Week-long adventures: NYC

Week-long Adventures: Work trip to NYC

(October 11-20, 2010)

So we've been on the go a lot lately. After Amsterdam, Preston and I had one night together before I had to change my reservations and get to Lisbon early to prep for our Expedia EMEA offsite and he was off to Seattle for ten days. Preston arrived back in Geneva Friday afternoon, October 8th (happy birthday, Dad!), we had happy hour with our friend Jo and had a quick Italian dinner. Saturday Preston rode his bike with some equally crazy guys AROUND Lake Geneva (that's right, all 180 km around of one of Europe's largest lakes) so we really only had Sunday together before I was off to work in New York for a week. We made the best of it and I was excited to be home (first time in over a year) and to see so many friends.

So yes, this entry is just "Ashleigh's" adventure, but it was a great time so it should be documented!

I arrived at noon on Monday and my new boss and I took a car service into the city from Newark together. Little did I remember when trying to cross town from his hotel to mine (I was staying on for the rest of the week and wanted to be on the east side) I was right smack in the middle of the Columbus Day Parade. The only day more stressful from my New York days was the Puerto Rican Day Parade day ... and I think that usually at least falls on a Sunday. Crossing from west to east was nearly impossible and by the time we got to my hotel there wasn't even time to check-in, the cab driver had to take me back to the west side to start the North American Market Management Director meetings. Ugh.

So I walked in a few minutes late to the gorgeous Empire Hotel room in which I'd pretty much be living in the remainder of Monday and all day Tuesday (in my defense they started early!) and blew lots of kisses around the room to all of my Director pals from North America. Ahhh, I heart you America. The lobby of the hotel was pretty great too, I had to take a photo ...

Empire lobby -- Love the leopard accents!

Anyway, that night we had a team dinner at Rosa Mexicano right around the corner as soon as the meeting ended. By 9:30pm the jet lag had set in and I am embarassed to admit I was the first one to call it a night. I headed back to the east side to check in and get some rest before starting the day ... literally as I was the first one to present on Tuesday morning!

After all day regional updates (and not being allowed to play with our blackberries), I ran to Saks Fifth Avenue for a quick minute (and maybe a dreamy pair of Louboutins!) ...

The Saks eighth floor shoe salon / heaven.
It's branded "it's so big it has its own zip code."
It's 10022, btw!

... before meeting Natalie and Susanne at a great new restaurant in midtown, Rouge Tomate. I waited at the bar for the girls to arrive and were wowed by their cocktail list -- great choice, Nat!

Photo taken by our Rouge Tomate waiter that clearly
doesn't know too much about flattering camera angles!

Wednesday morning I met Melissa for breakfast before heading to work. She said, "What do you want to do?" I said, "See you, catch up, have some laughs, eat a NY bagel and ... can you help me with something?" Melissa, like the love she is, agreed without even knowing what I was getting her into!

Melissa used to work in the jewelry district of NYC on 47th street. She still works in jewelry (and is super talented!) so I asked her to help me get a plain platinum band to travel with so I didn't have to wear so much jewelry. The following story is completely true and warmed Preston's heart! ...

After breakfast Melissa took me into a store that had a plain platinum band with a pricetag of $2523. She said to the man behind the counter, "What can you do?" He looked us up and down and said, "$1700." Again Melissa said, "What can you do?" To which he replied, "$1100." I was wowed at this point ... but the story gets better. Melissa then proceeded to whip out her iPhone and started tapping away ... she said, only somewhat paying attention and looking up quickly now and then for effect, "Platinum is trading today at ... this ring weighs ... YOU (and looks up for effect ... basically implying, "you can eat dinner tonight") ... $725." And he said, "She's good. Deal." 

!!

Incredible, right? I love Melissa. And I love New York.

Melissa and I on 5th Avenue

After breakfast with Melissa I went to work for a bit then met my first boss, my mentor and my great friend, Grace, for lunch in midtown. We had a wonderful time catching up and happened to be sitting next to BlackRock's head of HR ... I told him Grace was the best boss I've ever had and I owe my career to her. Even though I might have embarrassed her a bit, he said he knew and I think he does, especially given how Grace is now BlackRock's Global Chief Marketing Officer. 

Grace and I after lunch

I went to work that afternoon and then helped with our New York partner event at the Roosevelt Hotel (where I was staying). It was great and almost 200 hotel partners came. Afterwards I went to dinner with Alexis. It was so amazing to see her. Her mother-in-law agreed to babysit Emma so it was just the two of us. A much overdue night of catching up for us. We laughed, we cried, we ate Italian! Poor thing, I had her out until almost midnight. Considering she's halfway through pregnancy number two and stayed out that late, I felt a lot of love!

Thursday morning I went to the Expedia office first thing for meetings. I had breakfast with my friend, Nick, the Director of NY and taught him about NY bagels with scallion cream cheese and chopped tomatoes (he just moved from the Dallas office).

