I still remember what I was doing on the morning of September 11, 2001. I think we all do. Recently I had an opportunity to visit the National September 11th Memorial and I brought my two young boys. My older son, knows about 9/11 although not in-depth. We didn’t say much to my little one, but he could still sense that this was a place of quiet reflection and sadness. The museum is recommended for ages 10 and up, so we made the decision not to visit the museum with the kids though I am sure it is worthwhile.
Reflecting pool and waterfall. There are two.
The outdoor reflecting pools and waterfalls are surrounded by panels engraved with the names of all those who lost their lives at Ground Zero, the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania. It is a beautiful and moving tribute worth taking the time to see. I’ve included some information from the official website.
The National September 11 Memorial is a tribute of remembrance and honor to the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terror attacks of September 11, 2001 at the World Trade Center site, near Shanksville, Pa., and at the Pentagon, as well as the six people killed in the World Trade Center bombing in February 1993.
The Memorial’s twin reflecting pools are each nearly an acre in size and feature the largest manmade waterfalls in the North America. The pools sit within the footprints where the Twin Towers once stood.
The names of every person who died in the 2001 and 1993 attacks are inscribed into bronze panels edging the Memorial pools, a powerful reminder of the largest loss of life resulting from a foreign attack on American soil and the greatest single loss of rescue personnel in American history.
The Memorial is surrounded by beautiful gardens and many new buildings, the tallest of which is called the Freedom Tower. It stands at 1,776 feet which is taller than the original Twin Towers. It dominates the skyline and is quite an impressive site.
Looking for somewhere to take your family that appeals to all ages? Consider Chicago, its home to world class museums, amazing architecture, fun parks and fantastic shopping! I’ve been there countless times, and it never gets old! You might think that because I’ve been so many times I would just forgo the usual sites and visit just one or two… Nope, we did our best to fit it ALL in! Are you ready!?
Day One
Take a walk down the Magnificent Mile, a 13 block stretch of North Michigan Avenue that runs from the Chicago River to Oak Street. Shopping, restaurants, and world famous landmarks line both sides of the street! The John Hancock Center, The Historic Water Tower and the Tribune Tower to name just a few.
The Tribune Tower
The Tribune Tower is of particular interest to me because because of the stones from famous landmarks around the world, which are embedded in the facade! We used to stop here when I was a little girl and I remember looking at all the stones, but I had never been to any of the places. This time when I went back I had been to many of the places!
Who knows maybe that’s what helped to spark my love of travel? Oh, and there is a Dylan’s Candy Bar located on the ground floor so if you’re in need of a break from all the walking, you’re in luck, or at least the kids are!
Millennium Park
Keep walking along Michigan Avenue and cross the Chicago River and you’ll come to Millennium Park. This is a wonderful place especially on a warm spring or summer day! You’ll find many activities of interest to the entire family here including, concerts, gardens, art and architecture, water splash fountains for the kids to play in, tours and more!
A park favorite is the Cloud Gate Statue sometimes referrd to as The Bean. It’s quite a marvel and we all love looking into it and at it! Millennium Park is a true oasis in the middle of the city.
The Art Institute
Just south of the park on the same road you’ll find the Art Institute of Chicago, a definite must-see. The building is beautiful with giant iconic lions perched out front.
The museum is filled with many iconic works of art, Nighthawks by Edward Hopper, American Gothic by Grant Wood, A Sunday on La Grande Jatte by Georges Seurat and many more! Before he lost interest, it had been a pretty long day, Elliot was quite excited to recognize a Vincent Van Gogh painting he had studied in his after school art class!
My saving grace with Elliot were the Thorne Miniature Rooms. There are 68 miniature rooms each one set inside a small glass window. They are all constructed on a scale of one inch to one foot with every single detail created perfectly. Like tiny little doll houses but without the dolls. We all loved this and it was a perfect way to end our visit!
Buckingham Fountain
Buckingham Fountain located about a 10 minute walk from The Art Institute in Grant Park, is another favorite. The fountain is lit up at night on most evenings, and I recently learned that it is one of the largest fountains in the world! Beautiful!
Day Two
Just two miles south from the downtown area, and you’ll find the Museum Campus, a large park, which sits on the shores of Lake Michgan, and is home to three of Chicago’s most popular science museums: The Field Museum of Natural History, The John G. Shedd Aquarium, and The Adler Planetarium. They are not only world renowned institutions, but they are housed in incredibly iconic buildings impressive in their own right.
The Field Museum
I’ve been visiting the Field Museum since I was a little girl and I never get tired of it! I love that I’m lucky enough to share my joy of this special place with my own children. The Field Museum is a magical place with three giant floors each full of countless wonders. Upon entering the museum you’ll be standing inside Stanley Hall which is two stories high and the length of the building!
