Statton Island Ferry

Really, perhaps the best way to see the Statue of Liberty is to ride the ferry to Statton Island. It is free and gives you an excellent view. Plus you avoid the long lines, crowds, etc. of the now very limited other trip.

We fell in love with ferrys when we lived in the Seattle area. We rode them wherever we could. Now we love 'em in New York too. Is it any wonder with this kind of entertainment?

Cell phones and strollers, if you have children these seem to be some of the necessary items these days.

Then on the way back the views of the city sky line are good too.

This trip did look fun didn't it?  So I could be right.

In Central Park

Rowing and Paddling around a lake in central Park is way fun.
But I chose to do something even more fun.

While the other silly people in my group were rowing, I got to relax on the grass with Eli.

Ahhhh... New York!

The Sacred Grove, Palmyra New York

We also saw a spotted fawn and ate wild blackberries.

Keith visited a long time with a member from China.

More on the New York Trip

Random Fun Here is a shot of all of us driving around in a van just like we did on vacations when the kids were little.

This could also be referred to as enforced quality family bonding time.

There are some tips in this entry that I needed to remember, tips like, be sure to limit movies and Ipods, even if they squabble, they will probably squabble less without too much of either these things, plus they will remember the trip and the time together more readily later on, probably.

We stood around, and walked around. We changed the baby and fed him. We loaded and unloaded the van and or stroller several times a day. We made garbage can runs, took Potty breaks and petrol fills, studied maps and guidebooks, ate snacks and many meals. We saw pretty country, stayed in good hotels, lugged suitcases and lots of paraphernalia to lots of great places, drank a lot of bottled and refilled again water, (Polish Springs is the eastern favorite as opposed to Arrowhead in the west) and took a lot of photos all while having a really good time.

We played "The 100,000 Pyramid", sometimes as we drove the miles. We also read books, listened to music, and plugged into personal music players, all while eating healthy junk food, and these are just a few of the typical trip fillers.

Dave and Dan took their skateboards. Enough said there.

Remember your spouse is really your only ally in all this. He also helps you to remember one of my "mother of big boys" mantras, "Just don't look!" ( and also helps to make mental notes of Emergency room locations).

Gazing at Eli was a favorite pastime, whether awake or asleep.

(When they are this size they usually don't require emergency medical treatment.) In all fairness Allison required just as many E-room trips as Davey.

Be sure to give nap times and bed times high priority and hang on to somewhat normal sleep patterns. This helps to maintain higher levels of patience and forgiveness in travelers of all ages.

Try not to let the rabble take over the decision making. You can never please everyone, and it can take up a lot of time. But most of all Be flexible and happy with whatever comes!

Be sure and plan times to blow off steam and use those big muscles. Even if Dad has to stay at the van with the baby or maybe especially if he can stay and quietly stretch. Such activities can include hurdling picnic tables at rest areas along the Susquehanna River, (We waited until after the Muslims had finished praying) or pushups in the parking lot.

We visited a beautiful state park one evening and hiked and ran and climbed around gorgeous gorges with lots of waterfalls. (I've always wanted to say that.)

We had lunch at a little place on the Erie Canal in Palmyra NY one day.

The lady was all alone and made a great sandwich.

If traveling with a family or group, make sure you eat on time to prevent grumpiness, DO NOT put it off. Plan it in and just do it. You run the risk of trouble if you don't. I needed to recall this family rule quickly. It is hard to stand strong on but important to do so.

Finding good food was a big item for us of course.

We stumbled across Bobby Flay's favorite Thai restaurant while in Manhattan. Delicious! I will try and remember the name or ask Allison what it was and get it in later. We were trying for the Shake Shack and parked by the wrong park. Which just goes to show once again that even a mistake can turn out for the best if you let it.

We did not actually come to blows with the Green Peace workers despite rumors to the contrary.

I love family vacations!

to be continued...

It's All About the Food

Keith's last words to me as I left for New York city were,"Eat lots of good food." Is it any wonder I gain weight married to this man, but I digress. So being the obedient wife that I am (quit laughing) on the first day there we drove to Brooklyn. It is home to my former"Best Pizza ever", place Grimaldi's.
But... If you drive through Brooklyn, along the Atlantic ocean, past Coney Island, through a very very Jewish neighborhood you come to the this place. It is home to the best pizza ever. You can't really tell from the outside, just look at it, but Di Fara's is the best pizza in the world.

One of the myriad of reasons is Because this little old guy makes every single pie by hand personally. Yep, he makes every one himself right down to scissoring the fresh basil off a big bunch and drizzling it with olive oil. Man

I am hungry again just typing this.

