Hey everyone! Today was our very first day of Fabulously Feminine and what better way to kick it off then with snow, rain and delayed flights! I awoke with a smile on my face eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Fab Fem girls when the phone calls began.

“Naami, my flight has been delayed and I’m not sure when I’ll get on the next flight!” “Naami, my flight has been cancelled and they’re saying that I might not get on a flight until tomorrow afternoon!” “Naami, I’ve been sitting in the airport for 8 hours and they still can’t guarantee that I’ll be on a flight out today, what should I do?” And for those that DID make it to NY, “Naami, I just got in a cab and he has know idea where he’s going, can you give the cab driver directions?” (Excuse me if I’m wrong but is it not  a cab drivers’ Job to know where he is going???)

Oh the fun! And indeed it was. Whether we were running out to the airport to squish in 4 girls with 10 pieces of luggage into a tiny sedan, shoveling out stuck cars to get to the airport, or having phone batteries die just as we were being told which terminal to meet at, there were smiles and laughs all around! Truthfully, the craziness of the day only led to big time hugs, happy shrieking, quick bonding and instant friendships!

Slowly, slowly the large empty Aish bungalow home began to fill up (with more suitcases than human beings) and the Fab Fem vibe was underway!

Chanukah lighting was next and it was magical to see the lights of the candles reflect off each girl’s tired but happy faces. Then a delicious dinner, dessert and a word about Chanukah from our very own R’ Dave before we were off to the NYC to see the one and only Empire State Building!

So there we were, the girls were pumped and ready to begin their NYC sightseeing! No more hours of sitting in an airport, no more delayed flights or crazy cab drivers, everything was about to be just right. We arrived at the Empire State Building only to find that….IT WAS CLOSED! Yup closed! Closed as in C-L-O-S-E-D, closed. Okay, so its Christmas eve and EVERYTHING is closed, but we were told in advance that they would be open until 2 AM and it was only 9:45 PM! Our begging didn’t get us anywhere so we very quickly decided that we better just let the girls get their real first glimpse of Manhattan, specifically Manhattan shopping! And with that we gallivanted through the empty streets of Manhattan, pointed out THE places to shop, took some pictures, got back on the bus and went home sweet home.

Tomorrow is ‘Beauty Day’ and I guess that’s a good thing because after all the travel trauma our poor Fab Fem’s had to go through today, they deserve a little pampering.

Just off the phone with our last Fab Fem who has landed…1:30 AM…not bad. And of course she is upbeat and so excited to be here! Gotta run and heat her up a plate of dinner…oh and of course get another dose of delayed flight and crazy cab drivers stories!

Until tomorrow…

Written by: Naami