I was invited by Euro-Pro to a NYC Blogger Event where we (a bunch of super cool bloggy gals and guys along with various media) got a first hand look at the new Ninja Master Prep.

Oh.My.Gosh!

This was one crazy adventure for sure.  I had so much fun!

I had never been to New York and when I got the invite I about came out of my skin.  I was so excited!  Really, I still have no idea how my name came up on this list…but I’m certainly glad it did.  Let me share how the weekend went, and I have LOTS of pictures.  I’m going to split it into 2 posts:  Day 1 and Day 2 just so it doesn’t get too long.  K?

Wednesday morning I was up at 4am to leave.  My flight left at 7:30.  It was a long flight but went by quickly (thanks to my True Blood books).  I arrived into the JFK Airport at 3:30ish.  I hopped aboard my shuttle to get a ride to my hotel, the Sheraton Manhattan.

Anything and everything you have ever heard about taxi/shuttle drives in NYC is 1000% TRUE!  I have never been so afraid in my entire life as I was on that 2.5 hour shuttle ride.  We were literally flying at around 50+ mph through tiny residential streets.  Not enough room to squeeze by?  The driver folded in his mirrors to get that extra inch of space!  I shit you not!  Then hoards of people are walking across at the intersections and the cars are just driving through.  I thought we would hit more than one person.  EVERYBODY thought it was their right of way.

Amazingly enough, I arrived at my hotel in one piece.  I got checked into my small, but beautiful room and was set to check out the city.  I walked out onto the sidewalk and my mind just blanked out.  I had no idea what to do or where to go.  I had all these plans of what to see, but you get there and it’s loud and bright and overwhelming.  I needed to eat (hadn’t since 4:30am) so I made a right and headed directly into Times Square.

I’m sorry I’m not a very good night time photographer!

Self Portrait!

I managed to duck into a small pizza place (Sam’s Pizza, I think) right in Times Square.  I had a piece of pepperoni and mushroom pizza.  It was the best pizza ever!  I don’t know if it was the best because it was the best, or if because I was starving.

I wandered around Times Square for a bit.  I was just amazed at all the people.  Cars are driving by swerving in and out of lanes (those white dashed lines mean nothing in NYC), and people were just sitting at tables in the middle of it all.  They even had bleachers set up.  I was looking for some kind of show or entertainment, but I think they were just there for people watching.  I did notice a small brass band and people dancing, right in the streets.

My head finally cleared a bit and I remembered I wanted to see the Empire State Building.  So I went back to the hotel to change my shoes and ask for directions.  The bell hop guy (is that what they are?) advised me to take a taxi or the subway but I wanted to walk.  So I did…from 51st all the way to 34th.  I should have taken a taxi.

It was fun walking.  There was so much to see.  The people!  I saw Spongebob and Batman just to name a few.  I walked all the way down 7th Avenue to the Empire State Building.  I was lucky this night, there was no line.  And a nice man who was working at the ESB told me I was beautiful…Thanks Mario! He is now my favorite New Yorker.

I was really surprised at just how beautiful the inside of the Empire State Building is.  It is gold and red and rich looking.  Just gorgeous!  Unfortunately, I was having camera trouble and did not get very many decent pictures.  This made me really sad.  Here is the best one I got:

I did manage to shoot a couple videos, but since my laptop is being serviced, I can’t figure out how to download from the JVC onto my DH’s computer.  Sorry.  I’ll try to add them (if they are good) when I can.

After my trip up the Empire State Building, I got smart and hired a pedicab to take me back to the hotel.  He was really nice and gave me a bit of a tour and took me by a few sights.

He also took me through Rockefeller Plaza but I didn’t manage to get pictures there, either.  I suck.  It was beautiful and all lit up.  I actually didn’t take any pictures because I had planned on going back down in the morning to see the Today Show taping.  But since I never was able to get any sleep (don’t even know why I bothered trying) I never made it down.  This is my biggest regret!  I love the Today Show and am really bummed I didn’t get to see it live.  I know a few other bloggers did make it down and I am very jealous of them (scroll through the pics to see)!

So there is my recap of Day 1 in New York City!  I’ll be back in a bit to show you all that happened on Day 2 and all the fun I had with the people of Euro-Pro.