NYC, Hosted by Thing 3!

The time came for another 18th birthday trip with Nani.  This little tradition that my parents began is quite special.  When our Things turn eighteen they are invited to choose a location and plan a trip with Nani for the girls and soon enough, Popi for the boy.  Thing 3 celebrated her 18th birthday in May and had her heart set on New York.  Yes please!  I have the privilege of tagging along on these trips for the sole purpose of "chaperone".  I kid.  Kind of.   The date was chosen, flights purchased, AirBnB secured and the itinerary carefully crafted by our resident travel agent, Thing 3.  New York City here we come!  

I think the best way to catalog our trip would be via our itinerary, day by day.  So here goes.  

Wednesday:  Arrive in NY, me at JFK, Nani and Thing 3 LGA.

Meet at AirBnB in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn.

Dinner at a quaint Italian cafe on the corner of our street, hands down one of the very best meals we experienced while in the city.

Thursday: Woke before the sun because jet lag, or something like that, coffee and catching up with Mom before the birthday girl woke.

Thing 3 and Nani's first NY subway ride kicked off the adventures!

NY Subway!

Brunch at Maman, mine and Thing 3's absolute favorite bakery we visited, and trust me when I say that we sampled ALOT of bakeries.  On the way we happy surprised ourselves and walked through both Little Italy and Chinatown.  Or maybe we walked through those neighborhoods after, I really can't recall.

FOOD!

City view, China town.

A walk to NY Public Library and Bryant Park.

Carousel in Bryant Park.

Outside the reading room in the NY library.

Between the lions, Patience and Fortitude.

We then strolled through Times Square to pick up our tickets for Phantom of the Opera and devour a  quick snack at Shake Shack pre-show.

A first for all three of us: Broadway show in NYC, swoon.  

Nani and I were moved to tears as the cast took their bows, to a standing ovation no less.  It was magical.  

Times Square.

Phantom at the Majestic Theatre.

Wow.

Typical.

Coffee was in order to continue our day and Bibble and Sip filled the void.  

The menu board.

Then off to Grand Central Station, a walk around the halls and then a not so conventional NY dinner/snack at Chick Fil A.  Yes, I know.  Please do not judge.  We weren't terribly hungry, we needed a break and to recoup in a timely fashion.  It fit the bill.  

Grand Central Station. 

Next up: Empire State Building, 86th and 102nd floor observation decks.  Only, it started to down pour and an umbrella was required.  Pit stop in Duane Reed and then we ran into the Chrysler building thinking we had arrived.  Rookie mistake.  Onward we went.  Honestly, it was a happy mistake because we arrived on the 86th floor just in time for a spectacular sunset show.  Truly, the oohs and aahs from all the people were being sung like a chorus high in the sky.  Much to our delight the sunset brought with it storm clouds and lightening and we witnessed all of that in addition to watching the city lights take over the sky as each skyscraper began glowing.  What a show!  

Stunner of a sunset.

Lights on.

We dragged our weary legs home, only to leave again for a slice of pizza, because when in NY, that is what you do.  And it was the perfect ending to the night.  

Pizza from Aita.  

Friday: Once again, Nani and I were the first ones awake and we continued our morning coffee and chat tradition.  We like that best.  Then off to find NY bagels.  Again, they are in a class of their own.  And while we may have not ordered like the locals I was able to treat myself to the local fare.  Pumpernickel bagel with one egg, scallion cream cheese, ketchup, S&P.  Please and thank you.  Don't be fooled, the ketchup sealed the deal.  

Bergen Bagels.

Lady Liberty beckoned and we boarded the Staten Island Ferry for a FREE round trip ride.  All three of us stood and stared, snapping photos and taking in the view of lower Manhattan.  

Lower Manhattan, Financial District.

Lady Liberty, me and my girl.

Whoa.  

We stopped to say hello to the Bull and the fearless little girl and then onward to The Reflecting Pool Memorial.  The air is different around the Freedom Tower, the pools surrounded by loss and the weight is tangible.  I'm not sure there are words big enough for it.  

The Bull and loads of tourists, no thank you. 

