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Okay, I realized today that I may have a small obsession/addiction to having things delivered to my apartment.  I came to this realization when the dog food delivery arrived at my door by FedEx.  Now, in my defence, dog food really is one of those things that you cannot go out and buy in Manhattan.  It is not exactly easy to schlep home two 35 pound bags of dog food through the mean streets of NYC.  Maybe that is why most people have dogs that are small enough to carry around in purses… hmmm… guess it is a little late for that =) Anyhoo, back to the dog food delivery.  I was very pleased with myself that it arrived and I would not have to carry it any further than to the closet.  Although, when ordering I must have forgotten that I live in a small Manhattan apartment, because I ask you this, where the hell am I going to store this much dog food????

Apparently the Dogs will NOT be going hungry this winter!!

As I was unpacking the dog food I started thinking about the other things that I had delivered this week- workbooks for the girls from Amazon, new shoes from Zappos (these arrived within 24 hours), a gift from Disney and of course, my groceries from Fresh Direct. It was all incredibly easy.  My addiction continues… And it is not even frowned upon.  EVERYONE in NYC is doing it.  I have to say that it is one of the perks that I am loving about living in New York.  And, since we live in a doorman building you don’t even have to be home to receive your deliveries, they magically appear at the apartment door.  With the Holidays fast approaching and the thought of jam packed stores and the Christmas rush I can only see this addiction continuing.  I can avoid the crowds, sip on a cup of tea, click away on the computer and voila! the parcels will appear at my door.  Yikes, someone better hide my credit card!!!

Oh, and it is Friday, my AVOID making dinner day, so soon I will be perusing through the delivery menus to figure out what we will be having for dinner.  It is is a good thing I have to walk everywhere to do everything else, because this kind of lifestyle could make one start being very lazy 😉  Now, if only Starbucks would start delivering…

The Delivery Menus

Yesterday was a gloomy fall day in NYC.  A slight drizzle was falling and it was a perfect day to stay in sip a warm cup of tea and read a good book.  Unfortunately, the dogs had other ideas and kept bugging me to go out.  So, I put on their leashes and out for a walk we went.  Here are some of the images from our walk, which in the end, turned out to be quite a beautiful and refreshing trek. Enjoy!

The Rules

Dogs on a leash- Bogie and Dopey

To Take A Stroll...

Or To Sit And Enjoy A Moment...

The View

The Colours

A Late Bloom

The Street

Bogie

Squirrel!!

Today has been one of those truly insane crazy Mondays.  The kind where the weather is grey and gloomy, the kids didn’t want to get out of bed in the morning, we were scrambling to get to school on time and then the to do list seemed to get longer instead of shorter.  It felt like there was barely a moment to catch my breath.  The evening wasn’t much better- patience waning, cranky kids, piles of homework, dogs behaving badly and of course, a husband out of town.  The kind of day that made me want to run from the apartment and get on the crazy train… although I am not really sure anyone in NYC would have noticed =)

That's right Monday, you can suck it!!

So, that is why, in a day like today it is hard for me to fully realize that I had one of my true moments of peace and quiet since moving to NYC.  How is this possible, you might ask?  Well, I am a reading buddy.  Yep, once a week I meet with a first grader and I read to him for half an hour.  That is all.  We find a quiet spot in the school and I read to him. Today was our first day and it was truly magical.  The highlight of my day really.  We had met one other time with the rest of the reading group and he told me what stories he liked.  Today I brought him stories that revolved around dinosaurs, the misadventures of the Berenstain Bears and The Magic School Bus.  He was thrilled with the choices, although he informed me that next week he would like to go to the library and pick out some books because the library is a cool place.  Yes, the library IS a cool place.  They have books there AND peace AND quiet.

