Day One: New York is Busy!
Mom came last minute from Idaho to come with us to NY. Since we almost lost a kid a day, we're glad she came! She was a good sport to put up with all of our kid stuff, and she was a big help.
We left home, the van a few inches lower--packed as it was with everything but the kitchen sink --at about 11:00--an hour later than scheduled, excited and bubbly, ready to hit New York running.
Of course, we had to turn around soon after we left because, for the life of me, I could not remember turning off the iron. I had, but there went a half-hour. On the road once more, slightly less excited and bubbly, we hit the NJ Turnpike and didn't look back.
Once off the turnpike and through the Lincoln tunnel we emerged into New York traffic. If I ever thought I would not drive in New York, that belief has been confirmed. Not only are there one-way streets, designated lanes for buses and emergency vehicles, and aggressive and honking taxis, there are the kamikaze pedestrians that step out in front of you. Brian is a pretty aggressive driver and so he fit right in--I, on the other hand, closed my eyes, held on, and prayed.
At last, we tumbled out in front of the Marriott on 42nd, all nerves and hunger at 2:00. We unloaded the van, while Brian parked at a (slightly less expensive than the hotel parking) garage. I made sandwiches for the starving natives and though I wanted to stay in our (remarkably small) hotel room, we soon headed out into the teeming masses.
Toys "R" Us: A Museum of Consumerism
Time: 3:00
Weather: windy, rainy, cold (low 50's)
We made our way to Times Square, with lights, over sized billboards, running ticker tape, and a steady stream of people. At the heart of Time Square, is the Toys R Us "museum" store. The kids were greeted (assaulted?) with 3 floors of every toy imaginable. It was Santa's workshop and Disneyland combined--every category of toys was present in its own section--cars, Barbies, electronics, etc., usually combined with an over sized toy or animatronic. Paris and Apollo soon spent their hard-earned money, while Tritan and Athena agonized over how to parcel their money out.
I will have to say that having them earn their own spending money was the smartest thing ever! They get to spend it without our judgement, and once it's gone, it's gone--there is no more asking and asking for everything they see.
We did pony up for the $4 Ferris Wheel ride. It's a timed ticket so the line was not unbearable and the ride was actually longer than I thought. Apollo loved it so much he hugged me repeatedly and told me what a great mom I was.
Granted I thought Toys R Us (and indeed the whole of Times Square) was an example of crass commercialism-- but the kids put this store up there as one of their favorites of the whole trip.
American Girls: Must Be Rich
Time: 5:00
Weather: Cold, windy, pouring rain
We made our way under a rainbow of umbrellas about 10 blocks via Rockefeller Center to the American Girl store. If Toys R Us was a study in consumerism for the masses, American Girl was a lesson in consumerism for the elite. The crowd here was much more highly starched and crisply coiffed despite the rain. Athena's resolve to Just Look melted as soon as we stepped in the door and was greeted by a neat corps of dolls that Look Just Like You. Her hopes for having one were dashed as soon as she looked at the price tag, though.
The whole store is open and clean and yet warm and comforting with wooden floors and cabinets that hold all things American Girl in neatly stacked pink boxes. Upstairs there are dioramas that showcase each Girl in her era, and even have placards that talk about each era. This education is all lost on the actual American girl that comes in, however. Athena only knew that she Must Buy Something here, though what she could afford and still have money left over for a souvenir sweatshirt (her golden grail throughout the trip) was considerably disappointing. She looked at a mini doll, then a nightgown for her, and then finally settled on a cook book that featured recipes from the 30's a.k.a. Kit's era.
According to the guide books, they have quite a good restaurant in the store as well and the line snaking around walls confirmed it must be worth the wait. However, I would skip this store unless you are already an American Girl owner or don't mind investing a small fortune in the franchise.
Nintendo World: Free Arcade!
Time: 6:00
Weather: Cold, rainy, rainy, rainy
To placate the boys, who spent the hour in American Girl without too much eye-rolling and complaining, we walked a block to Nintendo World. By this time, whatever crowds weren't blown away by the wind, had decided to go to dinner and the store was fairly empty. The kids had no trouble finding DS stations or Wii consoles to play new games on. We could have easily spent a couple of hours here (there were even benches for exhausted parents) but finally our stomachs revolted and we headed to dinner.
This was easily one of the favorite stores we visited (though the outcome might have been different if they had had to wait long to play the games).
Mars 2112: Journey to a Strange New World
Time: 7:00
Weather: Cold, pouring
Mars 2112 is a theme restaurant that we had heard about and Tritan eagerly anticipated early on in the planning for the trip. Indeed, only weeks earlier Brad Pitt and his kids had been seen there (and we all know what great judgement Brad has!).
