They woke me up.
With my cereal and coffee
and a special handmade flower
on a tray :)
My girls are girlie girls.
They are very into pedicures.
They treated me to a {homemade} pedicure :)
Then they told me
that we could go anywhere I wanted to
and do anything I wanted to...
Hmmmmm.....
What is a mom to do?
The movies? Nah, we can't talk & be silly.
The beach? Nah, too cold here in New Jersey.
The lake? Nah, too far away.
I decided I wanted to take our new camera for a spin...
in one of our favorite places...
NEW YORK CITY.
We live less than an hour from Manhattan, so it was the perfect choice!
A asked if we could take our dog, Ollie.
Since we weren't planning to be indoors on such a gorgeous day,
we told her that she could if she was responsible for him.
We couldn't manage cameras, gear and a dog leash.
A agreed and she did a FABULOUS job!
Jason & I BOTH made a big point of telling her what a fantastic job she did with Ollie!
We went through Chinatown,
I love the street vendors :)
Then, we went through Little Italy.
I am very picky about Italian food.
No one makes gravy like my Nauna.
BUT~ if you ever get the chance,
go to a little restaurant in Little Italy,
make sure it has a little courtyard in back,
surrounded by brick and shrubs,
with little lights hanging around.
Go just before twilight
and share a bottle of wine with someone.
It's an experience everyone should have at least once in their life.
I eat salad
every single day.
I love salad.
It's my favorite food.
A quick consult of Chowhound
found that chop't is rumored to be the best
place for salads in the city.
So, we headed to the one in Union Square...
There was an Asian festival going on,
it tied in well with our unit on Ancient China.
Couldn't have planned it better...God works in mysterious ways ;-)
I really didn't get a good picture of chop't.
Then we passed Washington Square Park
We cruised up Park Avenue
To our final destination:
Central Park.
We discovered our love of Central Park
a few years ago when Dr. JJ came out.
Dr. JJ and I went to high school together,
so she had lived here and had gone to all of the tourist-y places.
She just wanted to feel the energy of the city.
We had no agenda.
It was an absolutely amazing day and bonded my family & Dr. JJ for LIFE!
Central Park is a treasure.
Jason & I always talk about how,
if the city were being developed today,
it is such PRIME real estate, we doubt they would leave it as a park.
Yet, it is, in my mind, the absolute heart of the city.
Where else can you see this:
and just a few yards away this:
wondering what that is?
lol.
It's a bunch of 50somethings roller-disco-ing.
With this dude selling CDs.
Jason loved this guy and spent a while talking to him.
I asked to take his photo.
Since it was my day, and we did what I wanted,
I wanted to sit and watch these 50somethings roller-disco
and
of course (do you know me?) sing along.
It's not every day
that I get to sing
"Upside Down You're Turning Me"
and
"I Will Survive"
C'mon, c'mon, you know you want to...
"At first I was afraid...
I was petrified...
Kept thinkin' I could never live
without you by my side..."
After eating our delicious salads, we were off...
Jason had thought he'd found his peeps.
The other photo junkies...
then he realized they were taking pictures of robins.
New Yorkers, gah!
We almost lost P in jungle...
I love how you are walking around
in what could be a nature sanctuary,
and then you look up and see
THIS
This is what I love about the hubs,
he notices things like hawk's nests...
We were joking that Ollie now thinks that every time
we leave the house,
we go to Central Park.
See that doggie smile?
Ollie had a great day.
He said it could only have been made better if Miss Lucy were there too ;-)
The Alice in Wonderland statue:
I had a fab day in the park with my girlie girls and the hubster.
Then, I decided that I wanted to go to a bakery recommended by Jessica at Teachable Moments.
It seems Jess's family is always recommending the bakeries! lol
This place does not use refined sugar,
most of their stuff is gluten free and vegan (dairy & egg free)
but you would NOT know.
I know these aren't great pics,
but I took them for Jess & Lilah.
I got an A-may-zing coffee-caramel donut,
Jason got a biscuit with jelly
and A got a cupcake.
P was already eating her awesome cookie sandwich!
It was a great day.
Nice to know I am appreciated by the fam!