For half an hour today, it was just Christopher and I and the books.  No cell phone, computer or other outside distractions.  We got lost in the land of dinosaurs, a wacky bear family and a teacher with frizzy hair.  I relaxed and enjoyed the moment.  While walking back to class he turned to me and said “I had fun, let’s do it again”, I smiled and said “I had fun too and not to worry I would be back next week”.  I think my sanity depends on it 😉

 

On Monday I was very fortunate to be invited to a Pre- Grand Opening Tour of the brand new Disney Store in Times Square.  On that note, a big THANK YOU to Shawn Turner, Disney Stores North America, Laura Spencer, Disney Parks and Maria Bailey, BSM Media for the invite!! I took A & R out of school a bit early and the three of us jumped on the subway and headed on down to Times Square.  The girls LOVE Times Square and are always excited to walk down Broadway where there is an endless array of things to see.

R & A Getting Ready To Rock Times Square And Disney!

The girls were practically bouncing with anticipation as they raced down Broadway heading to the Disney Store.  They could barely contain their energy. I was trying to keep up with them as we dodged in and out of the crowds of tourists. I wasn’t sure what side of the road it was on, but A and her eagle eyes quickly found the bright lights that we were looking for!

The Disney Billboard Above the Storefront

Before we even entered the store, the girls and I stood out front and watched the giant Disney screen as it played through advertisements for various Disney shows, products and movies such as the upcoming movie Tangled. (A movie that our whole family can’t wait to see!)  We crossed the road and entered the store where we were warmly welcomed by an enthusiastic Disney employee who pointed us in the right direction to find our tour group leader.  We were given head sets for the tour and the girls and I looked around at the first floor while we waited for the tour to start. The girls were totally overwhelmed with the possibilities.  They did not know what to look at first.  As I tried to keep one eye on them and one eye out for the start of the tour I was struck by how busy the store already was, as happy children (and adults) moved from section to section checking out the merchandise.

Our tour started and we made our way up the escalator to the second floor.  We followed the pixie dust trail and explored the many different areas of the store.  Our first stop was the Disney Store Theatre.  I think A could have stayed in this area forever.  She loves her Disney shows and in the theatre you have the opportunity to choose your own movie and t.v. clips as well as songs.  There was an extra special guest waiting in the theatre on Monday.  Both girls were totally starstruck that they got to meet and receive an autograph from Gregg Sulkin star of Wizards of Waverly Place and the new movie, Avalon High. I have to admit, he IS a cutie =)

Gregg Sulkin

We continued on our tour passing the CARS section where you can custom build your own car.  I had to bribe the girls that we would come back and do it at a later date so that we could continue on with the tour.  The tour continued and we soon entered the Princess Castle, R’s favourite part of the new Disney store.  The Princess Castle has every princess outfit, accessory, toy, movie, book and most importantly doll that you could ever want.  There are even TWO magic mirrors in the castle that are triggered by chips in the merchandise, for example, if you wave a magical wand over the mirror it will come alive with a story from whatever princess wand you are holding.  R was totally in awe and could not get enough of this.

Mirror, Mirror, on the wall...

I have to admit it was a bit hard to follow the tour at times while trying to reign in the girls.  I mean, who can blame them?  I wanted to stop and look at everything too.  I found that I learned more about the new store when the tour was finished and I had the time to look around as the girls happily entertained themselves by discovering all of the wonderful products the store had to offer.  The lucite trees are beautiful as well as the ceiling that includes many of Manhattan’s iconic buildings in the skyline. However, what really impressed me was the Disney staff.  It was just like being at a theme park.  The “cast members” were knowledgeable, helpful, courteous and most importantly were patient with and genuinely seemed to like hanging out with the children.  After all, even though many of us can become jaded by the thought that this is just a mega store selling toys, my girls were definitely caught up in the magic.  Isn’t that really what it is all about?  A place where kids can go and just have fun being kids.  With all of the fun at the Disney Store the kids had definitely worked up an appetite.  We headed over to Carmine’s where we were fed a feast fit for Kings (and princesses).   Thank you for such an amazing dinner!  While tucking in my girls that night I asked them what their favourite part of the store was and both A & R responded “the princess section and the CARS section, oh, and the Tangled section oh, and the theatre oh, and dessert at Carmine’s- does that count?” and on and on… I am guessing it was a magical night indeed 😉

The Beautiful Trees throughout the store

The Princess Castle

R & Bolt

Oh, and by the way, I LOVE the store rules.  Here they are:

1. Watch our for flying fairies.

2. Singing and/or whistling encouraged.

3. Make way for princesses.

4. Giggles are welcome.

5. No scowling allowed.

6. Pirates must stow their swords.

7. Follow your imagination.

The girls and I took advantage of yesterday’s beautiful crisp fall weather and wandered down along the Hudson River to explore…

The Pathway Along the River

Skyline from the Pier

Enjoying a bit of a rest

Pausing to reflect

Canada Geese?!

