I woke up early, a half hour or so before 6. I made my last Starbuck's run down to Columbus Ave. The girls woke early with my stirring in the apartment, which was good since the hired car would be picking us up at 8.
Photos of girls prior to leaving to come.
The car arrived 15 minutes early. Luckily, we were ready. We scurried down, and began packing our things in the car. While Steven went back up for one more run, I got a few photos outside with the apartment building in the background.
Photos of apartment building to come.
The ride to the airport was uneventful. At one point though, while looking at Manhattan in the distance, Bea started crying, saying how much she was going to miss New York. I couldn't help but tear up myself. We had made some wonderful memories in New York, memories that I will always cherish having with my girls. I was still looking forward to getting home though. We have lots waiting for us there, and many more memory making opportunities to come.
Photo of girls on ride to airport to come.
We had a bit of a long wait trying to check in our bags. I gave Charlotte my iPhone to help distract her since she was getting antsy. She started playing the Shape Builder game, which is a puzzle game. We started her on it several days ago, and now she is a pro at it. Really good for those eye, hand coordination skills. Bea pulled my old iPhone (which is now hers) out of her backpack, and began playing games too. They managed to entertain themselves long enough to get through the baggage check line.
Probably the most consuming task is going through security. We have to take apart the stroller (2 pieces), and put it through, along with the carseat and our other belongings. Shoes come off everyone, and then it's a mad dash to get all of our things back together on the other side. We made it through with flying colors.
We had plenty of time to get a bite to eat while we waited for our flight. Bea managed to confiscate our old digital point and shoot from Steven, which he has been promising would be hers. She quickly went to work taking photos in the airport.
Photos taken by Bea at airport to come.
Before long, it was time to board our flight back to Houston. We settled in, and like the flight up, Charlotte fell asleep before takeoff. She slept for 2 hours and 15 minutes of the 3 hour flight. When she woke up, she wanted to play on the iPad, and I got a photo of my 3 techies each on some device. Charlotte on the iPad, Steven on his laptop, and Bea on my iPhone.
Photo of techies on flight to come.
We had a bumpy descent, which all the kids on the flight loved, one calling out, "It's like a roller coaster!". Really, not what an adult wants to hear on a flight, but it was cute and funny.
Upon landing, the flight attendant announced over the intercom, "Well...we're here!", to which the cabin responded with laughter.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
Times Square, Ellen's Stardust Diner, and the Sanrio Store
Our last day in New York, and last minute, I decided we would go down to Times Square, have lunch at Ellen's Stardust Diner, and pick up some gifts for my nieces and nephew at the Sanrio (Hello Kitty) store.
We took the express subway to Times Square, and meandered our way through all the tourists (I guess I don't consider myself one.). Bea pointed out where we would need to go for the Hello Kitty store. I'm ashamed that my 4.5 year old knows more about Times Square than me.
We continued through Times Square to 50th and Broadway where we stopped at Ellen's Stardust Diner. The girls were in awe, and Charlotte, especially, seemed to get into the spirit of the atmosphere. The waiters and waitresses sing as they wait on you. Our waitress's name was Blondie, and we weren't there long before it was her turn to sing.
The girls enjoyed the singing and clapped at the end of the songs. I thought it was really neat, and these kids were really talented as well. I wish all the best for their success.
Photos from Ellen's Stardust Diner to come.
After lunch, we made that treacherous walk back through Times Square to go to the Sanrio store. I stopped in the middle of Times Square to take the obligatory Times Square photo.
Photo in Times Square to come.
Bea, again, told me where I needed to go to get to Hello Kitty, and I cross checked it with the map on my phone. She was right. We went inside the store, and Bea started looking for gifts for her cousins.
Photo of Sanrio store to come.
I picked out some cute Hello Kitty NY hats for the girls, and I was informed that the girls wouldn't like what I picked out, but would love what Bea picked out. I gave Bea the benefit of the doubt, and she picked out an Hello Kitty dolls wearing bikinis. She told me they are tan because people come in all different colors and sizes from all over the world, and they speak many different languages. The sales clerk told us they are Hawaiian Hello Kitties. I picked out Hello Kitty rings with each of the girls birthstones.
We didn't find anything for Nathan there, but I had seen some NY matchbox cars at a store near the apartment, so I planned on stopping there on the way home.
Charlotte was asleep at this point. We got back on the subway towards 72nd Street, and the store I wanted to go into was right across from the station. We popped in there, and I found little subway replicas of the different lines in NYC. I picked the 7 local line that is right by the apartment, since it is the one we take if we take the subway.
We made one last trip to Duane Reade, and then went back to the apartment for the rest of the evening. Steven picked up Chipotle on the way home from work since thunderstorms were expected to roll in. And, we ended our time here the same way it began, with a nice, cozy thunderstorm.
Photo from storm to come.
After dinner, Bea started Night at the Museum, to see it one last time while in NYC. We made a pallet on the floor, and I popped some popcorn for our impromptu movie night.
Photo from impromptu movie night to come.
We took the express subway to Times Square, and meandered our way through all the tourists (I guess I don't consider myself one.). Bea pointed out where we would need to go for the Hello Kitty store. I'm ashamed that my 4.5 year old knows more about Times Square than me.
We continued through Times Square to 50th and Broadway where we stopped at Ellen's Stardust Diner. The girls were in awe, and Charlotte, especially, seemed to get into the spirit of the atmosphere. The waiters and waitresses sing as they wait on you. Our waitress's name was Blondie, and we weren't there long before it was her turn to sing.
The girls enjoyed the singing and clapped at the end of the songs. I thought it was really neat, and these kids were really talented as well. I wish all the best for their success.
Photos from Ellen's Stardust Diner to come.
After lunch, we made that treacherous walk back through Times Square to go to the Sanrio store. I stopped in the middle of Times Square to take the obligatory Times Square photo.
Photo in Times Square to come.
Bea, again, told me where I needed to go to get to Hello Kitty, and I cross checked it with the map on my phone. She was right. We went inside the store, and Bea started looking for gifts for her cousins.
Photo of Sanrio store to come.
I picked out some cute Hello Kitty NY hats for the girls, and I was informed that the girls wouldn't like what I picked out, but would love what Bea picked out. I gave Bea the benefit of the doubt, and she picked out an Hello Kitty dolls wearing bikinis. She told me they are tan because people come in all different colors and sizes from all over the world, and they speak many different languages. The sales clerk told us they are Hawaiian Hello Kitties. I picked out Hello Kitty rings with each of the girls birthstones.
We didn't find anything for Nathan there, but I had seen some NY matchbox cars at a store near the apartment, so I planned on stopping there on the way home.
Charlotte was asleep at this point. We got back on the subway towards 72nd Street, and the store I wanted to go into was right across from the station. We popped in there, and I found little subway replicas of the different lines in NYC. I picked the 7 local line that is right by the apartment, since it is the one we take if we take the subway.
We made one last trip to Duane Reade, and then went back to the apartment for the rest of the evening. Steven picked up Chipotle on the way home from work since thunderstorms were expected to roll in. And, we ended our time here the same way it began, with a nice, cozy thunderstorm.
Photo from storm to come.
After dinner, Bea started Night at the Museum, to see it one last time while in NYC. We made a pallet on the floor, and I popped some popcorn for our impromptu movie night.
Photo from impromptu movie night to come.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Adventure Playground, Sheep Meadow, and Dinner with John
I have been putting off going to the Adventure Playground because I really just thought it would be too much for me to deal with trying to keep up with two kids, including one who insists on trying to hurt herself. Now, I'm kicking myself because we tried it out, and it was perfect for the girls. Absolutely perfect!
What was so great about this playground? Well, just about everything. It had a water sprinkler on one end, which drained into a little river. It had a sandpit at the other end. In the sandpit were climbing structures, but appropriate for all ages. A child would have to have certain skills to make it to the top of the structures. In the middle of the playground was a pyramid shaped structure with stairs going up and 2 slides coming down. There was actually no way for Charlotte to get into trouble. I still had to follow her around, but I was much more relaxed.
Photos of Adventure Playground to come.
The girls enjoyed playing in the sand. Bea enjoyed using her shoes to transport water to the sand pit. I like that she is thinking outside the box!
We walked to a Subway on 72nd street to pick up lunch, and then we walked it back to 67th street to find a spot under the big tree at Sheep Meadow in Central Park. We ate our lunch. This time Charlotte did as she was asked to do and sat on the blanket to eat. When we were all done, the girls pulled out the balls and played for a bit.
Photos from Sheep Meadow to come.
We stayed until 2, and then went back to the apartment to rest a little before dinner. We had dinner plans with Steven's former co-worker, John. We ended up meeting him at Patsy's Pizzeria, same place where I met Mara a few weeks ago. John showed up with cookies from Levain Bakery. What a nice guy to bring us cookies, and funny enough, if we had gone to his side of town, I was planning on picking up cookies from Levain to take to him.
We had a nice dinner. John was so personable and really took an interest in the girls. Bea colored him a picture, which he hung on his refrigerator.
Photo from John to come.
What was so great about this playground? Well, just about everything. It had a water sprinkler on one end, which drained into a little river. It had a sandpit at the other end. In the sandpit were climbing structures, but appropriate for all ages. A child would have to have certain skills to make it to the top of the structures. In the middle of the playground was a pyramid shaped structure with stairs going up and 2 slides coming down. There was actually no way for Charlotte to get into trouble. I still had to follow her around, but I was much more relaxed.
Photos of Adventure Playground to come.
The girls enjoyed playing in the sand. Bea enjoyed using her shoes to transport water to the sand pit. I like that she is thinking outside the box!
We walked to a Subway on 72nd street to pick up lunch, and then we walked it back to 67th street to find a spot under the big tree at Sheep Meadow in Central Park. We ate our lunch. This time Charlotte did as she was asked to do and sat on the blanket to eat. When we were all done, the girls pulled out the balls and played for a bit.
Photos from Sheep Meadow to come.
