Sometimes you have the best laid out plans for an eventful few days off and sometimes things change. This past weekend, my family planned a brief trip to NY to celebrate my stepdaughter Ashley’s engagement party. With my Gotham Queens Group meeting live this month, I had asked if it was OK to move the meeting to the next day (Friday) to accommodate my travel plans. All went as planned. Then there was confusion on the date. Members who said they would be there couldn’t. Fred had suggested we open this meeting up to everyone and we decided to waive the non-compete rules this one time. What a good idea. The five members that couldn’t come were quickly replaced with five circuit riders and even a guest of Fred Morante. My soon-to-be college-bound son Joe also joined us and got to see some real-world successful people discuss what they do and how they can help. It really was an amazing moment when the meeting broke up and my son decided to get up and talk with several people, including fellow newer Queens member Christopher Polanco from V&J Produce. I was very touched by the time and interest he took with my son, and I know the time was well received as they exchanged contact info. When I looked at the clock, it was nearly 11, an hour after we officially ended.

I raced back to our hotel, checked out a bit late and went to Brooklyn to visit a few accounts (emergency customer service visits) with my family in the car. We made it back to LI later that evening and checked into our hotel in Commack. We helped with some flower arrangements and then invited the groom to be immediate family and had a great eight-person dinner out at Insignia Steak House (highly recommended). The next day we helped prepare Ashley and family for the big party, hair appointments, last minute errands that were needed. 110 guests at the Trio Golf and Country Club in Holbrook. It was very nice, and everyone was having a great time. It ended at midnight, so we had minimal sleep. We ended up checking out the next morning, met up with an old HS friend of my wife in Jamaica Queens, got some West Indian products to bring home (great Pholourie). We then drove to Brooklyn to pick up some Rainbow cookies at Palermo Bakery on Ave N. In our opinion, the best rainbow cookies, period. We got some for our good Gotham leader Fred K. too. After some more driving, a stop to see Fred and then catch a flight back to NY, that ended up being two hours delayed. Got home after midnight.

It was a fun three-day weekend (sort of) with many great memories. Now the catch up begins.