The Shedd Aquarium
The Shedd Aquarium is high on our Aquarium list! There are many unique creatures here and many wonderful exhibits showcasing different types of habitats from around the world.
My son’s favorite aquarium specimen
This is another place we’ve all been enjoying since we were young and we have definite favorites here too! High on our list are the Beluga whales, the penguins, the Caribbean Reef, the snapping turtle.
The building’s architecture is incredibly grand and even the chandeliers have an aquatic theme! They just don’t make them like this anymore! The front of the building has been named a national historic landmark!
Day Three
I’ve saved the best for last!
The Museum of Science and Industry
The Museum of Science and Industry is one of my all time favorite museums! It opened its doors in 1933 and is the largest science museum in the Western Hemisphere, which means you’ll want to allow a lot of time here.
This place is magical! Really! While the other places we visited are spectacular in their own right, they don’t allow for much other than looking, observing and reading. The Museum of Science and Industry is a place where you learn by DOING! Yep! You get to touch almost everything! There are levers to pull and buttons to push, you can make storms and tsunamis, do experiments, create a toy top and watch it go down the assembly line, tour a real submarine from WWII, go into a coal mine, learn about genetics by visiting the baby chicks, climb aboard farming equipment, and visit Colleen Moore’s Fairytale Castle… just to name a few!
Are you interested in ships, trains, or space? It’s here! How about bicycles, airplanes and the human body? Yep, it’s all here too! They have live demonstrations, special exhibits and so much more!
My must-see exhibits are: The U-505 Submarine, Colleen Moore’s Fairytale Castle, Science Storms, The Great Train Story and the current special exhibit. On our last visit the special exhibit was Numbers in Nature and it involved a mirrored maze which Elliot lead us through!
Science Storms Exhibit
Farm Science
Colleen Moore’s Dollhouse
Baby Chicks in the Genetics Exhibit
We love to have our photo taken at the old fashioned photo studio and have tried to take one every visit for the past 13 years!
I just can’t say enough about how great this place is. We’ve never been able to see everything we wanted to see before the closing announcement came over the loudspeaker. It’s just that great!
The Drake Hotel
Although there are many great places to stay in Downtown Chicago on this trip we chose The Drake Hotel located at the end of the Magnificent Mile. Not only is it on the National Historic Register, but my parents got married there 52 YEARS ago on the 4th of July! I thought it might be fun for them to revisit the place where they got married all these years later!
I alerted the hotel to our special occasion! There was a bottle of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries waiting for my parents when they entered their room! What a nice touch!
Tips & Advice:
Chicago has a City Pass which includes many of the attractions mentioned in this article. If you think you might visit more than one of them it’s absolutely worth it!
You can grab a quick bite on the go in Millennium Park, or there are sit down restaurants.
When visiting the Art Insitute DON’T climb on the lions, even for a quick photo! If you do be prepared for a loud roar followed by an even louder voice telling you to get off of the lions.
Don’t miss the Modern Wing which has a stunning view of the Millennium Park Band Shell.
If you have limited time pick up a brochure with a list of the top must-see items in the Art Institute and where to find them. The Museum is open late on Thursday evenings.
Buckingham Fountain’s light and music show takes place most evenings for 20 minutes every hour on the hour.
I highly recommend purchasing tickets or your City Pass to all of these places online prior to arrival online before you arrive. The lines are very long!.
The MSI is located in Hyde Park about six miles from The Field Museum.
All of the museums have multiple food options in all price ranges. The MSI has an old time ice cream parlor
The Drake Hotel offers “family” rooms with two complete bathrooms which makes for a smooth morning routine.
The very laid back beach city of Santa Cruz is located about 75 miles from San Francisco and is definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area. It’s got great beaches, an amusement park, a vibrant downtown and friendly people!
Seabright Beach located just off of East Cliff Drive is part of the Twin Lakes State Beach and is your perfect beach stereotype! There are brightly colored beach umbrellas as far as the eye can see. Families can set up camp in the morning and stay all day picnicking, boogie boarding, swimming and more. I’ve been lucky enough to see dolphins, seals and even an otter from my beach chair! The beach is open until 10 pm and bonfires are permitted. During summer days there are lifeguards and there are restrooms as well.
Beach on the Boardwalk Side
Parking is very limited and dogs are allowed on the beaches, which I’m not crazy about. However it’s definitely less crowded than the beach on the other side of San Lorenzo point, which is also the location of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
Harbor and Seabright Lighthouse
If you don’t feel like picnicking or eating at the Boardwalk there are restaurants located at the Santa Cruz Harbor. It’s located on the far end of Seabright Beach. All you have to do is walk to the Seabright lighthouse and take a left. We ate at Aldo’s which has a perfect view of the boats coming in and out of the harbor, decent food and great service! Oh and we saw a seal swimming around in the harbor as well!