To get to the restaurant, you climb aboard a ship and travel to Mars. It's a second-rate Disney ride but definitely made the experience more real. The kids loved it. Once inside everything is red, and the waiters look like a space crew and there are roving aliens. The food is overpriced and nothing to write home about but that's really beside the point. The kids loved everything about the experience and their meal even included $5 in arcade coins--they could have been in heaven if they weren't already on Mars.
Hotel Sweet Home
Time: 10:00
Weather: Still raining
Getting home meant a 20 minute slog through the rain, but the kids didn't complain once. We went down Broadway and the lights and sounds seemed to carry them effortlessly through the dark and soggy night. We were on the 18th floor, and our "spacious" Residence Inn "suites" were little more than a bed, 2 chairs/barstools, fridge, and microwave and a fold-out couch. Real estate is a premium in NY and I am grateful that despite NJ horrendous housing taxes, we can afford a pretty spacious house. Still, I have to admit, there is a certain efficiency borne to being so cramped. Plus, less house means less housekeeping and more time to see the sites.
Day 2: Falling in Love with NY
The next day we got up early to ride the Subway to Sony Wonder Museum. It was uptown and when we emerged from the subway I was immediately in love with the buildings of NY. I am not normally an architectural fanatic--couldn't tell you classic Roman from Gothic--but I was in awe at the beauty of these old buildings with corbels and gold accents, carvings and buttresses, statues holding up clocks, the color and texture of the old stone buildings. These were juxtaposed against shiny modern buildings, some shaped like a triangle, some with minty frosted glass. I think the combination of the intricacy of the old buildings and the glossiness of the new is what really arrested my attention.
And then there was the windows--the displays themselves were works of art. And in the buildings themselves you could find lobbies and gathering places with high glass ceilings and beautiful artwork-- a little oasis of calm in the big city.
Sony Wonder Museum: Biggest Steal in NY
Time: 10am
Weather: cold, blustery, but thankfully not raining
The Sony Wonder Museum is free, but you have to have timed tickets. They can be reserved in advance but they were out of reserve tickets when we called so we had to wait in an extra line when we got there. After about a half hour we were able to get in. It was a clean, efficient museum, where each of us got a computerized tag to begin with. Using these tags we created a profile for ourselves in the first station: we gave them our name, took our picture, and created a "watermark" with our voices. The cynic in me couldn't help but wonder if this fun, free museum was really the governments way of enticing all of us to become part of some huge Big Brother Database....
Anyway, then you used your card to play a number of educational video games that taught you everything from robotics, to capture motion animation, to game design and music manipulation. You could create a news segment or edit together your own movie trailer. I have to admit it was an amazing museum--everything was very intriguing, and everything--every station--worked. We've been to enough museums to know that that is a feat in itself. However, even with its attempts at crowd control, you did have to wait a long time to have a go at some of the stations. Mainly since once you were able to get to a console, you had 5+ minutes to complete the station.
The Sony Wonder Museum is free, but you have to have timed tickets. They can be reserved in advance but they were out of reserve tickets when we called so we had to wait in an extra line when we got there. After about a half hour we were able to get in. It was a clean, efficient museum, where each of us got a computerized tag to begin with. Using these tags we created a profile for ourselves in the first station: we gave them our name, took our picture, and created a "watermark" with our voices. The cynic in me couldn't help but wonder if this fun, free museum was really the governments way of enticing all of us to become part of some huge Big Brother Database....
Anyway, then you used your card to play a number of educational video games that taught you everything from robotics, to capture motion animation, to game design and music manipulation. You could create a news segment or edit together your own movie trailer. I have to admit it was an amazing museum--everything was very intriguing, and everything--every station--worked. We've been to enough museums to know that that is a feat in itself. However, even with its attempts at crowd control, you did have to wait a long time to have a go at some of the stations. Mainly since once you were able to get to a console, you had 5+ minutes to complete the station.
Still, it was easily the best deal of the trip.
Sarabeth's: Best Food of the Trip
Time: 1:00
Weather: Warming up a bit
Sony Wonder took a bit longer than we anticipated so we wandered over to the South of Central Park to have lunch. The guide book described Sarabeth's Bakery as a moderately priced bakery with zebra chairs and touted it as the Best Place for a Birthday Party. Imagine my surprise as we entered an upscale restaurant with cloth tablecloths, waiters dressed in white and black, and the cheapest thing on the menu was pancakes for $14.95.
