East coast VaCa

Hello! ian and I just returned from the east coast where we vacationed with family and friends (you know who you are) -- had a great time! First we arrived into NYC just in time to make it to the Broadway production of "The Producers". Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick have already moved on from those starring roles into their new show, "The Odd Couple" (tickets sold out), but the actors who are in the current "Producers" were absolutely fantastic. It was such a hilarious production. I've heard that the movie is not good, so don't waste your time. The live show was full of energy and we had great seats on the orchestra level. After the show we went to a little french bistro recommended by friends; we had a huge bowl of mussels smothered in white wine-butter sauce --- yummy!! Sunday we spent walking around Manhattan, visiting the WTC site, doing a little shopping, visiting a friend from residency; then we got same-day half-price tickets to another broadway show, Avenue Q. It was also very funny and irreverent; it involved muppets! crazy, those broadway people... Ian was in the market for a sportscoat for his upcoming conference so we walked through Saks and Bloomingdales -- hello, do people actually shop there? So expensive!! We ended up back at Macy's; much more reasonable.
Monday we flew down to Raleigh and stayed with Beth and Nathan (and Max and Nina). Anna and her twins, Kate and Jocelyn, joined us the next day. We stayed until Thursday morning and had a great time. We spent our time eating, drinking, and being merry; also playing games with the kids, taking them to the parks, etc. Very relaxing - and the weather was so cooperative! Not hot or humid in the least!
Thursday we Amtrak'd up to DC; Jaki and Sophia picked us up and took us to Peter's new apartment -- tres cool! And huge --
what a bachelor pad! We got to meet Virginia and Debra on this trip; both very lovely women. Friday Jaki and I went to Sophie's school to witness her anchorwomaning for the school morning news -- she's a natural. She's such a natural born leader -- she's practically running the school herself between hallway patrol, field-day supervision, news-woman, soccer star... Friday night we watched world cup soccer and the funniest South Park episode I've ever seen. Saturday we went to soccer practice, then Peter and Virginia took us all on a really fun tour of DC in one of those amphibious WWII trucks that they call Duck (hence, DCDuck tour). That night we all went to an outdoor Tom Petty concert; great weather, atmosphere. Peter's friends were there (they got us the tickets) and the music was great.
Now we're back, tending the garden (our neighbor, in a wonderful attempt to be helpful, accidentally turned off our watering system after using the hose to water some of the pots -- oops! now the hanging fuschias are in dire straits -- oh the problems of living in suburbia...) We're excited about all of the family coming this summer, starting with Beth and Nathan in just a few weeks! Then Ata arrives on June 28th -- don't worry, Mom, we're still on for Sisters!!