Wednesday, December 21st, 2011
In front of the Ralph Lauren Store (Madison & 71st), 8:45am

Hello hello!  Sorry I'm a bit late today.  I both woke up a little late (7:45am) and took an extra long walk (several loops around the great lawn as opposed to just 1) because I don't have to go in to work today and it's my last day to walk with my little Sofie before I go to OR.  As you can see, Sofie got a stick today and carried it home with her.  It's always hard to take it from her when we get back to the place, but if I let her bring it in to the apartment she just tries to tear it up into a million pieces and it makes a big mess. 

Aside from that I had an absolutely amazing birthday yesterday.  The day was fairly normal - a bit disappointing perhaps because all I did all day was work on my Biochem proposal.  Not the most exciting birthday, so when I got home, Brian cooked me this delicious dinner of cavatelli & broccoli with lots of garlic and parmesan.  It was really, really good.  Then we went and got a cab but I had no idea where we were going.  We ended up at the Blue Note in the West Village, which if you don't know it, is probably one of the most famous jazz clubs in the world. 
http://www.bluenote.net/newyork/index.shtml

And we get in, and it's PACKED with people eating dinner and drinking.  And I still don't know what we're seeing so when the host tells us he can't seat us together that we have to go join OTHER people's dinner tables, I was kind of like...well maybe we should just go get dessert.  It was awkward to join other people's tables - trust me.  So then Brian was like...no no, we can't leave.  Then he told them it was my birthday and they found us 2 seats together with 4 other people at the table. 

Then Chris Botti came on. 

.....I'm waiting for the wow factor.  Nobody shot down my wow factor more than my mother, who when I told about this night said..."Who's that?  Is he a basketball player?" 

"Yes Mother, I went to a famous jazz club to see a basketball player.  One that you have seen on TV several times in fact."  (She has no memory of this of course). 

Anyway - I can't describe it to you - you would have had to be there but it was the most incredible music I've ever heard.  It was one of the most amazing things I've ever heard. 

That's all for now.  I leave tomorrow at 6:30am to go to OR.  I think Brian may be guest blogging for me, but I'm not sure.  We shall see. 

Either way, have a wonderful day! 

Here's your X-mas cheer for the day:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7A03tpV-70k&feature=related