A TEA-riffic Mom's Day Out in New York City

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.

As I mentioned last week when I showed you my Day at Bigelow Tea Headquarters, I had a fabulous time up in New York City and Connecticut in October. Today, I'm sharing all about our fantastic day in the city, thanks to Bigelow Tea. They treated us so well and gave us an amazing memory! This mom LOVED every minute of it.

#BigelowVIP #AmericasTea #CollectiveBias

It had been nearly fifteen years since I had been to the Big Apple. As a work-at-home-mom, sometimes I barely leave the house, except to take kids to activities or to the grocery store. To have this really fun experience and opportunity to get away to New York City for a few days was just awesome. Check out the details of our day in the city below.

We had a few options to choose from that morning and I decided on the World Trade Center Museum and Memorial. I don't want to show too much of this, because it truly is an emotional experience that I hope everyone can have one day. This was my favorite part...the colors of the sky the morning of 9/11. The entire museum and memorial was so well done...it truly is something to take in, if you ever have the chance.

After a morning at the museum and a little running around town, we stopped for a delicious lunch at Rosa Mexicano. Being from Texas, I'm a bit of a Mexican food snob...but this place was incredible. Best Cobb Salad I've ever had...it was spicy, but just perfect! We also shared some delicious table-side-prepared guacamole that couldn't be beat.

After lunch, we had our hair done {I know, right?!?} at Dream Dry. We don't have dry bars like this here in my part of the world, so this was really cool to experience. The lady doing my hair has also done Hoda Kotb's hair. I die.

And she was super kind and totally worked with my wish for "keeping it big" {you can take the southerner out of the south, buttttt...}.

This was the view outside of Dream Dry.
Hello, Empire State Building.

Next up? Make up at Bloomingdale's, y'all!
Pinch me.

I was truly a bit intimidated to tell my make up artist that I hadn't changed the way I've done my make up since I was in high school {which was in the mid-90's...gah!}. But, you know how it is. I got married shortly after college and then later the kiddos came along...life gets busy and moms don't always have time for learning new make up routines. But, at Bloomingdale's, we had the unique opportunity to do just that.

I was kind of shocked when the gal doing my make up told me not to change much at all. WHA?!? Apparently, the 1995 smokey eyes I sport have worked their way all the way back around the horn to being cool again. Who would've thunk, y'all? She did teach me some tricks to lining my eyes {I've never been a "bottom-liner", but you can bet I am now!}. I also picked up some BB Cream foundation and mascara after chatting with her. Have you ever tried this awesomeness called BB Cream? It's so fancy...in a good way. And the "BB" stands for Bobbi Brown...which is the make up artist's signature brand who worked with me. I was really impressed with all of it. We also took home some lip gloss, eye cream and another mascara as well. I'm hooked on the gloss. I so wish they sold Bobbi Brown in my town {or had a Bloomingdale's in my town, for that matter}.

After I was looking fiiiiine, Bigelow gave us each a gift card to enjoy at Bloomingdale's, in preparation for our evening out. Oh, you know I headed to jewelry.

I just couldn't leave NYC without adding to my Alex and Ani collection. I was thrilled to find a great selection right there at the Soho Bloomingdale's.

Isn't this the perfect keepsake?
It's a New York City subway token.

This is the fantastic Heather, from the blog, Brie Brie Blooms, and myself...
hair and make up all ready for a big night out!

Some of our Bigelow Tea friends met us for a delicious Italian meal at Basso56.
I really loved this restaurant...it was just so cozy and New Yorkish {in my mind, at least}. My family and I are now planning our own NYC trip for next year {I already miss it}, and this is one of the places I want to take them. It was just...New York.

This was such a fun group of bloggers, Collective Bias folks and, of course, Bigelow Tea friends to spend a few days with!

And what's dinner without a show?
Wicked was....FANTASTIC.
Sigh...I so wish I could see it on a daily basis. I now sing "Defying Gravity" on my daily morning walk. People probably think I'm nuts...but my pace has improved by over a minute per mile since adding that song to my workout playlist. Mmm-hmm.

Here we are in front of the clock in the lobby.
Have you seen Wicked? Isn't it amazing?

On a side note, we had quite the experience after the show, too. It poured. And not just a little pour...but like a major down pour. We, literally, were ankle deep in street water as we ran from place to place to get dry {and souvenir shop}. At one point, my friend, Ali's shoe was about to float away as we were trying to run. I seriously had all of my {new} mascara running downing my cheeks...not from the rain but from laughing so hard at the experience. It was a good thing that Bloomingdale's gave us each an umbrella!

I now have my morning Bigelow Tea in a little keepsake.

Thank you to Bigelow Tea for such an incredible trip and memorable day in the city! I am so ridiculously honored to be a #BigelowVIP.