an improv show at the Upright Citizen's Brigade, a small comedy club. Starring in it were none other than Horatio Sanz from SNL and a handful of those comedians they hire to comment humorously on those VH1 specials like Best Week Ever and I Love Whatever.

Thus began our group's obsession for celebrity spotting, real or otherwise (every asian woman that passed by was dubbed Yoko Ono by my Aunt Jill). At dinner after the show my mom spotted "you know, that guy that was on that show. He's been on lots of things. You know. No, I don't know his name." He was identified by the waiter to be "That guy from 'Caroline and the City'" and our searches on the internet after we returned home verified that his name is Malcolm Gets. Don't worry, it gets (somewhat) better.

Monday morning was spent on Canal Street (lots of Yokos there) shopping for knockoff Coach purses. Which, as you all know, is my all-time favorite activity. At least the rest of the group was thrilled by being led to secret rooms, trap doors, flaps and drawers to see the illegal stuff. Whatever. After lunch we ventured to the Museum of Modern Art, where the art itself (which was fantastic) was somehow overshadowed by a sighting of Bob Saget amidst the Matisses. We had a nice picnic in Central Park where everyone got up with a picture or a nice story about Erin and her grace and eccentricity. We had planned, after dinner, to go see jazz legend Les Paul. But when the tickets were inexplicably messed up, we were almost as happy eating desert and listening to big band music in the restaurant down the street. At least my great-grandma was floating.

Tuesday was graduation day, so we headed up to Columbia. It was a beautiful, sunny day (ideal conditions for sunburning my face off, which I did). The ceremony was long, but nice. The keynote speaker was Robert Kraft, the Patriots guy, which I thought was uber lame (as was his speech. It needed some of Andrew Baill's flair). While we waited to get past the graduates filing in and to our seats, we spotted Julia Stiles, who was graduating with Erin's class. Rider Strong (Shawn from Boy Meets World) was also listed in the program, but we didn't see him. But back to Erin. After the ceremony we had lunch at Cafe Swish, where I tried sushi for the first and last time (but their sesame chicken was excellent--definitely surpassing Village Wok). We walked back to the hotel from Columbia through Central Park, including Strawberry Fields. After this, my mom and I decided to be losers for the evening and stay in to watch the season finale of Gilmore Girls. No regrets. After it was over, though, we met the rest of the group who had just gone to see the play "Wicked." They reviewed it so well I can't wait to see it myself when they come to town.

Wednesday my mom shook me awake. She had found out about a company that gives tours of New York with an emphasis on locations featured in TV and movies. We rushed out to meet the tour and had the best time. Our tour guide was knowlegeable and enthusiastic both about the city and TV and movies. We saw the Huxtable house, the "Friends" apartment building, the place where the real "Soup Nazi" works, the shop they remodeled as The Shop Around the Corner in "You've Got Mail." Plus we got to ride all around the city and hear lots of stories. It was tons of fun. That night we went out to dinner and then to see "Mamma Mia!" the ABBA musical, which was chees-tastic but OK nonetheless.

I got a message on my phone when I got home on Thursday that Renee was in NYC at the same time! Sorry we didn't run into you, Renee! I hope Renee's and everyone's finals went well and that everyone is back home now. If you're home, call me and we'll play, okay?