We came to New York on this weekend for a dinner - a multi-course meal to be prepared at Jane and Greg's apartment by a chef from a very exclusive Italian restaurant in Harlem called Raos. They had kindly invited all of us to join their table for 10, and I was so excited!
But before that, we had all day Saturday to explore the city. My top activity for the boys was FAO Schwarz, which I remembered from childhood as the most amazing toy store in the world.
After a French toast breakfast, we bundled up and put the boys in the stroller.
We walked through Central Park, on a beautiful, overcast, late-fall day.
I couldn't believe all the color still in the leaves.
And I'd forgotten what an incredibly beautiful park this is. On this Saturday, it was full of exercisers, dogs, and parents pushing strollers. I was struck by how many babies seemed to be in New York compared to our last visit. Maybe you see what you're looking for, but I got the feeling that a lot more young families live there by choice now.
We came to the 100-year-old carousel, and Isaac wanted a ride. Jonah stayed with my parents and watched.
Isaac got a little scared once we were on, so we spent most of the time reassuring him. He kept asking "When is it going to stop?"
With some relief, we got off the carousel and put the boys back in the stroller. Time to find some lunch.
And after lunch: the coolest toy store in the world. I've never seen anything like it. Isaac wanted practically every truck and train he saw; Jonah just wanted to play with Dada's sunglasses.
Or peekaboo with my mom.
Jane and I remembered getting to play on the huge piano as kids, and we thought Isaac might like it too. But the format had changed; now there's a show, a long line, and each kid just gets a minute or so. There were so many people waiting that Adam and I walked Jonah home while Isaac stayed with my parents and sisters. They watched the show,
and finally Isaac had a chance to play the piano, but he was too nervous...
Finally, Jane and Taylor convinced him to try it.
Meanwhile, Jonah had reached exhaustion, and so he fell asleep in Adam's arms as we cut back through the park. He was a sweet but heavy load to carry, and unfortunately he used up his nap during the walk...no success when I tried to put him down back at the apartment.
Here is the daytime view from Jane's apartment. You can see the thick trees of the park, mostly brown in the canopy now.
Soon, Isaac showed up, happily carrying a new toy. Jane and Greg had not only taken him on his first taxi ride to get home (exciting!!) but also did what we, as dutiful parents determined not to buy things on a whim, couldn't do - they let him pick out something new. He spent all afternoon and long after that driving his new rescue truck around the floor, loading up the gear, unloading it again.
With the boys playing happily, we left them with my dad while Adam got some work done and the girls of the family took a walk to Lulu Lemon - fun!
By 6pm, the apartment was bustling - my mom and Jane were pulling out the prettiest china and serving dishes, and everyone was setting the table and clearing space for our dinner. There was a rather unfriendly chef in the kitchen, concentrating on appetizers but not very interested in conversation. He later opened up with a glass of wine and my parents' charms, and he regaled us with one story after another about the restaurant and his 2nd job - cooking for the Nets (right? someone correct me if I have the wrong team).
Meanwhile, dinner was delicious, and there was plenty of wine to go with it, thanks to my dad. Jonah went down easily, thanks to his poor nap earlier, and Jane had Isaac laughing even though we kept him up too late.
My parents and Taylor left the next day, but we four had one more day to see Jane and Greg and explore the city. We walked to the Museum of Natural History to see the dinosaurs, along with lots of other lifelike animal displays. The boys normally do great in restaurants, but by dinnertime, they were tired and over-traveled and were quite a challenge. Isaac was mostly just whiny, but Jonah was throwing a little food and trying to get people's attention by yelling at them...But we still had a wonderful dinner that night at one of the city's best Indian restaurants.
On Monday, there was time to walk through Times Square and marvel at the lights and billboards and screens everywhere...Poor Jonah fell asleep again, in my arms this time, while Adam pushed Isaac in the stroller. Below is Jonah on our last morning in New York.
I'd never thought I could live in such a big city for long, or raise kids in one, but New York surprised me on this trip. I kept looking at the strollers passing us and thinking, that could be us. Not that I could easily give up Denver, and I'm sure the narrow skies and city cold and dirt and crowds would wear on me, but this time, New York seemed liveable, beautiful, and it had so much to my liking - 2 farmers' markets within walking distance, gorgeous old buildings everywhere with intricate brick and stonework, the cultured wilderness of a masterful urban park, and of course the food...
Isaac was going to miss New York too. It was fun to see how much he enjoyed a taste of big city life.
The night we got home, I lay in bed with Isaac and talked to him about what we'd seen. I wanted to hear what he thought, so I asked him what he liked best about the trip. He said: "I didn't like the flight, but I just really liked security."
Trying not to smile too much, I asked why he liked security. "I just really liked it."
Okay, not what I was expecting...I asked him what he liked best about New York. "I liked staying in the apartment. "
And what he didn't like about New York? "I don't have something that I didn't like at New York."
What he liked best about Damascus? "Um...I liked seeing Gigi. "
Anything didn't like about Damascus? "No."
And that is Isaac's summary of a great trip.
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