Still, it was easily the best meal we had the entire trip. The kids split breakfast items and I had Pumpkin Waffles with Raisins and Pumpkinseed Kernels topped with Sour Cream. Hands down , they were the best waffles I have ever had. Brian and Mom had the Lobster Bisque with chunks of lobster swimming in a not-too-rich tomato broth. It's worth budgeting a bit to eat here!
FAO Schwartz: Toys as Art
Time: 2:30
Time: 2:30
Weather: Fair, with cold winds
About 2 blocks away is FAO Schwartz, another museum store. I wondered if it was worth going to since we went to Toys R Us, but it definitely has a different feel. A human toy soldier was singing with an a cappela choir as we walked in and while there were life sized sculptures made out of Legos and huge stuffed animals, the whole store felt more homey and cozy.
Upstairs they have the famed piano-on-the-floor of the movie Big fame. Brian and the kids had fun with that one. If I were to pick a toy store, this is the one I would pick, but the kids preferred Toys R Us.
On the way out, there was a huge crowd just outside the door. Thinking it must be a street performer (we had seen several of those) or a demonstration by the Toy Store, Apollo and I crept closer to look. It was Heidi Klum and her kids getting out of a limo to shop at FAO Schwartz. I like to think I am not dazzled by celebrities, but I admit I gawked and had a hard time not wanting to follow her in to see what someone like her buys. BTW--maddeningly--she is as gorgeous close-up as she is on the TV. I didn't take pictures but other people did.
Empire State Building: and another Celebrity Sighting
Time: 3:30
Weather: Cold wind but sunny
Realizing that it was already late afternoon and the wind was wicked cold already, we scrapped our plans to go to the seaport and went to the Empire State Building instead. We made our way to the nearest subway station and the kids immediately spotted another NY icon: the subway rat dancing along the rails. People were pretty amused that a rat held our kids complete fascination.
Amazingly, there was only a short line for security before we took the elevator up to the 86th floor of the Empire State Building. It was a cold windy day but the clouds of yesterday had cleared and we could see out to the Statue of Liberty and beyond. We bought a map to get our bearings and since it was such a slow day, the attendant threw in 2 free audio tours as well. The kids had great time trying to pick out the different landmarks. I had wondered if the $20 tickets were worth it, but since we happened onto a time with no wait, the kids loved it. Paris especially was thrilled by the experience and bought a Empire State Building souvenir.
Peanut Butter for Dinner
Since we paid a pretty penny for lunch, we took the subway to Greenwich Village for dinner. I had a read about Peanut Butter and Company, a restaurant that serves peanut butter sandwiches in more than a dozen reincarnations with milk and carrot sticks., and I had to go. Everyone had their own version--Tritan--always the adventurist-- had peanut butter and pickles, Athena had a bagel with cream cheese, jelly, and peanut butter. (She took a bagel every morning from the free breakfast buffet at the hotel, carefully slathered it with cream cheese, and slowly nibbled on it throughout the rest of the day). Brian and Mom had peanut butter with apples, and I had white chocolate peanut butter with orange marmalade and almonds. Apollo had a grilled cheese--go figure.
We headed home for some down time, and slept in late the next morning.
Day 3: NY loves Art
Time: 10:30
Weather: Sunny and mild
Seeing the sun at last, we headed to Central Park on Thursday. We went to the Central Park Zoo and the Tisch Children's Zoo. They were fairly small zoos; clearly they opted for quality over quantity. They had a rain forest habitat where birds flew around and among you, a polar bear pond where only the glass separated you from that mammoth beast, and a sea lion feeding at the central pond. 
The Tisch Children's Zoo was equally brief and featured more common animals like llamas, rabbits, and peacocks, but they had several climbing apparatus and a feeding area that the kids loved. 
What stood out to me most, is how poetic the zoos were. Instead of just the normal placards of what animal this was, where it lived, etc., they also included literary quotes about the animal or habitat. And instead of just having pods of environments, each section was arranged as much for its aesthetic qualities as for its biological one. NY sure knows how to make anything look like art.
Later, eating hot dogs in the park, Athena realized she'd misplaced the back pack she was carrying. We went back to the zoo to look and came up with nothing. But in a flash of inspiration, we went all CSI and flipped through the pictures I had just taken in the zoo. Yep, here was one of her with the back pack on; here was one without it. We went to back to the two sites and found it lying there, just where she left it!
We rode the carousel--again, no line!--twice and then meandered through the park. The kids climbed on rocks, and we watched street performances. The main mall was lined with statues of famous literary figures and again I was amazed at the beauty and attention to detail. Everything from the greenness of the pastures to the flowers in vases on the bridges was a study in poetic beauty. No wonder so many great authors and artists live in NY!
