NYC/Friday

After much anxiety about packing and forgetting things on my part, we were on the road to New York City at 1:45pm. The Garmin said we'd arrive at 6:20pm, but the GPS doesn't account for Manhattan traffic and the Lincoln Tunnel.

Determined not to stop, I didn't drink but one sip the whole way and I brought a whole bag of food for the kids as well as six DVDs. We made good time until we got closer to the Lincoln Tunnel, which was slow. I didn't bring my fancy camera with me and my point and shoot wasn't charged. I tried to get a photo of the skyline as we waited with my cell phone, the Empire State building first appearing through the traffic to my right, slowly moving to my left as the ramp curved (I described it like we were circling the drain to Manhattan), but the photos didn't turn out. It was slow going, but we were happy to see our hotel, The Travel Inn, was just a few blocks away.

(And if we got bored on the way, we could listen to the ping of Bobby's text message from his new girlfriend or the sound of RIO in the back seat :)

We didn't know what to expect with the hotel as it was less expensive than many, especially with the free parking. But the lobby looked nice, I checked in and the parking garage was attached, not five blocks away. Good start!

We got ourselves and our stuff in by 7:30pm and decided why not walk towards Times Square and see if we could find Ellen's Stardust Diner (a famous diner where the wait staff sings show tunes and classics. Todd had gone years before and thought the kids would like it.

I have to pause here and tell you that Abbey loved the city and the lights. They both enjoyed being strolled around and all the sights. They were excited and didn't even mind that it sprinkled here and there. It was a bit chilly and I wish I'd had their mittens (not that they would have kept them on) but they were having fun. Abbey was looking everywhere. AHHH!!! That little sounds she makes that's a bit like Cindy Lou Who. She was pointing and reaching, complaining at me if we stopped for too long.

After a wrong turn or two, we did find it. There was a bit of a line (more of a bunch in the foyer) and the host told me 15 minutes. And he told me that again. And after about a half hour, the kids were done waiting in that crowded foyer. Adam kept trying to open the door, whiny "stuck stuck" as we tried to keep him corralled. They were tired, damp and hungry. We decided to leave after we were told 15 minutes ...again.

A couple of blocks down, there was a pizzeria. We ordered a pie and when it came, the kids were ready to to dig in. The cheese was a bit much for them, but they liked it. Todd wasn't a fan but Bobby really liked it. I thought it was pretty good, with the NYC taste, but a bit greasy. I'll have to take a photo of the menu and add it in here.

Then we headed back to the hotel. And it was raining. Really raining. We pulled up the kids hoods, but it was apparent soon enough that it wasn't going to help too much. As Todd had predicted, when it rains in NYC, people pop up selling cheap umbrellas. Todd bought me one as I didn't have a hood, but soon I was holding it over Abbey in her stroller to keep her from getting soaked.

Abbey was not happy about this, constantly trying to pop out from underneath...with one woman pointing at me saying SHE'S GETTING WET. Thanks, I didn't know.

Poor Adam was soaked. The best thing we could do was walk as fast as we could. And in that end, Todd did one of those sitcom moments...stepping into a HUGE puddle up to his ankle when he stepped off a curb. Bobby and I were behind him, practically viewing it in slow motion, it was so bad. A few more blocks and we were back. We got the wet clothes off the kids. Abbey wasn't too bad. Adam just wanted his dinosaur feet pajamas on.

Kids in there playpens at around ten and Adam was just tired. Abbey did some flipping around, but they went to sleep as we took turns showering. I didn't sleep well, because I heard EVERY noise my kids made and the bed was, well, not too comfortable but the price was right.

Bobby said it was an adventure. Exactly what I thought. Then I remembered that's what my Dad always said every time we got lost or things changed. We got that from him, for sure.

I wish I could describe better the wonder in Abbey's face as she looked at the lights of Times Square.