New York: Day 1 {Friday}

So, how much fun is it to wake up at 5:30am to start getting ready for your early morning flight only to see that you missed a call from the airline at 4am letting you know that the 2nd flight that day from DC to NYC has been cancelled?

Not too much fun.

But how much fun is it to call said airline, and after being a combination of polite yet fussy and firm, get your wish granted to be on the same direct flight as your best girlfriend?

BAM!  Kerry was originally set to land more than an hour before I would while I connected in DC.  Being on the same flight was such an awesome surprise.  We even had time for her to get a quick polish change in the airport before our friend Ashley arrived in on her flight from Miami.

We shuttled over to Ashley's arriving terminal and all hopped a cab to the hotel.  Kerry and I see each other often, but it has been 10 months since we've seen Ashley.  We are always those girls when we reunite.

After dropping our bags off at the hotel and freshening up, we headed to our lunch reservations at the Boathouse in Central Park.  The weather was a little dreary but we still enjoyed our view right out the window.

Is it just me, or is it not really a vacation unless you order a glass of sauv blanc with lunch?! 

After our delicious lunch, we did some shopping on Madison Avenue.  First stop: Milly.

We three always share a dressing room when we can.  We're all right around the same size so we just try on the same items.  Definitely a fun bunch to shop with!

My favorite was this precious dress.  I didn't leave with it, but you can bet that I'll be watching it like a hawk to go on sale.  (Or even better, for it to turn up on Rent The Runway.)

Ashley tried it on after I did and it looked great on her too.  Kerry ended up purchasing a really cute black dress with large black sequin polka dots on it.

Next up was Tory Burch -- three levels of beautiful clothes, handbags, and shoes.  The design of that store is just breathtaking.

After shopping a bit more, we popped in to Dean and Deluca to pick up a few blocks of cheese to snack on that night.  As could be expected, they have simply stunning florals.

And after picking up a bottle of red and a bottle of white, we headed back to the room to get ready for pre-dinner cocktails with some special people.  Ashley's brother-in-law and his girlfriend stopped by the pretty bar in our hotel, and my Manhattanite sister Sarah also joined us.

Sister Sarah and me

We had 9:30 dinner reservations at Marc Forgione and were really impressed with the menu, the service, and the delicious food.  Ohhhh, the halibut with the "Proposal Sauce" -- aptly named because its deliciousness caused some women to propose to the chef.

It was late when we wrapped up dinner, but come on -- it was our first night to be reunited together!  We rallied and headed down the street to Mr. Chow where we had one more nightcap.

A quick cab ride back to the Mondrian and into our comfy beds we went.  We had a big day ahead of us Saturday filled with ... you guessed it ... shopping!