We stayed until 2, and then went back to the apartment to rest a little before dinner. We had dinner plans with Steven's former co-worker, John. We ended up meeting him at Patsy's Pizzeria, same place where I met Mara a few weeks ago. John showed up with cookies from Levain Bakery. What a nice guy to bring us cookies, and funny enough, if we had gone to his side of town, I was planning on picking up cookies from Levain to take to him.
We had a nice dinner. John was so personable and really took an interest in the girls. Bea colored him a picture, which he hung on his refrigerator.
Photo from John to come.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Charlotte's 2nd Birthday and Victorian Gardens Amusement Park
Seriously, we have been dealing with terrible two's for at least 6 months. Today is Charlotte's 2nd birthday, and it has been a less than stellar day thus far. When she woke up, I tried singing "Happy Birthday" to her, only for her to put her little finger to her lips and say, "Shhhh!".
Honestly, I should have known based on the diva attitude I received first thing in the morning.
Telling me, "No, mama. No.".
We tried going to the park for a nice lunch. I picked up sandwiches at Subway on our way to Sheep Meadow. I took her out of the stroller and told her she needed to stay on the blanket. We've been working on this while we've been here, and she had been getting better about staying near us. As soon as she got out, she took off running. I had to chase her down, and back in the stroller she went. I'm sure people are judging me, but I can't leave my 4 year old and our belongings unattended to chase Charlotte down every 30 seconds.
So, she is back in the stroller, and I give her her chocolate milk.
She's drinking it and people watching. I look down for a second, look back up, and she has dumped it all in her lap, all over the stroller. Yes, this can be cleaned, but I find it unacceptable. This will happen, I know, because of her age, but it wasn't something I could just shrug off and laugh at. I want her to know it's unacceptable. I told her so in a stern voice. She cried, and wanted a wipe, which I couldn't give her because I forgot them (totally my fault). She was just going to have to sit in her sticky mess until we were done eating. I swear I was getting dirty looks, but maybe I was just being self conscious.
Because of the sticky, wet mess, I scratched our plans to go to the playground after lunch. Instead, we went to a bakery to pick up some cupcakes for Charlotte's birthday.
We get back to the apartment. I get Charlotte's clothes off, get the stroller seat off, and we took them down to the basement to wash.
I got extra cupcakes, so I let the girls each have one. I open the box, and the icing has all but slid off the cupcakes. Still, I think they will be delicious. There is a juice box left over from this morning that Charlotte starts drinking. I should have anticipated it, but I didn't. I come back in, and she is squirting it all over the seat, making another huge mess. I scolded her again. She cried again. But, I don't think she is getting it that it is not acceptable.
She is into everything today. I heard clinking and clanking, and I turned around, and she had managed to open a cabinet that has china in it. I have been on edge the whole time we've been here since this isn't our place, but today has been worse.
This is one of the few times Charlotte was actually staying out of trouble.
I decided it was time to start getting the girls ready to go to Victorian Gardens Amusement Park. This amusement park is run during the late spring and summer months. During the winter, the location is an ice skating rink, known as Wolman Rink.
While I'm getting things together, I felt the need to check on Charlotte and found her wearing our digital SLR around her neck and trying to take pictures. Like I said, into everything!
I finally get us all ready and we head out the door. Charlotte hadn't slept all day, so I suspected she would fall asleep during the 20 minute walk to the amusement park, which is located in Central Park. Like clockwork, she fell asleep, and I hoped she would wake up in time to enjoy the amusement park, as it was her birthday after all. We arrived at 4, and the park was open until 7, so 3 hours is all we had.
Bea sizes up the park, trying to decide what to do first.
Since Charlotte was sleeping, Bea rode the rides by herself for a while. She was having so much fun.
I'm glad we didn't get there earlier, as there was a lack of shade, and that sun on that concrete was stifling, despite the occasional mister they had going. I decided I needed a drink, and that's when Charlotte woke up. She didn't have the nap she needed, but I was glad she woke up so she could enjoy the fun.
The first ride we rode was the water boat ride. Charlotte was not happy that she had to ride with me. She wanted to sit with Bea, and kept her eye on her most of the time.
Here she is turning around to look at Bea.
Bea really was having fun.
We then rode the airplane ride. Again, Charlotte was upset that she wasn't sitting with Bea, and then she was upset that I was trying to keep her from jumping off the ride.
This ride just about did me in. Too many turns on too tight of a radius. I was feeling quite ill afterwards.
Next up was the roller coaster. I thought it might be better for me since it didn't just turn in small circles. It wasn't too bad, but again, Charlotte wanted to sit with Bea and/or jump off the ride.
I didn't get any photos of our first time on the roller coaster, but I got some when Steven rode with the girls later.
This is when I needed Steven to get there quick, so I texted him saying so. I couldn't stomach another ride. The girls played a game. Unfortunately, they require 2 people to play so they can have a winner. So dumb. My child just wanted to hit the dang moles with a pallet. So, I held Charlotte and helped her bang away at the moles while Bea did the same. Problem is, I was too good, and I beat Bea. The game lasted maybe 15 seconds, and I was announced the winner and given a stuffed animal. Bea was so upset, and I felt terrible, though she needs to learn it is just a game and not everyone can win.
Beatrix then went down the giant slide. I was so busy taking photos that I missed seeing her slide.
Finally, Steven showed up to rescue me, and he took the girls on several rides. But, first, he got a photo of me and the girls.
Bea gets on the big swing.
Steven takes Charlotte on the train.
Steven and Charlotte get a quick photo at the amusement park.
Steven takes Charlotte on the frog ride.
Steven and the girls ride the roller coaster, and this time I get photos.
Steven and the girls ride the frog ride again.
Steven actually made himself dizzy on the balloon basket ride. Took him a while to recuperate.
Before we knew it, it was 7, and time for the amusement park to close, and time for us to get dinner and go back to the apartment. We stopped at Traviata Pizza and took it back to the apartment. After dinner, we lit 2 candles on Charlotte's cupcake and tried to sing "Happy Birthday". It was a comedy of errors though, and we had to start and stop a couple of times. Charlotte, not surprising, put her finger in the flame. You will have to watch the video to see this one. Hopefully, I will have it up soon. Luckily, no damage was done. She also scolded me throughout the birthday song.
Charlotte enjoyed playing with her cupcake mostly. Still full from pizza.
It was a long day that didn't go exactly as planned, but I think we ended it well with some fun at the amusement park, and some yummy cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery to top it off.
Happy 2nd Birthday to my sweet, loving, enthusiastic, dare devil, Charlotte! We love you!
Honestly, I should have known based on the diva attitude I received first thing in the morning.
Telling me, "No, mama. No.".
We tried going to the park for a nice lunch. I picked up sandwiches at Subway on our way to Sheep Meadow. I took her out of the stroller and told her she needed to stay on the blanket. We've been working on this while we've been here, and she had been getting better about staying near us. As soon as she got out, she took off running. I had to chase her down, and back in the stroller she went. I'm sure people are judging me, but I can't leave my 4 year old and our belongings unattended to chase Charlotte down every 30 seconds.
So, she is back in the stroller, and I give her her chocolate milk.
She's drinking it and people watching. I look down for a second, look back up, and she has dumped it all in her lap, all over the stroller. Yes, this can be cleaned, but I find it unacceptable. This will happen, I know, because of her age, but it wasn't something I could just shrug off and laugh at. I want her to know it's unacceptable. I told her so in a stern voice. She cried, and wanted a wipe, which I couldn't give her because I forgot them (totally my fault). She was just going to have to sit in her sticky mess until we were done eating. I swear I was getting dirty looks, but maybe I was just being self conscious.
Because of the sticky, wet mess, I scratched our plans to go to the playground after lunch. Instead, we went to a bakery to pick up some cupcakes for Charlotte's birthday.
We get back to the apartment. I get Charlotte's clothes off, get the stroller seat off, and we took them down to the basement to wash.
I got extra cupcakes, so I let the girls each have one. I open the box, and the icing has all but slid off the cupcakes. Still, I think they will be delicious. There is a juice box left over from this morning that Charlotte starts drinking. I should have anticipated it, but I didn't. I come back in, and she is squirting it all over the seat, making another huge mess. I scolded her again. She cried again. But, I don't think she is getting it that it is not acceptable.
She is into everything today. I heard clinking and clanking, and I turned around, and she had managed to open a cabinet that has china in it. I have been on edge the whole time we've been here since this isn't our place, but today has been worse.
This is one of the few times Charlotte was actually staying out of trouble.
I decided it was time to start getting the girls ready to go to Victorian Gardens Amusement Park. This amusement park is run during the late spring and summer months. During the winter, the location is an ice skating rink, known as Wolman Rink.
While I'm getting things together, I felt the need to check on Charlotte and found her wearing our digital SLR around her neck and trying to take pictures. Like I said, into everything!
I finally get us all ready and we head out the door. Charlotte hadn't slept all day, so I suspected she would fall asleep during the 20 minute walk to the amusement park, which is located in Central Park. Like clockwork, she fell asleep, and I hoped she would wake up in time to enjoy the amusement park, as it was her birthday after all. We arrived at 4, and the park was open until 7, so 3 hours is all we had.
Bea sizes up the park, trying to decide what to do first.
Since Charlotte was sleeping, Bea rode the rides by herself for a while. She was having so much fun.
I'm glad we didn't get there earlier, as there was a lack of shade, and that sun on that concrete was stifling, despite the occasional mister they had going. I decided I needed a drink, and that's when Charlotte woke up. She didn't have the nap she needed, but I was glad she woke up so she could enjoy the fun.
The first ride we rode was the water boat ride. Charlotte was not happy that she had to ride with me. She wanted to sit with Bea, and kept her eye on her most of the time.
Here she is turning around to look at Bea.
Bea really was having fun.
We then rode the airplane ride. Again, Charlotte was upset that she wasn't sitting with Bea, and then she was upset that I was trying to keep her from jumping off the ride.
This ride just about did me in. Too many turns on too tight of a radius. I was feeling quite ill afterwards.
