Today was our last day spent with my older brother.

It being a Sunday, it was only fitting that we spend his last day resting in the hotel room. He had just finished his finals, so he wanted a day to relax before going back to school.

We watched cooking channel. Messed around on computers. And basically lied around in our PJs, munching on Carlos Bakery shortbread cookies all day.

My mom and I were the only ones who got dressed enough to step out for air. We walked thirty minutes down the road – in the cold, of course – to Pep Boys to get oil for the van.

I was somewhat bribed with lunch. So I was brainstorming what I wanted to eat and came up with the grand epiphany of . .

“I want apple sauce.”

I got one of those astronomic-looking packages of drinkable apple sauce yesterday at White Castle, which I originally thought was really gross. But you get used to it — enough to the point where you crave some the next day, apparently.

Go figure.

On the way back, we saw this place called Paris Baguette. Just the word “Paris” always catches my eye. Peeking inside, I saw several chefs dressed in white, icing and embellishing cakes.

We had to go in.

Oh, it was like my heaven. There were pastries displayed in rows, people carrying around trays and tongs, a constant flow of fresh pastries being set out on new trays, workers dressed in black and white stripe shirts like mimes, an espresso machine, and about three chefs behind the counter, working in an assembly line to pump out four cakes at a time.

As if we hadn’t had enough sweets, we were convinced that these were totally different than the Carlos Bakery sweets and of course we wanted to try these kind too.

The boys were more than shocked when we brought home donut twists and a huge cream cheese puff.

It was back to laziness until five o’clock, then my brother got into uniform again and we were on our way back to the school.

He gave us a little tour of his dorm, where he’s – WHOOP WHOOP – representin’!

And then it was goodbye.

These past couple days went by very fast. We did the math and he got about four days of “Spring Break” – shortened, because of the government shut down. But I don’t think we could’ve done any more than what we did in that period of time.

And ultimately it was just to be spent with him.

We had a lot of laughs as we always do with him. Eventually were quieted and sent to bed (it just wouldn’t have been the same if we never got lectured). Tried some of the best pizza. And ate tons and tons of sweets.

And, let us not forget, he gave us a tour of Times Square!

Good luck, and safe travels, big brother. I’m so glad we had this time with you.