Reflecting Pool. One of two.

It had been much too long since we were in a coffee shop or bakery so we found our way to OddFellows Coffee and Cream.  Thing 3 had a superb affogato and Nani had a scoop of coconut, coffee and chocolate ice-cream.  All combined, not three scoops.  (insert winky face!)  

Yum!

The Plaza was calling our names and so was the subway, only there was construction on all the lines and routes we needed so a few detours were made, a bit of unnecessary wandering but eventually we  found our way.  As we came upon The Plaza and all it's grandeur I couldn't help but remember the way Thing 3 would pretend to be Eloise when she was a little girl.  Reading her stories, obsessing over the movies and even having her room painted Pepto Bismol pink with original artwork of the Eiffel Tower, thanks to Uncle Aaron.  Quite special.  Our jaws dropped as soon as we entered the foyer with the fresh flowers, crystal chandeliers and tea time being served in the main room.  We were headed downstairs when we saw the Eloise portrait on the wall and I had to have a photo of Thing 3 with her childhood buddy.  More food to sample, ramen and teriyaki, sweets from the doughnuttery and Eloise's very own store.  Thank you to The Plaza for fulfilling Thing 3's childhood dream.  

Grand Foyer

Eloise and Thing 3!

Ramen.  By the way, can anyone tell us what the white squishy "thing" is with the pink swirl?

Help us out.

And then Central Park.  We meandered through the park.  Taking in fountains, talking statues, children playing, the sheep meadow and  Tavern on the Green.  I am always completely taken with this massive green space in the midst of the city.  Prime real estate and yet the 846 acres are preserved, tended to and by the looks of the fundraiser (being set up) for the conservation of the park they will continue to be, thankfully.  

Sheeps Meadow.

Hello Central Park!

Being on the east side of the city we were able to tick off another bakery from the list.  Levain bakery boasts "the best chocolate chip cookies" and who better to judge than us?  Chocolate chip walnut, peanut butter chocolate and oatmeal raisin were all sampled.  Not right at that moment because even we have limits, but they were our dessert that night.  

A sleepy ride home on the subway.

After two full days we chose to grocery shop for dinner at Trader Joes and stay in with a movie.  It was the best decision.  The three of us huddled around Thing 3's computer at the dining room table and watched Black Panther, Nani had not yet seen it.  We had chicken pot pie and salad.  TJ's did not disappoint.  Although the shopping experience at a grocery store in the big city was interesting.  There were twenty five cashiers, hundreds of people and a two story TJ's that didn't look much bigger than my 80 square meter apartment from the outside.  And then we rolled ourselves off to bed.  

Cookies from Levain.

Dinner at "home".

Saturday: I woke with the reality that this was our last full day together looming over me.  We found another local cafe, BEC, short for bacon, egg, cheese,  with the best breakfast sandwiches, and mimosas.  What a way to start the day!  

I do know that Chelsea market lead the schedule.  We made our way through the market, smelling the delicacies in each and every nook, gawking at the goods being sold and the dreamy flower cart that welcomed us in.  

Flowers everywhere!

The cuties.

Welcome! 

Up to the Highline.  This walkway makes me smile.  Rusted railroad tracks, overgrown wildflowers, the city on either side, it really is another gem in the big city.  

View from the Highline.

Train tracks.

The Milk Bar was the last must see bakery for Thing 3.  There is a location not too far from the market, needless to say we stopped in and grabbed a treat.  The sample package came home with us, a slice of the infamous crack pie, birthday cake truffles, a compost cookie and cereal milk soft serve.  Thing 4 was a huge fan of this episode on the Chef's Table so Nani bought him a "make your own" cereal milk treat.  I am here to report that it met every expectation he had, when combined with ice-cream and blended into a proper milkshake.  Thank you Christina Tosi.  You are brilliant!  

Cereal milk soft serve, yes please!

Our tummies were growling a bit and so we continued the tour through Hell's Kitchen.  Every street stock piled with restaurants, a gastronomical treat.  Eventually Anejo won out and we rather enjoyed our Mexican brunch.  There was a street/block sale, I suppose the apartment living version of a suburban yard sale.  We walked up and down the street, listening to the live music playing and people watching.  Of course.  

