A couple of weeks ago, I attended NBC’s Education Nation in New York City. The experience was an amazing opportunity to hear from the leading voices in education about the challenges facing our system–and they are many. Of course, it was also extremely cool to be in New York again.

Welcome to Day 1.

I felt very special when iVillage sent the fancy NBC car service for me. This is the view as I walked past the long taxi line. I admit I was hoping for Jeeves holding a sign with my name on it, but a text and a waiting car was close enough.

It’s just a big SUV, but it says limousine, so that’s what we’re going with.

For real. The driver thinks I’m Holly Hunter. [Not really.]

Obligatory dorky blogger self-portrait. Without lip gloss.

A groovy home in a neighborhood I will never live in. Because I simply refuse to sell a child. I have standards.

I think that’s the Chrysler Building. But what do I know. I drive a Toyota.

View from our room at the Westin Times Square. (You’ll meet my roomies in the next post.)

The iVillage team treats us well. With cookies.

The other kind of obligatory blogger self portrait.

Dorky tourist shot with the Freedom Tower. Dork factor reduced because it was taken by a local. Maybe?

Said local, my friend Jacoba Urist. We met online. She hates it when I say that, but I adore her, and I did even before she plied me with liquor and a blow-out.

We so pritTAY!

And this guy. Oh. My. Gawd. The cute factor overwhelmed. My eggs were like, “Have another baby already.” I had another glass of wine instead. Because I remembered that babies are not so cute at 3am.

The little guy hailing me a cab. Not even kidding.

And so we come to the end of Day 1 in the city. Stay tuned for Day 2, coming up next.

Images: NBC News/Education Nation, Lela Davidson