New York, I Love You

As many of you know, we recently returned home from a wonderfully fun week in The City, The Big Apple, The Big Enchilada (I made that one up), New York City.

This post has had a slight delay on it because there is so much to share that we needed time to reflect on what happened as well as game plan for what we'll say.

We stayed in the Upper West Side, near Columbia Medical School. About 171 st. The Washington Heights Area. We definitely feel we had a different experience than most tourists because most tourists never make it up that far. It wasn't as crowded or noisy and its the sort of place where people live. I liked it. Plus it housed the National Track and Field Hall of Fame!

Know this: There are five distinct smells that at any given time, without warning, you will smell. And you will always be smelling one. They are: Food, body odor, garbage, perfume, sewage.

It was a special time.

The following is a look into what we experienced and how we did it. Enjoy.

Central Park-by Manda
Wow. Acres of trees, grass, and trails right in the middle of one of the biggest cities in the world. Central Park was quite a sight. We spent most of our day there on Sunday, AFTER we walked 60 blocks to get to it. Just walking through the Park is an experience, but I especially loved when we found Strawberry Fields and the John Lennon memorial "Imagine" within it. The pensive mood there really opened my eyes to the legend that John Lennon truly was. The entire Park was very serene as the business of the city lied just outside it.
On Tuesday, we visited Central Park again, this time to make a splish and a splash. We discovered the Lasker Swimming Pool, which is an ice skating rink in the winter, and the best part was you only needed a lock to enter - it was FREE! We caught some rays and enjoyed the cool-down after a humid, sweaty walk from the Subway. We didn't think a lot of tourists knew about this because we sure didn't until we looked it up, but you should definitely spend the afternoon there if you ever have the chance.



The Met-by Manda
This museum is incredible. First of all, it's HUGE. We were there for at least three hours and I don't think we made it through every exhibit. We saw priceless works of art: Picasso, Van Gough and Rembrandt. They had armor and temples and paintings, oh my! After the first hour or two, we were getting pretty hungry and quickly realized there was a cafeteria downstairs. We both had a piece of coconut curry tilapia with rice, one apple, some green beans and a roll and the total was $33.47! WHAT??? Pretty sure it was a CAFETERIA, which means NOT restaurant-quality food, and we paid 15 bucks a plate?! Ridiculous.
The museum was worth the money, the cafeteria was not.



Broadway-by Matt
I've never been a big fan of musicals or shows that are centered around singing. I don't really know why but I just haven't. I mean, who doesn't enjoy The Lion King or Beauty and the Beast, but, The Sound of Music? Not so much. I've always heard that when in NYC seeing a Broadway show is a must...and I was open to the idea.

We heard that a handful of shows offer a ticket lottery before each performance. Our friends, the Staples, had won Wicked tickets 3 times in a row, so we thought we should put our name in and see what happened. For those that don't know, Wicked is the story of the Witches from the Wizard of Oz and how they came to be. The line was long and I'm guessing about 300-400 people were there vying for 20 or so tickets. The chances of hearing our named called was slim at best. Name after name was called and I kept making sarcastic comments to myself about getting picked. Then..."Matthew Sanchez..." I was in shock! I think I was the only winner that didn't scream hysterically. I didn't even turn to hug Manda as I just walked up to the front to claim our tickets. I don't think I've ever won anything of that caliber before. Just winning the tickets was a great moment of our trip. Then came the show...

We won 2nd row tickets! Tickets (that I'm guessing cost about $200 each) we got for $25 each. I was excited. The show was amazing. The actors were great and I couldn't believe they could do it all without stopping or laughing or anything. They sang and danced and it was such an entertaining show. BUT, it was the singing that got to me. Ya know the kind of singing you hear when the person's voice sort of runs through your body like electricity? That was it. It was so awesome! There's something about live music that just does it for me. The story itself was so clever and well-done and in the end, I think I had been turned into a Broadway fan. Manda and I felt so lucky to be there and be a part of the top grossing Broadway show of all-time. I still have the songs going through my head. I can't wait to go back and see more!

Mid-Town-by Matt
This is the area people tend to think about when they ponder New York City. It houses so many of the sights. The Empire State Building, Madison Square Garden, Times Square, 5th Avenue shopping, Rockefeller Center(NBC), Broadway, Applebee's...so much going on. This is the area of the city that is definitely the most crowded and the noisiest. But there's so much going on, you barely even notice. I am convinced that describing this via the written word can never do it justice. You just need to go. There's nothing like it.