Next up was the roller coaster. I thought it might be better for me since it didn't just turn in small circles. It wasn't too bad, but again, Charlotte wanted to sit with Bea and/or jump off the ride.
I didn't get any photos of our first time on the roller coaster, but I got some when Steven rode with the girls later.
This is when I needed Steven to get there quick, so I texted him saying so. I couldn't stomach another ride. The girls played a game. Unfortunately, they require 2 people to play so they can have a winner. So dumb. My child just wanted to hit the dang moles with a pallet. So, I held Charlotte and helped her bang away at the moles while Bea did the same. Problem is, I was too good, and I beat Bea. The game lasted maybe 15 seconds, and I was announced the winner and given a stuffed animal. Bea was so upset, and I felt terrible, though she needs to learn it is just a game and not everyone can win.
Beatrix then went down the giant slide. I was so busy taking photos that I missed seeing her slide.
Finally, Steven showed up to rescue me, and he took the girls on several rides. But, first, he got a photo of me and the girls.
Bea gets on the big swing.
Steven takes Charlotte on the train.
Steven and Charlotte get a quick photo at the amusement park.
Steven takes Charlotte on the frog ride.
Steven and the girls ride the roller coaster, and this time I get photos.
Steven and the girls ride the frog ride again.
Steven actually made himself dizzy on the balloon basket ride. Took him a while to recuperate.
Before we knew it, it was 7, and time for the amusement park to close, and time for us to get dinner and go back to the apartment. We stopped at Traviata Pizza and took it back to the apartment. After dinner, we lit 2 candles on Charlotte's cupcake and tried to sing "Happy Birthday". It was a comedy of errors though, and we had to start and stop a couple of times. Charlotte, not surprising, put her finger in the flame. You will have to watch the video to see this one. Hopefully, I will have it up soon. Luckily, no damage was done. She also scolded me throughout the birthday song.
Charlotte enjoyed playing with her cupcake mostly. Still full from pizza.
It was a long day that didn't go exactly as planned, but I think we ended it well with some fun at the amusement park, and some yummy cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery to top it off.
Happy 2nd Birthday to my sweet, loving, enthusiastic, dare devil, Charlotte! We love you!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Madison Square Park
Today, I decided to try something different. Thanks to Mommy Poopins, I found out about a free summer kid's concert series at Madison Square Park, called Madison Square Kids. Today's artist was Erin Lee and the Up Past Bedtime Band. After a little looking around, we decided I would take the subway from 72nd street to Penn Station, where there is elevator access for the stroller. It would require a mile walk or so, but it was a pretty morning with temps in the 70's, so completely doable.
We arrived at Penn Station, and made our way down Broadway to W 25th street. The shops along that stretch are not so upscale, reminding me of Harwin in Houston where everyone sells their cheap wares and knock offs.
Madison Square Park is situated between large buildings in the Flatiron District on W 25th. It is a pretty park with lush green grass, a huge art sculpture of a head, a nice playground, and Shake Shack (I know what we are having for lunch!).
When we arrived, the band was setting up and doing sound checks. Charlotte was already clapping along. We put our blanket down in front of the stage, alongside another blanket that was already there. We still had 40 mi urea or so before the show started, so we went over to the playground for a little bit. I got my workout chasing Charlotte around on the play structure.
Photos of girls at Madsion Square Park playground to come.
We went back to our blanket with about 15 minutes to go. I didn't come prepared with snacks (shame on me), but I had some ice cold water, and a few packets of trail mix in my bag. It would have to do, and the girls picked what they wanted, mainly the cashews and cranberries.
Photos of girls waiting for show to start to come.
The concert started right on time at 10:30, and Charlotte immediately got to dancing. Beatrix watched with a sweet smile on her face.
Photos and video of girls at concert to come.
It seemed right as the concert started, the shade we were sitting in disappeared, and we found ourselves in the full sun. After 30 minutes, we decided to find some shade. It was 11:00, and knowing how crowded Shake Shack gets, I decided we would order our food and sit at a shaded table.
Photos from Shake Shack to come.
I got the girls cheeseburgers, fries, lemonade, and of course a chocolate shake!
While at lunch we got a chance to talk with Antie using Facetme. The girls enjoyed seeing their Auntie for the first time in several weeks.
After lunch, we went back to the playground. There wasn't as much shade over the play structure as I would have like, and it was heating up fast. Still the girls played for a while.
Photos of girls playing after lunch to come.
Another little girl decided she wanted to share her chalk with Charlotte and Bea. It was so sweet. The girls colored with her for a bit sunder the play structure in the shade.
Photos of girls coloring to come.
I took Charlotte over to the swing for a little bit, and she enjoyed swinging in the shade, while I enjoyed standing in the shade.
Photo of Charlotte swinging to come.
It was getting later, and hotter, so it was time to start heading back. We walked back to the subway at Penn Station, caught the express (fewer stops), and made it back to 72nd street. We made a quick stop in Duane Reade to pick up my prescription and other odds and ends, and spent the rest of the afternoon in the cool apartment.
Tomorrow is a big day. Charlotte turns 2, and I remember my father as he would have celebrated his 67th birthday.
We arrived at Penn Station, and made our way down Broadway to W 25th street. The shops along that stretch are not so upscale, reminding me of Harwin in Houston where everyone sells their cheap wares and knock offs.
Madison Square Park is situated between large buildings in the Flatiron District on W 25th. It is a pretty park with lush green grass, a huge art sculpture of a head, a nice playground, and Shake Shack (I know what we are having for lunch!).
When we arrived, the band was setting up and doing sound checks. Charlotte was already clapping along. We put our blanket down in front of the stage, alongside another blanket that was already there. We still had 40 mi urea or so before the show started, so we went over to the playground for a little bit. I got my workout chasing Charlotte around on the play structure.
Photos of girls at Madsion Square Park playground to come.
We went back to our blanket with about 15 minutes to go. I didn't come prepared with snacks (shame on me), but I had some ice cold water, and a few packets of trail mix in my bag. It would have to do, and the girls picked what they wanted, mainly the cashews and cranberries.
Photos of girls waiting for show to start to come.
The concert started right on time at 10:30, and Charlotte immediately got to dancing. Beatrix watched with a sweet smile on her face.
Photos and video of girls at concert to come.
It seemed right as the concert started, the shade we were sitting in disappeared, and we found ourselves in the full sun. After 30 minutes, we decided to find some shade. It was 11:00, and knowing how crowded Shake Shack gets, I decided we would order our food and sit at a shaded table.
Photos from Shake Shack to come.
I got the girls cheeseburgers, fries, lemonade, and of course a chocolate shake!
While at lunch we got a chance to talk with Antie using Facetme. The girls enjoyed seeing their Auntie for the first time in several weeks.
After lunch, we went back to the playground. There wasn't as much shade over the play structure as I would have like, and it was heating up fast. Still the girls played for a while.
Photos of girls playing after lunch to come.
Another little girl decided she wanted to share her chalk with Charlotte and Bea. It was so sweet. The girls colored with her for a bit sunder the play structure in the shade.
Photos of girls coloring to come.
I took Charlotte over to the swing for a little bit, and she enjoyed swinging in the shade, while I enjoyed standing in the shade.
Photo of Charlotte swinging to come.
It was getting later, and hotter, so it was time to start heading back. We walked back to the subway at Penn Station, caught the express (fewer stops), and made it back to 72nd street. We made a quick stop in Duane Reade to pick up my prescription and other odds and ends, and spent the rest of the afternoon in the cool apartment.
Tomorrow is a big day. Charlotte turns 2, and I remember my father as he would have celebrated his 67th birthday.
Monday, July 25, 2011
The Bronx Zoo
I admit, yesterday was tiring for me. When we got back to the apartment around dinner time, I ate dinner, and almost immediately felt like I needed to lay down. Charlotte was still sleeping, so I took my chance. I was surprised at how tired I was given I had stayed in 2 days in a row due to the heat. I wasn't sure if I was going to manage anything today. We had plans to meet an old high school friend, but I hadn't heard from her, so I thought maybe we would go to the Bronx Zoo. There is method to my madness. I knew the general direction to the zoo because it is near the Botanical Garden. I knew a route I could manage with the stroller, and I knew we would enjoy it.
This morning I felt tired, but determined to see this week through. I set my plan in motion, but this time we took the express train (1 stop) to Times Square, and then walked a few blocks to Grand Central. I got my ticket (girls are free), and we had an hour to kill, so with at least 1 hungry stomach (Bea), we went downstairs to the dining concourse. We stumbled across a Magnolia Bakery, and I realized it was the one (different location) that I've read great reviews about. Steven informed earlier on that it was featured in Sex in the City, and apparently has been popular with tourists. At any rate, I figured we could give these cupcakes a try. At Bea's request, I got the chocolate cupcakes with pale green buttercream icing. I got an iced tea and chocolate milk for the girls. I wasn't expecting anything more than a Horizon's chocolate milk, but they actually make it fresh. It looked yummy.
Photo of Magnolia Bakery cupcakes to come.
The time passed quickly, and we boarded our train, ready for our adventure to the Bronx Zoo.
Upon arrival to the Botanical Garden stop, we had to walk about a mile to a zoo entrance. Had I listened to Bea, we would have walked a little less, but hey, we made it to an entrance and had our total experience tickets, which allowed us entry to all exhibits without extra cost, in our hand.
Photo in front of Bronx Zoo to come.
Of course, at this point, it's lunch time, so we stop nearby and grab a bite to eat. Afterwards, we start to explore getting a quick look at the Sea Lions.
Photo at Zoo Center to come.
Photo of sea lions to come.
I get my bearings and decide on a plan for our time at the zoo. Essentially, I decide to follow the zoo loop, which gives easy access to most of the animals. I knew we wouldn't see everything since we only had about 3 hours, but I wanted to maximize what we did see in that time.
We made a stop at the Bug Carousel, and yes, I know, another carousel! But, this carousel was different, at least, for the rides were bugs and not horses or zoo animal. I think this is a first for us.
