NYC AT CHRISTMAS

Earlier this year I was watching Jimmy Fallon clips (as one does) and saw Billy Joel had been selling out shows at Madison Square Garden all year. Billy is one of my all time favourites (we are clearly on a first name basis) and I was pretty excited about that. However, we had a pretty big year planned and a trip to NYC wasn't part of the vacation plan. Things changed a bit at the end of July when we realized commuting to different cities for work wasn't the most feasible plan and we were indeed going to be living a long distance marriage... again. At that time someone gave us the advice to organize some trips so we had things to look forward to and time together mapped out. Well, I mean, that really twisted our arm so then we basically HAD to go see Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden! I am a big fan of living life abundantly.

(I apologize for the blurry phone photos - this is inside Radio City Music Hall for the Rockettes.)

If you don't know many Billy Joel songs I recommend you stop reading this immediately and buy a greatest hits album on itunes right now. He is the best. I will never play the piano again because of this man. Because really there is no point. No one will ever be as great as the Piano Man himself so why even try. The piano intro to New York State of Mind? *kisses fingers in Italian fashion* To die for. The incredibly romantic lyrics to She's Always a Woman and She's Got A Way? Sigh. That is what dreams are made of. I could go on. But I won't.

(My favourite exhibit at the Museum of Natural History - a biology student's dream.)

(At the John Lennon "Strawberry Fields" memorial. I take John Lennon very seriously. On a lighter note - I had to buy those super cute sneakers there because I stupidly only brought heels on the trip and my feet were dying! One of the hazards of living in two places - you always forget something somewhere. They're from Aldo if you like them!)

Funny enough, hubby and I couldn't afford to sit together (it would have been literally hundreds of dollars more). I cried by myself when Billy came out on stage. I danced like a maniac by myself to all of the hits. When he brought out special guest Sting - I looked at the complete stranger next to me, eyes shining, and exclaimed, "This is SO exciting!!!"

(After the show. We realized later we accidentally were photobombed by a pretty cool building.)  ;)

So if you're going to be in NYC (or you are close enough that you can possibly get there next year) more concert dates have been released for 2015. It was the show of a lifetime. And if you simply can't get there - look up his songs. You'll love them.