Times Square is a treasure in of itself. Saying that it's a sensory overload is just the beginning. So much to see and do. I loved M&M's world, Hard Rock Cafe, ESPN Zone, Candice's Irish Pub, but it's so fun just to sit and look. Like in the below video, there's chairs and bleachers out in times square. An area of the street has been closed off for people to hang out. We also went and saw 500 DAYS OF SUMMER in a real life NYC movie theater. The movie was very funny and very good. It is recommend by both of us. This is the area with the only Cold Stone in the entire city. We visited this cold stone on three separate occasions. Again with the ice cream! And somebody forgot to tell the architect of this Cold Stone that people need more than 1.3 inches to move. Nevertheless...Chocolate chocolate mint mint is very nice to me.






Yankee Stadium-by Matt
On Wednesday we made our way via the subway to the Bronx. The Yankees were playing and Manda and I wanted to be a part of it. I made sure to set my lovely wife straight...it wasn't the Tennessee Blue Rays the Yanks were playing but the Toronto Blue Jays. :) The Yankee Stadium is amazing. This is its inaugural season and it really was a cool place. My brother Jeff would appreciate the many, many flat screen tv's that seemed to be everywhere for the crowd to see the game. I had been to the old stadium, which was built 100 years ago and was pretty much a piece of junk. The game was so much fun and it was an experience to know how much history the Yankees organization has. AND it was such an experience to buy a mini-baseball cap full of ice cream! Manda is truly happy when she has ice cream. It a magical substance.

We got lucky in the fact that the sun was hidden and it was nice and cool. Otherwise, Manda may have turned into a very unhappy girl with sunburn all over her. Our seats were out in the bleachers with all the crazy fans and their chants. Yankee fans really are different than any other group of people. They have no censor over their brain and would do anything for their team to get a win. It took extra innings but in the end the Yanks won 4-3.



The Subway-by Matt
When you're out and about in the city, you often get tired of walking everywhere and don't want to fork out the cash for a cab. What do you do? Take the subway! The subway is a gem. Well, a rather crowded, smelly, hot gem. It can take you anywhere you want to go or get you really close. It's cheap (relatively) and convenient but it's not without a downside.



There is the occasion when you get on a subway and there's nobody on it. You can sit down and sprawl out and don't have to stare at someone pretending to be Jay-Z. However, the majority of the time the cars are packed! and people are all so different. Sometimes I look around and think..."wow, now I know what a melting pot is all about." You may see a businessman, a biker, a group of girls going out on the town, beggers, lost souls, and you will have the rare sighting of a smiler (see Manda.)

I definitely love the subway and wish we had an equivalent in the SLC.

The Empire State Building-by Manda
Two hours in line, $20 dollars, another 30 minutes in line and two elevator rides later, we got to the top of the Empire State Building on Friday night. When I stepped out of the elevator, I thought I had left New York and entered some other America where I was the only one who spoke English. That didn't even bother me that much. We opened the doors to the viewing area into a three-foot diameter of people on all four sides of the building. Suddenly the two hours in line didn't seem so bad - at least I could move. There were so many people at the top (hogging any/all free space for sight seeing) and I experienced my first frustration with the overpopulation of NYC.



Eventually, I got my wits about me and dove into the first vacated spot I could find. It was a battlefield this other America, and I had to be aggressive. After a brief visit on each side of the building accompanied by a few snapshots of each side of the city, I was ready to jet outta there. We took the stairs to avoid the line for the elevator (this really wore my dad out) and at the bottom, I wondered why my experience didn't quite match up to Annie's in Sleepless in Seattle. The view of the city really was incredible from 86 floors up, but I'd recommend this adventure on a weeknight in a season that isn't so jam-packed with tourists.

A Few More Pics






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Our trip was so great. We loved the fact we could spend so much time together and see such amazing things. Thanks goes out to Robert and Lindsay Staples and letting us stay in their apartment while they were out in El Salvador saving the world. When you want a place to stay...just let us know! :)


We'll be back!

Stop and Look Around Once in a While

Yesterday, August 6, 2009, writer/director John Hughes passed away from a heart attack at the age of 59.