Photos from bug carousel to come.
Our next stop was the Mouse House, quite an interesting little building with various rodents. I can call them rodents, right?
Photos from Mouse House to come.
The Butterfly Garden was nearby, so we went right in. The girls enjoyed spotting the various butterflies.
Photos from Butterfly Garden to come.
From the Butterfly Garden, we stumbled upon the giraffes and ostriches. Bea was on the hunt for Lego structures of certain animals. When you found one, you got to stamp a special map with the impression of that animal. The giraffe was the first one on her list to find.
Photo of giraffe Lego structure to come.
The lego structures are cool and all, but I'm at a zoo, and I want to focus on the real thing, so we watch the giraffes for a little bit.
Photo of giraffes to come.
We were in the area, so we hit the Congo Gorilla Forest next, which is where Bea picked up her next stamp.
Photo of gorilla Lego structure to come.
I guess this zoo gets kinda busy some days, so they have a policy of leaving strollers in a stroller parking area for most exhibits, which makes it harder for me with my back and runaway toddler. This was one of those exhibits, o we didn't really spend too much time here.
Photos from gorilla exhibit to come.
Leaving the Congo Gorilla Forest, we came across the flamingos, and another Lego structure. This is when the rain started.
Photo of flamingos to come.
Next up on our map was the bears, but first we ran into another Lego structure, the toads, just outside the Reptile House.
Photo of toad Lego structure to come.
Due to our time constraint, we didn't go into the Reptile House, and instead made our way to the bears, and another Lego sculpture.
Photo of bear Lego structure to come.
We saw 2 brown bears and a polar bear. One brown bear stayed up high on rock pacing back and forth, while the other decided to take a dip in the water.
Photo of brown bear to come.
The polar bear paced back and forth at the furthest distance it could from us. We really didn't get a good look at him, and Bea seemed more interested in catching raindrops with her tongue.
Photo of polar bear to come (Bea catching raindrops).
From here, it seemed reasonable that we would go to Tiger Mountain to see the tigers. Again, having to leave the stroller behind, it makes it harder to enjoy the exhibit. We stayed for a little bit, and got a glimpse of the tigers, but not the tiger Lego structure.
Photo of tigers to come.
At this point, it is raining heavier, and we had planned to hit the children's zoo on our way out. We only had about 20 minutes to spare, and I wasn't sure the children's zoo would be a good idea in the rain. I made the decision to go ahead and catch the train a half our earlier, but I knew we would have to boogie in the rain to get there on time. Luckily, it paid off and we caught the 4:58 train. Beatrix had been complaining since we left the zoo how cold she was. It was 70 degrees and raining, but compared to the alternative, I told her we need to be thankful it isn't burning up outside. Charlotte, meanwhile, had a good sleep on the train.
Photo of Bea shivering on train to come.
We made it back to Grand Central at 5:22 where Steven met us to help us back to the apartment.
This morning I felt tired, but determined to see this week through. I set my plan in motion, but this time we took the express train (1 stop) to Times Square, and then walked a few blocks to Grand Central. I got my ticket (girls are free), and we had an hour to kill, so with at least 1 hungry stomach (Bea), we went downstairs to the dining concourse. We stumbled across a Magnolia Bakery, and I realized it was the one (different location) that I've read great reviews about. Steven informed earlier on that it was featured in Sex in the City, and apparently has been popular with tourists. At any rate, I figured we could give these cupcakes a try. At Bea's request, I got the chocolate cupcakes with pale green buttercream icing. I got an iced tea and chocolate milk for the girls. I wasn't expecting anything more than a Horizon's chocolate milk, but they actually make it fresh. It looked yummy.
Photo of Magnolia Bakery cupcakes to come.
The time passed quickly, and we boarded our train, ready for our adventure to the Bronx Zoo.
Upon arrival to the Botanical Garden stop, we had to walk about a mile to a zoo entrance. Had I listened to Bea, we would have walked a little less, but hey, we made it to an entrance and had our total experience tickets, which allowed us entry to all exhibits without extra cost, in our hand.
Photo in front of Bronx Zoo to come.
Of course, at this point, it's lunch time, so we stop nearby and grab a bite to eat. Afterwards, we start to explore getting a quick look at the Sea Lions.
Photo at Zoo Center to come.
Photo of sea lions to come.
I get my bearings and decide on a plan for our time at the zoo. Essentially, I decide to follow the zoo loop, which gives easy access to most of the animals. I knew we wouldn't see everything since we only had about 3 hours, but I wanted to maximize what we did see in that time.
We made a stop at the Bug Carousel, and yes, I know, another carousel! But, this carousel was different, at least, for the rides were bugs and not horses or zoo animal. I think this is a first for us.
Photos from bug carousel to come.
Our next stop was the Mouse House, quite an interesting little building with various rodents. I can call them rodents, right?
Photos from Mouse House to come.
The Butterfly Garden was nearby, so we went right in. The girls enjoyed spotting the various butterflies.
Photos from Butterfly Garden to come.
From the Butterfly Garden, we stumbled upon the giraffes and ostriches. Bea was on the hunt for Lego structures of certain animals. When you found one, you got to stamp a special map with the impression of that animal. The giraffe was the first one on her list to find.
Photo of giraffe Lego structure to come.
The lego structures are cool and all, but I'm at a zoo, and I want to focus on the real thing, so we watch the giraffes for a little bit.
Photo of giraffes to come.
We were in the area, so we hit the Congo Gorilla Forest next, which is where Bea picked up her next stamp.
Photo of gorilla Lego structure to come.
I guess this zoo gets kinda busy some days, so they have a policy of leaving strollers in a stroller parking area for most exhibits, which makes it harder for me with my back and runaway toddler. This was one of those exhibits, o we didn't really spend too much time here.
Photos from gorilla exhibit to come.
Leaving the Congo Gorilla Forest, we came across the flamingos, and another Lego structure. This is when the rain started.
Photo of flamingos to come.
Next up on our map was the bears, but first we ran into another Lego structure, the toads, just outside the Reptile House.
Photo of toad Lego structure to come.
Due to our time constraint, we didn't go into the Reptile House, and instead made our way to the bears, and another Lego sculpture.
Photo of bear Lego structure to come.
We saw 2 brown bears and a polar bear. One brown bear stayed up high on rock pacing back and forth, while the other decided to take a dip in the water.
Photo of brown bear to come.
The polar bear paced back and forth at the furthest distance it could from us. We really didn't get a good look at him, and Bea seemed more interested in catching raindrops with her tongue.
Photo of polar bear to come (Bea catching raindrops).
From here, it seemed reasonable that we would go to Tiger Mountain to see the tigers. Again, having to leave the stroller behind, it makes it harder to enjoy the exhibit. We stayed for a little bit, and got a glimpse of the tigers, but not the tiger Lego structure.
Photo of tigers to come.
At this point, it is raining heavier, and we had planned to hit the children's zoo on our way out. We only had about 20 minutes to spare, and I wasn't sure the children's zoo would be a good idea in the rain. I made the decision to go ahead and catch the train a half our earlier, but I knew we would have to boogie in the rain to get there on time. Luckily, it paid off and we caught the 4:58 train. Beatrix had been complaining since we left the zoo how cold she was. It was 70 degrees and raining, but compared to the alternative, I told her we need to be thankful it isn't burning up outside. Charlotte, meanwhile, had a good sleep on the train.
Photo of Bea shivering on train to come.
We made it back to Grand Central at 5:22 where Steven met us to help us back to the apartment.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
New York Hall of Science
Today we took the subway all the way to Queens to visit the New York Hall of Science. The temperature was down a little, and with a slight overcast, the one hour journey wasn't too bad, but not something we could stomach doing often.
We started off in the Circus Under the Big Top exhibit. Beatrix had the option to walk the tight rope and/or get harnessed and do a bungee type thing. They require you to step on a scale and it weighs you based on a color. You had to have a certain color to be able to do it. Initially, her response to having to step on the scale was, "No way, no how!". She was adamant about this, and opted not to do either. So, we walked through the exhibit to look at other things.
The girls enjoyed the bubble wand station. Steven was able to create some pretty long bubbles.
Photos from bubble wand station to come.
With our late start, it was time for lunch, so we ate a quick lunch in the cafeteria, and returned to the circus exhibit. First thing we came across was a cyclone exhibit that we watched for a bit.
Photo of cyclone to come.
Then, Steven found a soap screen that you would pull a string on, and it would raise a soapy screen. Beatrix enjoyed raising it up and down while Charlotte stuck her hand through it to pop it. After a while, Steven noticed Charlotte's hand was so soapy she could stick it through the soap screen without popping it.
Photos of soap screen to come.
We came upon the bungee station again, and this time, Bea said she was ready to give the bungee a go, so she weighed in with the color blue, which was within their limits, and waited 30 minutes for her turn. Meanwhile, Charlotte was getting antsy, so I followed her around the various stations in the exhibit.
Photos of Charlotte in exhibit to come.
I kept an eye on the bungee thing, and when I realized it was Bea's turn, I walked back over to take some photos. Steven took video as well.
Photos of Bea doing the bungee to come.
This bungee didn't have a trampoline to spring off of. You really had to use your whole body to move up and down or turn somersaults. Bea really just hung there the whole time, trying very ard to move her body. She did manage to go up and down at one point. Despite her lack of movement, she still enjoyed herself, and said she liked being up high.
After Bea's bungee experience, we went upstairs to check out the Maker Days exhibit where they had several stations set up for children to make things. We stopped at the Zoob station where the girls tried their hand at creating something with the Zoob connectors.
Photos from Maker Day to come.
When the girls had enough of that, we went back downstairs to check out Preschool Place, a room dedicated to preschoolers.
Photos of girls in Preschool Place to come.
We had planned on playing miniature golf before we left, but a storm was brewing, and with no refunds, we decided to stop in the museum store before heading out. Of course, that's when it started pouring, so we browsed in the shop until in stopped, and then made our way back to the train for the subway ride home.
