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Friday, June 24, 2011

The Big 'Oh'

Well, for those of you who know me - you'll know that I recently had a birthday - a big 'oh' birthday...  Oh, as in oh - am I really -that- old?!!  I've been busy since then so, haven't had a chance to blog - but have been dying to as it was the best adventure yet!!  WARNING - this is a LONG post, but it was a great adventure - I have to share it all, grab a cuppa and indulge me if you care to come along for the ride.

I had thought that I would be spending the Friday night with SO, and then on the Saturday night we were heading out with a group of people from work for a night of dinner, drinks and laughter at a pub type location here in Stockholm.  It had gotten quite close (about a month out) and I hadn't set a location for this get together and SO (lovely man that he is) volunteered to take on the job of tracking down a location, and doing the set up for said gathering...  Well, apparently by this time there were already other plans well underway that I knew nothing about...

It all started (for me anyway) on the Tuesday - when I received a formal invitation to 'mystery date night' on the Wednesday night with SO.  Our date nights are a newly instigated thing and happen once a month - it was due the week before, but we'd both been really busy and nothing had been organised - we still went out for a walk and for dinner (probably the worst we've had since we've lived here!) but SO did say that he had something he was trying to organise for a date night really soon, that he really thought I'd enjoy...  So, while it was a little bit of a surprise that it came through so quickly - I was really excited that he'd gone to trouble to organise something - a bit perplexed as to why it needed such a formal invitation - but none the less excited...

Wednesday mornings are early ones for us - we have a meeting with the team in Melbourne via skype and -have- to be in the office by 8.30am for that to start (we normally start around 9)...  And, those of you who know me - know that I'm so NOT a morning person - so I am a notorious snoozer...  SO normally is too - but this morning his alarm went off at the same time as mine (it's normally set for about 20 mins later) and he didn't snooze at all - in fact he practically jumped out of bed as soon as it went off...  He went rustling about in the store room (next to our bedroom) and came back in with a nest of 3 suitcases, dumped them on the bed:

SO: Come on, get up - you have to help me pack this
Me: What?
SO: You're not going to work today - come on you have to help me pack this
Me: I'm sorry what (there was a bit of that this particular day)
SO: I think you heard me, you're not going to work today - you need to get up and help me pack this
Me: The giant suitcase?  (Yeah, I was really on the ball!)
SO: Maybe the next size down, but come on - you have to get up...

Rubbing my eyes I dragged myself off to the bathroom and still rubbing my eyes and puzzling returned to the bedroom to help pack for 'mystery date night'.  It needed enough clothes to get me through until about Tuesday, at least one 'nice' outfit for wearing out, and I should pack for weather much like we're currently having...  Oh, and we need to be packed and out of here within an hour...

Right, that achieved we were out the door in search of a cab.  Loaded into one - we were off to the airport...  I don't remember much about the ride - I was still reeling and trying to wake up...  Safely deposited at the airport, SO leads me inside and up to one of the check yourself in computers...  Can I have your passport please - and he scans it, then asks me to take over the check in...  So I start clicking through the screens until I get to one that says I'm checking us both in to fly from Stockholm to New York - the look on my face was why he wanted me to drive - he has that surprised shock on film (well, on memory card anyway)!!

There was some drama at the airport due to Delta's computer system going down, and then a fairly boring 8-ish hour flight - let me fast forward past that.

We arrived into JFK airport, to SO telling me that oh, by the way the driver from the hotel who he'd ordered to pick us up may have a photographer with him...  Or he might just have a small camera himself, not to sure - just wanted to give me the heads up...  Hmmm, that tip may have been a bit handy when I'd mentioned after you'd packed the bathroom bag and zipped up the case that I hadn't even gotten to brush my hair that morning... *rolls eyes* Anyway, it took us a few minutes to find the driver with our sign, because we came out the wrong door.  But then we found him (no one with him thankfully!), and as we're walking up the hill outside the terminal he informs us that the airport have rules that don't allow him to bring the car in close - he'll go for the 10 minute walk to get the limo and then meet us at this spot...  I'm sorry what - yes, that's right 'the limo'...  When it pulls up - there's someone in the passenger seat pointing a video camera out - I was less happy about having one of those in my face than a still!!  Never the less, into the limo we get and have a bit of a drive to the hotel...

