NYC!

First time riding on the train, first time in NYC, first time seeing a play on Broadway -- Paul sure did know how to make celebrating my 30th birthday memorable and exciting!

For about two months, I knew there was a surprise trip planned for my birthday weekend but I had NO idea where we were going. He arranged all of the travel plans and for his parents to watch the boys for the weekend. On the Thursday evening before we were to leave, I came home from work to birthday roses and two cards -- one from him and one from the boys. I opened the one from him first and as soon as I opened the card, it started singing, "New York...". Wow! I started to tear up just from that amazing surprise. Then I opened the card from the boys and it had tickets to see The Lion King on Broadway. Really?!? Tears enter here... For those of you who know me, you know how much I LOVE the Lion King so the opportunity to see it on Broadway in NYC was beyond words. Love that man.

So our adventure began early on Friday morning with riding Amtrak up to Penn Station in NYC. We hopped a taxi to our hotel -- the Marriott Marquis Times Square -- right in the heart of all the action! Just the sight of Times Square was breathtaking. The view from our hotel room (on the 33rd floor) had a direct shot of the ball that drops on New Year's Eve. The bright lights and constant hustle and bustle were crazy. Even at 10pm at night, it looks like 4pm outside because the lights are so bright.

After settling in and grabbing a late lunch, we headed to Ground Zero. We both very much wanted to visit this historic sight and pay our respects. Since it has been almost 10 years since 9/11, the area was mainly a huge construction site but we saw the plaques and tributes to 9/11 and to the FDNY firefighters who perished that day. It doesn't matter how long it has been since that day, the emotions never fade. We saw the plans for the 9/11 memorial that they are building. It is going to be beautiful, with cascading waterfalls falling down into the "holes" that were once the site for the two towers.

We then talked around the financial district, Wall St. etc before venturing to Shula's Steakhouse back in Times Square for my birthday dinner. Delish. The next morning I slept in while Paul brought my coffee and breakfast in bed and then we walked over to Rockefeller Center. We saw where they film the Today show and decided to take the NBC Studio Tour. It was about 90 minutes and we saw where they film MSNBC, NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, Dr. Oz, and the set for SNL! (Daney Carvey was the host for that night and things were in full-swing getting set up for the evening.)

We started to walk around 5th Ave/ Madison Ave to do a little window shopping but it was a cold and rainy NY day so we hopped a taxi to Madame Tussauds wax museum (note slideshow of photos below from just our trip there) -- so fun! It was touristy and a little cheesy but we shared some good laughs and were amazed at how some of the wax statues looked so real!

We decided to have dinner at one of Gordom Ramsay's restaurants (Hell's Kitchen) called Maze. It was spectacular. It was probably the best dinner I have ever had. Seriously. Worth every penny. Then it was time for The Lion King! I wish we could have taken pictures during the show but they probably wouldn't have done the beauty any justice. The costumes, set, music, everything was magical. I probably was sitting with my mouth wide open in awe when I wasn't signing along to the songs.

Truly a magical weekend. We were only there for two days but I felt like we were able to see and experience so much. It was so relaxing and just time for the two of us to be together, laugh, smile, and hold hands. I can't think of a better way to have spent my 30th birthday!

(Slideshows below from the weekend!)