New York Minute

This post is so late, it is almost embarrassing to even post it in the first place. You can probably tell how my life has been since having my baby girl, child #2, because everything I do or attempt to do is late. I however am going to be nice to myself and at least give myself credit for trying!
Back in May, on May 22nd to be exact, I took a little business trip to New York City all by my lonesome. New York was everything I expected it to be, only 10 times bigger and it smelled like the bottom of a garbage can and kind of like the sewer, especially when it rained, which it did the entire 24 hours I spent there. I stayed at the Hotel Carter which happens to be right on Times Square or rather kiddie corner to it. Hotel Carter is a one or two star hotel complete with cockroaches, cracked walls and ceilings, moldy bathtubs, creepy closets with no carpet, and cold showers. My room also happened to be right across from the elevators, three of them. The majority of patrons in this hotel were young European and Asian tourists and young people like me with a shoe string budget. I thanked the heavens that there were no bed bugs or no creepers trying to bang down my door in the middle of the night. I took the quickest shower ever the morning I woke up, pretty sure I beat a record somewhere for fastest cold water shower. It's weird when you feel warmer AFTER you turn the water off. I will never forget Hotel Carter, nor will I ever stay there again. I knew it would be bad, but I knew I could tough it out for one night.
I was originally dropped off at The Carlson and knew I was in the wrong place when a butler opened the door for me and carried in my luggage and escorted me to the front counter. I tipped him a couple bucks for that, probably the worst tip he's ever gotten. I was just doing what I've seen in the movies, only I had dollar bills in my wallet and was hard pressed to find anything larger than a $5. When they asked for my name, I knew they wouldn't find it in their computer judging by the marble floor. I sheepishly showed the nice man at the computer my hotel reservation and hotel name I had scribbled on a piece of paper. I was WAY off course! He said that my hotel was far away. What he should have said was that armpit of a hotel is located in  an industrial alley frequented by bums in the shadows and large buildings with creepy sirens that sound off all night long, the kind of sirens you would hear before an impending apocalypse and by big guys saying "Hey Baby." Gives me such warm feelings when I think about it.
I tried to make the most of my 24 hours in New York and I went to Mama Mia the night I flew in and ate at the Hard Rock Cafe on Times Square. The next day I woke up early and found the building where my meeting would be later that afternoon and then I walked my socks off. Never occurred to me to take the subway, which I regret because I'm sure that would have been a great adventure! I do like getting lost because I always find cool places. I walked to the Empire State Building, Grand Central Station, almost made it to Madison Square Garden (before my bleeding blisters finally got to me), walked Fashion Ave in the garment district, and got swindled in a tourist trap shop. I walked by a few hot dog stands you always see in the movies and had some guy yell obscenities at me while I was resting my feet sitting on a bench. I turned around to see if he was talking to someone behind me, but found only a large potted plant. Welcome to New York I guess! I've decided New York is one of those love it or hate it places. Me? I loved it and I can't wait to go back and explore a lot more of that city!

 At Mama Mia. I think I was the youngest person there. The theater was packed full with middle-aged people and busloads of Asians. I sat by a nice older woman with a son my age. She and her sister were so nice to me, they even offered to walk me back to my hotel.

 Times Square the night I got in. Had to buy a $5 umbrella off a hot dog stand because it was pouring.

 Some guy offered to take my picture. It was very nice of him, but I started to worry he would run off with my camera after he took about 10 photos, haha! He told me he wanted to make sure I had one at every angle. Thanks camera guy, but no one needs to see me from every angle!

 Empire State Building-paid $20 bucks to ride to the 80th floor to the lookout-worth it I'd say!

 At the top of the Empire State Building-very awkward trying to take pictures of yourself with a big bulky camera and 50 other tourists watching you do it. Felt like an idiot.

 Grand Central Station

Hotel Carter-don't ever stay there if you don't absolutely have to!

My meeting went very well and I was so thankful because it made the whole crazy trip worth it. I met with about a dozen fashion editors from various magazines and blogs and actually had In Style magazine pick up one of my dresses. I don't know for sure, but I am hoping to see it featured in their pages in the fall. I also met the owner of Shabby Apple and other Emerging Designers, so that made the trip worth it in itself. I also met the publicist team and helped them set up for the press event. I worked myself into a sweat putting together garment racks and steaming about 15 dresses. By the time the event actually started, I was red-faced, big-haired (humidity makes my hair huge and frizzy!), and sweaty. I looked awesome...not! Good thing they were there to look at my dresses and not at me!