When we get there the driver (and his assistant) open up the car door to allow us to get out and I pop out to a girl standing there welcoming me to New York - thanks, OH MY GOD - it's my best mate from Oz (who doesn't live in the same state as me, so time together is quite rare).  I let out one of those girly squeals you hear in the movies (and yes, embarrassingly all caught on file) and grab hold of her and start babbling and blubbering.  Are you kidding me - not only am I in THE place I always wanted to go to for this milestone, but Bestie is also there - SENSATIONAL!

Into the hotel (the Sofitel on 44th Street) for check in, and the man handing over the keys says 'Mr SO - you have a lovely suite on the 15th floor'.  I'm sorry - what??  (oh yeah - I did warn there was a bit of that!!)  Yep, a suite - in the Sofitel - in New York - for my big 'oh' - and Bestie's there too...  Oh My God!!  There was some time of - I can't believe we pulled this off, and stories of how long they'd been in contact cooking up all the plans - Oh My God!  Some more girly giggling and carrying on while I called mum (at very early in her morning) to tell her where I was and then called another close friend 'P' who's recently moved to NYC with his partner - Oh My God!!

The actual birthday day was very full - some shopping in the morning, lunch with Bestie, SO and P at P's favorite restaurant, then off to my next 'appointment'.  An envelope handed to me in the cab explaining that my colleagues on the project we're working on in Stockholm had pooled together and gotten me a helicopter ride over NYC - and we were off to the helipad... OMG!  Some waiting around there and then a sensational view or 10 of NYC later we were off running back to the hotel to change for dinner.  An early one, as there were later plans already.  We arrive for dinner - which Bestie had booked in a revolving restaurant overlooking the New York skyline - OMG!!  Freaked me out some - a migraine that was setting in had disoriented me some - but once I was sat down for a while and used to the movement, OMG - sensational!!  And then we were off to a show (on Broadway, thanks very much) called Rock of Ages - funny, loud, daggy 80's hair band type musical.  What a day!

Saturday was spent mostly doing touristy type stuff, I won't drag you all through - but Saturday night SO had booked tickets to see Cirque du Soliel's brand new show (launched only the day before the birthday) at Radio City Music Hall, called Zarkarna.  Wow - I LOVE Cirque shows, and while this one was different to all the others I've seen - just amazing (as always).

Sunday was again spent mostly sightseeing - but did include the Empire State Building!  It took longer than we'd expected to get up to the observation decks and have a look around - but amazing when we got to, and the whole building (like a lot of New York - including our hotel) is Art Deco - gorgeous decorations and details throughout. It was just unbelievable to finally be in this place that I've seen on so many TV shows and movies for years and years - unreal!

And then there was Sunday night - a night of a barrel of laughs, a bushel of tears, good food, lethal drink, super friends, and all round good company.  Dinner at a great place in Hell's Kitchen with SO, Bestie, P and his partner M.  Entertaining waiters, oh and it was the Tony award night (Broadway awards) so they were all beside themselves and playing up an absolute treat to us!  A night where in between laughing and drinking ourselves pretty silly - I tried to explain what it had meant to me that SO and Bestie had colluded all this time and that they'd pulled off such an AMAZING, just flat out AMAZING trip.  And how much it had meant to me that it was in the place where I'd always wanted to go, and now with P and M there - I got the extra bonus of getting to celebrate with them too!!

Ridiculous for such an anally retentive control freak to have been so 'out of control' for a week but oh so worth it...  What an adventure!!  Thanks guys - love you xxx

4 comments:

  1. Wow - you are so lucky - happy birthday and what a fantastic surprise. And yes I did read to the end :0)
    Have fun

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Jo, for indulging me and reading through!! I am so so lucky to have such beautiful, caring people in my life - I am extremely grateful!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks for coming over to my blog to say hi and for leaving me with a comment - I have already checked out the sketch site you suggested and it looks great - will be bookmarking!

    I have to say that your special birthday sounds incredible! What an experience! New York is still on my list of places to visit so I'm a tad envious. Sounds like you had a blast. Happy Belated birthday!

