City Day-venture

I took the day off on Tuesday and Dan and I took the kids into the city to play at Central Park. Ivy has never been to Midtown and this was her first time on a subway as well. Kip used to be our seasoned city kid having been all over the place in his toddler days. Those memories are long forgotten so he enjoyed the trip as if it was his first time as well.

First we took the South Amboy ferry into Midtown. 

Then we took a shuttle from the Hudson riverfront into Times Square. The shuttle bus was like a city bus and packed. We inched through heavy traffic for the few blocks across town and got off in the middle of Times Square. Ivy said to me "are we going to have to smell this all day?" referring to that quintessential city smell of heat and garbage that is both an odor and a feeling. It was hilarious. We walked over to Bryant Park to catch the B train. 

Kip was loving the subway experience just like he always has.

We got off at 81st and walked into the park for our first playground stop. It was nearly empty and rather understated compared to suburban playgrounds but they had fun nonetheless.

Kip found three nearly brand new matchbox cars hidden in a tiny hole that no one at the park claimed as theirs. And he also found a large elongated rock that closely resembled a dragon egg. All of those treasures came home with us, much to Ivy's outrage.

Then we walked a few blocks over to get Shake Shack for lunch. It was the location I went to with a friend many, many years ago where we met Gerard Butler and he sat at our tabled and ate our fries. Fun memory. And it just occurred to me that I moved to NYC nearly 15 years ago this September. So many memories from this city that we still claim as "ours."

After lunch we went back into the park and walked south to another playground.

Following a brief bathroom rendezvous, we got the kids in the suits and Dan and I were able to chill in the shade canopy while Kip and Ivy played. 

Central Park really is a wonder. 

Then we headed over to Lincoln Center. 

My mom's cousin has a swanky apartment over there and we stopped by to pick-up a box of old family photographs from my grandparents generation. It was a longer visit than we planned but very nice and the kids were occupied with a little Lego their (third?) cousin brought out to build with them.

I didn't have a chance to take a decent photo of their view from the 49th floor, but it was stunning.

It was after 4 pm by the time we left and we had to rush down to lower Manhattan to catch the ferry home. It was a whirlwind day and we were all hot and sweaty but it was a good time all around.