Yes. That is just how I felt the first time I saw Times Square at night! What a magical place!
On Saturday, Mark, Jane, and I are headed to the big apple. About a year and a half ago, we joined a few other families in an apartment share in the East Village. Mark and I joke that we are not cool enough to live in the hipsteriest part of the village.
The first time we arrived at the apartment was comical. Here we were pulling up to the corner of "cool" and "happening" with a pack-n-play, stoller, five checked suitcases, and the uncoolest thing of all - a baby. The hipsters playing checkers at the wine bar by night/coffee bar by day looked like they had never seen one of those before. The baby, that is. Mark and I laughed all the way up the three flights of stairs we have to climb thinking about how out of place we looked.
The apartment has served us well over these last 18 months. We have visited countless times, and now that the pack-n-play and stroller live in NYC, we arrive with considerably less baggage. It actually feels like a home away from home. Which, for me, is exactly where I want to spend my vacation time.
I am a city girl by nature. I want to be a beach lover, but the truth is I start to get anxious and bored sitting there all day. I like plans and activities. When we went to Paris, I literally included "spontaneous time" on our itinerary (which was in Excel if you were wondering).
This week ahead should be filled with fun. We are planning to meet up with Mark's three brothers, their wives/fiance, and their babies. We are going to spend the day in Brooklyn riding the carousel, brunching, and having cousin time.
We have secured a babysitter for two night on the trip. For one, all of the brothers and wives will go to dinner at Maialino. I can taste the freshly made pasta already! The other night, Mark and I will have a date night. I am sooooo excited. We haven't made plans yet. How's that for sponteneity!
Here are some of the things on our to do list:
Visit Eataly
Walk the High Line
Take Jane to the Children's Museum of the Arts
Shop at the Union Square Greenmarket
Ride Jane's Carousel in Brooklyn
Go to the Central Park Zoo
Get chocolate peanut butter cookies from Levain Bakery
Have a beer outside at The Standard's Biergarten
Sweat it out at Sixth Street Pilates 7:00 am mat class
There's so much to see and explore. I could go on and on.
When you go to NYC what's on your to do list?
Haven't been? What's the one thing you would add to this list?
Jane looks like Mark in that photo.
ReplyDeletehave a great vaca - I love New York too.
Jane looks like Mark in that photo.
ReplyDeleteHave a great vaca - I love New York
Does your group rent out the apartment? Would love to go to NYC! Have a wonderful time.
ReplyDeleteSo much fun!! I've never been to NYC & would LOVE to go for a family vacation one year!! Have a great time!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a cool idea! That's awesome. Ahhhhh New York...There's nothing like it!
ReplyDeleteWe used to go to NY all the time before we had Andrew- Scott's main office of his company is right over the river in Mahwah, NJ.... so I had a little routine for every time we went- it always included shopping on Fifth Avenue, though! LOL
ReplyDeleteWould you believe in all the times we've been to NY, I've never been to the Museum of Natural History?
THings that I always also love to do:
Shop at the Chelsea Market
Ride the Staten Island Ferry to get a good view of Lady Liberty
I go to the whole foods at Columbus Circle and grab fruit, cheese, bread, wine, beer, etc. and go have a picnic at Central Park
Go have old-time cocktails at the Campbell Apartment in Grand Central Station
Walk the Brooklyn Bridge and go get Jacques Torres chocolates
Also, there are several restaurants I love- Puglia in Little Italy has great orrechiete with oil and garlic, I love Asia de Cuba for it's atmosphere, and I like to grab breakfasts and snacks at the little delis on the corner. :)