The Breadwinner arrived home from Utah on a flight close to midnight on Friday....so the turn around time Saturday morning was a little slow, and we didn't make it into the city (by car) until close to lunchtime. However we had awesome weather and we weren't going to waste it completely. I took a DVD for the girls to watch during the drive- choosing "Sleeping Beauty" so that the story would be fresh in their minds for the play we had booked on Sunday. Boo was very excited to be in the city .
Although traffic going in was heavy, the drive was pleasant enough (no whining) until mid-way through the Lincoln Tunnel when Yum Yum announced that she had to PEE!!!!!
Ordinarily we put a nappy (diaper) on Yum Yum when we are in the car for any long trips because her bladder control is not as good as Boo's. But Yum Yum had refused. I grabbed a pull up "just in case" and put it in the car. So in the Lincoln Tunnel I performed a physically awkward and illegal manouver in a moving car to put a pull up on Yum Yum whilst she remained in her seat. It was a little difficult to ensure a leak proof fit and fortunately the traffic wasn't moving fast. She was still hanging on and refusing to pee when we pulled up ...and she could hold on no longer. SIGH. There was a leak...luckily only minor. So upstairs to change the knickers and blow dry her leggings.
It was just a little after 1pm. Here are some shots of our accomodation... a one bedroom "executive" suite with a sofa bed. The sofa bed from "planet unsleep", the Breadwinner and Bear drew the short straw which is really bad considering the long straw is sleeping with Boo and Yum Yum! Boo and Yum Yum have reached new levels of curiousity about hotel rooms. Thankfully the interest in the room safe was short lived.
This is an executive suite in a Timeshare property. Two bathrooms, a kitchenette, dining and two flat screen TVs. For NYC this is extremely comfortable for a small family. Of course when you use the remote control in one room, it changes the channel on the TV in the other room. And as I said, the sofa bed was in horrendous shape and I did tell the front desk about it later.
We had planned a walk after lunch along the High Line. Bear's first request of the weekend was that she get to eat char siew bao (steamed BBQ pork buns). When looking for somewhere in the Meatpacking District (where the High Line is located) I came across a place called The Dumpling Man. It seemed that this could fit the bill for Saturdays lunch even though char siew bao weren't on the menu, it was close and it sounded promising. This was the first of some not so perfect choices! Our hotel is at 56th so a taxi was in order given that there was no time to waste before hunger induced meltdowns might occur.
On first appearances The Dumpling Man is a tiny hole in the wall. It is cute and the kids were happy enough but only about 10 people can sit down to eat. We could have easily been out of luck if it were in fact considered luck to get a seat. At the counter bench the kids had a good view of the dumplings being prepared and the staff were amiable. The not so good thing was that the dumplings were difficult for the kids to eat out of the very small flimsy plastic "bowls". Drinks were spilled (Yum "May I Spill That For You" Yum is a chronic drink spiller) and dumplings dropped but that was to be expected. Bear, Boo and Yum Yum are enthusiastic dumpling eaters but everything here was just a tad awkward.
And for the adults, the meal was just so so- those dumplings stayed with us for the rest of the afternoon if you know what I mean! So no need to rush back and I wouldn't send anyone there! And a reminder to treat online reviews with a tad more sceptism. We really should have gone to Chinatown.
Also this restaurant was a LONG way from where we wanted to end up... ie the High Line. (Note to self - always check a map and don't rely on a search for "kid friendly restaurants Meatpacking District" to give you the best answer!) It's big positive...it is located in a very colorful neighbourhood..The Bowery. Lots of interesting people out in the spring sunshine. We started the stroll west, Yum Yum and Boo dancing very happily along the sidewalk.
Before long there was a call put out for a stop for ice cream at a Coldstone Creamery. Yum Yum discovered that a mouthful of gummy bears can really slow down the ice cream eating experience. And whilst you are busy chewing and chewing and chewing...your daddy eats your icecream!
After consulting the map again it was decided a taxi was needed. We were dropped at the southern entry to the High Line in Gansevoort St. And it being a truly beautiful Spring Day every other man, woman and child was there too (no dogs allowed). The girls had fun following the old tracks where they are set into the pathways but after about 20 minutes we made a departure and left it to the crowds. I hope to go back sans children and enjoy this walk properly with the Breadwinner.
We exited at Chelsea markets and here it was that I made an even BIGGER mistake. I remembered that I had forgotten the bedtime story book so tried to dash into a book store to pick something up. Sure enough they all insisted on coming with me and then were insisting on choosing the book, and then were insisting that they get two books each and then insisting that it be THIS book. But then Boo said "I need to PEE!!! so off I went at a jog in the direction the French cheese man indicated to join a line that was 50 people long NEXT TO A WATERFALL.
After about 10 minutes commiserating with the others in this slow moving line and rehearsing a desperate plea to get to the front of the queue in my head, a janitor kindly informed us that there were more restrooms at the other end of the markets. Restrooms NEXT to the BOOKSTORE with nobody lined up. Of course. So a bunch of us jogged up that way and it was the truth. NUTS. We went back to the bookstore where Yum Yum had chosen a book and was insisting on another..she then told me that she needed to PEE! Now that I knew where to go that was easily sorted. When I returned the Breadwinner was sitting on the floor in the children's section reading to a happy Boo. Time to go....
And then came the Boo MELTDOWN. Oh lordy lordy lordy . I'll leave it to you to imagine the embarrassment that our inept parenting of this child can cause. Yes- I caved, Fancy Nancy came home with a smug looking Boo. And exit quickly stage right
Chelsea Markets BTW way has a lot of yummy places to eat (including an oyster bar), awesome cupcakes and some cool looking clothing stores. The ice cream is popular and most exciting of all....they are opening an Anthropologie there!
We popped into the Subway... the girls were quite interested in the whole experience. This whimsical sculpture was intriguing. It is a work by Tom Otterness, seeking out the remainder of his installation will be on my to do list next time we hit that Subway Station. Public art in NYC is something that could occupy me for months!
Dinner was at Sushiya. I didn't take my camera, being somewhat all photo'd out! It was a good, tasty and healthy meal and walking distance from our hotel. Once back we settled in after a shower, to read the new books. Boo and Yum Yum fell asleep quite quickly. In the other room there was a war with the sofabed.
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