HOOTERS and MR SOFTEE

How I spent my summer vacation...

No Ann... it is not what you think, but it is partially how I spent my week's vacation. I started off the week celebrating my beautiful heritage with the Puerto Rican Day Parade and I ended it crashing on my futon watching old Nancy Drew movies I had on the DVR.

Let me explain.

I have been blessed to have some amazing friends in my life, those people who I turn to on the daily basis for support and love. Nancy and I have been friends since the sixth grade and that is over 27 years now.

Frances and I have been friends since our Holy Communion and we were next door neighbors on Gerard Avenue near Yankee Stadium, and that is close to 26 years. Frances and I had special signals on the wall which was between our apartments. Knocking by the window meant look out the window, and series of knocks by the door meant its time to hang out in the hallway.
Our weekends were spent roller skating, reading, playing games and causing trouble in the large hallway in front of our apartments. The doors were open and our parents knew where we were and we were safe.
Frances and her family moved to Florida years later but we constantly kept in touch. Tons of letters and phone calls and I still go on a yearly trip to wherever she is. Frances has been blessed with an amazing family. A loving husband Alain who I consider to be a brother, and four beautiful kids.
I am still in awe on how both Frances and Nancy juggle their busy lives, and still remain strong women and I am just their to support them both as much as I can.

So this week Frances and her husband came to the Big Apple. They have not been in the city in over 9 years and medical conference came in just in time for some pizza and cute FDNY.

We hit four out of five boroughs, the best restaurant in Little Italy, Chinatown (twice), the South Street Seaport, WTC, The Staten Island ferry, Times Square, Greenwich Village, Chelsea, Rockefeller Center and of course the Bronx.


I found a Hooters in the city for a t-shirt for Frances and of course any one who grew up in NYC has some fond memories and connection to Mr. Softee ice cream, always with rainbow sprinkles and we shared many many margaritas and pizza slices before the weekend was over.

I am officially the best tour guide in the city !!!
Since Alain had a medical conference on Friday evening and all day Saturday, Frances and I had the city to ourselves for most of the time. It was great, and this time she was on my turf.
There was another trip to Chinatown for some goodies shopping and some Chinese food before Frances and Alain had dinner reservations and tickets for Lion King.
By Saturday afternoon Frances was barely holding on while waiting for the 'R' train on Canal Street.


Frances and hubby left on Sunday morning, braving a wild ride to the airport and carrying tons of goodies for the family and lots of great memories.

So by Sunday I was exhausted. I bonded with my futon and I was so tired that I could not even knit on stitch.

Can't wait till next year when they plan on returning.