The Bridge at 72nd

Climbing at the Classic Playground

Classic Manhattan Tunnel Architecture

The traffic noise is only a distant hum...

The Road Less Traveled

Heading Home!

Today was a spectacularly beautiful fall day.  It was sunny and bright, the air had a crisp, fresh feeling.  The buildings sparkled and the leaves dazzled.  It was an absolutely perfect day for a run.  Instead of running myself,  I headed out of the apartment excited to witness my first ever NYC Marathon.  I headed towards the park and there instantly seemed to be a frenetic energy in the air.  Like me, many people were making their way towards Central Park.  Some were carrying posters, waving flags, wearing supportive clothing (I’m Cheering for Mommy!) or already making noise on cowbells and other instruments.  We were all enthusiastically heading out to cheer on the runners.

NYC Marathon- Where The World Comes To Run

I wasn’t exactly sure where I was going to watch the run from.  I noticed that many of the surrounding streets were already closed off and numerous entrances to the park were also blocked off.  The police presence was very heavy but they were extremely helpful to the crowds of people, happily offering directions and suggestions.  I followed Central Park South to the 65th street entrance and made my way to the race course.  I lucked out and was able to find a great viewing spot on mile 26.  I would be able to see the runners as they entered the last 400 metres of the race.  I settled in and watched the tail end of the wheel chair competitors.  The crowd began to thicken and the anticipation increased as the lead female and male runners got closer to the final mile.

Blocking off the Street NYC Style! (Sanitation Truck)

The Crowd Gathering at the Barriers

There are over two million spectators that gather in all five boroughs to cheer on the marathoners as they run through each one- Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx and Manhattan.  Many stand and watch the race until the last runner passes them. There were 45, 000 runners this year (27,000 men and  18,000 women) with a wide range of finishing times and that can add up to cheering for 6 hours or more. It is an incredible thing to be a part of.

The Crowd on the 26th mile

As I waited for the lead female runner to come into view my own adrenaline started pumping and the anticipation mounted.  Helicopters circled overhead, music blared over the loud speakers, the pace car zoomed by and the lead motorcycles rounded the corner.  The crowd around me started to roar and there she was-Edna Kiplagat (Kenya) the lead female runner.  It really was beautiful to see.  Legs pumping, muscles straining, eyes focused she seemed to glide effortlessly  towards the finish line, her pace incredibly fast.  She placed first with a time of  2 hrs 28 mins 14 sec. Unbelievable.   As the rest of the elite female runners continued toward the finish line the elite male runners (who started a minimum of 1/2 hour later than the women) were hot on the women’s heels. It wasn’t long before another buzz of excitement rippled through the crowd as the announcers told us that the first male runner was heading towards the last mile.  The male runner to win the 2010 NYC Marathon was a full minute ahead of his closest competitor by the time he hit mile 26.  He seemed calm and relaxed and even raised his hands in sweet victory as he sailed through the last metres.  Gebre Gebremariam (Ethiopia) finished the race with a time of 2 hrs 8 mins 14 secs.  It was awe inspiring. I aspire to one day do a 1/2 marathon in that time frame!!!!

