Out with Friends in NYC- August 2013

Asking people  to go out in NYC with a week's notice, especially in the summer when most people have every weekend booked, well, it's not a good strategy. But our friends are awesome, so they worked us into their other plans. Since Kevin's mom was visiting we went out in the evening for dinner. We had salmon-and-cheese mazemen at Yuji Ramen Test Kitchen (Lower East Side), dumplings at Vanessa's Dumpling House (Chinatown), and then drinks with our friends at the Magician (back to the Lower East Side). Noodles were good, dumplings were good, and Peak Organic ale on tap- yum!

Jon and Becky had a concert that night, but they got to the bar early to hang out with us before they left. Becky and I delightedly gossiped about the Sister Wives show. Then, even though Rachel and Tim were celebrating their 7th wedding anniversary, they came by after their romantic dinner-and-a-show to hang out with us. How very sweet of them!

Rachel and Tim- seven happy years!

Then Jackie and her boyfriend Rob overlapped them a lot but also stayed for a while after Rachel and Tim had to head out. I haven't seen Jackie in ages, and I haven't met Rob before so it was great to spend time really talking and catching up. And it's not going to be forever again until next time!

Jackie and Rob at the Magician

Becky and Jon enjoying their night out! [Not pictured: Jon]

Going home on the LIRR- good night out!

Dinosaur BBQ and West Harlem Piers Park 2012

I hear the following frequently, "I was going to bring my camera, but then I figured Ericka was going to be there, so I left it at home."  Well, sometimes I have a camera issue. Kevin got me a battery pack to modify my existing camera model because I complained that my battery is too slow at weddings to catch all the moments I want to catch. It's part of my evolving amateur photography. Well, the battery pack has been wonderful except that unlike my old 1-battery-at-time system, the camera doesn't slow down to warn me when the batteries are dying. That's the whole point right?  So Saturday when we arrived in Harlem for dinosaur BBQ I tried to get some shots of the area before we went in to the restaurant-- and my camera was totally dead. On the bright side, we had Kevin's phone to take photos with, but I only believe in that form of memory-capture in extreme emergencies such as this one.

Jon, Becky, and Kevin

Dinner was great. I got the pulled pork, and Kevin got basically everything because I want him to gain back the weight that he lost on my post-pregnancy diet. Kevin and I can't help rating BBQ now, so we gave it a B+ which is a very strong grade for not even being in the South. The mac and cheese's crust was sublime and it was the best I've had in a long time. I also felt compelled to eat the Oreo pie abomination. It was delicious but I seriously felt sick afterwards from all the sugar. Oops. I don't know what the men were talking about because Sarah and I spent most of the time bombarding Becky with mother-to-be questions.

Me, Sarah, and Lukas

After dinner we spent a little time walking along the West Harlem Piers Park. It was nice to get a little air and the view is actually pretty.

Yucking it up

Biggest laugh winner

Becky, Jon, and mini-Stern

Sarah being cute with her husband Lukas

The Clous and the pier