Three days of star-studded summer fun

I hardly know where to begin in writing about my fabulous, fun-filled, star-studded three days in New York, so I will begin at the beginning, which is that I went to New York to see my cousin Chaska Potter and her band Raining Jane perform on the Today Show with Jason Mraz on Friday.

I've already posted the photos on Facebook, but for those not on it, I thought I would post a quick recap.

The Janes and Jason Mraz have been writing songs for eight years, but the collaboration has hit the big time now with the release of their new album, Yes!, marked by beautiful harmonies and wonderful chemistry.

I went down the night before and slept on my cousin Jeanne's couch. Six of us got VIP tickets enabling us to get an excellent spot on the plaza where the summer concert series takes place. This meant getting there at 5:30 a.m., but it was all so exciting that the even earlier rise time didn't matter. Afterwards a bunch of us went out to breakfast.

My cousin, Chaska, is second from left on the Today Show stage.

Some of us got a little crazy.

Usually I like to get in a run around the Central Park Reservoir, but I was so tired that afternoon that I knew it wouldn't work. Still, it was such a beautiful afternoon that I spent most of the day walking around.

On Saturday, Chaska, her sister Serena, and their mother, my first cousin Nancy, had tickets to see their friend Sara Bareilles at Madison Square Garden. They know each other from way back when; Nancy tells the story of stepping over them while they slept on the floor at her place in California.

Serena had an extra ticket, and so I got to go with them. Beforehand, I cought up with Nancy at a rooftop dining area in a restaurant right near Madison Square Garden on a perfect, balmy summer night.

I am running out of adjectives, which is different for me because I am not normally so effusive. But anyway, next came Sara's amazing show, after which I went backstage with my cousins and met their friend.

On Sunday, with one activity left to go – a family brunch at Marge and Bill's – I was still determined to get my run in. I only had a little over an hour, which I figured would get me cross town to the reservoir and part of the way around. I thought I would go a little less than half-way around and then turn back because I wasn't sure I had time to do the whole thing.

In the what-was-I thinking category, I turned around where I had planned and realized it was impossible due to the one-way traffic pattern and the crush of runners who would be coming towards me.

I had no choice but to keep going. Since I didn't want to be late, I ran faster than I thought possible. With all that music in my head and the thought of all of those big smiles and such happiness about Raining Jane's success, it wasn't difficult at all.

From left, me, Serena, Sara, Chaska and Nancy