If you are familiar with the 1980s movie The Lost Boys you might be interested to know that most of it was filmed in and around Santa Cruz and especially the Boardwalk area! The Boardwalk is open from around 11 am to 11 pm, but hours vary so you’ll want to check before going. There are some winter hours, but they are quite limited. My older son and his friends have summer passes and are happy to go alone.
Above Seabright Beach on East Cliff Drive is the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History! It was the first public museum in Santa Cruz and is over 100 years old. How cool is that?! Its open everyday except Monday and while I haven’t had a chance to peek inside yet, it’s definitely high on my list of things to do next time I visit the area.
Pacific Avenue is the main street in downtown Santa Cruz and it has a lot of great shops to poke around in! There are also some neat candy stores, cafes and a few restaurants worth checking out! We went while the older kids were at the boardwalk and were free to wander and shop without complaint! Here are a few of my old and new favorite places to stop and do a little shopping.
Wallflower a tiny little clothing accessory boutique is on Locust Avenue just off of Pacific. The prices are right and the sales staff is very friendly. I ended up with a new scarf and some really fun handmade necklaces! One of them is a tiny little harmonica that really plays!
Flip Flop just as you would imagine from the name this place has just about every brand and style of flip flop sandal you can imagine for men, women and children!
Sock Shop and Shoe Company this shop has every single sock you can ever imagine and then some. There are even superhero socks with capes! My boys like this shop a lot and we always pick up at least a few pairs each.
Stripe for both women and men are clothing/home shops located just off of Pacific on Walnut Street. They are two doors away from each other and both are decorated beautifully and creatively. I usually find a something fun to bring home. Last time I ended up bring home some borosilicate juice glasses with little stars etched into them and a tiny wooden spoon!
Verve coffee is a trendy small coffee chain with three locations in the Bay Area and one in downtown Los Angeles. The decor is very industrial and current with especially interesting light fixtures! While the coffee was good, It was the cookies they were selling that I loved! They’re made by a woman named Mary from Aptos. They’re the size of a small plate and they taste divine! I tried two Marshmallow and Carmel Pretzel. She makes 12 dozen a week and double that in the summer! They also sell a variety of other baked good and Elliot especially liked the vegan chocolate donut.
Each time we visit downtown Santa Cruz we have to eat at El Palomar Mexican Restaurant! It’s right on Pacific Avenue in the Palomar Inn. They have the most amazing tortilla chips I’ve ever eaten. The tortilla soup and sopes are also delicious!
Tramonti Pizza on Seabright Avenue is another favorite Santa Cruz spot. It’s a friendly neighborhood kind of place and the food is very authentic
A few things to consider before heading to the beach in the Bay Area. The weather along the coast in Northern California can be unpredictable and it is often fogged and in and chilly while the inland areas are sunny and hot, so it’s always a good idea to check the coastal weather before heading over! If you do find that it’s sunny and warm on the coast, then be prepared for some traffic heading over!
Seabright Lighthouse
Surfing
Skim Boarding
Boggie Boarding
Sailing
Playing in the Sand
The Boardwalk
Panorama from San Lorenzo Point
Circle Scarf from Wallflower Boutique
Necklaces from Wallflower Boutique
Verve Coffee and Mary’s Cookies
Carmel Pretzel Heaven
Vegan Donut at Verve
Fisherman’s Platter at Aldo’s In the Harbor
Fish & Chips at Aldos
Tortilla Soup at El Palomar
Fish Tacos El Palomar
Sopes w/Shredded Beef
Margarita!
Kids Menu at El Palomar
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If you’ve never been it’s just got to be on your itinerary! Now, I know some might disagree with me, but according to Travel and Leisure, Times Square is the #3 tourist destination in the WORLD with annual visitors of 50,000,000! There’s a reason for that!
Yes, It’s crowded and yes, it’s loud and chaotic, but it’s also fantastic, exciting, and a true spectacle worth witnessing! With the flashing lights and neon on all sides, Broadway shows, the neon, the many costumed characters and I mean “characters”, the neon, and did I mention the NEON, it’s no wonder that it’s such a popular destination! Even the subway stations are lit up! It’s so bright you can see the glow well before you actually arrive!
