We had some family business in NYC and decided the girls' five-day Easter break was the perfect time to go. John was traveling for work right up until we flew out, so we decided to make it a girls' trip. The girls are at such fun ages, are very helpful, and like to navigate an airport and a big city, so as long as we can find something for each person to eat, we are all happy and travel well together. Very special memories made!
We have arrived in our favorite hotel, the Palace
After a long appointment (and then walking in the pouring rain), we told Cressey we were going to a bathroom store. She walked into the Harry Potter store and had the most bewildered look on her face. Finally it hit her when she saw all of us smiling that we were there for a special treat for HER. We first visited this store last time we were in NYC with Julia, and I told her after she did some significant reading and watching, she could get her own wand. So that was her day! After a lot of thinking and looking, she settled on Jenny's wand! She was so excited- tears as always!
More sitting and waiting and playing on her ipad
More walking in the rain
At least the wand entertained her through more stores!
A very early dinner at Serendipity where we ordered the entire menu
And some drinks for mama!
REAL strawberries
Didn't last long once she laid down
The AG dolls had their own special sleeping arrangements too
Forced sister love
HG loved running past and making these motion sensor potties' tops open
Where do you go when you are starving, cannot tolerate a wait, and need comfort food? Lunch at John's Pizzeria in Times Square
PRO
Color Factory
They were listening to instructions on earphones and were told to draw each other. This is HG's reaction when she saw how Cressey drew her.
HG randomly asked me if there were a cat cafe in NYC. Surprisingly (or not?), there was one! "Koneko" means kitten in Japanese. We showed up so excited, only to learn you needed reservations. So we peeped inside the cat area and then made reservations for Sunday.
Dinner at Carnegie Diner at Times Square. More good comfort food and easy to make reservations on OpenTable. Cressey decided she likes scrambled eggs on this trip and ate them at every meal she could.
We went on a search for macarons after dinner, specifically in a place in the underground market at Columbus Circle. When that didn't work, we rerouted to a Whole Foods, and these two monkeys gained up on me and talked me into a $10 dragonfruit. (Not surprisingly, they didn't really like it after all.)
It got chilly (and very windy), so HG had her first purchase in Saks- a proper winter jacket!
We found Julia!!
"I missed you!!"
Their AG dolls got a hair do!
When you are waiting on a light to change, what do you do but dance?
Lunch at La Pecora Bianca on Upper East Side- delicious and beautifully modern Italian place
Julia had a new camera, and she was constantly snapping pics
We cruised around the Met and found this Monet painting that Cressey's class had just recreated.
The girls liked to play Marco Polo in the open archives while we looked around.
They'd have been happy just playing with their dolls all day.
Desperate times call for chocolate cake in a cab.
Dinner at Serefina's
The Easter Bunny found the girls all the way in NYC and even wrote a card!
And she hid Easter eggs all over the room!
Easter Mass at St. Patrick's- we went to the 8:00 mass and it was perfectly well attended without being packed. The 8:45 after us was a disaster- so crowded.
When you have a teenage sister to order Starbuck's for you
We found the Easter Bunny at the Palace! (We came back to get comfy after mass before our day started)
Brunch at Sarabeth's on Central Park South- we got the best table in the house! (Table 11 maybe?)
Between brunch and our show, the girls wanted to go run through Central Park, and I was worried I wouldn't get them out in time for the show!
Time to see Hamilton- we are obsessed and smiled like crazy people throughout the whole thing! (and tried not to sing too loudly)
Meanwhile, our parents and John were having Easter brunch together
While we were in the Theatre District, I decided to try a new place, Refinery Rooftop, which has a fantastic skyline view of the Empire State Building. (Kids aren't allowed after 6:00 except on Sundays) It turned out to be more like a bar than a restaurant, but it was a good spot to see some fun sights and eat some bites.
Afterward, we were ready for our turn with the kitties!!!! It did not disappoint!
And with just a few hours left of daylight, we rushed back to the rocks of Central Park to squeeze out the last bit of fun.
Hard to say goodbye to this beautiful view!
