The Bachelorette

No I'm not auditioning for the bachelorette....although at one point in my early 20's I did think about it. I'm talking about my own bachelorette party.

I love this tradition so much. One last hurrah for the single lady you've always been and one shot of tequila for the married lady you'll become. The big requirement I had for the gals planning my bash was that it be in NYC. The place where all my crazy dating stories took place, where I've spent most of my adult life, where I met Alex, and my favorite city in the world.

The festivities were entirely a surprise so I had no idea what I was in for at the top of the weekend.

My two college roommates (maid and matron of honor!) arrived in NYC on Friday night and we had dinner just the 3 of us at a french bistro in my neighborhood. After a relaxing night, we woke up early, grabbed bagels, and enjoyed them on the roof deck of my apartment building. Then we got our hair done at dry bar in preparation for the night ahead. The girls took me to a cute hotel in the flower district of Chelsea. And while Michele decorated the room to a spectacular degree, Nicole and I were across the street having a pre-dinner cocktail at a rooftop bar with a stunning view of the Freedom Tower.

And then the real partying began. I wore a sash that read "Future Mrs. Levi" and a number of engagement themed temporary tattoos. Michele even made hair ties for everyone attending. Alayna joined us to get ready for the festivities and we polished off a whole bunch of champagne before heading to an adorable restaurant, Out East, in the East Village where a large group of ladies was waiting for us. Dinner was served family style and we ate a delicious array of dishes from tuna tacos to decadent lasagna to deconstructed pies for dessert.

With full bellies, the party continued! We headed to Mr. Purple, a night club on the Lower East Side with a a terrace and a beautiful view of the city. We partied hard for many hours before returning to our hotel room in Chelsea where I quickly hit the hay.

The next morning we awoke early for brunch at Revel in the meatpacking district. And another group of lovely women were there to brunch with us. Bottomless pitchers of mimosas and bellinis were on the table for our drinking pleasure. Michele made us super cute matching shirts to wear as a squad.

After brunch, we stayed at the bar at Revel for a bit as the group petered out. Then a few of us continued on to a roof top bar to drink rose and enjoy the beautiful weather before grabbing a snack at a beer garden and calling it a weekend.

Overall, it was everything I could have hoped for. Great friends, too many drinks, tons of eating and laughing. So many of the women in my life were there to celebrate with me and I was floored at the number of gals who came out for it! I felt so loved and I'm more excited than ever for the wedding...which is only days away now. I can hardly believe it!