New York

 

 I have a confession…
I have not always loved New York.

When I was a kid, I really did. I spent my summers with relatives in Harlem. There are fond memories of having Mr. Swirly cones with my uncle while sitting on the stoop in front of his building, and going to the park…good times.
But then somehow, and I don’t know when, I just stopped loving the city. I was disinterested in it. Crazy, right?
Well, I have recently had an opportunity to fall in love all over again, this time through the eyes of my boon companion, Miss Pickles.
NYC with kids can be a daunting task. It’s big, loud, and busy. Or as Miss Pickles put it, “There’s so much of….EVERYTHING!”
Fear not, travellers! Peaches &Pickles will help you navigate the Big Apple.

 A few tips:

Plan out your day.
1.Get a New York City Pass and have pre-paid, quick entry into many sites, museums, etc.
2.Plan for only a few hours of activities with kids- they get bored, tired and cranky and then no one is having a good time.
3.Be flexible!
First of all, I must recommend this travel app, Tripomatic. With this app, you can plan your trip itinerary, change it on the fly, and estimate travel times between venues.

Our trip…

Day 1: We landed and travelled to Times Square. The M&Ms World! Today was just taking it all in… I introduced Miss Pickles to NYC pizza at Famous Original Ray’s Pizza…. Yummy!!! Miss Pickles’ first ride on the subway, and the Brooklyn Museum.

 Day 2: Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, walking Fifth Avenue where the window shopping is almost as good as the real thing…almost! The plaza in front of Rockefeller Center had amazing Easter eggs (http://www.thebigegghunt.com)that were on display. The rest of the afternoon was spent at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA for short). That evening we took on Broadway, and saw the phenomenal production of The Lion King.

 Day 3: Brunch at Alice’s Teacup, which is just the cu-utest place for scones and tea. Miss Pickles had her first try at having tea, and now loves Earl Grey, just like her momma. Next, we walked to Central Park, went to the Central Park Zoo, and later found our way to the Alice in Wonderland statue. We had dinner at The Loeb Boathouse followed by a walk through the park to my favorite bridge, the Bow Bridge.

 Day 4: We spent the afternoon at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and took a handsome cab ( a horse-drawn carriage) through Central Park. Lunch at the halal stand- the best hot dogs in the world! Then the American Museum of Natural History, where I’d hoped to see my nerd crush, Neil deGrasse Tyson, but it turns out he was somewhere else being brilliant that day…

Day 5: We walked across the Brooklyn Bridge (www.nyc.org), spent some time DUMBO, and concluded our day at the NY Aquarium. The aquarium was still in recovery from Hurricane Sandy, but once repairs and renovations are completed, it’s gonna be fantastic. After the aquarium, we sat and took in Coney Island. It was too early in the season, and therefore it was closed, but it was nice to breathe the salt air and feel the crisp early April breeze on the boardwalk.

 Day 6: Top of the Rock, the observation deck on top of Rockefeller Center. They should call it the top of the world! The 360 degree views of, well, everything, are just breathtaking! The Statue of Liberty in the harbor, the Chrysler Building, the Empire State Building, and Central Park. A-MAZING!

 Day 7: No visit to NYC is complete without visiting the great lady, the Statue of Liberty, and nearby Ellis Island. We once again took on Broadway, this time seeing the fantastical (yes, that’s a word) production of Aladdin.

 Day 8: The. World’s. Greatest. Toy. Store. EVER!!!!! Of course, I’m talking about FAO Schwarz. The Hello Kitty and Barbie collections alone had me making a wish list for Mr. Claus! Sadly, FAO Schwarz closed it’s doors in Manhattan in July 2015.) Lastly, we visited the Mothership, aka Macy’s in Herald Square. Miss Pickles and I had many an ear splitting squeal at all the wonderful wares. And topped it all off with dinner at Stella 34 Trattoria. I thought they would have to roll us outta there!

Day 9: Sadly, we had to bring our whirlwind romance with NYC to a close. But even our cabbie was a tour guide, driving us past the United Nations.

À bientot, NYC!!!

We love you!!