We started off in the Circus Under the Big Top exhibit. Beatrix had the option to walk the tight rope and/or get harnessed and do a bungee type thing. They require you to step on a scale and it weighs you based on a color. You had to have a certain color to be able to do it. Initially, her response to having to step on the scale was, "No way, no how!". She was adamant about this, and opted not to do either. So, we walked through the exhibit to look at other things.
The girls enjoyed the bubble wand station. Steven was able to create some pretty long bubbles.
Photos from bubble wand station to come.
With our late start, it was time for lunch, so we ate a quick lunch in the cafeteria, and returned to the circus exhibit. First thing we came across was a cyclone exhibit that we watched for a bit.
Photo of cyclone to come.
Then, Steven found a soap screen that you would pull a string on, and it would raise a soapy screen. Beatrix enjoyed raising it up and down while Charlotte stuck her hand through it to pop it. After a while, Steven noticed Charlotte's hand was so soapy she could stick it through the soap screen without popping it.
Photos of soap screen to come.
We came upon the bungee station again, and this time, Bea said she was ready to give the bungee a go, so she weighed in with the color blue, which was within their limits, and waited 30 minutes for her turn. Meanwhile, Charlotte was getting antsy, so I followed her around the various stations in the exhibit.
Photos of Charlotte in exhibit to come.
I kept an eye on the bungee thing, and when I realized it was Bea's turn, I walked back over to take some photos. Steven took video as well.
Photos of Bea doing the bungee to come.
This bungee didn't have a trampoline to spring off of. You really had to use your whole body to move up and down or turn somersaults. Bea really just hung there the whole time, trying very ard to move her body. She did manage to go up and down at one point. Despite her lack of movement, she still enjoyed herself, and said she liked being up high.
After Bea's bungee experience, we went upstairs to check out the Maker Days exhibit where they had several stations set up for children to make things. We stopped at the Zoob station where the girls tried their hand at creating something with the Zoob connectors.
Photos from Maker Day to come.
When the girls had enough of that, we went back downstairs to check out Preschool Place, a room dedicated to preschoolers.
Photos of girls in Preschool Place to come.
We had planned on playing miniature golf before we left, but a storm was brewing, and with no refunds, we decided to stop in the museum store before heading out. Of course, that's when it started pouring, so we browsed in the shop until in stopped, and then made our way back to the train for the subway ride home.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
American Girl Place
After weeks of anticipation, this is the day Beatrix has been waiting for. We had decided that Steven would take Bea while I stayed at the apartment with Charlotte. It's still too hot to really do anything outside, so it was another day in for me and Charlotte.
Charlotte's birthday is coming up, so Bea planned on picking out a Bitty Baby for Charlotte. I have no idea what Bea will pick out for herself. I told her she has a budget, and could either pick out a new doll, or get accessories totaling the price of a new doll for her dolls at home. They first picked out a cute, dark headed Bitty Baby for Charlotte. Steven said they then looked at the My American Girl dolls, and then went to the floor where the period dolls are, but Beatrix was insistent that she wanted a My American Girl doll. I've been wanting her to get a doll that resembles herself. She has been resistant to getting a blond doll for some reason.
Photos of Bea at American Girl Place to come.
I had planned on making reservations for the cafe, but I never got around to it. I thought Bea might want to do some of the other things there that don't require a reservation, but Steven said she was eager to get back to the apartment so she could play with her doll. I couldn't wait to see what Bea picked out for herself. She gets home, and we first give Charlotte her doll.
Video of Charlotte getting doll to come.
I then get a glimpse of Bea's My American Girl doll, and it looks nothing like her. She is gorgeous though, with dark hair, skin, and eyes. I asked her why she didn't get one that looks like herself, and she said there were no dolls that looked like her, and she just likes the dark hair. Daddy was very generous, as he let Bea pick out two accessory boxes for her doll. One was a black and white sundress with purple accents, and the other was a roller blading set. I must say, the roller blading set was pretty neat. Bea enjoyed changing her doll's outfits and helping her skate all afternoon.
Photos of Bea with her My American Girl to come.
Charlotte immediately took to her doll, trying to put a Hello Kitty diaper on her, cleaning underneath her nails, etc.
Photos of Charlotte with her Bitty Baby to come.
Steven caught this final photo of the evening of Bea sleeping with her doll.
Photo of Bea sleeping with her doll to come.
Charlotte's birthday is coming up, so Bea planned on picking out a Bitty Baby for Charlotte. I have no idea what Bea will pick out for herself. I told her she has a budget, and could either pick out a new doll, or get accessories totaling the price of a new doll for her dolls at home. They first picked out a cute, dark headed Bitty Baby for Charlotte. Steven said they then looked at the My American Girl dolls, and then went to the floor where the period dolls are, but Beatrix was insistent that she wanted a My American Girl doll. I've been wanting her to get a doll that resembles herself. She has been resistant to getting a blond doll for some reason.
Photos of Bea at American Girl Place to come.
I had planned on making reservations for the cafe, but I never got around to it. I thought Bea might want to do some of the other things there that don't require a reservation, but Steven said she was eager to get back to the apartment so she could play with her doll. I couldn't wait to see what Bea picked out for herself. She gets home, and we first give Charlotte her doll.
Video of Charlotte getting doll to come.
I then get a glimpse of Bea's My American Girl doll, and it looks nothing like her. She is gorgeous though, with dark hair, skin, and eyes. I asked her why she didn't get one that looks like herself, and she said there were no dolls that looked like her, and she just likes the dark hair. Daddy was very generous, as he let Bea pick out two accessory boxes for her doll. One was a black and white sundress with purple accents, and the other was a roller blading set. I must say, the roller blading set was pretty neat. Bea enjoyed changing her doll's outfits and helping her skate all afternoon.
Photos of Bea with her My American Girl to come.
Charlotte immediately took to her doll, trying to put a Hello Kitty diaper on her, cleaning underneath her nails, etc.
Photos of Charlotte with her Bitty Baby to come.
Steven caught this final photo of the evening of Bea sleeping with her doll.
Photo of Bea sleeping with her doll to come.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Record Breaking Temps
Record breaking temperatures can only mean one thing when those numbers are three digits. A "do nothing, movie day" as Beatrix dubbed it. I stepped outside early in the morning, maybe 7 to get breakfast at Starbuck's, and it was already oppressive. Beatrix seemed to welcome a day of nothing, after all, I suppose we have been going almost non-stop since we got here.
I had thought about taking the girls to see a movie about 11 blocks away, but decided that the walk in the heat would not be worth $25 and one hour of entertainment. Instead I bought two movies on iTunes: A Night at the Museum (thought it would be neat after all the time we have spent in The Museum of Natural History) and Beatrix's choice, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Ironically, it cost the same as entrance to a one hour movie, but gave us hours of entertainment.
I had thought about taking the girls to see a movie about 11 blocks away, but decided that the walk in the heat would not be worth $25 and one hour of entertainment. Instead I bought two movies on iTunes: A Night at the Museum (thought it would be neat after all the time we have spent in The Museum of Natural History) and Beatrix's choice, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Ironically, it cost the same as entrance to a one hour movie, but gave us hours of entertainment.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
The Museum of Natural History Take 3: Discovery Room & Dinosaurs
Hot! Hot! Hot!
With another hot day ahead, we had our minds set on something indoors. Why not go back to the Museum of Natural History? We had a membership after all, so costs were a minimum.
Discovery Room
we hadn't been to the Discovery Room yet, so we decided to give it a go. As usual, Charlotte was a bit of a handful, but Beatrix did well, and both girls seemed to enjoy exploring.
Photo of girls in Discovery Room To come.
We had lunch in the cafeteria in the lower level before going to see the dinosaurs again on the fourth floor.
Dinosaurs
We really took our time looking at the Dinosaurs. We had a good time spotting the babies and eggs.
Photos of girls in Dinosaur Wing to come.
Dinostore
We paid a visit to the Dinostore, where my wallet paid for two dinosaur head grabbers and two pink digging hats with lights.
Photos of girls with their Dinostore merchandise to come.
The World's Largest Dinosaur Exhibit
We've gone to the frog exhibit at each of our two prior visits to the museum. While checking in at the membership desk, Beatrix insisted she wanted to see the frog exhibit again, and perhaps I should have listened. While this exhibit has gotten great reviews, and I'm sure perfect for an older child and adults, it just wasn't what I was expecting. I guess I should have read up about it prior to getting tickets for it. First off, we had timed tickets for 1:30, and we were at the exhibit door 20 minutes prior to our time slot. I decided we may as well walk around and look at the dinosaurs, maybe see something we hadn't seen yet. That's when I got these photos of the girls.
Photo of girls waiting for exhibit to come.
1:30 came fast so we went back to the exhibit. The line was super long, wrapping around the gift shop and doubling back to the entrance. People were rushing, and very territorial. If you even looked at the line, you got told to go to the end of the line. We took our time. We weren't in a hurry, and when we finally stepped foot in the exhibit, I was very underwhelmed. I suppose I expected to see more big dinosaur bones, but we only saw one large bone of a dinosaur leg. This exhibit, I find out later, wasn't about the excavation of large dinosaurs, or the bones of large dinosaurs, but rather how they lived, what they needed to survive, and how their bodies worked. It was very crowded, and loud, and hard to disseminate that information back to my 4 year old. Perhaps the best part for my girls was the time limited (5 minutes) dig pit, though most people weren't adhering to the limit, despite the long line of waiting children. I had to drag my 2 year old away screaming. Funny enough, this part of the exhibit was the only thing the reviewer I read knocked, as it was more about excavation, and had nothing to do with the rest of the exhibit. My girls enjoyed it though. I just don't think it was worth $16 for me and $12 for Bea.
Photo of girls with dig pit to come.
It was time for us to head back to the apartment at this point, and though we are only 8 blocks away, I was feeling the effects of the humidity. I made a stop into a Duane Reade to get the girls batteries for the lights on their digger hats, which requires a screwdriver, so the lights still aren't working.
