GUEST POST!!

From the guest blogger who brought you such treats from Aixpedition's Guest Blog #1: Colette Invites Herself to France comes the exciting sequel: Colette Invites Herself to New York! Your favorite spare room crasher is currently 2/3 done with her sojourn to the mystical and fascinating world of New York City.

For a quick glance at our itinerary, click here. Otherwise, enjoy some tidbits:

Friday: excitement and worry as American Airlines/Dane County Regional airport cancels my flight from Madison to Chicago WITHOUT TELLING ME UNTIL AFTER I CHECK IN. Their excuse? The weather. You know how many other flights were cancelled? Zero. Luckily, thanks to Brian, The Very Best Boyfriend in the World, I get driven to O'Hare in record time and breeze through security to catch a flight to La Guardia. At 11:30, I am greeted after security by a certain person who now goes by the name of Kristin. Kristin!

The next day we did a whirlwind tour of the island of Manhattan. First, a trip to the largest cathedral in the US, St John the Divine, and then across the street to the Hungarian Pastry Shop. Brian, expect something rich and delicious. Then we made our way downtown to, among other things, walk the Brooklyn Bridge. That led to taken the Staten Island Ferry, where I ran into the only other person I know who lives in New York. Small world! We end the tour eating at the Yorkville Creperie, thanks to a deal from Groupon. We overdid it and had some rather impressive food baby bellies afterward. The evening was spent with me speed reading every book that interested me from the intern's bookshelf and watching The Bells of St Mary's.

Today involved...church. One of Kristie's Kristin's co-worker's showed up at 9am because she was preaching at St. Mary's (where Kristie lives). We sat for 15 minutes of that service and rode the subway to St Luke in the Fields. A lovely church! Four baptisms! And one crucifer, 2 thurifers, 4 eucharistic ministers, 6 acolytes, an subdeacon, and 3 priests. Incense everywhere, I lost consciousness halfway through the sermon, but it was a classy service. Afterward, we went with the 20/30s group to a picnic at High Line Park and had a very informal photo shoot in Central Park. (Pictures forthcoming?)

So it may sound like a pretty chill weekend (consider it was my first trip ever to New York City), but the loveliest part so far was getting to see and get reacquainted with a good friend.

The food's been pretty good, too.