Alicia comes to NYC!! #5

Day 5 we woke up bright and early to a drizzly gray day. We headed to Ellis Island. It was so great and so nice to be able to enjoy it without children underfoot like the last time I was there. 

Please study this picture before you read the text in the picture below. 

If you aren't laughing then you are lame. Alicia were actually crying from laughing so hard. Thankfully it wasn't too crowded and no one was offended. 

Then since I had a prior engagement, I sent my sister all alone on the subway to the MET. She got there ok but then proceeded what I like to call a typical NY day.
-She waited in line for 1/2 hour to check her stuff.
-She wasn't sure how the payment worked so she just walked right into the museum where she was stopped. She was directed to the cashier. After waiting in line she realized that her wallet was in her bag....in the coat check room.
-She haggled with the lady who let her in (begrudgingly) for free.
-Haven was getting really fussy by this time and Alicia had to use the restroom.
-By the time she had gone up and down to find the restrom, Haven was done.
-Time at MET: 1.5 hrs. Number of paintings seen: 1 (at least it was Monet)
-I told Alicia exactly where to go to catch the bus. Unfortunately for her there is also a tour bus stop in the same location. So she watched a bunch of buses pass her by (remember it's drizzling)
-So she finally gets on the right bus.
-She gets off on the right stop but as she is crossing the street she slips and falls breaking her umbrella.
-She got home and cancelled the plans we had made for later that night because she was so grumpy and tired from her day.

I feel ya sister. I feel ya.

I am very sad that she went through this experience, but it was also nice (probably not the best word) that she got to see how it REALLY is in NYC. Crappy crappy days that make you want to scream and pull your hair out, and also days that are so awesome you are so glad you live here!

Alicia comes to NYC!! #4

Day 4 was a blast!

***Disclaimer*** I typically do NOT consume this much sugar in a 4 day period. I try and live a healthy lifestyle. So if your goal in life is to be like me, which I'm sure it is, please eliminate this very unhealthy step of visiting every sweet shop in the city, it is gross and will make your love handles sag to the floor. I regret it. Amen. Wait...no I don't regret it because every bite was SO yum! End of disclaimer, on to post. 

First stop was Chelsea Market where we didn't get any treats...what!? Then we stopped by a Housing Works thrift store to show Alicia how refronculous (remember? freakin redonculous?) thrift stores here are. I don't care what brand of shoe you are trying to peddle, if someone else's foot has been in it you can't expect much. Oh but they do, they expect very much.

Then on to the Highline. I still hadn't been there since it was fully completed it was lovely.

And since we were on the west side anyway we just had to head up 60 blocks to Jacques Torres chocolate to get a cookie and hot chocolate. *(plus we got one for frizzle because the guy accidentally made 2 when we only ordered one) MMMmmmm. Well since we were already going into a sugar coma we decided to add Levain cookies in the mix since it is only 2 blocks away......

Just chillin outside Levain waiting for our cookie. 

Oh my these cookies are SO good. 

A quick visit to the temple. 

And chapel to use the potty. 

Another funny sign. 

Beautiful central park...even though it was a very gray day.

We picked up the kids and headed to Dylan's. (Don't worry we didn't get anything)

That tub is rather inviting....I wonder what it would feel like to bathe in bubble gum?

Then down the street to FAO. Unfortunately it was SO crowded so Alicia didn't get to dance on the piano.

Elyse took this picture :)

Then we headed over to the plaza to check out the Eloise store and take some pictures of their beautiful lobby. Sadly Alicia declined the free sample at the Lindt store...she's a lightweight. Or maybe she was letting her blood sugar stabilize before we hit our dinner spot :)

Phew...But wait...that's not all!! I wanted Alicia to see Serendipity and also for her to spend time with my sistah from anothah mistah... Kdawg.

I was not smart and didn't make reservations. So we went over there to put our name on the list. Then Cannon called...Haven was crying. We booked it home, Alicia fed her changed her and we headed back and our names still weren't up for a seat....hah! While we were waiting I found a beautiful $5000.00 coat at the boutique next door. Cuurrazy.

Thankfully they got along swimmingly....all is right with my world. And of course Alicia LOVED the potato skins. Crispy? Cheesy? Salty? Check! We really are related :) Monday was PACKED full of fun activities and way too much eating! We were full and exhausted by the end of the night, but it was so much fun!

I have a problem.