With another hot day ahead, we had our minds set on something indoors. Why not go back to the Museum of Natural History? We had a membership after all, so costs were a minimum.
Discovery Room
we hadn't been to the Discovery Room yet, so we decided to give it a go. As usual, Charlotte was a bit of a handful, but Beatrix did well, and both girls seemed to enjoy exploring.
Photo of girls in Discovery Room To come.
We had lunch in the cafeteria in the lower level before going to see the dinosaurs again on the fourth floor.
Dinosaurs
We really took our time looking at the Dinosaurs. We had a good time spotting the babies and eggs.
Photos of girls in Dinosaur Wing to come.
Dinostore
We paid a visit to the Dinostore, where my wallet paid for two dinosaur head grabbers and two pink digging hats with lights.
Photos of girls with their Dinostore merchandise to come.
The World's Largest Dinosaur Exhibit
We've gone to the frog exhibit at each of our two prior visits to the museum. While checking in at the membership desk, Beatrix insisted she wanted to see the frog exhibit again, and perhaps I should have listened. While this exhibit has gotten great reviews, and I'm sure perfect for an older child and adults, it just wasn't what I was expecting. I guess I should have read up about it prior to getting tickets for it. First off, we had timed tickets for 1:30, and we were at the exhibit door 20 minutes prior to our time slot. I decided we may as well walk around and look at the dinosaurs, maybe see something we hadn't seen yet. That's when I got these photos of the girls.
Photo of girls waiting for exhibit to come.
1:30 came fast so we went back to the exhibit. The line was super long, wrapping around the gift shop and doubling back to the entrance. People were rushing, and very territorial. If you even looked at the line, you got told to go to the end of the line. We took our time. We weren't in a hurry, and when we finally stepped foot in the exhibit, I was very underwhelmed. I suppose I expected to see more big dinosaur bones, but we only saw one large bone of a dinosaur leg. This exhibit, I find out later, wasn't about the excavation of large dinosaurs, or the bones of large dinosaurs, but rather how they lived, what they needed to survive, and how their bodies worked. It was very crowded, and loud, and hard to disseminate that information back to my 4 year old. Perhaps the best part for my girls was the time limited (5 minutes) dig pit, though most people weren't adhering to the limit, despite the long line of waiting children. I had to drag my 2 year old away screaming. Funny enough, this part of the exhibit was the only thing the reviewer I read knocked, as it was more about excavation, and had nothing to do with the rest of the exhibit. My girls enjoyed it though. I just don't think it was worth $16 for me and $12 for Bea.
Photo of girls with dig pit to come.
It was time for us to head back to the apartment at this point, and though we are only 8 blocks away, I was feeling the effects of the humidity. I made a stop into a Duane Reade to get the girls batteries for the lights on their digger hats, which requires a screwdriver, so the lights still aren't working.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
It's been at least 10 years since I've been to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and with another hot day on the horizon, I thought this would be a great place to spend the day.
Photo of girls in front of Metropolitan Museum of Art to come.
I read up on popular exhibits with kids before we went, and had my notes of places to visit in the museum. We still barely scratched the surface of this place, and I'm hoping we can come back next week.
Medieval Art
We started in Medieval Art and made our way to the Arms and Armor section. We enjoyed looking at the different styles and sizes of armor. We even found a piece made for a five year old prince. It was tiny, and I'm not sure it would fit Beatrix, who is 4.5.
Photo of girls in Arms and Armor to come.
An hour had already passed, and it was time for lunch, so we headed down to the ground floor to have lunch in the cafeteria.
Egyptian Wing & the Temple of Dendur
After lunch, we made our way to the Egyptian Wing. I was excited for Beatrix to see the fantastic temples that lie within. She was mesmerized by the rippling water, and really seemed to take it all in.
Photo of girls in Egyptian Wing to come.
The Met Store
I promised Beatrix we would get something to make a new art project. She found a paint set in The Met Store, and I found a children's guide book to the Met. Charlotte fell fast asleep.
We went back downstairs for a quick snack before heading to the Nolen Library for 3 o'clock storytime.
Photo of Beatrix looking through guide book to come.
Storytime in Nolen Library
With about 30 minutes to spare, Beatrix got busy exploring a program on the computer in the library. It was a program geared towards children showing them what pieces could be found throughout the museum. She then moved to one of the computers where she could listen to stories of her choice.
Photo of Beatrix at computer in Nolen Library to come.
Before long, it was time for storytime. A colorful, older man, read the stories to the kids. I can't remember the first book, but it was a hit with the kids.
Photos of storytime to come.
It's been at least 10 years since I've been to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and with another hot day on the horizon, I thought this would be a great place to spend the day.
Photo of girls in front of Metropolitan Museum of Art to come.
I read up on popular exhibits with kids before we went, and had my notes of places to visit in the museum. We still barely scratched the surface of this place, and I'm hoping we can come back next week.
Medieval Art
We started in Medieval Art and made our way to the Arms and Armor section. We enjoyed looking at the different styles and sizes of armor. We even found a piece made for a five year old prince. It was tiny, and I'm not sure it would fit Beatrix, who is 4.5.
Photo of girls in Arms and Armor to come.
An hour had already passed, and it was time for lunch, so we headed down to the ground floor to have lunch in the cafeteria.
Egyptian Wing & the Temple of Dendur
After lunch, we made our way to the Egyptian Wing. I was excited for Beatrix to see the fantastic temples that lie within. She was mesmerized by the rippling water, and really seemed to take it all in.
Photo of girls in Egyptian Wing to come.
The Met Store
I promised Beatrix we would get something to make a new art project. She found a paint set in The Met Store, and I found a children's guide book to the Met. Charlotte fell fast asleep.
We went back downstairs for a quick snack before heading to the Nolen Library for 3 o'clock storytime.
Photo of Beatrix looking through guide book to come.
Storytime in Nolen Library
With about 30 minutes to spare, Beatrix got busy exploring a program on the computer in the library. It was a program geared towards children showing them what pieces could be found throughout the museum. She then moved to one of the computers where she could listen to stories of her choice.
Photo of Beatrix at computer in Nolen Library to come.
Before long, it was time for storytime. A colorful, older man, read the stories to the kids. I can't remember the first book, but it was a hit with the kids.
Photos of storytime to come.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
2 Playgrounds, Traviata Pizza, & the American Folk Art Museum
Seventieth Playground
There are so many playgrounds to choose from here, and for me, it comes down to how far it is and how hard will it be to keep up with Charlotte. I stumbled upon this playground while looking at the map for something else, and since it is at 70th Street and we are at 73rd Street, I thought we would check it out. It was another crowded playground, one with a splash pad, or water sprinkler, which was inundated with kids. I chased Charlotte through the play structure trying to keep her out of trouble. It makes it really hard to do so when kids dump bucketfuls of water on the play structure.
Photo of girls at Seventieth Playground to come.
An interview on playground safety
This is ironic. The whole time I'm thinking how unsafe it is to combine a splash pad and play structure in the same playground, and there is a reporter asking my thoughts on playground safety. I was a little surprised when told there was a new study out saying playgrounds aren't challenging enough and hence hurts our children. While I'm sure most playgrounds could be more challenging for older children, I'm also sure that most playgrounds are not safe for 2 year olds. How do accommodate children of all ages without making something too dangerous for the younger kids?
Here is the NY Times article I believe the reporter was referring to.
Traviata Pizza
Another map find, Traviatta Pizza, and upon reading mostly great reviews, save the most recent which claim the place isn't as good as it once was, I decide to try it out. Knew there was not much seating, so my plan was to find a nice spot in Central Park for us to eat our lunch.
I got the girls cheese pizza and sausage and pepperoni for myself.
Photo of girls in front of Traviata Pizza to come.
Lunch at Central Park in Sheep Meadow
We headed down 70th toward Central Park, and I knew we were a bit further from our special spot, so I planned on finding another nice spot. We walked into the park at 66th Street, passing Tavern on the Green, and I immediately see our new spot, under a nice, big shade tree in what is aptly known as Sheep Meadow.
A beautiful green field lay before us, with a few of buildings in the background. We dug into our fresh, warm pizza.
Photos of pizza and girls to come.
As we sat enjoying our lunch, I realized this is a perfect spot to bring our ball and other outdoor toys. Mental note: will have to return soon, maybe even for dinner.
Tot Playground
After lunch, Beatrix really wanted to go to the nearby Tot Playground. While I was anxious to get to the American Folk Art Museum, I decided more outdoor playtime might be just what the girls needed. I'm glad we stopped at the playground too. The only other time we've been there, it was extremely crowded, and what I called "Nanny Central". Being it was just after lunch, the playground was practically vacant, and before long the girls almost had the playground to themselves.
Photo of girls at Tot Playground to come.
The American Folk Art Museum
Well, I had read that the American Folk Art Museum had been having sone financial difficulty, and had to sell their new building to ay off their debt. They had just moved back to their old location, and I was so disappointed at the hodgepodge set up. The only works they had displayed were a couple dozen of quilts, nothing else. I've seen other works that are part of their collection, and they were nowhere to be seen. I hope this museum is able to get up and running again.
Gray's Papaya Hot Dogs
This place always has a stream of people, and a line out the door. I had read that they have great hot dogs, so decided I would pick one p for each of the girls, and we would go to the spot we found earlier today at Sheep Meadow.
We found our spot, almost exact same spot we had for lunch. Charlotte had fallen asleep, and Bea started eating her hot dog. She left a bite, and I ate it, as I needed to see how good it was. They really just looked like stadium hot dogs, nothing special, but they did have a nice flavor to them. I'm embarrassed to say that I ended up eating Charlotte's hot dog. How did I justify it? I figured she probably wouldn't eat it anyway!
There is a subway stop and the yummy pizza place near the 66th Street entrance to Central Park where Sheep Meadow is. Steven made a quick stop at Traviata Pizza for himself and Charlotte and met us in the park.
The girls enjoyed the nice breeze and playing with their outdoor toys.
Photos of the girls playing to come.
