We drove in on Friday afternoon and rushed Justin and his dad to "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon." I had reserved tickets for them earlier, but there were so many people who showed up to claim tickets, they almost didn't get in (they were the 6th and 5th-to-last people to be admitted--close one!). They had a great time at the taping, but didn't get on TV.
While they were busy, Justin's mom, Nolan, and I made a couple of visits to shops and museums nearby. The first was the FDNY Firezone. It's mostly a souvenir shop, but they do have a retired fire engine on display that the kids can explore, and Nolan LOVES fire trucks.
Then we headed over to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) for their free Friday event. (Side note: we stood in the pouring rain--with umbrellas and a rain cover for the stroller--for 30 min to get in.)
I did not consider myself much of a modern art fan, but I loved so much of what they had on display: some real classics (and ones I particularly liked) from Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh, Jasper Johns, Frida Kahlo, Claude Monet, Jackson Pollock, Seurat...
van Gogh's "Starry Night" was so popular, it reminded me of viewing the Mona Lisa in the Louvre.
Nolan was very interested in most of the art. He loved Jasper John's art and quickly identified them: "Flag" and "Green." It was fun to hear his "interpretations."
This was a fabulous stop for me--if only we had a little more time to enjoy the art and not have to chase after a 2-year-old. It wasn't too long before the men were out of their taping and we fed our starving stomachs at a nearby Applebee's.
Later that night, after Nolan was in bed, Justin and his parents went out to explore Times Square.
Saturday morning we took a taxi to the American Museum of Natural History.
Nolan LOVED being in a real taxi cab.
We spent a good 2.5 hours in the museum and seemed like we were rushing through everything. After a quick lunch in the cafeteria, we went out to explore Central Park while it wasn't raining.
Belvedere Castle
Bow Bridge
Overlooking Bethesda Fountain
Watching a "Bubble Performer" near the Bethesda Terrace Arcade.
We made it to Strawberry Fields, and then it started raining on us. We took a taxi back to our hotel in Times Square and relaxed while it rained outside.
Later that day we window shopped around the Times Square area. Those shops are huge! At the Disney Store, there was a "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" look-a-like (one of his favorite shows). Nolan recognized it immediately and did not want to leave.
And he loved the pint-sized cars at ToysRUs.
Here's the NYE crystal ball that drops at midnight.
We finished off the night with delicious shrimp at Bubba Gump's in Times Square.
Sunday morning we took the Subway to the financial district (south end). Nolan still loves the subway.
We first viewed the 9/11 Memorial. I think they did a perfect job preserving those locations and remembering all those who died. It will be a beautiful park when it's all finished.
Then we walked a few blocks to check out the bull and the NYSE on Wall Street.
After lunch we headed over to Governor's Island on a free ferry. Governor's Island was a military base for nearly 200 years and closed to the public. Now there are historical sites and parks that the public can visit. It's a mix of really old (coastal fortifications during the early 1800s) and newer buildings (up to the 1920s). A large park area is under construction and phase I is set to open late this year.
Castle Williams (circa 1807)
Fort Jay (started 1794) and a cannon outside the South Battery
Nolan Park Houses, Governor's House, and the
Colonel Row homes (late 18th/early 19th centuries).
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| Images from www.govisland.com |
They have begun some minimal renovations on these old homes, but mostly to keep them from deteriorating. I would love to see them restored and staged they would have been used back in the day. (We did peek inside a few of the Nolan Park homes, and they were very charming but worn down.)
The trip to the island did give us a great view of New York City skyline...
...and a decent shot of the Statue of Liberty. (It was closed
because of damage sustained during Hurricane Sandy.)
Later that night and Monday morning we did one final walking tour around NYC.
Macy's Department Store (and super crowded streets--don't miss those!)
Grand Central Station
Rockefeller Center
FAO Schwarz
Nolan was not a fan of the this big piano.
And with those last stops, we got back in the car and said goodbye to New York. It was a fun and exhausting weekend, and we were glad we got the chance to visit the Big Apple.
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