NYC in a FLASH

Mom and Stella dropped me off at the airport on Friday morning for my quick trip to NYC. I felt so bad leaving Stella - she had her first full-blown cold...complete with snorting snotty nose and cough. Mom took her to the Ped after they dropped me off and it really is just a cold she has to let take it's course... I felt so bad leaving her but knew she was in good hands. Neh-Neh and Gpa kept her overnight on Friday. Toby worked all day Friday and had to be at work on Saturday morning at 6am so it was just better to leave her over there; although Da-Da went over there for dinner. The dinner Mrs. Lowery - our neighbor - made for him because she heard I was going to be out of town. How lucky is he?!?! :)

Here she is all bundled up for the airport ride...


So I had the most enjoyable flight of my life to NYC. It was on JetBlue and I have to say - the personal TV's are awesome. I watched Project Runway and ate some "munchies" - yes that's what they were called. It was like chex mix. A quick 45 minutes later I was there.

I found my way to the Taxi line - YAY for no checked luggage! It was close to an hour ride into the city from JFK because of the traffic. I made it to Roseland Ballroom and called Matt. He was across the city doing an interview and then he was going to grab lunch so I had some time to kill. I walked to a diner down the street and had some lunch myself. I felt so "New Yawk" all by myself.... I sat next to an old couple who had obviously lived there all their lives... They were so funny talking about "Arnie down the hall with the walker...."

Then I walked around for a bit...taking in the few blocks around the venue which was at 52nd and 8th - a block from the David Letterman show....and across the street from Hairspray - where Donnie works a lot.






Matt called and I met him back at the Venue. We hung out there for a bit and then walked to one of the SIX Starbucks in the 2 block area. We got a coffee and sat at a table to chat for a few. While there, 3 girls came up and said "You're from Motion City Soundtrack! We're going to the show tonight; we just wanted to say good luck!" They were so cute and Matt was very gracious and kind, as always. It was my first "Fan Sighting Sighting."

We walked back to the Venue for Soundcheck at 5:30. After that, we hung out on the bus with some of the band and crew and Tony's parents, Dick and Jan. We watched episodes of "Flight of the Conchords" and laughed out heads off. The line to get into the Roseland started wrapping around the buildling and we had to shut the blinds on the bus cause kids were yelling and WOW that was surreal.

Donnie arrived at the bus at 6:15 pm. "Look at you fancy things!" as he hopped on the bus and insisted he get a tour. Then Donnie, Matt, me, Jesse, Jessica (J's girlfriend), and Claudio (guitar and drum tech) had dinner at a little Mexican place down the block. The boys had to leave to get back to the venue by 7:30 so Donnie and I hung around and finished our pitcher of Sangria - Are you proud of me?!?!? It was yum!

Then we went to a little Russian Vodka Bar across from the Roseland. That was just so cool. Huge stills of different flavored vodka - one had like 20 whole pears in it. I had my sparkling water - I can't hang! - and Donnie had his dirty martini. We chatted and caught up on LIFE and it was wonderful. I love me some Donnie Sanders.

Everyone in the bar was russian. That is what I LOOOOOVE about New York City. So many nationalities and everyone lives together but then everyone has a place to go that's home - and they SHARE it - know what I mean?

So we go back to Roseland at around 9:15 pm and it's the final break before MCS. The place is so frigging packed you can hardly walk anywhere - and it's a big place. We made our way upstairs and back stage and wished the boys luck. Then we got into our VIP spots on the balcony and had the best view of the show I have ever had. It was amazing.

VIDEOS ARE HERE.

After the show, it was a party backstage. JUST like in the movies - well, not JUST like it. These boys are tame. Thank goodness! But there were some Columbia Record people there who Matt introduced me to...I met Jill (Josh's wife)...and the band's lawyer...and several others.... It was a bit of a whirlwind.

Donnie and I went outside of the venue to get some fresh air and we were standing on the street and all of a sudden from a distance I hear "ARE YOU STEPHANIE??!?!?!?!?!" and here comes this hippy lady running towards me. She's saying "I finally get to meet you!!!!"

Backstory: There is a Matt Taylor Fan Club (I do not kid) and one of the co-founders is 16 year old Christy. This was her Mom. Christy follows the band all over - and Mama takes her. She's such a funny lady - really cool and supportive of the boys - and somehow she acquired the nickname Mamarazzi.

So I say "You're Mamarazzi aren't you?" and we hug and hang out for a bit. She texts Christy to tell her to come out to meet me. She says "Christy was in the front row and she saw you up in the balcony and texted me that you were there... I'm so excited to meet you!" I had to hold in my laughter because it was kind of absurd. I mean, I'm the sister.

Stella was born on Christy's birthday - so they have sent her gifts on her actual BIRTH day and then also on her 1st birthday. It's really really sweet. Some fans just go above and beyond.

So after hanging with them for a few (I think Donnie was just in shock at it all....) we went back inside and up to the dressing room. I looked over and saw Matt talking to Steven from "Steven's Untitled Rock Show" (Fuse) and I absolutely butted into their conversation and introduced myself. I LOVE HIM!!!! We took a family photo for Mom and Dad (they love him too...) and a photo with the Thaxtons too. He was so incredibly nice; as well as his colleagues from Fuse who were there. Everyone was incredibly kind and welcoming and it was just so fun....




(It was raining like mad all day so disregard my soaked coat...)

After most people left, a crowd of us went to a nearby bar called Matt's Grille. Pretty appropriate. We just hung out and talked and laughed and had a really good time.

ALTHOUGH my new knee-high boots were KILLING ME. I mean like I was going to bust out crying at any moment. I had my crocs in my purse (for an emergency such as this) but fashion-designer Donnie forbid me from wearing them in his presense. For several reasons. But my favorite reason was "You do not wear shoes with holes in them on the streets of NYC in the rain because you will get the Funk of Fourty Thousand Years in your toes!!" Although at that point, I DID NOT CARE.

BUT I HELD STRONG PEOPLE.

Until it was time to leave the bar and get a cab home and those suckers were on my feet. I think the residents of New Jersey heard my sigh of relief.

So I stayed with Donnie in his amazingly cute (but manly!) 1 bedroom apartment on West 89th.




I stayed out until 2am PEOPLE!!!!!

The car service arrived BRIGHT AND EARLY at 9:30 am the next day and I was off to JFK again. I had the 2nd most enjoyable flight of my life back home....

Back to my Family who I missed dearly for one night away... but man, it was worth it!!