Thursday afternoon I spent at our New York agency, Stan Adler and Associates, eating more sushi than I could have ever imagined and planning out the rest of our year. I was so excited to see my friends there, they keep me sane at work every day. Here's Jill and I with a paper mache mockup of Stan himself (although real-life Stan doesn't wear an eye patch)!

Jill and I (and Stan)

After work I went to Iris and Adam's apartment to meet little miss Miriam, the latest addition to the BU girls' group. She was absolutely adorable and I loved seeing Iris as a mom. 

Miriam and I really are pals -- I think she was just
pushing me away because she wanted to be in the photo
all by herself to show off her cuteness!

While Iris got her mother-in-law settled (who was also babysitting so the girls could play that night!) I met Karen and Alexis in midtown at a happy hour fundraiser for Karen's cousin who's running the NYC marathon next month. Leave it to me to go to a happy hour with two pregnant friends!

Afterwards we met up with Iris and Monica for dinner at the East Side Social Club. It was a great night and amazing to catch up with the girls.

Alexis, Iris, Ashleigh, Karen and Monica
(PLUS Baby Zinberg and Baby Kay who's arrival we're all excited for)

On Friday I had more work in store and but found time to meet Susanne and Natalie for bubbly at Vero, a wine bar right around the corner from my old apartment on the upper eastside, shopping at Pookie and Sebastien (I've missed you!) and manicures. We happened to be in a new manicure place, run by the same owner as the one on 85th street that I loved and frequented for five+ years. The owner happened to walk into the new shop as my nails were drying and smiled when she saw me and said, "You'll follow me anywhere, huh?" Considering I've been gone for two years, that too, made my day.

I ran back to the hotel and got ready for dinner in Tribecca at Odeon with the Jones and Dave Rothenberg ... a little love from the people that have known me the longest (save for Patty too but I was seeing her Saturday!). We had a great dinner, reminsced, laughed and attempted to plan when they're all going to visit Switzerland.

Dave, Tori, Ashleigh, Greg and Graham

Saturday morning I went uptown and had a great breakfast with Alexis, Andrew and my favorite two year old and weekly skype buddy, Emma. More bagels and lots more laughs!

Check out Emma's big girl kicks ... pink Sauconys ...
she is amazingly adorable (with awesome accessories!)

I then left and met Patty at Bloomingdales. What do I love more? My best pal from kindergarten meeting me at Bloomingdales for an afternoon of fun or her husband for driving her into the city with their gorgeous baby, Riley, so I could meet her! Patty and James weren't able to come to wedding number three last year in Seattle because Patty was eight months pregnant so meeting Riley was a first for me and a total treat. I tried to teach her her first word, "Bloomies" but I have some work to do.

Patty and Riley

Trying to teach Riley "Bloomies" as her first word

After James took Riley back to NJ and Patty and I shopped and caught up, I went to Michael Cohen's for the remainder of the afternoon. We caught up for awhile then took a walk through Central Park which is one of my favorite things to do (and something I used to make Michael do with my when we lived on opposite sides of the park). 

Central Park view from the Castle

Michael and I walking around the reservoir

The Jaclyn Kennedy Onassis Reservoir (or just the Central Park reservoir!)

We got back to Michael's place and met Melissa for a pre-dinner cocktail before meeting Natalie, Susanne and Matt for dinner at Nice Matin.

Instead of flying back to Geneva on Saturday night, as I originally planned, I moved my flight and flew to Florida for a super quick visit with Dad, Mom, Gomie and Molly. They had been having a bit of a tough week with lots going on throughout the family and I hoped to be a reason for some smiles and laughs. I think it worked and it did for me too. We had a delicious lobster dinner Sunday night, played on Monday and ate outside Monday night taking in the gorgeous views from their house and enjoying the perfect Florida October weather. I also enjoyed walking with Dad and Gomie to get the NY Post, their daily ritual!, on Tuesday morning.

Mom and Dad and our Sunday lobster dinner

Sunset while enjoying dinner outside Monday night

Dad's girls - Mom and I with Molly (need to have a picture
with Dad and Gomie in here too!)

I'm really glad I was able to make that part of the trip happen as it was so great to see them all. We just missed Preston. The good news is that we'll all be together in Seattle for the holidays.

Tuesday I flew back to Geneva by way of Newark and got upgraded on both flights. Good travel karma, right? As I was on the flight waiting for the door to close in Tampa Preston and I were on the phone and he heard me ordering a juice prior to takeoff. He said, "Did you get upgraded?" I said, "Yes and I'm only a few hundred miles away from being upgraded from silver to gold elite status." To which he replied, "Did I mention I'm platinum?!"

On that note, dear readers, I say come visit ... we'd love to have you and we'd love to hear that you're giving Preston a run for his elite status miles!