An Afternoon with Nate Berkus {sort of}

Last Tuesday I met my sister in the city to attend a taping of the Nate Berkus Show. I realized, after she invited me, that it's been a while since I've gone into the city for something other than a social media event. I was excited to spend that day with my big sis and to do something off the beaten path.

We met each other at Penn Station since I was taking a train from NJ and she was taking one from PA. It was a gorgeous fall day in NYC so we decided to enjoy the stroll from Penn Station to 57th Street where the show is taped.

We picked up coffee at Starbucks, OF COURSE!!!! And we headed next door to do some shopping at Sephora. Two of my favorite places side by side. I was in Heaven.

I exercised some serious will power in Sephora and walked out with only 2 bottles of nail polish. Have you ever tried the Sephora brand nail polish? I never had but after testing it in the store, I knew I had to have it. The bottles are small (0/16 fl. oz.) which are perfect for me since I tire easily of nail polish colors. And the applicator brush is wide, so a single coat glides on very easily. They cost $4/bottle.

I bought "Welcome to my Loft" (l.) and "Dark Chocolate Chunk". I love both colors. They are perfect for fall.

We stopped for lunch, and afterwards headed to the studio. We had to arrive by 2:15. I never expected to see a line this long. CRAZY fans!

We snapped a pic of ourselves while we waited.

We were given our tickets and were just steps from entering the studio!

We were seated directly in front of center stage. Great seats!

One of the first things I noticed was the kitchen that was set up to the left of center stage. I could only wonder if there would be celebrity chef on the show!!

It turned out to be Pat and Gina Neely from "Down Home with the Neelys" on the Food Network. They were a ton of fun! We walked away with their latest cookbook, "The Neelys' Celebration Cookbook". I cannot wait to try the recipes. There are some great cocktail recipes in the book, and they look like they'll be perfect for the upcoming holiday season.

We had to shut off all cameras and cell phones once the actual taping began. So, unfortunately, I have no photos of Nate to share. :( But I can tell you this, he is adorable, energetic, and totally fun. And, OMG, is he ever full of fabulous ideas. I could have sat there all day and listened to him dole out advice on window coverings, pillows, placement of furniture in the dining room. Anything. He is a wealth of information and presents it in a fun, non-intimidating and non-threatening way.

If you are looking for something to do in NYC, I highly recommend getting tickets to a taping of the Nate Berkus show. It's an inexpensive way to spend some time in the city doing something out of the box.