Photo credit TDF.org
A lot of the area is pedestrian friendly and there is an outdoor seating area where you can sit and take in the scene or eat a slice from one of the many pizza spots. Over on the 47th Street side is where you’ll find the famous ticket booth, TKTS, where you can purchase same day discounted tickets for Broadway and Off Broadway shows. You’ll find it under a giant red staircase, bleachers if you will, where people can congregate and enjoy the view. If you climb to the top step it’s a great photo opportunity! Keep in mind tickets for matinees are sold in the morning and evening performances are sold in the afternoon. Check the board for available shows.
Times Square is a great place for kids! When asked which sites they were most interested in seeing while in New York, both boys mentioned Times Square. M&Ms World, The Hershey’s Chocolate World Store, Toys R Us and The Disney Store are just some of the big name stores you’ll find! The Toys R Us has its own Ferris wheel, inside!
Elliot was especially interested in visiting M&Ms World which is an experience all in itself! Open from 9 am to Midnight every day of the week its jam packed with people! You’ll also find every color and type of M&M you’ve ever heard of, and many you haven’t. Want to make your own mix of colors and flavors? You can! Want to personalize your M&Ms, you can do that too! Maybe you need an M&M lunch box, backpack, or beach towel? They have them! Also, pjs, toys, t-shirts and pretty much everything else you can think up! After buying about 27 pounds of M&Ms we escaped… to Hershey’s Chocolate World! Can anyone say stomach ache?
Times Square has no shortage of hotels in all price ranges and most of the larger chains are represented. While it’s not my personal favorite part of town to stay, its pretty loud all night long, I recently stayed at the Westin Times Square and you can read my thoughts in my New York! An Overview…post.
If you’re planning a trip to the theater while in New York you’ll end up in Times Square, but I highly recommend a night time visit!
Speaking of the theater… I’ve seen Disney’s The Lion King on Broadway twice and it was well worth it! The first time when visiting last October and again this past visit with my folks and the boys! While tickets are on the expensive side, I would recommend sitting on the main floor and trying to sit in the aisle. The show features some neat surprises and they are best seen from the aisle seats.
This was Elliot’s first musical and I’m glad I waited until he was just about 7. When entering the theater he said, “No need to go, I already know what happens in this story, let’s go do something else.” Uh Oh! He was skeptical, but ended up loving it, both boys did! There are booster seats available and snacks and beverages are allowed in the theater. Adult beverages too! I will say there really aren’t enough bathrooms for the volume of people attending, but if you get there a little early there should be enough time!
There are other kid friendly shows currently playing on Broadway, Aladdin and Mathilda being two of them. We saw Aladdin a few years ago in Seattle and really liked it, but we liked Lion King more. Mathilda is coming to our area soon and we plan on seeing it here, so decided to skip it in New York.
The High Line is a public park built on a historic freight rail line elevated above the streets on Manhattan’s West Side. It’s incredibly Unique! It runs between West 34th Street and Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District between 10th and 12th avenues. It’s owned by the City of New York and operated by both Friends of the High Line and the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation.
The High Line
The High Line opened to the public in 2009, of course just after we moved away from the area, and is in my opinion a must-see when visiting New York! It offers great views, beautiful gardens, interesting art, tours, quite a few food choices, and many lovely places to sit and relax. Although it is elevated there are railings on both sides and the pathways are surprisingly wide. Considering that I am a self labeled Over Protective Mother these are very important points for me!!
The HIgh Line
I’ve visited both in the daytime and at night, its open until 11 pm in the summer time, and loved it both times! On this most recent visit we found ourselves in the park at night and even the boys, who I admit can occasionally get tired of our desire to wander endlessly, really enjoyed it! We started on the Gansevoort side as we were already in the area for dinner. A great way to add a little something to an already lovely evening and as a bonus we had great views of the Empire State Building which was all lit up for the 4th of July!
My idea of a perfect New York outing would be to start with a High Line journey at the West 34th Street entrance and then wander along until the very end of the line which puts you right at the entrance to the new Whitney Museum of American Art. If you’re not with kids I would also suggest that there are many lovely shops and galleries to visit in this area as well. Dinner or a drink at any of the wonderful restaurants or bars in the very trendy Meatpacking District would top it off!
Lots of lovely art along the lineHighline.org Image
There is no shortage of places to eat in The Big Apple and that’s why this post won’t be on the shorter side. ha! I read that there are upwards of 24,000 different choices! So there is literally something for every taste or dietary restriction you can think up and every budget too! A friend of mine who lives there once said she was attempting never eating at the same place twice and honestly with that many choices it’s possible!!
Sitting down to breakfast or a long lunch isn’t really a priority for me, especially if I have limited time in a city, so It’s usually coffee to go and pastries and milks for the kids. We save our big meals for dinner and during the day there are many options in New York for on the go eating!