    ReplyDelete

Friday, June 24, 2011

The Big 'Oh'

Well, for those of you who know me - you'll know that I recently had a birthday - a big 'oh' birthday...  Oh, as in oh - am I really -that- old?!!  I've been busy since then so, haven't had a chance to blog - but have been dying to as it was the best adventure yet!!  WARNING - this is a LONG post, but it was a great adventure - I have to share it all, grab a cuppa and indulge me if you care to come along for the ride.

I had thought that I would be spending the Friday night with SO, and then on the Saturday night we were heading out with a group of people from work for a night of dinner, drinks and laughter at a pub type location here in Stockholm.  It had gotten quite close (about a month out) and I hadn't set a location for this get together and SO (lovely man that he is) volunteered to take on the job of tracking down a location, and doing the set up for said gathering...  Well, apparently by this time there were already other plans well underway that I knew nothing about...

It all started (for me anyway) on the Tuesday - when I received a formal invitation to 'mystery date night' on the Wednesday night with SO.  Our date nights are a newly instigated thing and happen once a month - it was due the week before, but we'd both been really busy and nothing had been organised - we still went out for a walk and for dinner (probably the worst we've had since we've lived here!) but SO did say that he had something he was trying to organise for a date night really soon, that he really thought I'd enjoy...  So, while it was a little bit of a surprise that it came through so quickly - I was really excited that he'd gone to trouble to organise something - a bit perplexed as to why it needed such a formal invitation - but none the less excited...

Wednesday mornings are early ones for us - we have a meeting with the team in Melbourne via skype and -have- to be in the office by 8.30am for that to start (we normally start around 9)...  And, those of you who know me - know that I'm so NOT a morning person - so I am a notorious snoozer...  SO normally is too - but this morning his alarm went off at the same time as mine (it's normally set for about 20 mins later) and he didn't snooze at all - in fact he practically jumped out of bed as soon as it went off...  He went rustling about in the store room (next to our bedroom) and came back in with a nest of 3 suitcases, dumped them on the bed:

SO: Come on, get up - you have to help me pack this
Me: What?
SO: You're not going to work today - come on you have to help me pack this
Me: I'm sorry what (there was a bit of that this particular day)
SO: I think you heard me, you're not going to work today - you need to get up and help me pack this
Me: The giant suitcase?  (Yeah, I was really on the ball!)
SO: Maybe the next size down, but come on - you have to get up...

Rubbing my eyes I dragged myself off to the bathroom and still rubbing my eyes and puzzling returned to the bedroom to help pack for 'mystery date night'.  It needed enough clothes to get me through until about Tuesday, at least one 'nice' outfit for wearing out, and I should pack for weather much like we're currently having...  Oh, and we need to be packed and out of here within an hour...

Right, that achieved we were out the door in search of a cab.  Loaded into one - we were off to the airport...  I don't remember much about the ride - I was still reeling and trying to wake up...  Safely deposited at the airport, SO leads me inside and up to one of the check yourself in computers...  Can I have your passport please - and he scans it, then asks me to take over the check in...  So I start clicking through the screens until I get to one that says I'm checking us both in to fly from Stockholm to New York - the look on my face was why he wanted me to drive - he has that surprised shock on film (well, on memory card anyway)!!

There was some drama at the airport due to Delta's computer system going down, and then a fairly boring 8-ish hour flight - let me fast forward past that.

We arrived into JFK airport, to SO telling me that oh, by the way the driver from the hotel who he'd ordered to pick us up may have a photographer with him...  Or he might just have a small camera himself, not to sure - just wanted to give me the heads up...  Hmmm, that tip may have been a bit handy when I'd mentioned after you'd packed the bathroom bag and zipped up the case that I hadn't even gotten to brush my hair that morning... *rolls eyes* Anyway, it took us a few minutes to find the driver with our sign, because we came out the wrong door.  But then we found him (no one with him thankfully!), and as we're walking up the hill outside the terminal he informs us that the airport have rules that don't allow him to bring the car in close - he'll go for the 10 minute walk to get the limo and then meet us at this spot...  I'm sorry what - yes, that's right 'the limo'...  When it pulls up - there's someone in the passenger seat pointing a video camera out - I was less happy about having one of those in my face than a still!!  Never the less, into the limo we get and have a bit of a drive to the hotel...