Trying to Catch A Picture As Gebremariam Speeds By (To the Left of the Flag)

While I was totally blown away witnessing these incredible elite athletes as they ran by me, I have to admit that the biggest thrill of the day for me was watching the amateurs run to the finish.  The average joe that had spent the hours and hours that it takes to train for a marathon.  The man or woman that is not sponsored by a major athletic brand and simply laces up their shoes and hits the pavement.  As I watched these people run by me towards the finish line I felt truly inspired.  Inspired to continue to lace up my own shoes and to make that effort to stay healthy and fit.  The announcer kept pointing out all of the smiles at the finish line and I am sure there were smiles AT the finish.  But from where I was standing at mile 26 with one final incline to go, there was also many a grimace, a few tears, looks of shock and genuine surprise that they were actually going to make it.  All the while we cheered the runners on.  Now, being New York, there was also plenty of entertainment from the runners themselves.  I saw runners dressed up as Ballerina’s, Spiderman, Cat Woman, Minnie Mouse, Gene Simmons and Sponge Bob.  Apparently there were also celebrities running but really, I think sweating through a marathon is the one chance where you can truly blend in, if you want to.

Mile 26- Almost there!!!!

I didn’t stay until the final runner made it to the finish, although I would have liked to.  But I left with a feeling of overwhelming pride.  I was proud to be a newbie New Yorker today.  The City came out and lined the streets and supported people from all over the world running through its ‘hoods.  We sparkled and shined.  I felt proud of this City, proud of every single runner.  The next time I am a bit slow to go and lace up my own shoes I will remember today and the determination, courage and strength.  I will be inspired.

For full race results visit the 2010 ING NYC Marathon Website.

Congratulations!!

So, I have just returned from my second field trip with R’s kindergarten class.  Again, I survived and again, I am incredibly thankful for amazing elementary school teachers everywhere.  I really don’t know how they do it!!  Five year old’s are exhausting but they are also incredibly cute and curious.  Today’s field trip was to the Queens County Farm Museum in Queens, New York.  For those of you who are not familiar with Queens, it is one of the five boroughs of NYC.  The other four boroughs are Manhattan, Staten Island, Brooklyn and The Bronx.

I began the day by stopping at Starbucks and filling up with the requisite level of caffeine and then heading to the school.  Now, this was a BIG trip because we were going on a school bus!! Not only that, we had to bring a bagged lunch and the kids would be missing library and recess- a big deal for these K students.  We all piled on to the bus, did up our seat belts (yes, there are seat belts on yellow buses in the U.S.) and we began the trek to Queens.  The bus ride was filled with excitement as the students quickly realized the suspension on the school bus was like that of a roller coaster and their tiny little bodies bounced and jostled through the streets of Manhattan. Empty bags were handed out to the parent chaperones just in case, but luckily all the children managed to keep their breakfast down.  We crossed over the RFK bridge and into the borough of Queens.

Being a newbie to the City, I have only been to Queens a few times.  Notably, La Guardia International Airport  and JFK Airport are in Queens, so that is where you fly in and out when going to and from New York City by air.  I have also been to the NY Hall of Science which is a fabulous interactive science centre for children.  What I had noticed in Queens was that there was a serious lack of nature, so I was a bit skeptical as to where we were going to find a farm in such an urban space.  But it IS always an adventure, so I sat back and watched the graffiti walls and row of apartments disappear as we went further along the highway.  Soon enough we had entered a beautiful area of fall coloured trees and landscaped houses.  Just like that we seemed to be in the suburbs and out of the concrete jungle.  It was very cool, not that the children really noticed as they were still fascinated by the bus and all of the small cars that we loomed over top of on the highway 😉

We arrived at the Queens County Farm Museum and the children were instantly engaged by their surroundings.  There were lots of wide open spaces and beautiful trees.  Leaves covered the ground and we all delighted in walking through them.  I even felt a little lump in my throat as I felt homesick for falling leaves and then I remembered raking and I instantly got over it.

R is clearly NOT excited at all!

The Beauty of Fall

There were numerous animals on the farm and the representative from the museum took the children to see them and taught them various facts about the animals.  She quizzed the students on their knowledge of animals and nature as well as patiently answering their many questions.  Some of my favourites include: “What type of meat do you eat at Thanksgiving?” All of the students seemed to yell out at once “Chicken!”.  Another question she asked was “What do you think you could make with milk?” More than one student answered “Chocolate Milk”.  And finally, “What do you think feathers could be used for?”, the answer-“Crafts”.  The students has an excellent knowledge of most things but I couldn’t help but think that some of their answers gave them away as true City Kids!

