highlights of a long weekend in The Big Apple

For me, I think it’s hard to find the “right” thing to blog about. Regardless, I’d like to reenter the world of blogging. Recently I spent a long weekend in NYC for my boyfriend’s birthday. Even though I’ve been to New York about 10 times it was still difficult to plan a three day weekend there. For those of you who know me, which I’m assuming is everyone who’s reading this you know how much of a planner I am! But New York has SO many options of things to do, see, eat, drink, etc that it can get very overwhelming and expensive very quickly. So I’m going to highlight some of the places we went in hopes that they might help when you’re planning your next trip to the Big Apple!

 

Central Park

 

Where we stayed: Affinia 50. I can’t say enough great things about this cute little boutique hotel! As I said before I’ve been to New York several times, but always on my parents dime. I knew prices in New York were high, but damn. I searched the web to find the best deal I could, while still getting a quality place in a great location. Affinia has a couple of hotels in Manhattan, but this one was in the best location for us. With a complimentary Happy Hour each day it was a done deal! We were a few blocks from the subway, Starbucks lined just about every corner, our doorman was hilarious, and most importantly I felt safe!

Where we ate: We got to our hotel around 3pm and were starved! I really wanted a deli sandwich, but the birthday boy spotted a Mexican restaurant so that’s where we went. And, boy, am I glad we did! Dos Caminos was delicious. We each got Margarita’s to start; let’s be honest you CAN’T have Mexican without margaritas! The chips and salsa platter was also a hit – it came with three different types of salsa and variations of hotness. I had the Cobb salad, which the two of us could have shared it was so big. I have to figure out how to recreate that Basil Cilantro vinaigrette!

Grimaldi's in DUMBO – everyone knows that new York is known for its pizza, and I can honestly say this did not disappoint. They currently don’t serve alcohol which was a bummer, but we made the best of it toasting to 29 with root beers. A medium size pizza is more than enough to feed two people, but be prepared to wait in a long line; I promise it’s worth the wait! After dinner be sure to walk down to the pier. You get a great view of Manhattan, and there is a bar with alcohol. (we took the subway to get there – about 30 minute ride but only cost us $10 total roundtrip vs the $80 a cab would have cost)

 What we did: walking, walking, walking. Make sure you take comfortable shoes with you when you go to New York! We were about a 10 minute walk to Central Park, Time Square, Rockefeller Center, and The Chrysler Building – and we saw them all – on foot. One of the highlights of the trip for both of us, was our bus tour. I know, I know, I was skeptical at first, but it was awesome! We did the downtown loop with Big Bus tour (the double decked open air buses). Our bus was a hop on, hop off but we stayed put for the whole two hours just enjoying the ride. Our tour guide was so knowledgeable. Not only did we get to take in all the sites, but learned lots of history along the way. This to me, is the best way to see the city if you’re only there for a short period of time. They also offer an uptown loop and a Brooklyn loop, but we didn’t want to spend the ENTIRE day on a bus.

 

Atop the Big Bus; ready for our tour to begin!

 

Another big piece of advice I can offer is take cash! A lot of places, Grimaldi’s included, don’t take cards – shocking I know!  But it’s an easier way to keep track of how much you’re spending. So make a pit stop at that ATM on your way out of town because you don’t want to miss out on that slice of pizza or black and white cookie because all you’ve got in your pocket is plastic!

 While we had a wonderful three days in NYC, there really is no place like home!

Forget the Glass Slippers, this Princess wears running shoes.

October 28^th was one of the proudest days of my life. It’s hard to put into words how it felt crossing that finish line. I went from being the girl in elementary school who couldn’t even run a mile { at St. Paul 8 laps around the track was a mile, I’d always lie at about lap 5 and say I’d done 8} to a woman who just completed her first marathon. 

The road to 26.2 was not an easy one. I remember running Burke Lake in college, which is just shy of 5 miles, thinking to myself maybe I could run a half marathon. Just about 3 years ago I ran my first half marathon, and I was hooked. My dad’s first marathon was Marine Corps, and I knew that if I ever did a Marathon I wanted that to be my first as well. 

