A night at the theater

It's so nice to have a friend in town to get me out into the city after dusk!  And what better way to spend an evening in the city than taking in one of the many awesome musicals on Broadway.

Kinky Boots was fantastic!  You know a show has got to be good if it's convinced me to start wearing high heels more often.  Getting out in the evenings and laughing with a friend was quite a treat.  Need to get the next plan in the works.

Over the Brooklyn Bridge

We had a visitor in town so in between a pot of coffee and a bottle of wine we took Jessica on an adventure to explore a area of the city the boys hadn't ever visited.

It was a beautiful day so we took the train downtown and walked over the Brooklyn Bridge.

 

We weren't the only ones with this ideas as the bridge was really crowded, and surprisingly there seemed to be a fair number of locals, particularly on bike, trying to trudge across the bridge as well.  It's a great view of the city and a nice way to get to DUMBO (the area "down under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) and the piers of Brooklyn Bridge Park. 

  

Before exploring we stopped for lunch, walking past the LONG line at Grimaldi's.  I may never get a bite of Grimaldi's because I am just not willing to stand in that line, ever!  Thankfully directly beyond Grimaldi's is one of our favorites:  Shake Shack!

Freddie opted to lounge as he lunched separate from the rest of us.  It tickled me to see him so content by himself having his lunch on the cool bench.  

 

After a yummy lunch we just walked and walked.  

The carousel is beautiful with the city skyline behind it.  

 

You know we don't walk past a carousel without riding.

The promenade that makes up Brooklyn Bridge Park is nicely done with lots spots to take in some sunshine and the view.  It has several piers which have been redone to include basketball courts, playgrounds, swimming pools, but probably the favorite spot with the boys was the exercise stations.

We pushed them on so we could get to a playground for a bit, but they REALLY would prefered to stay on the pier using the "machines" all afternoon.

It was a great day and so much fun to visit a new part of the city with a friend and the boys.  We'll be back to explore some more and I promise to get more pictures!

Weekend Away

Thanks, Jessica, for a great weekend!

• Matching PJs, unplanned, and oh so funny
• Massages
• Peppermint Mochas
• Pedicures
• Wine
• Ordering in
• Movies
• Shopping
• Chatting
• Laughing
• Lounging
• Beers
• People watching
• Catching up
• Planning

Water Taxi Ride

We see the water taxi cruise by on the East River pretty regularly, and so we decided to check it out since Jessica was in town and Freddie's been asking to take a ride for a while now. 

The water taxi has a few stops throughout the city, and passangers are able to hop on and off, making ther way through the city.  We opted to just stay on through the stops and take a 90 minute harbor tour.

We didn't end up taking the taxi that passes by our apartment (a little disappointing since Freddie talked about seeing our friends as we went by) but it was a nice way to see the city. 

If we were trying to take in several areas of the city in one day, it'd be a nice way to get around, but for a family with two young children just riding around the harbor for 90 minutes was perfect.

Brooklyn Bridge under repair

Some notes:

• Water Taxi ride is hop on/hop off but totals 90 minutes on the water
• $28 adults, $17 children

Down the Cape

Jessica is wearing a pair of my sunglasses, and people noticed.  And asked.

• Catching up
• Child free weekend
• Shopping
• Chats over coffee
• Chats over cocktails
• Beach margaritas 
• Scheming
• Sandy toes
• Chow-dah
• Sunshine
• Sleeping in
• Laughing
• Long uninterrupted meals
• Trashy television
• Late bedtimes
• Ice cream cones 
• People watching
• Planning

Atlanta Weekend

My only photo of our hostess with Freddie and Madeline

• Naps on plane 
• Warm weather
• Sunshine
• Catching up
• Zoo trip
• Slow moving
• Chats
• Expanded vocabulary a la Jessica
• Baby "Hermano"
• Few photos
• Bounce house birthday party
• Suburban dining (AKA Chick-fil-A!)
• Calender comparing
• Visit planning
• Dry undies
• Hugs
  
• Long weekend = not enough time

Freddie and Madeline

Day of Rest

Moving in on Friday was a fiasco, and that's putting it mildly.  I'll spare you the details but being that I'm used to the "Big Easy Factor" in doing business in NOLA I was surprised by how shocked I was by the experience we had.

But it's over.  We paid the hefty fee, sweat and cursed, and all the boxes and furniture from our POD made it into the apartment by 2pm on Friday.

I had my doubts about it all fitting, and it was pretty jammed in.

Thankfully, help was on the way.  Jessica arrived at 6pm, and immediately cracked open a Miller High Life for each of us, rolled up her sleeves, gave Charlie and me some orders, and started opening boxes.

Since there is not much space, moving things around to just unpack and see what was in boxes was tricky.  Finding places for everything after thinking "what in the hell did I pack this for?" proved difficult as well.  But everything has a spot.  That is pretty amazing.  Not only are the dishes in the cabinets but there are pictures on the walls.

Jessica worked wonders.  And for all of her hard work she got to see the bus and subway to and from LaGuardia, Target in Brooklyn, and Costco in Queens.  We did eat Hebrew Nationals at Costco though.  So she got a little of the NY experience.  I actually think that those three outings did provide her a healthy dose of the city.  Everything is an experience here.

Hanging around in our pjs after everything is all done

We are in search of a dresser or two to complete the moving in, and then nothing else is allowed to come into this apartment.  There is not an inch of space that is unaccounted for.  Pictures to come soon.  Promise.

Beach Bums

Jessica and I took off to the beach for the week. Morning walks on the beach, lazy afternoons with cocktails, and dinner while listening to the waves hit the shore made up the routine.


Everything seems extra special at the beach. The margaritas are even tastier after a long walk or while watching a pod of dolphins cruise near the shore.


The rest of Jessica's family caught up with us on the beach later in the week to shake things up and keep things interesting. Freddie was tickled to have some kid company.

Freddie *loved* Charlie, Jessica's nephew.
Charlie had the perfect touch with Freddie, being he gets lots of practice with his little sister.

Freddie enjoyed his week as well. He got plenty of lovin' and was hugging on everyone, as long as his Mama stayed in site.


Jessica taught Freddie about one of the world's wonders: Chick-Fil-A. He didn't quite get the whole waffle fry thing, but he was not giving up his chocolate milk shake.


She was also kind enough to share her peanut butter pie, chase him around the house, pick up everything he pulled out of the cabinets, fill the pool with water, and cuddle him on demand.

What you talkin' bout, Mama? I love peanut butter pie.

11 days together and we still have more to talk about when we get together again in a few weeks.
Never enough time.


It was a perfect week. Looking forward to many more just like it.