NYC

Just returning from the BEST vacation ever!  Keep in mind that I usually don't enjoy myself in a city that much…cities normally bring out the paranoia in me, even though I've always appreciated the culture and things to do, (which makes them a necessary evil on occasion) I've never felt terribly relaxed and able to really have a great time.  Cities, as a rule, tend to scare and depress me.  This was completely different, perhaps because I try hard with my boys to not project my fears, maybe because we stayed with awesome friends who are as native as they come, maybe because we had perfect weather and not one single thing went wrong the whole trip, or maybe it was simply the magic of seeing my kids experience The Big Apple for the first time.  They were in absolute awe  and so excited.  Luis planned the perfect itinerary and we did every quintessential New York thing we could think of, somehow without feeling rushed or stressed.  We visited the Museum of Natural History where the dinosaurs and shrunken heads were a highlight, we explored Central Park, climbed all the rocks and checked out all the playgrounds, went to the zoo and watched them feed the penguins, we got totally pruney in Luis and Deb's pool, ate dinner in front of the apartment windows and counted taxis, tried New York pizza, bagels and lox, giant pretzels and everything in between.  We rode the subway all over the place, and the tram across the river, we took the ferry to Staton Island and climbed up in The Statue of Liberty, we watched street performers, we went to an enormous candy store, FAO Schwarz and peed in The Plaza.  We fed carrots to the hansom cab horses, rode the carousel, and slept like rocks every night.  Eli quickly memorized the whole subway route and Ira was a favorite with doormen everywhere.  Elevators and escalators and new sights, sounds, smells abounded.  Thank you, thank you, thank you to our sweet hosts who went above and beyond to make us feel at home, enough so that even worrywart Emily LOVED the city!  The most dreamy trip yet!