Everywhere!
Pizza
New York is known for pizza and the first thing I like to do each visit is head out for a slice. No matter the time of day or night as there are many places that stay open late or even all night. The main choice is cheese, but if you must have toppings you can find them. Sausage would be my second choice. Many spots are small or just walk ups where you grab a slice to go and they are as little as $.99! Everyone has their way to eat it, but I like to fold mine in half so the grease can run out and then eat it like a sandwich. Be careful it’s SUPER hot!
Hot Dog Carts
Another option, and you’ll see them everywhere, are hot dog carts! At $4, it’s not the bargain price of a slice, but still not too shabby! Just like pizza there are certain expectations about how to eat your hot dog and putting ketchup on it is a New York no no, it’s not okay in Chicago either! If you don’t mind the possibility of being teased a bit I’ve noticed a lot of the carts are now offering ketchup along with the standard yellow mustard! A perfect lunch or snack between sights, just grab a dog and eat it on the go…
Flatiron District
Eataly
On our last night in town we ate at Eataly located just across the street from Madison Square Park and right next to the Flatiron Building. It’s a very unique place, which is a sort of farmers market meets Italian grocery store meets cafe with seven gourmet restaurants all throughout.
Each of the restaurants specialize in a certain food type and they are all sit down, so you can’t grab something from this place and that place and then meet in the middle. I’ve had the opportunity to try three of the restaurants. La Pizza & La Pasta, Il Pesce, and La Piazza. All three were incredible and I can’t wait to go back and try the other four places!
Cheese Market
Pasta etc!
Fresh Pasta!
The Butcher
Il Pesce
Il Pesce
La Pizza & La Pasta
La Piazza
La Piazza
Too short to stand at the counter…
I would keep in mind that because Eataly is incredibly popular it can be difficult to get a table, so it’s a good idea to arrive before you’re already famished and put your name in for a table. We decided to have appetizers at La Piazza, which offers first come first serve tables, while we waited. If you let them know your plans the servers from the different restaurant options work together to make sure you’re alerted when your table is ready. Nice!
Shake Shack
Shake Shack is located inside Madison Square Park and is famous for it’s burgers. Apparently the line can stretch around the entire park at lunchtime! Based on the smell I am definitely stopping here for a full meal on our next visit! We stopped here for frozen custard after Eataly and it was delicious. I just loved the atmosphere here. A beautiful park setting on a warm New York night made complete with twinkling lights overhead!
Meatpacking District
Cosmos!
The Standard Grill and the Standard Plaza are located in the Standard Hotel and both are great people watching spots! I’ve enjoyed multiple meals here including lunch, dinner, and drinks at the Grill bar.
Most recently the boys, Grammie and I enjoyed appetizers and wine in the Standard Plaza and it was a great spot to take a break from all those fun Meatpacking shops!
Mini Chefs
Valbella was one of our nicer choices this trip. and the perfect place to celebrate my birthday! The cuisine is Italian and both the service and the food were perfect! As a special treat the boys and I were invited to help the pastry chef prepare a birthday desert and it was so fun! Reservations are required.
Complimentary Appetizer
Filet on the bone
Scallops
Pastry Cream
Nice work!
The Gansevoort Market opened in October 2014, and is just around the corner from the Standard Hotel. While the restaurants I mentioned above are all on the higher end this market is much more reasonably priced. It’s basically a gourmet food court with many choices! Something for everyone! Some of us had crepes while others had pizza and other BBQ.
Curtis Kulig
There is a lovely seating area and its first come first serve. There are also decent restrooms here. Always good to know where their might be a place to stop, especially when traveling with the kids!
The Chelsea Market, also located in the Meatpacking district, and just across the street from the Google offices is a fantastic place to visit if you can just brave the crowds! It’s so popular! It is also home to the famous and very tasty Eleni’s Cookies! Here is the official description from their website.
A block long and a block wide and just a short walk from the Hudson River in the area of Manhattan known as the Meatpacking District, Chelsea Market has become in just fifteen years one of the greatest indoor food halls of the world, with more than thirty-five vendors purveying everything from soup to nuts, wine to coffee, cheese to cheesecake. Attracting 6 million national and international visitors annually, it is one of the most trafficked, and written-about, destinations of any kind in New York City. Chelsea Market is a neighborhood market with a global perspective.
Halloween Time
Amazing Pumpkins
Cool decor
Cookies to go!
Cookies for now…
SoHo
Balthazar is a traditional French bistro and it’s been around since 1997! The food was great as was the service! Keep in mind it’s very popular so reservations are a must.
The Balthazar Bakery is right next door and serves great sandwiches and dessert items! We stopped here a few days later while shopping and I had my favorite Jambon with butter on a baguette! To go of course!
