Good Bye NYC, until next time…..

With the mix of being SO busy with friends & family visiting, my work has been crazy busy in this city. All Good things!!! I was contacted by an adult adoptee through linkedin, which was SO cool. I love that my posting has created a space for me in the adoption world, which has attracted people to contact me. I had the great fortune of spending a 45 min zoom call with this eloquently spoken 30+ gal who is just starting to unpack so much of her personal adoption story. Our chat went so well that she will be a guest on PairTree’s Modern Adoption Podcast w/Erin & Jess soon. I cannot wait to hear that interview, as the way Bethany spoke of her adoptive mom as the hero in her story gave me chills. Somehow her mom knew how to do adoption right 30+ years ago, before any true education existed. I felt honored for her sharing so candidly with me.

My solo week before more visitors joined, I had the special treat to attend my 4th live Gedale Fenster event in the most beautiful synagogue on the East side (Park East). This was quite the party, I was not expecting his talk to be the high energy of a Tony Robbins event, but the music was blaring, wine flowing, shirts being given away, jewelry being sold, and a mix of people congregating for an hour prior to his powerful talk starting. He spoke about The New You in this New Year! A powerful nugget worth sharing….Growth comes through chaos! Playing it safe brings ZERO growth! It was awesome. I was happy I attended.

I wandered home down my favorite street, Madison Avenue which is lined with the BEST window shopping in the city. I love all the window displays, and this street, and it feels very safe to be solo at any hour. I had taken off Friday & Monday from work, as 2 of my nieces arrived. Annie stayed with me and we had a full itinerary planned to attack. Rachel and 2 friends came to stay with the Bagel girls they had met last year. I’ll summarize the visit, as it was packed with a lot of the same and a little different then previous visits. The best part for me, was experiencing some new places, as Annie is a BIG Tik Tok follower and we had many must see/eat/do Tik Tok places to check off the list. I definitely felt the generational difference being with her, I was her photographer for posting. She came with 2 cameras, ha. Some of my favs that we tackled……We walked over the Brooklyn Bridge, rented a boat in Central Park (the highlight for both of us), SoHo shopping, toured Brooklyn Law School campus, walked the High Line (again), had a photo op in front of Sarah’s apt (Sex in the City) and Chelsea Market. The eating was over the top…..A new Fav thanks to Tik Tok was This Bowl, a yummy healthy spot that we ate at twice. Annie was dying to have according to TT, the best pancake in NYC, we stood on line for 1 hour to eat at Breakfast at Salt Cure. They were good, but for me, not worth the hour wait. OInk Oink OInk. We also celebrated her 21st birthday together at my favorite restaurant in NYC, Minetta Tavern. Yummiest burger ever, and the souffle for dessert is delish.

Annie & I got to visit with Cousins in Brooklyn Heights, we enjoyed catching up with Molly & Debbie and meeting their new dog Bowie. They live on a great street, so close to the Promenade where you have a perfect view of the Statue of Lady. Relaxing on their rooftop chatting about life was a meaningful part of our day. Love being with family! Crazy how many of us were in the City, as tonight we had a dinner with 12 of us! A real party Sat night in NYC. It was 2 nieces, their friends, 2 cousins, pseudo niece, Marley with her roommate, So fun to be with Rachel & Casey again in this fun city. A wild night out with long lines to get into clubs, bars, etc. I felt my age for sure, but hung til midnight. LOL Annie and I subwayed home, which is the best, most affordable mode of transportation. $2.90 to go miles apart so fast. I love the Subway! Although, all my peeps know I prefer to walk- lol Annie was not into all the miles Dora was accustomed too, and thought I was nuts. We ended up buying her a new pair of sneakers- she had brought so many stylish shoes, not the comfy ones. No worries Aunt Laurie to the rescue. We ended her trip with a yummy quiet dinner at our favorite, Sugar Fish. This was my favorite time with her, as we had our bonding time with great conversations reminiscing about the good ol days with my dad, her papa. The night ended watching lots of old family videos we both had on our phones/computers. Love you, Annie!!! ❤️

Upon Annie’s departure, I dived back into work, that night had a dinner with 3 attorney’s in midtown. Remote work is truly the best with the ability to meet many industry people in all these cities. It turned out they were all Jewish woman and one of them lives on my block that we subwayed home together. After connecting on FB, we learned friends we shared in common. What a small world. I met cousin Julie for my first hot yoga class the next day. I was petrified, would I survive? 90 degrees in a room, Core Power Yoga….it was better than anticipated. I walked home and finally bought my fake purse on the street. WE had the chance to squeeze in one more dinner together before saying bye.

I had one more day planned with Drew, we met for brunch at an Israeli restaurant in the UWS, Miriams. Next, was an evening planned in Jersey City, having never been, I was excited for the adventure. I took the PATH, so easy …to the Hoboken station and worked from a coffee shop prior to my meeting. I had been invited by a hopeful adoptive couple to meet at their home. WOW- They lived on the 25th floor of a beautiful building in a gorgeous apartment with floor to ceiling windows of the most incredible views of NYC. You could see the statue of liberty, the empire state building, and the entire skyline. I could not imagine this being a place you live, like in a fishbowl with serious beauty. My time spent with them was so awesome. They are a high power strong couple on a mission to help people in the world in business break barriers. They both used to work for Ernst Young and now have their own tech company. I shared so much wisdom and hope about adoption and they shared many personal stories and tools for life. It was an awesome night. The next day I was interviewed on a podcast, stay tuned for when it is live. I hope it went well, fingers crossed.

One last weekend to wrap up my 30 day NYC stay…..It was rainy. I met Dana, my sisters friend for a drink at the top of the Empire Hotel rooftop. An iconic place according to Gossip Girls. I finally found a dress for the upcoming Bat Mitzvah in AZ.. Driver picked me up on Sun to head back to Woodstock, NY. I was ready to leave, I do love NYC, but not a place I want to live. So nice to see so many people, as my roots are really in New York! Arriving back in the country was just what I needed. I love the slower pace and the scenery of being in the Catskills. Helene and I got to have some quality time together. We watched the talked about series “Nobody Wants This”…..so good! I highly recommend it. We had a special dinner at a beautiful hotel in Accord, NY. Checkout Inness Hotel…Wow, what a dining experience.

On October 1st I left NY. The drive north towards Albany and across the entire state of MA was like out of a storybook. I felt like I was inside a crayola crayon box with all the colors of fall leaves exploding. The many shades of green, orange, yellow, red, brown, wow!! This desert girl is speechless. I had another professional meeting with a social worker in Boston before making my way to the same cottage I stayed last year on the Cape in Orleans, MA. Just in time for my first sunset at Skaket Beach. I have not missed one since arriving. I am seriously living in a space of gratitude constantly. Loving my down time on the Cape. I have one visitor planned here for my last weekend. Stay tuned for a new travel partner to join me. I’ll plan to write my last post for this season of my east coast tour on the plane home on the 16th. Crazy how fast 4.5 months flies by…….

Wishing everyone a Happy Sunday!!! Miss you XOXO

Love Laurie Sue AKA Dora!!! ❤️ 🍁 😘