HBC2008

I have to admit it was a little weird seeing this tweet:

betheboy: @amyjbennett we are looking at you in our kitchen.

But exciting too! I’m sure lots of fun stuff happen in the kitchen that I could watch 😉  I’ve failed to debut my hot blogger calendar page since we got clearance in the New Year.  So here ya go for those of you who haven’t ordered yours yet, tsk, tsk.  You can fix that by going here.

It’s still a little surreal that I actually took Dani and Heather to New York with me and had my picture made in a studio in the middle of NYC. Surreal, but cool. I’d do it again tomorrow if I was asked.

And for those curious, the dress came from LA East.  I also had some cute silver Nine West shoes on.  Jillian Villafane did my makeup.  Bill Wadman took the photo.  And Jane and Sarah cooked this whole thing up.  Thanks, guys!

On my weekend highlight post, I totally skipped something GREAT that happened!  I got my copies of the 2009 Hot Blogger Calendar!  I found out I’m Ms. January!

I’d show you every single little inch of the calendar if I could because it’s really that good but we’re all keeping it under wraps until the New Year.  But let me say I’m really proud of the quality of all the pictures and the content…and yes!  there’s content! Each blogger answered a few similar questions and the answers are on the pictures.  I really liked that part.  I do have a few pictures for you though.  I snapped a picture of me Saturday with it (left) and then Jane uploaded a few snapshots of the covers and the story printed on the inside cover (below).

And don’t forget to order yours!

Female Hot Blogger Calendar

Male Hot Blogger Calendar

Jane and Sarah put out sneak peaks to the calendar this weekend.  One of my pictures made it to the front (far left…it’s hard to see)!  Yay!

Last I checked, I think they should be out within the week.  You can go ahead and pre-order at the links below.

Female Hot Blogger Calendar

Male Hot Blogger Calendar

I promise…last post on NY.  If you want our trip in old-style journaling every second of what we did, check out Heather’s post.  I particularly liked this paragraph:

The shoot was AMAZING. Everything you could imagine a dream photo shoot in NYC could be, this was. I don’t think I’ve ever been prouder of my sister, other than at the births of my neices. She rocked. In her gentle way that she does everything she picked out an outfit (the one I told her over and over to use) and then sat and got her makeup done. It looked flawless. Then the posing. I’ve seen some of her “home” posing pictures…I’m not sure where this came from but she nailed it. I’ve seen my BFF from school go from normal girl to model girl and it’s like a light switch gets turn on…I had never seen this with my sister and I felt like a deer caught in headlights. My sissy was HOT. and she knew it. When she had done the shoot for a magazine awhile ago this confidence wasn’t there….here, she was a superstar. I failed to get pictures that really showed off what was going on at the right angles but trust me, the pics were awesome. So with the pop of a ballon it was over and we were “free” to go but I think Amy and me didn’t want it to end.

How about we talk about something safe like a hotel review?  I don’t want to make this drawn out but I do have to say I had high hopes for the Paramount.  It was supposed to be mod, unique and fun.  And yes, the lobby and little bar were very cool and the room looked pretty cool, but I have to give the room a thumbs down.

The room was small.  Which I KNOW is normal for NY but I stayed at the Marriott right beside the Paramount when I went to New York in 2001 and there was no comparison even though the price difference wasn’t that big.

The bathroom made weird noises and smelled of sewer at times.  Not a stinky bathroom but actual sewer.  There was no countertop space even though the sink WAS cool.  The shower felt dirty and the shower curtain was flimsy and stuck to you while you showered.

The beds were on the floor.  I’m all for a platform bed but this was just a mattress and boxspring on the floor and we felt like we were camping.  What’s worse is the beds SQUEAKED when you moved on them.  AND they were very worn and we sank to the middle.  It did have a nice down comforter and pillows going for it though.

The floor carpet also just looked and felt dirty.  We were scared to touch anything that had fallen on it.  But I guess that’s standard for any hotel room.

I don’t know, I guess some of it was par for the course in New York but I do know I had a much better experience at The Marriott last time AND I can plan to save up my Marriott gift cards for next time to cushion the difference.

I hope I don’t get into trouble on this post.  I’m going to try to be discreet and if I’m being dumb and ignorant in any way, forgive me.  I didn’t ask many questions and had no idea this was around.  I just followed.  If it’s well known and public and I’m being TOO discreet, well, I apologize for that too.

We went to the part of New York where a lot of Asian people are and the streets are packed and very busy.  Catch my drift yet?  Women and men would come up to you and ask you if you want Coach, Prada?  If you didn’t walk away, you barely needed to nod your head in assent they said “Follow me” and off you were following them quickly to who knows where.  Sometimes you’d follow them to the store directly behind you and in some cases we had to walk a block or two. Here is a covert picture we took being led to such a place.

We’d be ushered the store, walk toward what looked like a normal wall and then see that there would be a secret door.  It would open up, usually revealing stairs.  Some went up and some went down.  Either way, they were usually steep.  Those led to a landing where we were then sometimes taken to another room which was locked.  The rooms were usually about 10×15 or so, sometimes much smaller and stacked with Gucci, Coach, Prada, Duney and Burke and Dolce and Gabana purses, sunglasses, wallets and sometimes scarves.  The door was locked behind us and one worker would stay in there with us to make deals with.

Dani was tasked by a friend at home to buy four purses and of course we couldn’t left out.  After at least five stores and way too many stairs, we left the town of Asian people with I think 6 bags and 2 pairs of sunglasses.

But lo and behold Dani pulls out her list from her friend and she was supposed to get two BLACK Coaches not two BROWN Coaches.

So Dani says she has some money left over and there are usually guys near Times Square with bags of them and she’ll just get them later.  So we were out late Sunday night and went and got some cheesecake.  Heather and I are in front of Dani walking out of the store and all the sudden Dani screams something and pushes past us.  We didn’t see a thing but a guy is out on the street with bags.  Woah.  She must have smelled them coming.  But they only have one black one.  But then another guy walks up and talks to him with another bag but walks away.  Dani finds out it’s the guy’s brother and Dani takes off after him.  We follow him half a block and he turns around.  So we turn around.  We started joking, “Coach?! Prada?!  Follow me!”  The guy finally saw our interest and stopped and got the bag she wanted.  Here may or may not be our loot.

There are two things I had recommended by EDW that must be passed on.

Angelo and Maxie’s Filet Oscar.  Let’s note first that Heather actually got a steak salad…so proud!  But the steak.  And the crab on top.  And the hollandaise on top.  Oh my word.  Honestly, if you looked “savory” up in the dictionary, a picture of my plate must be in there.  It was like melt in your mouth goodness.  On my last bite, I LITERALLY closed my eyes and held my hands out as if I was meditating.  I wanted to remember that taste THAT much.  DO NOT PASS GO until you get this.

One more thing I have to note.  That stuff in the middle? It’s my “side”.  I ordered onion strings thinking it would a few on the “side” of my plate.  No!  It’s like an appetizer.  Also note the HUGE “side” of potatoes beside that.  All three of us dipped in those.  They were DELISH as well.

And just one more thing.  It’s a very nice restaurant but even better?  They played Pink and Usher instead of elevator music.  Great atmosphere.

The price?  $111 for everything you see on the table.  No drinks.  Just water.  Yes, it’s a splurge dinner.

Junior’s. Cheesecake.  DO NOT PASS GO.  In fact, go order it online.