The whole gang checking out the cows

Goats

Pumpkin Patch

I think the highlight of the trip for the students was the hayride where they were able to take in the sights of the farm, riding in style.

The Hayride!

After lunch, and a few encounters with terrifying and frightening bees (again, showing our city slicker side!) the children were able to help make apple cider by participating in compressing the apples into a pumice where the juice is squeezed out to make the cider. They were suitably impressed although one kind soul did ask at the very end- “How do you make apple cider?”.  Ahh… the short attention span of a five year old!! Who, am I kidding?, at this point I had zoned out dreaming of apple pie and ice cream…

The Apple Press (I am sure there is a more technical term for it!)

At the end of our lesson the mandatory pre-boarding pee break was had by all and then we jumped on the bus and headed back to school.  There were a few sleepers on the way home but for the most part the kids were still bursting with energy and song.  We arrived at the school and handed off the lovelies to their more than capable teachers.

Oh, to be Five again...

I was glad to be back on non-bouncy solid ground and enjoyed the fresh air as I walked back to the apartment, reflecting on a great day outside of the hustle and bustle of Manhattan life.  While our kids might be turning into “City Kids”, I am very glad they have the opportunity to explore all areas around them, including a little bit of country life.

Welcome??!!

Hope you enjoy some of my favourite pics from this past week!

Bus Shelter Message (Should Be Read By Everyone!)

St. Patrick's Cathedral Reflection

Brooklyn Bridge

Cruella DeVille

A Conversation in Central Park

Bouquet of Dildos (Museum of Sex)

Fall Colours in the Park

A & R watching the skaters at Rockefeller Centre

Getting Ready for Christmas in the City

Future Rockstar on her Birthday

Embracing my new HOME!

 

Halloween in New York City is a BIG deal.  I feel as though the whole of Manhattan had been gearing up for THE day for well over a month. As soon as the back-to- school supplies left the shelves they were immediately replaced by scary decorations, pumpkins, gory make-up and those dreaded calorie packed “mini” chocolate bars. Vacant stores were turned into costume shops where you could find a wide variety of get ups for both adults and children.  I was starting to a get a bit nervous, like everything here, there seemed to be a standard for Halloween and I was beginning to feel the newbie jitters.  What exactly happened in NYC on Halloween? How the hell could you possibly trick or treat in this crazy town? Who you gonna call? Ghostbusters!!!  Uh no, your girlfriends of course.  Thankfully, they steered me in the right direction and this is how our first Halloween in New York City took place… And let me tell you, it was slightly different from the door to door rush in the ‘hood of Findlay Creek.

First, the basics. I felt like I had that, at least, covered. We had already bought the girls costumes and they were ready to go.  Cute as can be, our little Minnie Mouse and the Mad, Mad Hatter were rarin’ to go.

A (Mad Hatter) & R (Minnie Mouse)

They grabbed their bags and headed on out the building to our first stop- a Halloween Party at our friend’s apartment.  Unlike our old neighbourhood in Ottawa, where you went door to door and snuck some adult beverages along the way, there seemed to be many pre-parties going on in Manhattan.  The premise is that the children blow off some pre-trick or treating steam and eat some real food before they head out. I believe the real purpose for the get together is so the adults can gain some patience through the lovely liquid warmth and courage of grapes, hops and barley!

As we headed up Broadway to our party, the girls stopped along the way at various stores to trick or treat.  This may sound odd but it is the norm here on Halloween.  Local stores have an abundance of candy and children are encouraged to stop by in costume any time of the day on the 31st to get a treat. It truly was a wonderful sight to behold as children skipped down the street in excitement and ducked in and out of stores filling their goodie bags.

