New York Diaries Day One

Our first airport, Dan & Seth dropped us off at the unloading zone of the Salt Lake Airport at 4 AM and as I jostled around my various bag, purse & oxygen concentrator - they chuckled and wished Chloe, "Good Luck!", wishing her the best of luck - handling her mother...

She treated me to Starbucks for an early breakfast

What a morning! Happy Birthday to me!!! 

But I made it through the terminal [only I got a pat down through security] , after checking all of our large luggage - many thanks to Lauren Forsberg for lending us her bougie 4-wheel-drive luggage.

I chose Southwest Airlines because they offer passengers of size a free seat to provide enough room. And I wasn't encroaching on anyone's space - comfort & Yay!

We landed in Chicago with a looong layover. 

We ate at a restaurant called Go White Sox during our loooong layover.

I french braided her hair during our looong layover.

Then we sat around just outside of our gate. 

Or so we thought :(

After I got a text that said our flight to Rochester was boarding, 

we realized our mistake and booked it from gate 15 → → → → → to gate 26. 

We didn't get to sit together but we made it on the plane and to New York. After departing this plane in Rochester we learned that this airport was so cute and clean and empty.  We got our luggage and rental car and took off.  The area is part suburban, part college town and we made our way to Branca, a rustic-chic restaurant with gourmet Italian dishes and cocktails.

Aglia E Formaggio ($12)

The ciabatta was drizzled with garlic oil, oregano & mozzarella and had a cherry pepper puree and a hot honey to choose from for dipping. This was divine, the hot honey especially!

Hotel June ($9)

She picked this drink for her first New York beverage. 

It consisted of nonalcoholic tequila, cucumber, lemon, lime & pink grapefruit.  

It was not delicious! 

The drink was so, so bad with a very strong cucumber presence that was very overwhelming.

Chloe's dinner: Spaghetti alla Limone & Steak ($32) 

spaghetti, lemon, garlic, parmesan

This dish was light and creamy with a delicious portion of well seasoned steak.

My dinner: Rigatoni e Pisello ($28)

rigatoni, pea pesto, mascapone, crispy prosciutto, & pea shoots

This restaurant was close to our hotel and even though we weren't sure about the fanciness of the menu items as we looked online, we both found something yummy!

Salted Caramel Gelato

they served for my Birthday!!!

The .5

After we checked into the hotel we had to drive the five minutes back to Branca's to pick up Chloe's purse she had left behind...  

199 Woodcliff Dr, Fairport, NY 14450

Back to the hotel for some relaxing at the pool and hot tub, which was a major let down. All the pools in Kanab were better than this dirty and dingy pool. The hot tub wasn't filled more than half way and was not even really warm - sad...

I had pulled out my label maker as I was packing back at home and just came across my lotion I use each night. Dan had added a new label for a surprise as I got ready for bcd.