Bea was obsessed with the low slung branch of the tree. It was just above her reach, but she did manage to get both hands on it and hang from it a few times.
Photos of Bea hanging from tree to come.
I can see why Bea loves it here so much. We have spent lots of quality time outside enjoying what nature has given us. What a gift Central Park is to those who live here. It's a slice of sanity in a big city for sure.
There are so many playgrounds to choose from here, and for me, it comes down to how far it is and how hard will it be to keep up with Charlotte. I stumbled upon this playground while looking at the map for something else, and since it is at 70th Street and we are at 73rd Street, I thought we would check it out. It was another crowded playground, one with a splash pad, or water sprinkler, which was inundated with kids. I chased Charlotte through the play structure trying to keep her out of trouble. It makes it really hard to do so when kids dump bucketfuls of water on the play structure.
Photo of girls at Seventieth Playground to come.
An interview on playground safety
This is ironic. The whole time I'm thinking how unsafe it is to combine a splash pad and play structure in the same playground, and there is a reporter asking my thoughts on playground safety. I was a little surprised when told there was a new study out saying playgrounds aren't challenging enough and hence hurts our children. While I'm sure most playgrounds could be more challenging for older children, I'm also sure that most playgrounds are not safe for 2 year olds. How do accommodate children of all ages without making something too dangerous for the younger kids?
Here is the NY Times article I believe the reporter was referring to.
Traviata Pizza
Another map find, Traviatta Pizza, and upon reading mostly great reviews, save the most recent which claim the place isn't as good as it once was, I decide to try it out. Knew there was not much seating, so my plan was to find a nice spot in Central Park for us to eat our lunch.
I got the girls cheese pizza and sausage and pepperoni for myself.
Photo of girls in front of Traviata Pizza to come.
Lunch at Central Park in Sheep Meadow
We headed down 70th toward Central Park, and I knew we were a bit further from our special spot, so I planned on finding another nice spot. We walked into the park at 66th Street, passing Tavern on the Green, and I immediately see our new spot, under a nice, big shade tree in what is aptly known as Sheep Meadow.
A beautiful green field lay before us, with a few of buildings in the background. We dug into our fresh, warm pizza.
Photos of pizza and girls to come.
As we sat enjoying our lunch, I realized this is a perfect spot to bring our ball and other outdoor toys. Mental note: will have to return soon, maybe even for dinner.
Tot Playground
After lunch, Beatrix really wanted to go to the nearby Tot Playground. While I was anxious to get to the American Folk Art Museum, I decided more outdoor playtime might be just what the girls needed. I'm glad we stopped at the playground too. The only other time we've been there, it was extremely crowded, and what I called "Nanny Central". Being it was just after lunch, the playground was practically vacant, and before long the girls almost had the playground to themselves.
Photo of girls at Tot Playground to come.
The American Folk Art Museum
Well, I had read that the American Folk Art Museum had been having sone financial difficulty, and had to sell their new building to ay off their debt. They had just moved back to their old location, and I was so disappointed at the hodgepodge set up. The only works they had displayed were a couple dozen of quilts, nothing else. I've seen other works that are part of their collection, and they were nowhere to be seen. I hope this museum is able to get up and running again.
Gray's Papaya Hot Dogs
This place always has a stream of people, and a line out the door. I had read that they have great hot dogs, so decided I would pick one p for each of the girls, and we would go to the spot we found earlier today at Sheep Meadow.
We found our spot, almost exact same spot we had for lunch. Charlotte had fallen asleep, and Bea started eating her hot dog. She left a bite, and I ate it, as I needed to see how good it was. They really just looked like stadium hot dogs, nothing special, but they did have a nice flavor to them. I'm embarrassed to say that I ended up eating Charlotte's hot dog. How did I justify it? I figured she probably wouldn't eat it anyway!
There is a subway stop and the yummy pizza place near the 66th Street entrance to Central Park where Sheep Meadow is. Steven made a quick stop at Traviata Pizza for himself and Charlotte and met us in the park.
The girls enjoyed the nice breeze and playing with their outdoor toys.
Photos of the girls playing to come.
Bea was obsessed with the low slung branch of the tree. It was just above her reach, but she did manage to get both hands on it and hang from it a few times.
Photos of Bea hanging from tree to come.
I can see why Bea loves it here so much. We have spent lots of quality time outside enjoying what nature has given us. What a gift Central Park is to those who live here. It's a slice of sanity in a big city for sure.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Hippo Playground & $90 Spent at Toy Store
I really wanted to visit a museum today, but it seems the ones I was interested in, or the ones close enough for me to walk to are all closed on Mondays. After all the beautiful weather we've been experiencing, it seems we are in for some HOT days. Still, I didn't think walking 18 short blocks to Riverside Park to check out the Hippo Playground would be all that bad. I suppose it wasn't all in all too bad, but I am now 20.5 weeks pregnant, and it was in the 90's today, so yeah, it was tough. As much as I wanted to turn around, I figured we were more than halfway there, so we trudged on.
We finally made our left turn at 91st street up from our 73rd street apartment location. I saw lots of trees, so that was a pleasant sight. We went down an incredibly steep hill to get down to Hippo Playground, and all I could think about was how bad it was going to suck going back up.
The playground was packed, and I mean packed. It was one with a water feature, which I generally loathe when combined with play equipment because, well, I just find it dangerous when the equipment becomes slippery. I have enough trouble keeping Charlotte safe at a dry playground (Maybe now is a good time to read Blessings of a Skinned Knee.).
Still, I knew I was in for a tiring time at the playground. It was fairly large, and extremely crowded, so keeping up with both girls was a challenge, and Charlotte needs constant supervision. She is terrible at the high openings in play structures. Why they have to ruin a perfectly good play structure for a 2 year old by adding a high drop off is beyond me. Then again, Bea is so risk averse, she never would have attempted it at Charlotte's age.
Photos of girls at Hippo Playground to come.
I was taken back by a little boy who had gone up the slide in front of Bea (who was behind Charlotte). I didn't say anything to him, but Bea looked at me like she couldn't believe he did that, and I told her that she needs to be confident and stand her ground. Then the little boy pushed past Charlotte on the ladder (very tall ladder, by the way), and when Charlotte grabbed his shirt (this is my child that can be more assertive), he looked at her indignantly and said, "Stop grabbing me! I don't like that!". Well, the kid is told how to stand up or himself, I'll give home props for that, but I hope he's being told that cutting in line and pushing past other kids and not waiting his turn is inappropriate.
And then, my 2 year old feels the need to stomp in every.single.puddle. She got to one before I could stop her, just stomped right in the middle of it, and a childcare worker told me she thought it was urine. Nice! I wiped her off, and the girls played for a little longer, but to be honest, playgrounds are a nightmare with Charlotte. I have to follow her around, sometimes mapping out how I'm going to get from one high opening to another high opening on the other side. Today, I almost didn't make it. I was standing at an opening on one side of the play structure, and Charlotte started to crawl down the ladder on the other side. Thankfully, another helpful mom put her arm out long enough for me to get over there.
Well, after I had enough of that, we packed up. I got the girls ice ream from one of those many vendors that stalk the playgrounds (Thank you, vendor people! ^sarcasm). The ice cream they sell has the ability to stain clothes like no other agent. Serious.
Now, time to go back up the hill. Bea walked up to take the load off me, but it was still hard. I imagine this hill is quite nice in the dead o winter when there is ice on it. I made it to the top, and took a photo of the playground down below.
Photo of Hippo Playground from top of hill.
Since we are in for a few hot ays, I stopped at West Side Kids, a toy store at 84th & Amsterdam, since it was on the way home. I picked up the Melissa and Doug shape puzzle set for Charlotte, another Calico Critters set for Bea (she got the Children's bedroom, some drawing paper, and a few outdoor toys, in hopes the weather will get nice again before we leave. $90 down, but hopefully it will keep them entertained for a little bit
Photo of Bea drawing to come.
Bea told me she misses the cats, an that's why she drew them. I love that she drew herself sliding own the cat's tail.
Photo of Charlotte sleeping in stroller to come.
This s how Charlotte chose to spend her time this afternoon. Not a bad idea.
Charlotte fell asleep on the way home and slept for 3 hours while Bea played with her new toys. It's 4:33 now, and I plan to go down to the basement to wash a few things before dinner.
We finally made our left turn at 91st street up from our 73rd street apartment location. I saw lots of trees, so that was a pleasant sight. We went down an incredibly steep hill to get down to Hippo Playground, and all I could think about was how bad it was going to suck going back up.
The playground was packed, and I mean packed. It was one with a water feature, which I generally loathe when combined with play equipment because, well, I just find it dangerous when the equipment becomes slippery. I have enough trouble keeping Charlotte safe at a dry playground (Maybe now is a good time to read Blessings of a Skinned Knee.).
Still, I knew I was in for a tiring time at the playground. It was fairly large, and extremely crowded, so keeping up with both girls was a challenge, and Charlotte needs constant supervision. She is terrible at the high openings in play structures. Why they have to ruin a perfectly good play structure for a 2 year old by adding a high drop off is beyond me. Then again, Bea is so risk averse, she never would have attempted it at Charlotte's age.
Photos of girls at Hippo Playground to come.
I was taken back by a little boy who had gone up the slide in front of Bea (who was behind Charlotte). I didn't say anything to him, but Bea looked at me like she couldn't believe he did that, and I told her that she needs to be confident and stand her ground. Then the little boy pushed past Charlotte on the ladder (very tall ladder, by the way), and when Charlotte grabbed his shirt (this is my child that can be more assertive), he looked at her indignantly and said, "Stop grabbing me! I don't like that!". Well, the kid is told how to stand up or himself, I'll give home props for that, but I hope he's being told that cutting in line and pushing past other kids and not waiting his turn is inappropriate.
