New York State of Mind

 

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?