Girls Night Out: Midtown West

Last Thursday, after the Lauren Luke/Sephora event, I met up with my good friend and colleague Caroline for a girls night out.

Our first stop, Haru in Times Square, where we were well tended to by a solicitous waiter and charmed by the Japanese eatery’s twinkling lights. Over some hot sake and delicious sushi, we talked about old flames that can’t be rekindled, the healing power of friends when coping with loss and making progress toward big dreams.

Caroline is one of my favorite people. She’s irresistibly fun to be around, has a huge heart and an infectious laugh that makes me smile every time I hear it. We were both smiling when we stumbled upon a new eatery that shares her name.

Sweet Caroline: A beloved Neil Diamond ditty and now, a lively new NYC eatery in Midtown

Our last stop of the night was Hudson Terrace for a swanky party sponsored by Take A Chance TV for the upcoming “GI Joe” movie. Caroline and I enjoyed a few cocktails (mojito for her, vodka and cranberry for me) and took in the crowd of pretty people. Though we didn’t spot any celebs, we did encounter plenty of boldfaced name wannabes. I think we almost got knocked over by one partygoer’s enhanced cleavage.

Coming up…a look at the art of courtship and SGITC takes off.

The pleasures of Pilates and Work Friends

Tonight, my good friend and colleague Caroline and I unwinded from work by participating in a tower mat Pilates class.

Our second experience at the Center for Movement (http://www.centerformovement.com) on Manhattan’s Upper East Side --- we took a reformer pilates session back in June -- proved to be just as invigorating as our first. Once again, I found myself appreciating the differences between Pilates and its equally popular yet more exhausting exercise sibling Yoga. Pilates is less new age and more laidback in its approach to getting in shape.

After a 45-minute mind-clearing session of stretching our muscles, Caroline and I rewarded ourselves with a delicious meal outside at Haru, a trendy Japanese eatery with a great selection of sushi and sake. Over two rounds of sake and the course of two breezy hours, we covered a lot of ground -- from what to do when a friend lets you down to what exactly the travel buzzword ‘staycation’ really means.

As I made my way home, I remembered an article that I read not too long ago about the increased productivity of people who have at least one good friend on the job. I am fortunate enough to have two -- Morty, otherwise known affectionately as my work husband -- and the lovely Caroline, both of whom light up my life in and out of the office. How lucky can a girl get?