The Big Apple

We are back from an awesome 5 nights in New York City. I survived being a solo parent mainly because I didn't have to be as much as I thought. Addie and Eliza were both pretty darn wonderful (most of the time). We kept the girls on LA time which meant I wasn't motivating us out of the hotel any earlier than before 10:30 or 11 am. Cap was often able to meet up with us in the afternoons, I met up with a friend and her daughter for breakfast Thursday and then my sister took a half day on Friday. I must say that I was rather proud of myself for taking the girls on the subway by myself though.

With Eliza strapped to my chest and Addie in a stroller, I opted not to lug my heavy camera around. Unfortunately this meant we have very few photos except a few lousy ones I took with my iphone and then some from the weekend when there was a 3:2 adult to kid ratio.

If you haven't been to Brooklyn you must go. I'm very proud to have lived there for 6 years and it was great going back to our old neighborhood and seeing how much has changed and how much has stayed the same. It appears that our old loft which used to be a sewing factory is undergoing renovation and finally getting re-zoned from commercial to residential. I had an amazing time, but you won't see me packing up and leaving LA for the Big Apple anytime soon. I love having an apartment big enough to fit a King sized bed too much to move back. Nonetheless, I want to make an annual sojourn to NYC instead of every 6 years as this was good for my soul.

Here are a few highlights from our adventures in the Big Apple:

Remembering living in New York with Cap when it was just the two of us

Spending time with my sister

Walking around the streets of New York City

French toast with friends in the East Village
Watching Addie play on the big floor piano at FAO Schwarz
Autumn leaves in Central Park
A baby snow monkey at the Central Park Zoo
Eliza sleeping, Addie eating, and Mama drinking (a pomogranite margarita) at Rosa Mexicano
Taking the subway by myself with both girls
Red silk panda slippers at Pearl River Mart in SoHo.
Buying $3 "I Heart NY" t- shirts for the girls from a street vendor
Walking the Highline
Patsy's Pizza with friends
Addie playing at the Children's Museum
Drinking NY tap water
The best lobster roll EVER at the Brooklyn Flea in DUMBO
Greasy diner breakfast in Midtown with a friend and her 6 month old daughter
Drinking Brooklyn Beer
Trout salad at the new and fabulous Sel de Mer in our old but transformed street in Williamsburg
Gelatto at the Italian corner shop that Cap and I used to frequent and seeing that nothing has changed

Getting vertigo at the New Museum viewing deck

Eliza rockin' it in the Baby Bjorn for hours and hours

Checking out my sisters new hood - Ditmas Park - in Brooklyn

Eating a bagel with cream cheese so thick it left teeth marks

Addie dancing to a subway musician

Seeing Addie go ga-ga over her new BFF Auntie Jennifer

Disappointments:
The biggest disappointment had to be NYC cupcakes. We had 3 cupcakes from 3 different places and all got the thumbs down. Two of the three actually ended up in the trash - even Addie wouldn't eat them.

Phew! Hiccups with a silver lining:

Realizing I left the front door to our house wide open when we left. Thankfully I remembered before our taxi went more than a block down our street.

Leaving my cell phone in the bathroom at LAX and finding it thank goodness! Cap said he has never seen me run so fast.

Missing our flight back home and then finding out once we are on the plane that the ticketing agent sat all three of us in different rows. Who would seat a 3 year old by themselves?! Thanks to a few kind passengers and some creative rearranging, we all sat together and got home safely.

Thinking I lost my brand new prescription sunglasses, calling the hotel and even the diner where we ate breakfast to see if they had them. I found them today in the back of the stroller where they somehow didn't fall out when we checked it at the gate.

I HEART NY!