Is this a beautiful thing or what?

Can you smell it?

Does this make you crazy to go there? It oughta!

Notice all the write ups and pictures on the walls around us.

People come from all over and wait hours and hours for this man's Pizza pie. Last time we were there we waited three hours. I was doubting then, but after this one, no more doubt.

These smiles say it all.

YUM.

Mansion? Cathedral? Old Stone Church?

What a beautiful old building and Church yard. What a wonderful historical site, it's just the kind of place I love. We will really have to go there again, Allison.

We just happened upon this during our quest for stick balls/shopping. (Ask Allison that story someday.)
Where they are is still a mystery.

Columbia

Ian and Allison Kelly on the Campus of Columbia University where Ian has landed in his quest to ever stretch and grow. I know I linked to a post already on this but in viewing that post I felt the need to go and see for myself. So I did.

I Waited

Here is Eliza's post on

"Eno an' Columbia"
I knew if I waited she would make an excellent one and me with no camera could steal it in a link so check this and rejoice.


http://www.dawesome.org/2009/09/prayers-are-answered/

NY in the rain

Did anyone know that it's been raining all summer so far here in NY? Now you know! (say this like on Bill Nye the Science Guy. Points if you can do this, lemme know if you can:) ) Anyway, during part of this rainy summer my old friend Barb came to visit, I'm sure y'all know her, you may not know her daughter London (I didn't until this trip). Well we toured NYC in the RAIN and I thought it would make for a cute post. This is Barb and London in all the RAIN. And we took the subways in this rain. and walked 40 blocks. No I'm not joking. Part of the trip was to walk down 5th ave and window shop. And so we did. Woo hoo!It did slow up for the Statue of Liberty though. Well, the Staten Island Ferry, that is. The best way to see the Lady if you ask me. Free too.
Here we are on the windy ferry. The guy taking the picture must not have noticed the small child in Barb's arms, or decided we didn't want to capture her in the memory, so we only have her forehead. Ha ha that still makes me laugh a little:)
Yay for friends! We also saw Phantom of the Opera on Broadway (amazing voices. amazing. and yes, the chandelier drop is still the best part. I remembert that from when I was LITTLE. how little was I Mom, you remember?) and ate Grimaldi's pizza under the Brooklyn Bridge. Still my favorite no matter what other places crop up claiming to be better. I love NY:) Anyone up for some rain?

Yes, even more!

We drove to a subway stop 'cause there was no parking near the stadium lawn at Lehman College, and after the ceremony we felt like celebrating which means getting slightly silly.

Yes, more graduation pics- I just can't seem to stop. We goofed around at the subway stop. I love this picture.

Yahoo!

NYC Graduation

it takes courage to grow up and become who you really are

~e.e. cummings

to be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing
its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting

~e.e. cummings, 1955

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{{}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}{{{...heres' a link to "Dawsome" about Allison that i love

http://www.dawesome.org/index.php?s=graduation

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Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented,fabulous?-- Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. ~Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love

Coney Island

More party in NYC.



We decided we had never been to Coney island and that it must be about time.

Well yup, it's all true what you have heard. Nathan's does serve an excellent dawg, the ancient wooden coaster is a bone jolter, the Atlantic ocean is colder than the Pacific, and freak shows abound outside as well as inside on the Boardwalk.
Earlier in the week we had hit a flea market in Hell's Kitchen and David picked up a too cool leather jacket. Thus we were inspired for the above photo.













Here we are inline for the "Wonder Wheel" at Coney Island.












We picked the tilting rocking version of the cars of course.

It's all About Allison week continues!

Six Flags -nine roller coaster rides-one tired Mom

Superman -- one is strapped in actually laying down on your stomach to simulate superman flight

Nitro, my favorite,is the biggest coaster in Six Flags Great Adventure's history and the tallest on the east coast. (Except for the parks new Kingda-Ka) Nitro is another wonderful hypercoaster built by steel coaster master designers Bolliger and Mabillard of Switzerland. The coaster features a massive first drop of 230-feet, which is followed by seven camelbacks which produce plenty of airtime.

The height of the seven camelbacks starts at 189-feet.

Steel Hypercoaster, Out and Back

Height: 230 feet
Drop: 215 feet
Angle of descent: 66 degrees
Top speed: 80 mph
Length: 5,394 feet
Trains: 3 - 32 passenger

More About Nitro

7 Camelbacks, 1 Hammer Head, 1 S-Curve, 1 Highly-Banked Double Helix, Four Abreast Seating