Steak Frites
Jambon with Butter
The 50th Anniversary Dinner
Emoji Cookies
Dean & Deluca has been in this SoHo spot since 1977 and if you’ve never been you should definitely stop in for a peek around and a snack! They sell the best of the best from all around the city as well as fresh produce and some grocery items too! There are no tables, but there are some stand up counters or you can just eat while you wander around looking at all the wonderful food items!
NoHo District
Lafayette Grand Cafe and Bakery located on Lafayette and Great Jones streets is another French style restaurant. Corrie and I ate here and we really enjoyed the atmosphere, food and wine! Reservations are required.
Lower Eastside
Katz’s Delicatessen is a New York institution and has been around for 127 years! I highly recommend trying it at least once! It’s famous for its deli food as well as for being in the movie When Harry Met Sally. There are many things worth eating here, homemade hot dogs, coleslaw, the pickles and strangely even the cheeseburger, but the thing you go here for is the pastrami on rye!! It’s GIANT! If you’re not a big eater I suggest sharing. Mom and I shared and neither of us could finish our halves.
Pastrami on Rye
Don’t lose this ticket!
The walls are lined with photos. We sat by Thor!
Sammy’s Romanian is what I would call a real experience. And while we did enjoy ourselves quite a bit, I’m not sure it’s one I need to have again. The pros were that the skirt steak I had there was up there with some of the best I’ve ever eaten, The egg creams were big and frothy, the entertainment was super kooky but fun, and the people were friendly.
The cons were that it was overpriced, located in a smelly basement and unless you’re very hungry it’s too much food which we ended up having to throw out due to our staying in a hotel. It’s been around a VERY long time and there is definitely something to be said for that, but I’m not sure what it is.
Schmaltz in a syrup jar.
Making the Egg Creams
Lots of chocolate!
mmmm…
Grammie and Simon
Rare photo of all the guys!
The Backroom Bar is of course a place you’ll want to visit if you’re without the kids, but I highly recommend getting there if you can! Out for an after dinner walk around the Lower East Side we had no idea Tim had a destination in mind. When he disappeared down an old staircase into a dimly lit hallway or alley of sorts my parents and I weren’t sure what to do, so we just waited… a few moments later he came back and asked, “What are you waiting for, come on!”
The Backroom Bar
After walking a few steps and avoiding a few puddles you come to the other side where there is another staircase leading to a secret entrance complete with doorman and peephole. It all makes complete sense once you get inside, after all it was a speakeasy and it shouldn’t be easy to find! I had a French 75 and it was served in a dainty white teacup while Tim’s beer was served in a coffee mug. Even mom’s diet coke was served in a teacup! Here is the official about from their website.
The Back Room is one of only two speakeasies in New York City that operated during Prohibition and is still in existence today. It is a timeless example of the underbelly of New York past. The original 1920’s speakeasy, known simply as “The Back of Ratner’s,” played host to many theater and movie actors of the “Roaring Twenties,” as well as famous gangsters of the era. These gangsters included Bugsy Siegel, Lucky Luciano and Meyer Lansky. They were known to use the space for “business meetings.”
Cheers!
Tribeca
We discovered Kaffe 1668 while wandering through Tribeca one afternoon. We only had time for a coffee, but they serve breakfast and lunch as well.
The vibe and decor were great. I wish we would have had more time to explore the neighborhood as there were a lot of neat shops and good looking restaurants. I would definitely stop in here again and they have multiple locations throughout the city.
Bonus: Hoboken, NJ
Now I know this isn’t exactly located in New York, but I just have to mention Benny Tudino’s located just across the river in Hoboken, New Jersey! Simon and I discovered it when wandering around one snowy day and it’s been our favorite ever since.
Benny Tudino’s
The slices are HUGE, fresh and cheap! They’re probably the equivalent to three slices anywhere else, and back when we first started going there in 2007 they were $1.75. The place has been around forever and it’s not fancy, but if you’re feeling a like a quick trip on the Path Train over to Hoboken, also home to the Cake Boss’s bakery, it’s definitely worth checking out!
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New York is up there as one of the greatest museum cities in the world! The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Guggenheim, The Whitney, the American Museum of Natural History and the list goes on and on. There are so many museums worth seeing that picking which ones to see during each visit is always a tough decision.
Temple of Dendur
On our last trip we visited The Metropolitan Museum of Art on the Upper East Side, the new Whitney Museum in the Meat Packing District and the American Museum of Natural History on the Upper West Side. We had limited time so we choose to see highlights of each one.