Expo Swag

They say “it takes a village to raise a child”, well it certainly took a village comprised of family and friends “to raise” this marathoner.  Don’t get me wrong I ran for myself, but knowing that so many people supported me, and believed in me kept me going when I wanted to quit. My family couldn’t be there on race day, but I know they were with me every step of the way. Taped in hot pink on the inside of my shirt were notes from family and friends encouraging me, and wishing me well. I also did mile dedications from 20-26 thinking about those special people each mile.

Race weekend made me feel as special as I do on my birthday. It was full of desk decorations, flowers, facebook posts, text messages, phone calls, and my favorite, lots of hugs. 

Desk Decorations

Since this was my first time I wanted to take full advantage of everything race weekend had to offer. Friday night Danny and I went to first timers pep rally. I wasn't sure what to expect but was looking forward to being around first time marathoners! With Hurricane Sandy looming there was lots of talk about how to run in the rain, what to wear for rain, etc. Rain on race day was my worst nightmare: wet feet and soaking clothes were not part of my training. If it rained on a day I was supposed to run, I would hit the treadmill. But, I was determined rain or shine I would finish. So, “Hurricane Sandy, had nothing on Hurricane Hadley.” Thankfully, Sandy was kind to us runners, and only gave us some strong winds and overcast skies.

My alarm went off at 5:17 am race morning, and as I got out of bed, and my feet hit the ground I thought to myself, this is it Hadley. Today is the day, it’s the day you’ve been training for. I laced up my bright pink shoes, pinned my Bib to my leg, and tightened my signature pony tail. I was ready. The road to 26.2 miles would be complete today.

I couldn’t help, but get choked up as I made my way to the Pentagon City Metro station. I wore number 30840 with pride, I had earned that number and my spot in this race, and I wasn’t going to let myself down. 

 Go Hadley Signs

They told us during the pep rally not to count miles up or down, but to just tell ourselves after every mile “I’ve got one more mile in me” and so I said to myself 26 times, I’ve got one more mile in me, and I did. The first few miles were my idea of hell, straight up hill. Thankfully, my good friend Carrie introduced me to a run that included Mass Ave which is over a mile up hill, so once a week after work I would set out on that run. My friend Daniel, who was also running somehow found me during the first few miles. It was so great to see a familiar face. Thankfully, for me that would not be the only familiar face I would see throughout the race. My wonderful friends Nikki and Carrie would be up ahead in Georgetown at mile 9 then again close to the Mall around mile 17. Having support on the course is invaluable. I had my name written on my shirt {I’m never one to pass up a compliment}, so I got several “go Hadley’s” from strangers. My favorite sign race day, was “ I’ve got a binder full of Marathoners”

At the halfway mark, 13.1 miles I stopped to go to the bathroom. One of my fellow runners had dropped their poopy diaper meters before the half way mark, leaving it in the middle of the course for all to see. I’m not intense enough to poop in a diaper, but waiting to pee did add about 15-20 minutes to my final time.

Big Bad Had

I’ve never run to beat a certain time, it’s always been about finishing for me. But in the back of my head I knew I had to reach the gauntlet {mile 17} and beat the bridge {mile 20} by a certain time or I would be taken off the course and bused to the end. I joked with all of my friends that I would run from the bus, if it came to that, which thankfully it did not.

As I crossed the bridge from DC to Virginia I spotted Danny, right after mile 20. I was feeling good, and had just started my “don’t stop” playlist on my ipod. My wall came at about mile 22. Everything hurt. Twenty-two miles was the furthest I had run. I looked to my right and saw two bright pink posters, there were Sarah and Kara. I told myself I’ve got one more mile.

The quote that played in my head throughout my whole race was “At mile 20 I thought I was dead, At mile 22 I wished I was dead, At mile 24 I knew I was dead, At mile 26.2 I realized I had become too tough to kill.” And at mile 24 I did know I was dead. It was the on ramp to 395, and the slightest incline was painful. I knew I had come this far without stopping or walking, and I would not let myself quit.

