Best Text Ever

A week ago I got a text from my college roommate:

"Jen!!! I may becoming to NYC with friends this weekend!! Will you be around/able to driver there if I go?"

We hadn't seen each other in almost two years, which is terribly sad because she's one of the coolest people ever and very dear to me. So naturally, I was stoked. Really stoked.

I drove to Long Island where she and two of her friends were staying with their other friend. After drinking some coffee on the back patio sort of thing, all of us went to All American Burger. Mmmm, delicious. I didn't get any pictures because I was too busy easy the scrumptiousness. Then we went here :

It's a castle. In Long Island, NY. How did I not know about this?!? Apparently it cost money to get in, so instead we swung by a big ol' house that had these (which I now would like in my house someday):

And this! (forgive my terribly, low-lit phone photography)

So fun! One of the guys tried pulling out a bunch of books in hopes that one of the shelves would swing out, revealing a secret room. No luck. We didn't stay long because everything was set up for a wedding, and we felt it might be terribly awkward to get stuck inside when the thing started.

Then we went into the city. I'm not a huge city person (as in I live close to two major US cities and hardly ever go to either), but it was really fun. We got some delicious Mac n' Cheese at S'Mac. They cook it in a tiny cast-iron skillet, which results in amazing scalding awesomeness.

One of the guys had been told by his chiropractor's receptionist (in Tennessee) about this really neat place to go. It's almost impossible to get into without a reservation and they only take same-day reservations, so we called literally over 200 times before getting through (and I'm not one to use the word "literally" to mean practically. I think the actually count was close to 240), but they didn't have any times left until 1am.

BUT we were not so easily deterred. The place opened at 6. We were there at 6:05 and since the person that had reserved the 6 hadn't shown yet, they let us in! Here is Sarah (that's my roommate) and I in the corner booth.

The lighting was perfect for the atmosphere but kind of awful for pictures. And I'm really sad that I didn't get a picture of the stuffed BADGER WEARING A SCARF. Seriously, I'm not sure there could be any other taxidermied decoration that could make me as happy as that badger did.

We didn't stay too long since the other party eventually showed, but it was so cool while it lasted.

Then we went to various other places, one being a rooftop bar that was right next to this:

The best part? The live jazz - just a trombone player, drummer, and keyboardist. Very cool. Very New York.

After that, we grabbed super-hot pizza and took the train back to Long Island. I said goodbye to my new friends and Sarah =( and drove home.

Such a fantastic day. I really need to make sure it isn't two years before I see my roommate again, because it was so stinkin' fun hanging out with her. Her friends were pretty great, too. That the whole thing was kind of spontaneous just added to the awesome. I was looking forward to seeing Sarah in maybe December, so the fact that I got to see her yesterday was amazing. I miss her.