Anyone that knows anything about me, knows that I love movies. Love. And, have an unwavering passion for movies that premiered in the decade of the 80's. It was an era of cinema that shaped a generation. When you think about movies that came out in the 80's, undoubtedly the same movies pop in your head. These are the movies that came from the mind of John Hughes.

The majority of his movies were focused on teenagers and their struggles in high school. They gave all kids hope that they too could be somebody and hope that they could have a fun time through their adolescence if they put themselves out there and tried. It really was a much simpler time and laughter seemed to be everywhere.

Take a look at this list...

The Breakfast Club
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Sixteen Candles
Vacation
Home Alone
Pretty in Pink
Weird Science
Christmas Vacation
Mr. Mom
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
The Great Outdoors
Dutch
Career Opportunities
Some Kind of Wonderful
Uncle Buck
Beethoven
Home Alone 2

It's no joke or no stretch to say that these movies shaped the (vibrant, amazing, fun) personality of yours truly. I really did want to be Ferris Bueller when I grew up.

I learned: what a Day Off really means, how to deal with "bully's", what/how I could get away with something, horrible things (like detention) could be fun as long as your attitude is right, Wally World is worth the price of admission, if you don't get a Christmas Bonus all you have to do is kidnap your boss and it'll all be ok (that one's a joke) but see what I mean?! I hope you all take the time to remember John Hughes in the way he should be remembered. The 80's = the best era of cinema. Pass it on.

The following is a nice tribute that I found. It's about 8 minutes long but if you want to reminisce in some good times, have a look.

I'll leave you with this timeless quote: Life moves pretty fast, if you don't stop and look around once in a while...you could miss it.

Hey...I'm a Spaniard...

It has been a couple of years since I started and finished a book that wasn't an assignment for school. I was never really the reading-a-book type. Perhaps I was too busy with movies and video games. :) But, a part of me wishes I could say..."when I was your age television was called books!"

I love movies. This is no secret. One of my favorite movies of all time is The Princess Bride. From the time I was very young I have loved this movie and have never gotten tired of watching it or conversing with its classic dialogue.

I was waiting for a meeting, recently, at the Salt Lake Public Library. I had a few moments to spare so I began waltzing down the aisles. I thought to myself, "I should get a book." Then the Devil in me said..."Why waste your time, you'll never read it." If only I could find the right book. One that would keep my attention. About a week earlier, I had watched, yet again, The Princess Bride. Just then, I thought..."hey wasn't that a book before it was a movie?!" My waltz turned into a fox-trot as I excitedly began searching for the book version of my 2nd favorite movie. *side note* (Robin Wright stars in both of my favorite movies: Forrest Gump and TPB. That could make for good trivia.)

Only a couple weeks later, I have found myself wrapped up in an amazing story. For those that told me that I would never read a book...I say, Ha! I am nearly 200 pages in and have to force myself to put it down.

Now, the author of the book was also the author of the movie's screenplay (William Goldman.) So, naturally the ABSOLUTELY CLASSIC dialogue is the same. However, there is so much more in the story that wasn't in the movie. Much more character development and it's fun to read. For example, there's an entire section on Inigo Montoya and how he became the world's greatest swordsman. Also, if you're into true love, it goes into tons more detail about Westley and Buttercup.

I will say that one of the best parts about reading this book is the way it is written. Think of the movie version. You know how it is extremely witty in everything it does? The book is the same. It makes you laugh out loud.

Just in case you haven't seen the movie (as crazy as that sounds, I have met people who haven't) here is a great video that really makes you want to watch it.



Here's a few lines from the story that I love and probably say one of them at least once a day:

*You seem a decent fellow, I hate kill you. You seem a decent, fellow, I hate to die.

*You fell victim to one of the classic blunders! First, never get involved in a land war in Asia, but only slightly less well known is this...never go up against a Sicilian when death is on the line!

*Ever heard of Plato, Aristotle, Socrates? Yes. Morons.

*Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare die!

*Go ahead, bow down to the Queen of refuse, the Queen of slime, the Queen of filth, the Queen of Putrescence!

*True Love is the greatest thing in the world! Except a nice MLT. Mutton, lettuce, tomato. When the Mutton is cut nice and lean! and the tomato is ripe!

*Get away witch! I'm not a witch, I'm your wife!

*I only dog paddle!

