E a t i n g f o r 3: New York Trip

And here’s the link to our August 2014 trip to New York.

Day 1 in New York

We arrive at our Airbnb apartment on the Lower East Side. Because the A/C is propping up the window, leaving a big gap, our room is FREEZING. Thankfully the owner comes over the next day to fix the situation, but we spend the first night huddled under the covers to watch TV and no one wants to get out - kind of like when you have a fever.

While waiting for our flight, James and Julia work on an activity book together… under the seats. (As Sebastian in The Little Mermaid would say, “Each little clam here, know how to jam here. Under the seats.”)

Mark, bundled up in our room.

Kids’ favorite part: “Meat sandwiches” (Can you tell we went to Katz’s?)

Julia enjoys two pickles at Katz’s Delicatessen.

James slurps some matzoh ball soup.

Day 2 in New York

Guest entry by Julia:

Today when we woke up it was REALLY scary. We screamed for Mommy and made her get out of bed because what we saw was so horrifying we couldn’t describe it. There was a blanket on our bed that was not there when we went to sleep!!! And it had tassels! It was terrifying!

The kids see fish in ice being sold at a market. Julia asks if they’re selling fish AND ice. Mark tells her the ice is just for the fish. “So it stays dead?” asks James.

We also spend the entire afternoon taking the subway to Brooklyn just to get pizza.

James pretends to sleep on the hour-long subway ride into the bowels of Brooklyn. There's PROBABLY no Ebola on that seat...

Mark eats his favorite pizza in the world at L & B Spumoni Gardens.

James’s favorite part: Pizza and raspberry lemonade

Julia’s: “Seeing hot dog place” (she could see Nathan’s at Coney Island from the subway platform)

Days 3 and 4 in New York

We walk the entirety of The High Line. Dinner is at Robataya, a traditional Japanese restaurant where the chefs cook in front of you. They also perform death-defying (or maybe burn-defying) leaps over the hot grills in front of them - while wearing socks - to the counter to get ingredients and then back. Hearing the servers yell orders in rapid-fire Japanese to the chefs who respond “hai!” Julia asks, “Is that how people talk in New York?”

Urban gophers on The High Line

For our second straight New York trip, Julia has a tantrum at Chelsea Market.

Julia plays with her chopsticks at Robataya.

Food is delivered to a neighboring diner on a long paddle. The chefs do this even with bottles of beer.

The next day we take the Staten Island Ferry because Julia - who was the Statue of Liberty for Halloween - really wants to see her inspiration up close. We visit Mark’s college friends Irene and Donna. Julia wants to know which part of the skyscraper is the scraper.

Julia watches for the Statue of Liberty from the Staten Island Ferry.

James on the Staten Island Ferry. After we got to Staten Island we simply got back on the return ferry. I mean, who goes to Staten Island?

The Statue of Liberty at sunset from the Staten Island Ferry

Kathy eats pizza at Lombardi’s, the only restaurant Mark and Kathy have visited on all six trips to New York.

Julia’s favorite part: Playing a kazoo

James’s: Finishing The High Line; Least favorite: “Dropping my lollipop”

Days 5 and 6 in New York

We get about ⅙ of the way into Central Park when James needs to use the potty. We leave the park and by the time he finishes it’s too dark to go back. It gets dark way too early here, especially when we stay on West Coast time. (Incidentally, the same exact thing happens two days later - clearly when you’re exactly ⅙ into Central Park it’s time to drop a deuce - but this time James decides he can wait. )

Mark in Central Park

This is as far as we got into Central Park, after entering the park at W. 72nd St.

We discover the Whispering Gallery in Grand Central Station and talk facing the wall in one corner of the room - Blair Witch style - so our voices can be carried to the opposite corner of the room.

Mark holds up Julia in the Whispering Gallery so she can whisper a message into the wall to James across the room.

While Bubby watches the kids, Mark and I see the play This Is Our Youth, and the kids have the time of their lives playing with a newly purchased set of Lego in the lobby of Bubby’s hotel.

In Times Square in the rain

While in Times Square we ask a person dressed as Hello Kitty to take a picture with the kids. Meanwhile, Cookie Monster and Spiderman photobomb the picture, and then expect money. Um, no…

Playing in the lobby of Bubby’s hotel

James and Julia’s favorite part: New Legos and their favorite place in the world, the Toys R Us in Times Square

Days 7 and 8 in New York

We walk through Central Park which is simply beautiful in autumn. Julia has tantrums because she isn’t first going down the subway stairs and also because she has to put on her own hat.

At the Adventure Playground in Central Park

Mark’s panorama of the Sheep Meadow in Central Park, looking towards Midtown.

Julia and James at the Balto statue

Mark and I leave the kids with Bubby while we have a 3-course dessert at Chickalicious. Meanwhile, the kids walk up to friends and family (also staying in the hotel for the wedding) with a bag of Chex Mix, asking if they want a snack.

Playing in the awesome circular sofa at Bubby’s hotel. James: “Can I sit on this sofa upside down?”

We go to the rehearsal dinner for Michelle and Mike’s wedding. Julia wants to sit by Michelle. (At the wedding she says she wants to dance with Michelle and also marry her.)