T & T at a Local Jewellery Store

Children in Costume Exiting a Local Restaurant

We were told that on Halloween not every street is trick or treat worthy.  Certain streets are blocked off to traffic and the brownstones are decorated, haunted houses are made and entertainment is planned.  So, for our second stop we headed down to 69th Street. Just to give you a bit of context, this was the 40th year of the neighbourhood block association Halloween party and it did not disappoint.  Most of the decorating is done day of, as it would ruin the surprise otherwise! The celebration on 69th Street is crowded and crazy busy but it is worth it to just get a glimpse of the decorated homes, the abundance of candy and the shows (yes, I said shows) taking place along the block.  After all, NYC is known for its flair for the dramatic 😉

The Crowd on 69th Street

A Decorated Brownstone Courtyard

BEWARE!!

Those are REAL people putting on a show suspended from the top of the apartment!

Our third and final stop was our apartment building.  We finished up the night by visiting our neighbours in the building.  (A sign-up sheet is posted in each elevator indicating which apartments are participating in Halloween).  It was a nice end to the evening, chatting with residents and meeting many of them for the first time.  The four of us went back to our new home and did the same old routine of sorting through the candy.  Ron and I confiscated the bad things like Reese Peanut Butter Cups (!) and then we tucked two very tired and happy children into bed.

It was our first Halloween in New York City. The newbies had survived. In fact, I think we blended in quite nicely with the rest of the costumed pack =) It was different but not in a bad way, just in a different way.  Learning new traditions, finding out more about our NEW ‘hood and reminiscing a bit about our old.  It was just another crazy, busy, yet somehow intimate and comforting night in the City.

The biggest fright?  Going into the stores today and finding holiday decorations and wrapping on the shelves… Only 7 more weekends until Christmas- BOO!!!!!

Things have been a bit crazy over the past month.  Sometimes life is, well, life.  Right now daily life is hectic. We are settling in, but that means lots of new challenges and changes.  Just to name a few things on the “to do” list are the not so easy task of finding a pediatrician and general doctor, figuring out how health insurance works, the in’s and out’s of being a class parent, play dates, 3rd grade homework, Ron’s increased work schedule and of course, the general every day adventures of family life. It is the same no matter what city you live in. And it is tiring, draining, exciting, wonderful and overwhelming. Sometimes you feel like you just need a break from it all.

Enter Matti.

Matti At the Apple Store on 5th Ave.

Matti, a former student, came to visit this past week and unexpectedly gave me the break and the bit of inspiration that I didn’t even quite realize I needed.  Instead of sending Matti off on his own to explore the City, I decided to neglect my “mommy” duties (grocery shopping, cleaning, school obligations, dog park visits) and play tourist/tour-guide along side him and enjoyed a sort of mini-vacation in my new home. We wandered, meandered, asked questions, learned some interesting facts and we paused to look up. The view did not disappoint.

The Brooklyn Bridge

I found myself looking at New York City with fresh eyes, in a way, through Matti’s eyes.  His enthusiasm and awe for NYC, reminded me of MY first visits and how I simply could not get enough of everything that I saw around me.  It challenged me to really see the City.

Central Park

Over the week, I found myself relaxing.  Relaxing a bit more into this new amazing place that is now my home.  I felt comfortable.  I knew where I was going.  I have my favourite restaurants and shops. I wanted to share all that I knew about New York City.  At the same time, I wanted to learn more.  I was reminded of how much I truly love this City but I also felt a bit homesick for my old life too. Matti reminded me of that other life.  My life in Ottawa as a teacher, mentor and friend.   I miss teaching.  I miss being around young people. Their energy, thirst for knowledge, the goofiness, the endless quest for adventure.  I miss Ottawa.  I feel like after this week it is okay to say that.  I have always felt that I was betraying my new life if I actually voiced that opinion. However, I have come to the realization that it is okay to miss elements of the past even if you are loving where you are in the present.  I guess you never really know when moments of reflection are going to hit you and where being an accidental tourist may take you.   Thanks Matti, for reminding me that even though a new journey has just begun it is the people and the experiences of the past that will help you have success along the road.

Matti and Cara at FAO Schwarz