*Death can not stop true love. It can only delay it for a little while.

*Am I going mad?! Or did the word think escape your lips??

*Anybody want a peanut?

*Is there any way you trust me? Nothing comes to mind. You have my word as a Spaniard. No good...I've known too many Spaniards.

*Have fun storming the castle!

Have I convinced you? Of what? you ask. Of loving this story as much as I do! OR, committing to reading the book and watching the movie. Come'on!

They say it adds character

I was growing tired of the long, curly, heat-attracting mop that lay atop my head and decided it was time for a change. Just then, I saw a banner flying at my neighborhood Great Clips and knew it was fate. I walked in and for the first time in my life did not have to wait. However, during the process, the wonderful stylist/barber/haircut lady uttered a phrase that I hadn't heard before.

"Oh, here's a nice long gray hair..."

After a kind request, the intruder was removed quickly and quietly.

I had my first gray hair...so what? I'm not all that surprised. My father, bless his heart, has gone completely silver. and I'm not gonna lie...it's looks good on him.

So, what does this mean? Was this hair an anomaly? Or is this a sign of things to come? Will I look like Anderson Cooper by the time I'm 35?

My darling wife said it was probably a stress-induced gray. I guess I can buy that but have a hard time believing stress would pop out a single different color hair. ?

Whatever color it is...I pray that my hair will remain happy and live a long/full life right there on the peaks of Matty.

Happy 25th Anniversary!

According to Matty, at 25, you stop having "birthdays" and start having "anniversaries of your birth"...at least Matty does. TODAY, reaching another landmark year, he's NOT old enough to be president of the United States, but he IS old enough to rent a car all by himself (Yay!).









Happy 25th Anniversary, Darlin'. I SURE DO love you.

Livin' the Dream

Manda Bear and I are going to be fortunate enough to go on back-to-back dream vacations in the coming months. This is in no way meant to rub it in, but simply to inform.
We are traveling to the Big Apple in August for a week to live it up and see the sights. New York City has been my favorite vacation I have ever been on because of the abundance of things to do and see. I am so excited to take my honey to the city and do EVERYTHING! This trip feels like it was meant to be because everything/timing is falling into place perfectly for us. My old friend Robert lives in Manhattan and will be allowing us to stay in his apartment while he and his wife Lindsay are out of the country. If this isn't enough, this trip will be right between summer and fall semester. If that isn't enough...My wonderful mother-in-law bought me a plane ticket to NY for Xmas that needs to be used this year or it will be no good. Are the stars aligning? I think so. Can't wait to tell you all about our adventures!

Roughly a month after our excursion to the East...we will be heading west to spend a week in the land of sun, beauty and beaches. You guessed it...Hawaii! It just so happens that Hawaii, Maui in particular, is Amanda's favorite place to go. She lived there during the summer right before we met and expresses interest in going back on a tri-daily basis. :) We now have the opportunity! This one should be a lot of fun as we will be heading out with Steve and Colleen, Dr.Brooke Hansen, and quite possibly Corbefanie and their entourage. Stoleen (short for Steve and Colleen. ??) will have a Marriott condo waiting for us in mid-September. This trip was originally thought of a year or so ago, as this is when the Maui Marathon will take place. I am not sure but I think most of all will participate in the half marathon.

Some of you may know that I am scared of the ocean. I don't like sharks and they don't like me. There's a chance that the ocean will teach me a mean lesson if I go in too far. I am aware of this but I may test the limits and play in the water. We will see. :)

Both trips are basically as good as it gets. We feel very fortunate to have these opportunities and realize we probably won't get to go on this caliber of vacation in the foreseeable future. "We get to show each other our DREAM LANDS," said Amanda. We will soak up each moment to the fullest.

We'll let you know what happens....

Watch Dog

A week ago, Matty and I went on our usual weekend-movie date to see the movie "UP". Although I'd heard it was a clever, humorous animation, I didn't know what to expect. The movie was fabulous and I highly recommend it to those of you who truly appreciate the creative mind.

But let me back up here. When I say I didn't know what to expect, I especially mean that I didn't expect to stumble upon what is found in the following video. Just take a look at what we observed on our way into the movie theater:



Did YOU expect that?

At first glance, we thought it was a giant stuffed animal or human in a dog costume...NOPE!

And two hours later...



...still there. In honor of our liking of "UP", we named him Kevin.