Mile 25

I ran beside countless men and women in uniform and people running in honor of loves ones they had lost during war. Runners all around me were walking or quitting, and I was not going to be one of them. At mile 25 I wanted to cry. Not because I was happy, but because I wanted to give up, and then beside me on their bikes were Carrie and Danny. I told myself I’ve got one more mile.

Mile 26, every marathoners happy place. I knew that the finish line was a hill, and that I would somehow have to conquer that hill. I knew Lisa, Amanda, Sarah, Danny, and Carrie would be there to see me conquer that hill.  In Five Hours thirty-nine minutes and nine seconds I ran the Marine Corps Marathon. I fought back the tears when I crossed that finish line. I had done it, I was a marathoner. I walked to Iwo Jima were a marine placed my finishers medal on my neck. I cried, and we hugged. My road to 26.2 was complete, and I definitely proved that, “this princess wears running shoes.” 

 Marine Corps Marathoner!

Why do i run?

Big Bad Had, during my 2nd 1/2 marathon

The simple, short answer is; so I can eat. When I was younger the only way you could get me to do anything, or at least anything I didn’t really want to do was to promise me a treat upon completion. My brother, stood at the bottom of the high dive at Sequoia with a box of Krispy Kreme donuts as an incentive for me to take the plunge, walks to the park with Sarah happened because I knew there was a 20 piece nugget meal waiting for me under that golden McDonalds arch. It’s common knowledge to people who know me that I run so I can eat.

headband with my moto on it " I run so i can eat" for my 3rd 1/2 marathon

I remember very vividly the first race I ever did. It was the Rudolph 5k in Nashville, with my whole family – there’s a picture that is engrained in my mind of me literally being dragged, each parent holding an arm, during the race. The look on my face said, I hate this and both of you for making me do this.

I didn’t start running, until high school and even then I was lucky if I made it a mile. I kept a running journal of my times, which route I ran, and the time of day, striving each day to get a little faster than the one before. I’ve struggled with weight my whole life, but when my feet hit that pavement, I feel light as a feather.

I didn’t fall in love with running until about 2 years ago. The past 2 years have been a tough time for me, emotionally and aside from finding comfort in friends and family, running provided me with an outlet for my frustrations and hurt, a goal for me to strive for, and a sense of accomplishment I never thought possible. If I go more than a few days without running, I start to miss it and yearn to be out there just me and my ipod pushing myself to go a little further each time.

after my very first 1/2 marathon

Twenty years ago, if you had said that girl in the picture, being dragged by her parents would be running her first marathon in October I would have said there’s no way in hell! Well, at the end of my marathon it may take both my parents each dragging one of my arms across that finish line, but the look on my face will tell a totally different story than that of 6 year old Hadley, it will say, I run because I love it.

Dad & Had

I've always thought of myself as a daddy's girl. Maybe it's because I look like him, sweat like him, and have small eyes like him, or it could be because I inherited his sense of humor. There's just something about the bond between a father and a daughter. Growing up I idolized my dad: I looked forward to him coming home every night, dancing on his feet to oldies song, our semi-annual shopping trips at the mall, and special Dad and Had time.

It's hard when you're growing up to think of your parents as people - you just simply think of them as your parents. As I've grown and gotten to know both of my parents as adults I have realized what incredible people they are, and I'm so fortunate to not only know my dad as a person, but to call him one of my best friends. Often times he is the first person I call for advice or to share news with. His thoughts are usually pretty rational and his advice, spot on.

He's always been there to tell me I'm beautiful -even when I didn't think I was- encourage me to follow my dreams, congratulate me on my successes, help me learn from my failures, and to mend my broken heart. His drive and passion for life are inspiring, his selflessness -humbling-, and his sense of humor and smile are contagious. Everyday I'm thankful for him and our relationship, and proud to call him my dad.

