If you think New Yorkers aren't kind - read this!!

Today I took a couple of friends to the airport so they wouldn't get lost.  It's easy from my apartment, but when you aren't familiar with the bus routes, it can be intimidating.  From my house you walk a few blocks and get on the M60 bus which goes directly to the airport.  It's very close, maybe a 15 minute ride.

We had no issues on the way there, thankfully.

After I saw them off, Henry and I wheeled back out to the bus stop.  I quickly saw my bus come and boarded it.  Everything was going fine, it was almost empty so we got a seat right away...life was good.

Then the bus didn't turn down Astoria Blvd. where it normally does....and it started to go into a different neighborhood - and that's when it dawned on me...we were on the wrong bus!  I read the sign wrong!

Thankfully I was sorta familiar with this bus as well, since I used to ride it occasionally when I previously lived in Woodside, Queens.  Henry was getting very antsy, as a 2 year old does at nap time, and we were at a stop near the 7 train, so I opted for us to get off and we'd simply take the 7 to the N train, which is the train we take home.  Pretty annoying, but doable.

We attempt to get off the bus...I have the stroller in one hand, a half eaten donut and an empty coffee cup in another, and a 2 year old asking me "Why?" every 8 seconds.  We scurry down the bus to exit in the rear door and Henry just stops at the step.  The doors start to close on us, but someone from behind reaches to push open the door for us, and a person waiting outside assists Henry down while I struggle with not wacking someone in the head with the stroller

On the sidewalk I put the 35 pound child inside the stroller and haul it up the stairs to the elevated train platform.  I pull out my Metrocard and go through the gate only to find that the 7 train that goes in the direction I need, toward Manhattan, is CLOSED.

Seriously?

Gah.

So, I have to ride the train in the wrong direction and get off at a stop that Manhattan bound train is stopping at, so I can transfer to it.  Up the stairs with the stroller.

The train comes quickly.  It's packed.  I wheel on anyway and a very nice man offers me a seat.  I then ask him if he knows which stop has the Manhattan bound trains stopping at it, he said the next one should be fine.  So we pile off and he assists me down the stairs with the stroller.  Very, very nice.

However, he was wrong...the Manhattan bound side at this stop was also closed.

Two men in the station noticed my distress and said the NEXT stop I could transfer to a Manhattan bound train.  Soooooooooo....back up the stairs!

Another train comes quickly, equally as packed.  We ride to the next stop and are able to transfer to a waiting Manhattan bound train that is simply across the platform.  I give my thanks to the Lord quite loudly when I see the train waiting!

It's also packed, but we squeeze on.  We are finally headed in the right direction!

Henry is sleeping by this time and we eventually get a seat and I can relax for a bit as we make the stops to where I have to transfer.

At the stop, I haul the stroller up another set of stairs to the top platform and the N train comes very quickly.

We are finally almost home, at our stop I haul the stroller down the first set of stairs and a man holds the gate open for me and the stroller.  Then at the next set of stairs a very kind man, who had just came up all the stairs, stopped and insisted on taking the stroller down for me.  Not just helping me, but taking the whole thing himself.  "I have two kids!  I know how it is!" he said.  I thanked him 100 times over.

So the moral of the story is, make sure you board the right bus!  Otherwise your 15 minute ride turns into a 2 hour adventure.  But if you by chance do make the mistake, there will be plenty of New Yorkers to make your crazy ride back a tad more bearable.

Mom in NYC

Mom came to visit last week and we had a GREAT week!  It was the hottest week we've had all summer, hitting 100 degrees two days in a row, but despite almost melting, it was wonderful to spend time with her.  It was the most time we have spent together consecutively since before I was married.

Henry also had a fun time with his Grandma Dar.  For several days after he woke up he would instantly ask where she was.  It was very sweet.

Here are a few highlights:

 

Mom's raspberry iced tea from Martha's Country Bakery around the corner from our house, she raved about this all week!  Joe and I have to get over there and try it soon.

Walking through Times Square Henry spotted the big sign for the upcoming Disney store.  I had just pushed his "wings" button, and he was saying, "To infinity and beyond!"

