JT, Jay-Z and Me!

I've been waiting for this concert all summer and finally, finally(!) it's here.  JT and Jay-Z right in my backyard, ok, it was a stadium with thousands of other people but whatevs.  

I anxiously awaited my BFFL's arrival.  Despite the rain and her recovering from a bad cold, we were determined to have fun.  After a hectic summer of packing, unpacking, laundering, and packing again (on repeat), dancing and singing with my girl T to some sweet tunes is just what I needed. And maybe a few cocktails...or more than a few.

I settled on wearing a black satin dress, my Vince Camuto ankle cuff flats, and my Louis purse.  I even did my hair (I have become the queen of the bun as many a busy mom is).  

T and I headed off to Flemings for some pre-concert snacks and drinks.  We ordered the Stoli Bombshell Martini. A mix of muddled raspberries, vodka and lime juice it was a sweet way to begin our night. And at 99 calories you won't feel guilty eating (or drinking) more than your fair share.

Flemings has the greatest happy hour I know.  5 for $6 till 7pm, Flemings features five apps, five wines, and five cocktails all for $6 each!  We munched on complimentary handmade potato chips and sipped our on our martinis as we waited for our sweet chile calamari and burger (The Prime Burger). Ask for Mike the bartender, you won't regret it. Attentive but not over-bearing, friendly but not unprofessional he can whip up the perfect cocktail in seconds.  Even if you don't know what you want, he does. 

Our food came and we chowed down (which is why there's no food pics). But I can tell you it was delish. And so were the blueberry mojitos Mike made for us (Shockingly, sans lettuce - T I'm looking at you. I think the cocktails got to her brain,lol). 

I've frequented Flemings many times for birthday dinners and special occasions and it is equally as good as their happy hour.  The waiters are knowledgeable and friendly, the food delicious.  The manager always comes over to check on you and will take a picture of your whole party, stopping by later on to drop off the pic in a frame.  My favorite part is the box of handmade chocolate truffles, handwritten card, single standing candle and a $25 gift card you get for special occasions. If you go, try the petite filet (medium plus --> more than medium, less than medium well), baked potato and wedge salad with some Cava sparkling wine. Ok back to our girls night out.

Two martinis, two glasses of wine and one blueberry mojoto later we giggled our way out onto the street and over to the Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z concert.  

Uber let us down and said there were no cabs available so we popped on over to the Marriott, pretended we were staying there and had the doorman get us a cab.  We chatted up Mike our driver and talked excitedly about the concert. 

The concert was exploding with eager fans. And they were all on line for the ladies room. Having done our business we got ourselves a drink and headed to our seats.  

Which were amazing, check them out. Front and center and not too high or too low, just right.

As the night pressed in, the stage lit up.  JT and Jay-Z took the stage slowly, keeping the crowd tensely, breathlessly, madly and wildly awaiting their first song. ('Holy Grail' but shh, I didn't tell you that)

Sooo JT can legit sing.  Not that I ever doubted him but you never know with musicians these days  He sounds like he does on the radio which is so refreshing.  So many artists are auto tuned or 'helped' in some way, and it was a relief to know he is the real deal. Jay-Z can hold his own for sure.  But of course he can, he's a tough NY boy.  And they've got moves.  Is it hot in here??

Two very different genres and two very different groups of fans all came together to relish in music that moves you to your feet.  Bass pounding, bodies moving and hands in the air, I don't think there was a happier set of people in the city that night.  

We danced the night away, 'brushing our shoulders off' and 'taking sexy back.'  I'd tell you the set list but that takes all the fun out of it so you'll just have to go see them for yourself.  

And I almost cried during the Empire State of Mind because my heart will always belong to NY. (To think I almost missed it for the ladies room!)  

Ahhh!  Just wait until the encore. 

A-M-A-Z-I-N-G is all I can say.  Check out the tour dates here, buy yourself a ticket.  You won't regret it.

Sadly, it had to come to an end so we headed out to grab a cab but that was easier said then done. A mile or two later we found our cab and tried to take a final pic.  Too bad I struggled to operate my camera.  This is what we wound up with. 

This is embarrassing to admit but after my first unsuccessful attempt at a pic, I accidentally videoed us instead of taking a pic. I won't bore you with a vid because the whole video is this picture. We sat there, still as statues, smiling at the camera that never took a picture.  And that was a sign it was high time for bed. This is what we wound up with  

Don't we look like two girls who had a ton of fun?  I think so.  A night out talking, reminiscing, laughing, dancing (and planning the yoga studio we'll never open) was just what we needed.  T's the kind of friend who's always there when you need her (she drove 3 hours round trip to come see me  in the hospital for 30 mimutes when I had my daughter). And although we don't live near one another we pick up right where we left off. I see us being friends till we are old and gray.  We have more fun together than we probably should. We have many more memories to make.  Call your best girl and have some good old fashioned fun. And that my friends, is worth a glass of champagne.