I Heart NYC

James and I traveled to the Big Apple this weekend to visit our friends (Jon) Weber and his wife Christiana and Missy. James has been friends with Weber and Missy since childhood and both are Hawkeyes! (How about that game?!) We arrived in the Big City Friday afternoon and cabbed to the Bronx to the Webers' adobe.

A view of the Webers' street.

From there we traveled to the lovely Chelsea neighborhood for a tour guided by Jon Weber himself. The tour was highlighted by Diane Von Furstenberg store for me! I later learned that it was the same DVF that Sarah Jessica Parker filmed a scene in for the Sex and the City movie. (For you fans out there: she calls Samantha to share the news of her and Big's engagement. Samantha is less than thrilled and states that being Carrie's MOH sounds "paihnful and

unneccessary"). I later learned on the SATC tour that we had actually walked by the home of James Gandollfini aka Tony Soprano. We also saw the bar Hogs and Heffers from which the movie Coyote Ugly was based.

Weber and Christiana on the 1 Line.

After our Chelsea tour, we met up with Missy for dinner and then headed to the Broadway production of Jersey Boys! The show was AWESOME, so awesome in fact that James even enjoyed it. He's been walking around with his chest out singing "Walk Like a Man" is his very best Frankie Valli voice since.

Here we are on the 1 Line

We started Saturday with donuts from the Webers' favorite shop up the street...delicious! They continued filling our bellies with lunch at the famous Bouchon Bakery located in Columbus Circle. Not only was the meal pleasing to our palates, but we had a beautiful view of Columbus Circle and Central Park to enjoy. (I must insert a plug for Bouchon's grilled cheese and tomato soup...so yummy!)

Here's Bouchon. Can you appreciate the view?

James, Christiana and Weber went to ESPN Zone to watch football for a few hours while I met up with Missy for the SEX AND THE CITY TOUR! I must recommend this tour for anyone who is a fan of the show. It was lots of fun and included stops for Magnolia cupcakes, Fresh make-up and cosmos, which unfortunately I could not partake in.

In front of Magnolia Bakery

Here are Missy and me in the West Village. We enjoyed Magnolia cupcakes and Fresh make-up at this stop. Sarah Jessica Parker lives around the corner...

After the tour we met up with the others for NY style pizza at John's Pizzeria. I learned that NY pizza taste better if you do not fold it.

James and Weber at John's Pizzeria

As we are all Hawkeyes (Christiana is honorary) we HAD to find the Iowa game....back to the ESPN Zone in Times Square! Unfortunately, there were not enough of us to warrant having the Iowa game actually on, and we didn't get to see much of it. We were not defeated. After a few drinks we sloshed our way back to the Bronx and hung out at the Webers'.

Here we are in Times Square

Jon and Christiana :) Thanks for taking such great care of us. We'll be back!