My First Trip To The US Open

Last night, my friend Sara and I headed out to Queens to catch the evening session at the U.S. Open.

Stadium Seating: Sara and I at the U.S. Open

After a delightful trip on the free Powerade Zero-sponsored ferry and a short bus ride, we arrived at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Wanting some sustenance before the games that wasn't greasy food court grub, we opted to check out a more upscale option -- Tony Mantuano’s Wine Bar Food.

The renowned Chicago chef -- and President Obama favorite -- serves up light, tasty dishes with his signature innovative style. Sara and I shared tomato bread with Serrano ham and manchego cheese and flaming ouzo shrimp that is truly heaven on a plate.

Finally, we made our way into the stadium, where we watched a few riveting sets between Maria Sharapova and Tsvetana Pironkova.

The evening’s main event -- an intense match between #2 ranked Andy Murray and Ernests Gulbis that saw lots of tough-to-call shots and challenges from both players. Underdog Gulbis held his own (and had the crowd cheering) but Murray defeated him in the end.

I have a whole new appreciation for the excitement and drama of tennis now. And it doesn’t hurt that, as you’re taking it all in, there’s some nice eye candy to look at -- on and off the court.

Girls Night Out: Bounce Sports Bar

Friday night, I had the pleasure of catching up with my cousin Carla over drinks at Bounce, a lively sports bar and restaurant on NYC’s Upper East Side.

Bounce: A good place for happy hour and, on occasion, mingling with men who love sports

Bounce was serving up 2-for-1 happy hour specials, so I treated us to some flavorful frozen margaritas that tasted more like daiquiris (note: strawberry tops coconut here).

Carla and I hadn’t seen each other since the start of summer, so we had lots to talk about. Among the threads of conversation – moving on from no-good old flames, the inevitable expiration date of summer flings and the pleasures of a good meal.

Calories be damned, we indulged our gastronomic whims and headed over to nearby Cilantro for tasty Mexican fare. There’s no better way to start the weekend than over a shared plate of guacamole with one of your favorite people who just happens to also be family. Even if -- now that I’m in Single Gal slimdown mode -- it means spending more time at the gym.

Coming up…a long-awaited visit to the set of SATC2 and a trip to the US Open.