American Adventures: NYE in NYC

New Year’s Eve began with a few alcoholic beverages.

Just kidding... Kyra and I got my sister and brother-in-law’s alcohol out of the cupboard and posed with it. We are such posers.

But my mum is the biggest poser of us all.

Kyra and I weren’t quite sure what to expect from our first NYE in NYC,

but I was ready to kiss 2017 goodbye.

We headed into the city with a stopover at Starbucks in Penn Station. Mum even made a new friend. She met a homeless man, and he showed her his new joggers and gloves.

We met up with Alicia and Carlos. Kyra entertained the masses.

Our attempt to walk from a Subway station to STK Midtown was thwarted by the barriers surrounding the city. We walked for about ten minutes before the cold weather started to make us all crabby, so we jumped in a taxi.

We made it to the restaurant hoping the $155 per person price tag would be worth it. Spoiler alert... it was totally worth it. Best New Year’s Eve ever!

Our tickets included a table, hors d’ouvres, stylish cardboard accessories, open bar, DJ, champagne toast, and the countdown to 2018. Our tickets didn’t include the $5 coat check.

We began the night with a little sophistication.

That didn’t last long.

We danced the night away.

Mum’s moves were particularly interesting.

We made friends with the people around us.

Then 2018 arrived. We partied into the early hours of January 1st.

The following day was much more chilled than the night before. Although I did something I never thought I’d do. I played Cards Against Humanity with my mum. She feigned disgust at every winning card she put down. This is a family friendly blog, so I can’t really provide any examples.

I also ~~forced~~ convinced Mum and Kyra to watch two of my favourite TV shows - This Is Us and We Bare Bears. One of them is an emotionally driven drama, while the other is an animated series about 3 bears.

January 2nd was all about the trip to Shake Shack.

After we were completely stuffed, it was time for Kyra to pack her things, and head back to Wisconsin. As Disney tradition dictates, we didn’t say goodbye. We said, “See ya real soon!”

That night Mum, Alicia, Carlos and I went out for dinner with one of Alicia’s friends and former colleagues, Roberto. Gyrolicious offered portions so generous that I didn’t even order anything. I just ate off other people’s plates.