The Guggenheim Museum
During a previous visit I also made a quick stop at the Guggenheim as it’s such an iconic building. Unfortunately I didn’t have time to go inside as I had only two full days in the city, but just seeing the incredible architecture from the outside is an experience. It’s a fabulous museum and if we’d had more time its high on my list!
While a person could spend hours or even days wandering inside The Metropolitan Museum of Art we had a long list of “must-sees” on this trip, so we picked a few highlights. We chose two of my personal favorites, The Temple of Dendur and The Costume Institute Exhibition. No matter how long I give myself I always wish I had more time…
Located inside the Egyptian exhibition is the Temple of Dendur gallery, which has floor to ceiling windows overlooking Central Park. The Temple dates from 10 B.C. and was given to the United States by Egypt. It has been in The Metropolitan Museum of Art since 1967. I still remember the first time I walked into the room where it is displayed.
Selfie with Auntie
There are many other wonderful things to see as well!
The tagline of this Blog is Travel, Fashion and Fun, so it shouldn’t be any surprise that my other favorite gallery to visit while at The Met is the Costume Institute. The exhibitions in this gallery are revolving and at times it is closed for new installations but we lucked out on this visit because it was open!
The exhibition we saw was called, China: Through the Looking Glass and it was SPECTACULAR! Everyone in our group loved this exhibit even my 6 year old and 12 year old boys. Most of the galleries didn’t allow photography so I don’t have many photos. If you find yourself in New York be sure to check and see if the Costume Institute is open. Here is the official museum text which explains the exhibit.
“This exhibition explores the impact of Chinese aesthetics on Western fashion and how China has fueled the fashionable imagination for centuries. In this collaboration between The Costume Institute and the Department of Asian Art, high fashion is juxtaposed with Chinese costumes, paintings, porcelains, and other art, including films, to reveal enchanting reflections of Chinese imagery.”
Chinese thread for sale in the gift shop
“China” inspired
Entering the Exhibit
every room more amazing then the next…
AMAZING!
Yes Please!
media screens in the exhibit
The American Museum of Natural History, otherwise known as the Night at the Museum museum, was high on everyone’s list this trip and especially the kids! My Simon could spend days inside and wants to read every single word in every single exhibit! Of course we didn’t have time for that, so we settled on hitting some of the most popular permanent exhibits and two special exhibits. We let the kids choose which ones.
The truth is that while the special exhibitions can be fun to see, they do cost extra and the museum has so many amazing permanent exhibits it’s not really necessary. We ended up not really having enough time and felt like we were running through a bit. I would suggest no less than half a day at this museum.
This a big museum with a lot of twist and turns and it’s easy to get lost inside, even if you’ve been multiple times. Insert sheepish grin here… During this visit I discovered their fantastic app called Explorer! It’s great for not only giving you insight into each exhibit, but also guides you to each location. Once we downloaded the app we walked right to everything with no problem! We decided to try and locate some of the items from the Night at the Museum movies and found out the museum offers a Night at the Museum Tour that looks like fun. We found “Rexie”, the whale and squid and possibly “Dexter” the monkey!
The subway goes right to the American Museum of Natural History and as I mentioned in my New York! Overview! post the stations often reflect the area around where they are located. This one has so much incredible art and even fossils! The minute you get off the train you’re excited to see what’s next!
The Main Hall on Fl. 2
cute!
1,400 years of history!
Dexter?
Subway art
Hall of Ocean Life
Life at the Limits Exhibit
The Whitney Museum of American Art is located in the Meat Packing District, and the entrance to the building is located just at the end of the fabulous High Line Park, which would be a perfect end or beginning to your visit at the Whitney!
Can you believe this amazing photograph is really a DRAWING!
The kids and Tim spent quite a few hours there with friends while mom and I went shopping at some of the nearby stores. Priorities, right?! We joined them at the end just before the museum closed and I must admit I’m anxious to get back and see the rest. I think it will be my first stop on our next NY visit! The photo is of a piece by artist Chuck Close and it’s just one of the many amazing art pieces in this museum. The Whitney is open until 10 pm on weekends during the summer and it’s such a beautiful setting I think I would like to start my visit around 5pm and end it watching the sunset from one of the museum’s balconies! There are also some great spots to eat in the Meat Packing District, but I’ll save that for another post…
One of the absolute best cities in the world! Every time I start thinking that maybe I’m tired of it or that it’s lost its charm I go back for another visit and fall in love all over again!
Icons of New York. Grand Central, The Chrysler Building and a hot dog stand!
I’ve been visiting New York since I was 17 and even lived 30 minutes away for a full year and although I have my favorite go to places it never fails to amaze me how this city can feel so new and like home all at the same time. The sights, sounds, smells I love it all!