When we get there the driver (and his assistant) open up the car door to allow us to get out and I pop out to a girl standing there welcoming me to New York - thanks, OH MY GOD - it's my best mate from Oz (who doesn't live in the same state as me, so time together is quite rare).  I let out one of those girly squeals you hear in the movies (and yes, embarrassingly all caught on file) and grab hold of her and start babbling and blubbering.  Are you kidding me - not only am I in THE place I always wanted to go to for this milestone, but Bestie is also there - SENSATIONAL!

Into the hotel (the Sofitel on 44th Street) for check in, and the man handing over the keys says 'Mr SO - you have a lovely suite on the 15th floor'.  I'm sorry - what??  (oh yeah - I did warn there was a bit of that!!)  Yep, a suite - in the Sofitel - in New York - for my big 'oh' - and Bestie's there too...  Oh My God!!  There was some time of - I can't believe we pulled this off, and stories of how long they'd been in contact cooking up all the plans - Oh My God!  Some more girly giggling and carrying on while I called mum (at very early in her morning) to tell her where I was and then called another close friend 'P' who's recently moved to NYC with his partner - Oh My God!!

The actual birthday day was very full - some shopping in the morning, lunch with Bestie, SO and P at P's favorite restaurant, then off to my next 'appointment'.  An envelope handed to me in the cab explaining that my colleagues on the project we're working on in Stockholm had pooled together and gotten me a helicopter ride over NYC - and we were off to the helipad... OMG!  Some waiting around there and then a sensational view or 10 of NYC later we were off running back to the hotel to change for dinner.  An early one, as there were later plans already.  We arrive for dinner - which Bestie had booked in a revolving restaurant overlooking the New York skyline - OMG!!  Freaked me out some - a migraine that was setting in had disoriented me some - but once I was sat down for a while and used to the movement, OMG - sensational!!  And then we were off to a show (on Broadway, thanks very much) called Rock of Ages - funny, loud, daggy 80's hair band type musical.  What a day!

Saturday was spent mostly doing touristy type stuff, I won't drag you all through - but Saturday night SO had booked tickets to see Cirque du Soliel's brand new show (launched only the day before the birthday) at Radio City Music Hall, called Zarkarna.  Wow - I LOVE Cirque shows, and while this one was different to all the others I've seen - just amazing (as always).

Sunday was again spent mostly sightseeing - but did include the Empire State Building!  It took longer than we'd expected to get up to the observation decks and have a look around - but amazing when we got to, and the whole building (like a lot of New York - including our hotel) is Art Deco - gorgeous decorations and details throughout. It was just unbelievable to finally be in this place that I've seen on so many TV shows and movies for years and years - unreal!

And then there was Sunday night - a night of a barrel of laughs, a bushel of tears, good food, lethal drink, super friends, and all round good company.  Dinner at a great place in Hell's Kitchen with SO, Bestie, P and his partner M.  Entertaining waiters, oh and it was the Tony award night (Broadway awards) so they were all beside themselves and playing up an absolute treat to us!  A night where in between laughing and drinking ourselves pretty silly - I tried to explain what it had meant to me that SO and Bestie had colluded all this time and that they'd pulled off such an AMAZING, just flat out AMAZING trip.  And how much it had meant to me that it was in the place where I'd always wanted to go, and now with P and M there - I got the extra bonus of getting to celebrate with them too!!

Ridiculous for such an anally retentive control freak to have been so 'out of control' for a week but oh so worth it...  What an adventure!!  Thanks guys - love you xxx

4 comments:

  1. Wow - you are so lucky - happy birthday and what a fantastic surprise. And yes I did read to the end :0)
    Have fun

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Jo, for indulging me and reading through!! I am so so lucky to have such beautiful, caring people in my life - I am extremely grateful!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks for coming over to my blog to say hi and for leaving me with a comment - I have already checked out the sketch site you suggested and it looks great - will be bookmarking!

    I have to say that your special birthday sounds incredible! What an experience! New York is still on my list of places to visit so I'm a tad envious. Sounds like you had a blast. Happy Belated birthday!

    ReplyDelete

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