gloria

when i gave haley tickets to new york for christmas we both went into super-savings mode for the trip. not only was it a month after christmas, but also coincided with our anniversary (not coincidentally), valentines and the likelihood of a january slump in the restaurant industry (affecting us both). that being said, we both left for new york with a comfortable, though not extravagant, spending budget.

we scored a great rate on a hotel through a discount booking site of just over a hundred bucks a night. of course, it was the smallest room they had, but we weren't planning to spend much time there awake anyway. it appeared to be clean from the pictures and reviews we saw and the location was perfect. a block from the metro and walking distance to almost everything in midtown. (okay, a long walk to some places, but really, very central.)

when our cab pulled up to the hotel on friday, i was relieved to see it flanked by established and upscale hotels and shops. haley and i rushed the counter, a little wrinkled from the plane, but excited and ready. a friendly middle-aged black woman greeted us and began the check-in process. we were there a couple hours before the official check in time, so we offered to come back later if our room wasn't ready. she offered us one on the second floor but then wrinkled her nose when haley asked if it had a view. she said, 'hmm, you should wait.. we'll get you a better view in a little while.'

but then she saw that our reservation only came through to their computer system for one night, rather than the two we had booked. i had a confirmation showing otherwise, but before i could dig it out of my email inbox she reassured us that she would extend it. and then she said, 'and since you're staying a second night i'm going to put you in a nicer room... ' and then she leaned over the counter a little and said, conspiratorially, 'it's a suite' and smiled at us.

'really? a suite?! thank you so much!' we chorused.
'well, you were sweet...' she replied.

when i was 18, i got my first car. a grey chevy nova. as it represented and provided freedom and independence for me, i named it 'gloria' to express my gratitude. it's the only car i've ever named.

as i took the room keys from our new friend at the hotel, i noticed her name tag: Gloria. how fitting, i thought, as i was filled with gratitude again. our room rocked. it was not only huge, but also had a full kitchen. we didn't eat a single breakfast out all weekend.

gloria.

after we deposited our luggage in the suite, we left for the metro station. before we got there, we were intercepted by a woman on her way out of town. she gave us her metrocard, with unlimited trips for another day and a half.

gloria.

sunday after we visited moma, we wanted to see a show on broadway. we didn't have tickets, but i'd heard that some theaters had opened their lotteries up to the public. so we hoofed it over to the booth theater to see what the lottery details were for 'next to normal.' it was 5:27 and the lottery opened at 5:30 for the 7:30 show. at 6 o'clock they drew names to give 26 tickets out to lottery winners for $25 each. haley's name was the seventh name called. incidentally, mine was called out too, but i passed since she already had our tickets.

fourth row. center orchestra. $25 each. a truly amazing show.

gloria.

and so our trip went. one gift of abundance after another.

d: may the lottery winning continue
b: centered in the flow of abundance
g: the big apple served up sweet and juicy