IT'S POSSIBLE, FOR A PLAIN YELLOW PUMPKIN TO BECOME A GOLDEN CARRIAGE.
IT'S POSSIBLE, FOR A PLAIN COUNTRY BUMPKIN AND A PRINCE TO JOIN IN MARRIAGE.
AND FOUR WHITE MICE ARE EASILY TURNED TO HORSES.
SUCH FOLDEROL AND FIDDLE-DEE-DEE OF COURSE IS.......
QUITE POSSIBLE. IT'S POSSIBLE.
SO THE WORLD IS FULL OF ZANIES AND FOOLS,
WHO DON'T BELIEVE IN SENSIBLE RULES,
AND WHO WON'T BELIEVE WHAT SENSIBLE PEOPLE SAY.
AND BECAUSE THESE DAFT AND DEWY-EYED DOPES
KEEP BUILDING UP IMPOSSIBLE HOPES,
IMPOSSIBLE......THINGS ARE HAPPENING EVERY DAY.
IT'S POSSIBLE.

Just like mom

I never understood why she did a lot of the things that she did; now i find myself doing the exact same things. "Why are you cleaning for Granny and Granddady to come visit, they're your parents they don't care what thehouse looks like" i would say to her. Whenever my parents come to visit the week leading up to their arrival i'm vacuuming the apartment, doing laundry, scrubbing toilets- just like my mom did. When i would pull out my lunch at school that my mom had made i was horrified to find the Kroger brand pudding, or Kroger brand pretzels in my lunch box. "Why do you have to buy the generic brands" i would ask my mom, everyone else has name brands {yes, at this stage in my life i was kind of a bitch} Every Monday - Friday that i pack my lunch at work most items are Harris Teeter brand just likewhen my mom would pack my lunch.

When i was younger i would try to hide certain things from my mom, or avoid answering questions when she would ask. Now that i am older i can't wait to tell my mom things; often times calling her late at night or early in the morning because i have things that i want to share with her. My mom is one of my best friends. Someone i know that i can tell anything, and not be judged for what i say. She listens with a mothers heart.

My mom has always been there, something that i tended to take for granted growing up, because the last thing that a teenage girl wants is for her mother to be around all the time. Now, that i'm an "adult" i urn for quality time with my mom because it is few and far between.

It was not until i got older that i saw my mom as a person, and not just "mom" she's stronger than she gives herself credit for, wiser than i ever gave her credit for, has such a pure heart, and to have put up with my brother and me for all of those years the patience of a saint. I can only hope that one day i will be just like my mom.

CoWorkers

Dictionary.com defines a coworker as: a fellow worker; colleague. Over the past almost three years, I have formed a completely different definition of the word, coworker. Infact, I hate using the word coworker because of what it implies, simply someone whom you work with.

For me, the people that I work with are more like family. I spend more time with them than my own blood family, roommates, or friends. Some might say that we're an unlikely group, but we fit together like a puzzle. Sarah, Sarah, Nikki, Carrie, & I compliment each other. We all have our own qualities and attributes that others don't, but enough similarities that brought us together and keep us laughing day after day. Because of them I push myself to try new things, to be more open-minded, and over all just a better person.

Most people try to keep their distance at work, not divulging too much personal information, but not us. I love the fact that I know I have these girls to confide in, get advice from, laugh with, and eat lunch with every day. What's most important though is I know on any given day I have someone here who has my back, and cares about me outside of the professional environment.

As time moves on, and so do our careers I know the bond that we've created can't be broken. So dictionary.com I suggest you revisit that definition of a coworker.

Houston, we have a problem... here comes Hadley!

The Girl Scout National Council Session is like the Super Bowl of Girl Scouting. Every Council across the Country sends representatives who descend on a city, this year it's Houston. For four days there will be booths, speeches, celebrations, sessions, and of course the kick- off to our anniversary year, and I will be right in the thick of it!

"I have already been communicating with several councils; they'd be able to put a pretty face to my name. I have wanted to participate in a National Council Session since I heard about the Indiana session that was in progress when I began work here in 2008. I promise to arrive with a smile on my face and ready to work." An expert from my essay on why I think I should be selected to go to convention. It worked, because Houston here I come!