You're in for a treat

If you're anything like me then you are on a constant lookout for a good snack. A snack that you can place perfectly in between meals but won't slow you down or fill you up.

Choosing the right snack (for me) can be a tricky process because I prefer opting for the healthy alternative. My snacks range from fruit, veggies, rice cakes, yogurt, protein shakes granola/bars and everything like such as. However, I revel in the idea of finding a new snack to join the rotation. I have found just that.

What I'm about to tell you is kind of secret. It's something that I have found to be a wonderful/healthy/light/wonderful treat. It's easy, it's safe and best of all you can take it anywhere! :)

No, I'm not talking about avocados or banana bread.

Before I get to the newest treat...let me ask you a question...do you like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? (Insert nod here) If you answered no, number one...what's wrong with you? and 2, you can stop reading now.
Here's what you do...you take a large ziplock bag and empty a bottle of unsalted, plain peanuts and a bag of raisins into it. Combine and enjoy!
You may be thinking..."that's it?" Well, let me tell you...this is peanut butter and jelly in its truest form! It is magical. It is heavenly. It is so tasty. I'm not kidding, you should try it. You should preferably combine an even amount of peanuts and raisins, as this will give you the utmost enjoyment.

I'm a Puppy for your Love

I've written about music on several occasions. Music really is a great thing, and I love sharing what I have found to be great.

In honor of the recent release of the Dave Matthews Band's 7th studio album, I share some memories.

First, I would like to point out that the "Chez Playlist" that you have come to know and love has been updated to feature Dave Matthews exclusively. I have chosen my favorite tracks and hope you take the time to listen to some of it. I get all giddy inside when I sit and jam out to it.
When I was young I enjoyed all sorts of music. I was on a continuous journey to find new songs to add to a mix-tape. It ranged from Oingo Boingo to Will Smith. From Genesis to Green Day. From Kenny Loggins to Slaughter. You're asking yourself, "what is slaughter?" exactly. I believe my original love of the mix-tape came about from my brother Jerry as he was always buying cd's and allowing his little brothers to pilfer his collection. Each of my brothers will attest to the love that we all shared of music and the random act of finding new tunes for a mix-tape. Oh, the mix-tape. haha!

As I aged, my music-loverhood went with me. Instead of listening to Top Gun & Beverly Hills Cop soundtracks, I started opting for real music. I remember the first time I heard Dave Matthews. I believe I was about 10 years old and Jerry had the album "Crash." I overheard him listen to it a bunch of times and I thought..."If Jerry likes it, then I should too!" The next thing I knew, I heard Jeff listening the heavenly twangs of DMB! Ok, so, if Jerry AND Jeff listened to it...then I needed/had to be a part of it. When I would visit the Little Caesars that Jerry worked at, the "cool" employees would talk about it and such.If this wasn't enough...on more than one occasion I overheard our buddy Derek Judd strumming on his guitar to Dave music. It was everywhere! I knew I was making the right decision. :) But, it wasn't until I was about 15 that I truly discovered the lyrics and grew an appreciation for the guitar and for Dave's style.
It was about this time in my life that I needed to make a choice. The choice that I believe everyone makes at some point in their life. The choice as to what band I would forever say is my favorite.

Obsessed is a strong word, that brings with it many negative connotations, so I choose to use the word passionate. I am very passionate about Dave Matthews' music. It's so good! Don't believe me...well, why haven't you listened to the playlist on the right-hand side of this blog?

I have my brothers, Jerry and Jeff to thank for this...gracias amigos!

"I can't believe that we would lie in our graves, dreaming of things that we might have been, could have been. I can't believe that we would lie in our graves wondering if we had spent our living days well." Let's take Dave's advice and live it up!

Career High

This past weekend we made the short journey down to Fat Cats for a good ol' fashioned bowling extravaganza. Well, it was actually just 4 amateurs giving it their all whilst enjoying laughter and food. We met our good friends, The Palmer's, down there and got our bowl on.

It was much fun and the pizza was worth the hefty price. We bowled 3 games and I am happy to report that my previous career high of, 100, is now obsolete. I surpassed all expectations and bowled an enormous 143!

Impressive, I know. Not only did I have a "Turkey" but I learned the art of the spin. (Thanks Eric.)

It was a good night and I hope we continue to make bowling a tri-decade event.