About a hour and half and one mile later we found an actual playground and let the kids scamper on that a while before we headed a couple of blocks out of Central Park to eat at Homer's--another highly touted (though much cheaper) restaurant in my guide book. Most of the walk was lined with apartment buildings and I couldn't help wondering what kind of apartment we would be able to afford. How big would it be? How close to Central Park could we get? Could we afford one with a doorman? Or could we barely afford one infested with cockroaches and rats?Homer's: Greasy Diner Exemplified
Time: 5:30
Weather: Nice!
Homer's was a bit of a disappointment--the hot dogs in the park were better than the fare here. But we were hungry and they had milkshakes.
Mary Poppins: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Time: 7:30
Weather: steadily getting chillier
We changed clothes and went to the New Amsterdam Theater and saw Mary Poppins. We got great seats and the show was fantastic. Despite walking in the sun all day the kids had no trouble sitting through the show. I sat next to Apollo and he couldn't get enough. He hugged me at intermission and told me how much he loved it. Athena is already wondering how a kid like "Jane" made it to Broadway....
Att intermission, Apollo and I went to get a drink and stretch our legs. We found a fairly clear area where Apollo preceded to bend backwards and forwards, side to side. "I'm stretching, Mom" he explained. He cracks me up.
Att intermission, Apollo and I went to get a drink and stretch our legs. We found a fairly clear area where Apollo preceded to bend backwards and forwards, side to side. "I'm stretching, Mom" he explained. He cracks me up.
The theater itself was beautiful with carvings of peacocks and flowers everywhere. The bathrooms were all mirror and frosted glass lamps. The show was similar to the movie, but they had new and different elements. The special effects and dance numbers were amazing. It was definitely the one of the highlights of the trip.
Day 4: We find the crowds
Friday morning we packed up and Brian retrieved the car. GPS units don't work amongst tall buildings, we discovered. Luckily, Brian is a human compass and we eventually found our way out of the city and down to Liberty State Park on the Jersey side. We had to wait about a half hour for our ferry and then we motored on to Liberty Island.
It took us awhile to actually make it to the statue--potty break, then heck, might as well have lunch. One ketchup disaster and subsequent cleaning session in the bathroom later and we were on our way. We had obtained Monument Tickets, which allowed us to go up inside the statue's base, so we gave our tickets to the guard and stepped into a tent where we were confronted with a very long, very slow-moving line. Turns out this line was for the extra security they require--more bag checks and a full-body scan with air-puffers. It takes about a minute for each person to go through. It seems like a pain, but if you stop and think of how devestating it would be if a terrorist blew up the Statue of Liberty--well, it actually seems worth it.
Inside the monument is a small museum on how Lady Liberty was built and then you get to walk outside around the statue. It was a beautiful day and it was neat to be so near to the statue. The best view of the whole statue was on the ferry, though, as we went over to Ellis Island. They have a 3-story museum there, but it was 3:30 by the time we got there, and after 4 days of walking, everyone was exhausted. We made a feeble attempt to look around and then just boarded the next ferry home.
Home Sweet Jersey
Two hours later, we treated Mom to our favorite Jersey diner--Franco's on Rt. 70. They have the best Margharita Pizza, in our opinion. Apollo had been pining for an ice cream cone ever since he saw one in Central Park and for some reason or other, he had always been put off, so despite the fact we were full of pizza, exhausted and ready to go home, we stopped at the neighborhood ice cream store and had a cone. This made Apollo's whole trip, and as soon as he was done, asked for another.
I liked NY a lot more than I thought I would. I wanted to live in NY like crazy when I was just out of high school, but over the years I have grown to sort of dread crowds and busyness. But I liked the energy of New York. I loved its artistic feel and the history. Central Park was beautiful and Broadway was amazing. Still, I felt a sigh of relief as we drove through South Jersey, the tall sky scrapers melting into open fields and wide roads. I was grateful for our little neighborhood with its running trails through trees and park benches and a lake--without having to dodge tourists or street preformers. (With so many runners in NY--where DO they run? Even with the vastness of Central Park, there is a constant stream of people). So, I do appreciate Jersey more now--for it's own qualities and also for its closeness to NY--we'll definetly be going again.
Look for more pictures on my Shutterfly site coming later this week!
This is a purse Athena made from a Klutz kit she got for Christmas. After making potholders, capes for her stuffed animals, she got really creative and made this purse, and sewed on a button so she could close it and everything. Good job, Athena!
