How do I begin to recap 5 amazing
days in New York city with my son and his family? We left Charleston in July with our new and
only grandchild just having turned one.
Madison is such a delight – as any new grandparents can easily relate
to! With our son Matt’s birthday falling
late September, we thought it might be a great way to reconnect in the midst of
our journey so we planned a NYC rendezvous.
The logistics seemed to be
working. With our great neighbor/friends
Ann and Trav graciously allowing us to leave the RV in their care and BEYOND
graciously escorting us to New Haven to catch the train, we found ourselves
comfortably seated on the Metro North train and headed into the city. The other BIG logistical factor was lodging
in NYC with four adults and an energy-filled toddler! Enter my sister, Joan, who lives in the East
Village and – whether out of total selflessness or for self-preservation – gave
us total run of her place for our visit!
We arrived at Joan’s office where
she would be camping out during our visit and helped her ready it for her stay
before we all headed to our new digs for the next few days. Matt, Danyelle and Madison’s plane was
delayed and they didn’t arrive until after 10 that night. In the meantime we did some preparation and
enjoyed a picnic with her son, Carmelo, and an outdoor Springstein cover band
concert in the neighborhood park.
The next four + days were a
combination of total chaos and FUN! Most
mornings were spent finding the best bagel place in the area. We tried Bagel Boss, David’s and Tompkins Square
Bagels – who won the overall best breakfast sandwich designation. Then it was coffee and we found Le Café by
Union Square which became our go-to morning destination for talented baristas,
amazing lattes and wonderful staff.
Aside from the morning food and
beverage routine, every day was different.
The first found us in endless wander mode putting miles and miles behind
us and finding everything from the Italian Festival to some of Matt’s favorite
shopping spots. Midday, Matt and
Danyelle scored reservations at a private club and they had a great night out
with fun stories to tell and pictures to share while we blissfully played Papa
and Lala! 
Day two brought the morning
routine and then we took off with Madi while they went exploring. We were able to get pics of Madison on
Madison Ave and we introduced her to a custard at the infamous Shake Shack in
Madison Square Park. We met back up with the kids to all head to
the Brooklyn Brewery for a tour and ended up with quite a subway headache after
repeated attempts to board our large party on one train after another during
the late afternoon rush! 
With our plans thwarted, we
attempted to find a replacement beer and wandered further until feet and
tempers were worn!!! Needing to regroup,
Rob and I had a beer at a Zum Schneider before we learned the kids didn’t have
their keys and we headed back their way. Meeting back up on the street, Rob and Matt headed
out to further “recover” while Danyelle and I stopped at a nearby restaurant
and ordered up a Greek feast for dinner.
We took the food back to StuyTown
to find the guys had taken BOTH sets of keys and neither were paying attention
to their phones! We made the best of it
and set up an amazing picnic in the park. Joni helped arrange for us to get back into
the place (thanks, Melodee!) and we were well into Madi’s bath time when the
guys wandered in. We finished our VERY
long day with our feet up and everyone back on track!
The next morning, I snuck out
early to rendezvous for coffee with Joni, meeting at one of our favorite
After, we hiked back to StuyTown where the daily breakfast routine was
happening. While everyone got ready for
the day, Rob and I headed to TKTS to get surprise tickets for Matt and D to a parody
of The Office.
spots,
Lucid Café, to enjoy their amazing hot scones.
We were to meet back up at the
Central Park Zoo so Rob and I headed there on foot from Times Square. We all but arrived there when we realized timing
was going to be tight and changed plans yet again and turned around to meet
everyone for burgers right back in Times Square! New York is great for exercise!
The kids went to the show and we
stayed busy. Rob installed a faucet for
Joni and Madi and I tested her office for kid-proofing! The show was over and we met back up at
Follia where we were able to connect with our niece Tifannie who lives in the
East Village too. Still full from midday
burgers and spent with over 11 miles logged for the day, we sent the kids out
for the night while we happily stayed put!
Our final full day was upon us and
it was Matt’s birthday! After another
morning of routine and random wandering, we gathered for lunch at Joni’s fav
Indian haunt, Saravanaah, for masala dosas and talis. If you haven’t ever experienced a dosa, I
suggest a detour to 26th and Lex for the REAL DEAL! As if we hadn’t indulged enough, we further
gorged ourselves with amazing coconut ice cream just around the corner at Van
Lleewan. The birthday was shaping up
nicely! 
Just a few blocks away at 29th,
Kalustyan’s is a fun experience. Filled
with everything from a full case of authentic halva to a selection of bitters
near an aisle long to every dried fruit and I swear any tea you could dream up! Matt and Danyelle even found some Happy
Birthday tea, fitting for the occasion!
Making up for our missed brewery
tour over the subway mishap, we sent the guys off to Brooklyn for a specialty
tour later that afternoon. While they
were gone, Danyelle and I went to the famous bakery, Veniero’s, for birthday “supplies”. We had
a fun night celebrating being together and Matt’s birthday with Carmelo and
Matt keeping us all entertained.
The final morning arrived. Carmelo was gone early for school and Joni
was at her office and already into a full day.
We each busied ourselves packing and putting things back in order before
heading out for the final bagel breakfast together. We returned to grab our bags and say our
goodbyes and before we knew it, we were back on the train with a truckload of
great memories and ready to face the final chapters of our journey ahead.
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