And then, my 2 year old feels the need to stomp in every.single.puddle. She got to one before I could stop her, just stomped right in the middle of it, and a childcare worker told me she thought it was urine. Nice! I wiped her off, and the girls played for a little longer, but to be honest, playgrounds are a nightmare with Charlotte. I have to follow her around, sometimes mapping out how I'm going to get from one high opening to another high opening on the other side. Today, I almost didn't make it. I was standing at an opening on one side of the play structure, and Charlotte started to crawl down the ladder on the other side. Thankfully, another helpful mom put her arm out long enough for me to get over there.
Well, after I had enough of that, we packed up. I got the girls ice ream from one of those many vendors that stalk the playgrounds (Thank you, vendor people! ^sarcasm). The ice cream they sell has the ability to stain clothes like no other agent. Serious.
Now, time to go back up the hill. Bea walked up to take the load off me, but it was still hard. I imagine this hill is quite nice in the dead o winter when there is ice on it. I made it to the top, and took a photo of the playground down below.
Photo of Hippo Playground from top of hill.
Since we are in for a few hot ays, I stopped at West Side Kids, a toy store at 84th & Amsterdam, since it was on the way home. I picked up the Melissa and Doug shape puzzle set for Charlotte, another Calico Critters set for Bea (she got the Children's bedroom, some drawing paper, and a few outdoor toys, in hopes the weather will get nice again before we leave. $90 down, but hopefully it will keep them entertained for a little bit
Photo of Bea drawing to come.
Bea told me she misses the cats, an that's why she drew them. I love that she drew herself sliding own the cat's tail.
Photo of Charlotte sleeping in stroller to come.
This s how Charlotte chose to spend her time this afternoon. Not a bad idea.
Charlotte fell asleep on the way home and slept for 3 hours while Bea played with her new toys. It's 4:33 now, and I plan to go down to the basement to wash a few things before dinner.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
New York Botanical Garden: This Time with Daddy
Our experience at the botanical garden earlier in the week was so nice, and I decided I wanted Steven to see it. We took the same Metro North Railroad from Grand Central Station. since Stevn was with us, we got some photos of me and the girls in the main lobby.
It's such an easy trip, maybe 25 minutes, and we just walk across the street to the garden. We ran out of time the last visit for Bea to complete a nature notebook in the children's garden, so that is what we did first. We started at the Children's Adventure Garden.
She was to guess which color flower she thought she would see more of in the garden, and would you believe she picked pink? Yeah, I guess that's not surprising. She only completed 2 of the 6 tasks, but it wasn't entirely her fault. It was time for lunch, actually past time for lunch, and both Steven and I were getting headaches. She did pot some wildflower seeds, and she made a pollinator puppet. She chose the butterfly out of the other options: a bumble bee or hummingbird. Again, not surprised.
Probably another reason she didn't finish her notebook was because the girls couldn't get enough of this quaint sitting area.
After lunch, we walked to the perennial garden in front of the beautiful conservatory. Again, with Steven there, we were able to get pictures.
Today was much hotter, and I was finding myself wanting to retire early, but Beatrix wanted to ride the tram to the Howell Family Garden. Steven stayed back with Charlotte since she had fallen asleep in the stroller. This time at the family garden, Beatrix planted a lemon balm plant to bring home, dug for earthworms, and water the plants. We really couldn't dawdle because we wanted to catch the 3:39 train back. We caught the next tram at the family garden entrance, and made our way back to the front where Steven would be waiting for us.
Photos of Bea in Howell Family Garden to come.
We met up with Steven, grabbed some drinks at the cafe on the way out, and waited about 10 minutes for our train.
We arrived at Grand Central, and walked down 42nd (near Times Square area) to catch the subway back to the apartment, and I probably thanked Steven a hundred times for finding a place on the Upper West Side. Thanks again, Steven!
It's such an easy trip, maybe 25 minutes, and we just walk across the street to the garden. We ran out of time the last visit for Bea to complete a nature notebook in the children's garden, so that is what we did first. We started at the Children's Adventure Garden.
Probably another reason she didn't finish her notebook was because the girls couldn't get enough of this quaint sitting area.
After lunch, we walked to the perennial garden in front of the beautiful conservatory. Again, with Steven there, we were able to get pictures.
Today was much hotter, and I was finding myself wanting to retire early, but Beatrix wanted to ride the tram to the Howell Family Garden. Steven stayed back with Charlotte since she had fallen asleep in the stroller. This time at the family garden, Beatrix planted a lemon balm plant to bring home, dug for earthworms, and water the plants. We really couldn't dawdle because we wanted to catch the 3:39 train back. We caught the next tram at the family garden entrance, and made our way back to the front where Steven would be waiting for us.
Photos of Bea in Howell Family Garden to come.
We met up with Steven, grabbed some drinks at the cafe on the way out, and waited about 10 minutes for our train.
We arrived at Grand Central, and walked down 42nd (near Times Square area) to catch the subway back to the apartment, and I probably thanked Steven a hundred times for finding a place on the Upper West Side. Thanks again, Steven!
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Levain Bakery & the Staten Island Ferry
So, after a busy week, come Friday evening, my body was aching so much, I couldn't pinpoint exactly which part hurt the worst. We decided to spend most f Saturday resting and taking care of some things that needed to be done, like laundry, and getting our photos and video backed up so I can post them on the blog. That part required Steven to go to the Apple store, and the girls and I hung out at the apartment watching cartoons. Steven brought lunch back for us, and Charlotte practically fell asleep at the table. I moved her to the sofa where she took a 4 hour nap.
When Charlotte finally woke up, we decided to go to Levain Bakery to get some cookies. Steven has been raving about these cookies for months now, and despite the screaming my body was doing t get me to stop, I just couldn't. These cookies deserved to be tasted. The bakery is over just one block from us on 74th. It is a tiny, tiny, cash only operation. There are 4 stairs that go up to the door, and once inside, another small set of stairs going down. This place is bare bones, but there are as many people waiting for cookies as can fit in the place. They have 3 or 4 barstools facing the window where people can chow down on the ooey gooey yumminess. The menu is as bare bones as the inside of the bakery. Literally, 4 cookie options to choose from: Chocolate Chip Walnut, Double Chocolate Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin, and Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip, and I think there was 1 scone option at this location. I didn't see anyone buying any scones though. They have a couple of drink options: water (I highly recommend because you need it after these cookies.), whole milk, cream, and half and half. Each cookie costs $4, and I got 6, all Walnut Chocolate Chip. One for me and Steven to eat right away and one for me and Steven to save for later. I got each of the girls a cookie because even though I knew they wouldn't eat all of it, I knew Bea would have a fit if she didn't have her own cookie. Cost us $24, and I could not wait to sink my teeth into my mound of cookie.
Since the bakery is so small, we walked up the street To Central Park, found a park bench right there at the outer wall, and dug in. I took Charlotte out of the stroller and had her on my lap because I knew though these cookies were nice and crisp on the outside, they were going to be an ooey gooey mess on the inside. They did not disappoint. Both girls loved the cookies, and after maybe 2 bites were begging for water. I just so happened to bring two bottles with us, and I'm glad I did.
I didn't even get to my cookie, as I just ate from Charlotte's. Richest.cookies.ever!
After our indulgent moment, we walked back towards the apartment to catch the subway to Wall Street. Our plan was to catch the Staten Island Ferry to get views of the Statue of Liberty. The ferry is free, and there are tour boats (The Circle Line) that you can pay to get a guided tour of the city and a view of the statue, but the shortest one is 75 minutes. With the Staten Island Ferry, it is a 25 minute ride each way, and you can get off, let the kids eat something, and get back on (so we thought). I realize now that the Circle Line was about the same amount of time all together, maybe less because of a snafu we ran into on the way back, and certainly less people to contend with. I think next time we will pay for the tour.
When Charlotte finally woke up, we decided to go to Levain Bakery to get some cookies. Steven has been raving about these cookies for months now, and despite the screaming my body was doing t get me to stop, I just couldn't. These cookies deserved to be tasted. The bakery is over just one block from us on 74th. It is a tiny, tiny, cash only operation. There are 4 stairs that go up to the door, and once inside, another small set of stairs going down. This place is bare bones, but there are as many people waiting for cookies as can fit in the place. They have 3 or 4 barstools facing the window where people can chow down on the ooey gooey yumminess. The menu is as bare bones as the inside of the bakery. Literally, 4 cookie options to choose from: Chocolate Chip Walnut, Double Chocolate Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin, and Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip, and I think there was 1 scone option at this location. I didn't see anyone buying any scones though. They have a couple of drink options: water (I highly recommend because you need it after these cookies.), whole milk, cream, and half and half. Each cookie costs $4, and I got 6, all Walnut Chocolate Chip. One for me and Steven to eat right away and one for me and Steven to save for later. I got each of the girls a cookie because even though I knew they wouldn't eat all of it, I knew Bea would have a fit if she didn't have her own cookie. Cost us $24, and I could not wait to sink my teeth into my mound of cookie.
Since the bakery is so small, we walked up the street To Central Park, found a park bench right there at the outer wall, and dug in. I took Charlotte out of the stroller and had her on my lap because I knew though these cookies were nice and crisp on the outside, they were going to be an ooey gooey mess on the inside. They did not disappoint. Both girls loved the cookies, and after maybe 2 bites were begging for water. I just so happened to bring two bottles with us, and I'm glad I did.
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| Oh my goodness...do our faces say it all? |
After our indulgent moment, we walked back towards the apartment to catch the subway to Wall Street. Our plan was to catch the Staten Island Ferry to get views of the Statue of Liberty. The ferry is free, and there are tour boats (The Circle Line) that you can pay to get a guided tour of the city and a view of the statue, but the shortest one is 75 minutes. With the Staten Island Ferry, it is a 25 minute ride each way, and you can get off, let the kids eat something, and get back on (so we thought). I realize now that the Circle Line was about the same amount of time all together, maybe less because of a snafu we ran into on the way back, and certainly less people to contend with. I think next time we will pay for the tour.
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| Sunset view of the Statue of Liberty |
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| Sunset view of Ellis Island |
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| The tip of Manhattan. |
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| Another view of Manhattan. |
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| Beatrix is excited to see the Statue of Liberty. |
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