I will tell it here because I feel this is a safe space and nobody reads this thing anyway...right? Right? Is this thing on? Well if it is then leave some feedback will ya. See that little button at the bottom of the post? It says comments. If you click on it you can tell me what you think about this that and/or the other. I would love to hear from you, my loyal reader(s?)

Anywho, my problem is....puzzles. I am obsessed. If I could pick a job to do all day long it would be puzzle doer.

I have always loved them but a few weeks ago is when I became obsessed. I was walking down the street and I saw a huge bag full of them just sitting in the trash. So I snagged them. I have been known to curbside shop and have never been ashamed of it. In fact many of the things in my home once shared a space with bags of doggie doo and old coffee cups. Sadly a certain someone who shall remain nameless (I'll give you a hint...it rhymes with Dannon, you know the yogurt?) doesn't share the love and has been known to ditch me while I am shopping on the curb.

Anyway, I couldn't let those nice puzzles go to waste so I brought them home and I've been doing them in the kids room late at night by the light of a lamp. If you see me one day and I'm cross eyed you'll know why.

Happy Birthday Levi!!

Levi turned 5!! (about one month ago but who's counting?)

I decided that it would be easier to buy a gluten free mix than to make one so I got a Bob's Redmill one and it was great!

The day before his birthday we took his girlfriends to Dylan's Candy Bar. He loves these girls. I mean really loves them. I think he might marry both of them. When Sathya (a fellow Pre Ker) threatened to use his sword on Zeia (the one in the middle) the conversation went something like this:

L: "Kass can we get a horse?"

K: "What do we need a horse for?"

L: "So I can rescue Zeia from Sathya"

Oh. My. Goodness. That boy is just too much. Literally. Today he whined for most of the day. But I digress. Back on to the celebrations!

This was his school celebration right before we went to Dylan's and before Zeia's nanny forgot to pick her up from school to take her to the party. Yeah that was pretty hilarious. We both show up at the same time and look at each other and say "Where's Zeia?" Wait I thought you had her. No I thought you had her. Crap! All's well that ends well though and thankfully no one got fired.

The kids were all in love with Evan!

Ah the simple pleasures.

The next day we went to Harlem's Chuck E Cheese for games. FYI this is thee nicest and least crowded Chuck E's we've been to. And much to Levi's delight (not) we went to Ethiopian for lunch. We figured since injera is gluten free it would be great, but of course he hated it. He did try everything though so I have to give him major props.

Crawling

What the what what? My little 5 mo started crawling a couple of weeks ago!! Super fun and exciting to see milestones hit but in reality it sucks because now he can't be left alone on the rug so mommy can have her alone time with Downton Abbey and a puzzle...grrr.

Alicia comes to NYC!! #3

Day 3 of Alicia was Sunday. Alicia showed me a cool new way of doing my hair and I asked Elyse to take a picture. Ahem.

And this was as good as it got.

Sunday evening we went to St Patricks Cathedral and to see the Rockefeller Center tree.

As you can see it was a zoo. Complete with the herding of cars and people alike.

We hurried and got one shot of the tree and got the heck outta there.

Alicia comes to NYC!! #2

Day #2 of Alicia in the city was a Saturday.

(note to self: don't ever let Levi grow his hair out long...it looks much better short. The end)

1st stop of the day was to the Wicked lottery.

Here we are waiting anxiously to see if our name is called.....and the winner is Cannon! Saweet! I sent Elyse with Alicia because she just LOVES wicked. Sadly I didn't take any pictures of them before the show, but they loved it! Since we had some time to kill until showtime I figured we'd walk around Times Square and show Alicia some of the silly stores they have. BIG mistake. It. Was. Packed. We spent the next 2 hours shuffling around trying to just get through crowds. Every store had a line to it. Crazy. 

This was the dancing and singing Salvation Army guy. He had to do something to keep from going crazy from the frickin bell...how do they stand it? 

Do they look happy or what?

I had to introduce Alicia to Buttercup.

This guy sounded like James Taylor.

Hilarious sign. Healthies and Beautifies. I am sure this was a massage parlor of ill repute if you catch mah drift.

Then on to my favorite Ethiopian restaurant, Meskrem ! Yum Yum! 

Alicia got a big kick out of this sign. What does the office of mental hygiene have to do with a restaurant. Maybe it was polluting our minds? Perhaps there were brain eating amoebas in the water?

I wish I could remember the name of this darling little place, but it is on Spring street right off the 6 train. It was divine!

Of course we had to stop for our 3rd treat of the night....Rice to Riches. All rice pudding all the time. Yum.

Hah!