Mom treated us all to a ride on the Toys R Us ferris wheel.  We ended up getting the gondola that Henry really, really, really wanted - the firetruck!

Mom on Times Square

The next day we strolled through Central Park and came across the carousel

 Sheep Meadow, Central Park.

The future home of Joe and Brook Wozniak. ;-)

 

Empire State Building lobby.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hanging out at home, Mom played "train" with Henry - he loved it!

 

New York has some very, very good eats, we just had to go get some cannolis from one of the zillion bakeries that sound our house!  They were delicious.

 

Going to see the "big boats" at the South Street Seaport.

 

This is one of many, many boats you can purchase a cruise on.  It happened to be docked at the Seaport while we were there.

 

Beautiful view, beautiful lady!

 
Battery Park

 

We did a Statue Cruise, its about an hour long, takes you through the harbor, you get nice views of the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges and get really pretty close to the Statue of Liberty.  We all really enjoyed it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back on shore after the cruise...little boy, big buildings!

 

While we were down there we took the time to walk over and see this.  This piece was in the courtyard at the World Trade Center.  After 9/11 it was pulled from the rubble and placed in Battery Park, the flame in front is an eternal flame.  I've seen this dozens of times, and it never fails to bring me to tears, I wasn't alone in my crying though - I am my Mother's daughter, she was in tears as well!

 

One afternoon we took Henry to the park near our house and had a good time watching him play.  Here is he "selling ice cream", its a regular game we play.

 

Mom met Nicolas Cage...in the window of the wax museum!

 

We went to see Mary Poppins, which was EXCELLENT!  Joe wants to see it, so he and I are going to plan a date night sometime!

If you'd like to see the whole album of pictures, click HERE (Facebook).

Fireworks in Astoria Park

Back on June 30 (hard to believe that was two weeks ago!) there was an evening of fireworks in Astoria Park.  I love me some fireworks, so as soon as I heard about it, I wanted to go!  We had a very fun evening with our friends Pete and Rebekah, and their 2 children.  The kids all really enjoyed playing together.

I packed us a dinner of sandwiches, fruit, chips and lemonade.

Our view of the waterfront.

Henry being goofy and trying to pass the time before his friends Jack and Zoe arrived.

The Hellgate Bridge.  The fireworks were set off between the Hellgate and the Triborough Bridge.

Our friends arrived-as did a couple other families they know-and the kids all had a good time playing together and being silly.

Playing with the camera...I'm NOT posting the one he took of me....!

A boat with big sprays of colored water went by a few times.

This wasn't supposed to happen, that's Rebekah's water bottle!!  :)  These sort of things happen all too quickly with 2 year olds, doesn't it?  But, on a happy note, they are SHARING!

Live music.

The view up at the crowds from the waterfront.

Joe being entertained by the kids.

Fireworks!

Big Boats

Last week after Joe got off work one day we asked Henry if he wanted to go see some "big boats" - he was more than eager.  We also decided we'd take the train to Joe's new office first to see how long it took, then walk up to the "big boats" at the South Street Seaport.

While riding the N train, Henry insisted it was the R train and did his pirate face.

After a 45 minute ride we arrived in downtown Manhattan to Joe's new office building.

It's the one in the back.

On the way to the building we passed this famous site - the nation's first tavern.  It's a beautiful building.

 

New buildings & old buildings, I love the history here!

 

Joe's office.

After a nice meal at Chipotle we continued on our way, walking around the area a bit, scoping it out before heading to the seaport.

 

This area was loud and bustling - various bars and restaurants line the sidewalk with lots of outdoor seating in a nice alleyway.

 

Burger Burger.

Right next to...

  

Pizza Pizza.

!!!

On our way to the seaport look what we came across!  Henry was pretty excited, but kept asking where the firemen were.  They had a plaque outside the station in remembrance of the men and women from this station that lost their lives back on 9/11.  Their names were also painted on the various firetrucks.

 

 

We arrived at the seaport and I captured Henry's reaction to the giant ships.

 

He was pretty excited!

We let him out of his stroller and he had a blast running around.

Big boat, little boy.

 

Love this view of the ships and the skyline.

 

Henry relaxing for .07 seconds and enjoying the view.

 

Pretty.

  

Pirate face.