Brunch.  

Happy faces at lunch. I will not share the hilarity that ensued just before this selfie was taken.  It may have something to do with a reflection and a backwards camera.  Maybe.  

Back to the bustling city streets where we managed a quick look at Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick's Cathedral and Radio City Music Hall.  There were weddings at the Cathedral so we stood and watched the bridal party exit and then the elated bride and groom.  What a sight!  

St. Patricks.

Rockefeller Centre.

Radio City.

We walked back to Soho for another trip to Maman and the hopes of a chocolate - pistachio croissant. No luck.  It was late afternoon and they had sold out.  Coffee and other treats were enjoyed on the park bench and again, more people watching.  Nani did some shopping, a treat for herself and for Popi and then on to our first sample sale.  I don't know that any of us were terribly interested in the actual clothes but the atmosphere and experience itself was worth the unplanned detour.  Really, $37?!  You had to be there, literally.  

Maman, our fav.

City street art.

Another exhausted subway ride home and dinner plans being debated.  Nani and I were fully prepared for gourmet dining at least once while in NY.  After all, we were traveling with the child who only asked for a Michelin star dining excursion for her birthday.  It would seem though, that after touring the city all day and consuming more than our fair share of delectable treats, coffee and the like that a take away pizza from a local place near our apartment was the only meal that would satisfy.  Just fine with me.  After picking up said pizza I put my jammies on and we sat around the table once again, sharing and playing Yahtzee!  I won't even tell you how many times I lost.  Ok, it was every single time we played.  I couldn't compete with Nani and Thing 3.  They were too much. 

We do not look alike at all.  Cue sarcasm! 

Dinner in with a side of Yahtzee!

Sunday: THE LAST DAY.  Grateful to have at least another half day with my travel buddies.  There was no coffee in the apartment.  Nani and I used all the Keurig pods.  I repeat, there was no coffee.  The three of us made our way in the rain to a local coffee shop where we sat at a little window booth, eating our pastries, drinking our coffee and watching the locals walk in and out.  The Hungry Ghost was the perfect start to our Sunday.  

Breakfast shenanigans.  I only asked for a photo.  

The neighborhood. 

Since our bags were packed and ready we tidied up the apartment, did one last walk through, thanked her for the memories and headed out to the Brooklyn Bridge.  Wow.  What a sight.  Next visit definitely calls for a run across the bridge.  It's views alone would be worth it.  

On the bridge.

Look at that view.  And the fog and clouds.  Love.

On to one last foodie adventure, Smorgasburg; A food truck festival that jumps from Williamsburg on Saturdays to Prospect Park on Sundays.  We sampled the poutine with duck fat gravy, aoli, cheese sauce and fried duck cracklins on top.  Yes it was insanely rich and just as good as you'd imagine it would be.  Then a stop at The Good Batch for a cookie dough bite, a Philly cheese steak and a take on the homemade Hostess ding dong.  That last one was for Poppi.  We are nothing if not generous with our treat choices.  

I have no words. 

By this time we finished our loop at the festival, it was raining buckets and we scooted on the subway for our trek back to Clinton Hill to pick up luggage and head to the airport.  I've said it before and I'll say it again, good byes are not for me.  We squeezed each other tightly and kissed cheeks and foreheads and said see you later and then the two of them jumped in their ride and I in mine.  Only at the first red light I realized I had Thing 3's glasses and cash in my purse.  I quickly ran out of the car and knocked on their window.  Thankfully we all stopped at the same light and I made the transfer.  Whew.  Husband Jared would not have liked me missing my flight and having to travel to NM to deliver glasses!  Wink, wink.  

To summarize: we walked all the miles, drank all the coffee, ate all the treats, saw the sights and took in the city just like Thing 3 wanted to.  At the end of it all I think she exhaled with relief at not having to make any more decisions regarding food or directions or where to eat next.  The days were full of all the best things, each other and memories made together.  Thanks NYC and Brooklyn, you were good to us.