This particular trip was a special occasion as we went with our extended family to celebrate my parent’s 50th wedding anniversary! I thought it might be fun if everyone wrote down their top 5 New York “must-sees” and we would go from there. Suddenly five full days, one evening, and a half day didn’t seem like much time at all! How would we fit it all in!? Although we didn’t get to everything on the list we did get quite a lot accomplished!
We went Uptown, Downtown and Midtown. We went to the Lower East Side, the Upper West Side and everywhere in between. We saw the American Museum of Natural History, the Central Park Zoo, The Whitney Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Neue Gallery. We shopped and ate in the Meatpacking District, SoHo, Chelsea and the Lower East Side. We ate pizza and saw a Broadway show in Times Square! We took two boat rides and visited both Liberty Island and Ellis Island! We walked the High Line and wandered Central Park. Some of us walked across the Brooklyn Bridge while others visited the 911 Memorial. It was a whirlwind of a trip and a fabulous time!
Here are some of my thoughts about getting here and around.
Arrival
When traveling to New York there are three different airports to choose from. Newark, JFK and LaGuardia. JFK is about an hour out from Manhattan and the others are about 30 – 40 minutes. There are many ways to get into the city from each airport. I find the easiest way is to just jump in a taxi, but it’s not the least expensive. Their are shuttle busses with round trip fares available and limousines too.
Getting around in Manhattan
Taxi! Uber, Subway, and walking… There are many ways to get around the island of Manhattan and all are good. If you ask my little guy he’ll choose TAXI! every time. He’s the only almost 7 year old I know who has been hailing cabs since he was three years old! He’s constantly putting his hand up and waving them down. Thankfully, they don’t seem to stop for small children, either that or they just don’t see him down there. 😉
Taxi!
Just like in the movies you can look down the street and you will see a literal sea of yellow cabs. The only problem is getting one to stop! You’ll notice there is a light on the top of the cabs. The trick is figuring out what the different light combinations mean. Here are some helpful hints:
When just the center is lit highlighting the medallion number the cab is available.
When the medallion number and the side lamps are lit the cab is off duty.
When the lights are dark it means the cab has a fare already.
It can be especially difficult if you’re trying to hail a taxi in the rain, late at night or when an event has just gotten out.
Uber
During my October visit we used Uber quite a bit and often found it easier and more reliable then standing around trying to hail a taxi. I suppose it depends on where you are and what time of day. You’ll need to download the Uber app before you can use it. Once you’re all set up it’s as simple as “calling” the car. No need to pull out your wallet or figure out the tip.
Subway
This past visit we all purchased 7 day unlimited ride Metro cards for $31 each and that worked great as well. I downloaded the MTA Subway App and it’s fantastic for route planning and finding out about any changes or outages at the different stations. I entered in our destination and current location and my Apple Map would then switch me directly to the MTA Subway app with directions for which stations and detailed instructions. The subways, can be HOT, loud, and crowded. However, they are surprisingly clean in both the stations and the cars themselves.
All of the subway stations are unique and a lot of them have wonderful art on the walls. You’ll often find people singing and playing instruments in the subways as well. Sometimes you’ll find people dancing on the subway cars and we saw quite a few people panhandling while riding. You might find that taking the local train during rush hour is a better choice than the express. Especially if you’re traveling with kids.
Walking
If it’s not too brutally hot or too bitterly cold there is always the option of walking from place to place! There is no street in NYC that doesn’t have something of interest on it and often I’ll find that I’ve walked miles before I even realize it.
Hotels
My past two visits found me staying in Midtown. This wouldn’t be my first choice of neighborhood, but it worked for our group. I’ve also stayed at the SoHo Grand and it was lovely, but the rooms are very small. Most New York hotel rooms are and if you’re traveling with a family you’ll want to make sure that the room offers two beds.
This most recent trip we stayed at the Grand Hyatt on 42nd and Park and overall it was really nice. It’s located within walking distance to both Rockefeller Center and Times Square and is attached to Grand Central Station, so it’s easy to get everywhere! There is a cute little convenience spot called The Market in the lobby where you can pick up snacks, drinks and most importantly coffee!
New Orleans, Louisiana, is, in my opinion, the most unique city in America, and it’s also a favorite of mine! There is something so special about it and I always feel so at home there. Wandering with no particular destination in mind just enjoying the atmosphere is my perfect day.
My very first stop each and every visit and my favorite place to go in NOLA is Cafe Du Monde! NO trip to NOLA would be complete without a stop here, it’s an institution! You’ll find Cafe Du Monde across the street from the St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square park. There is no substitution!
The St. Louis Cathedral is the oldest Catholic cathedral In America. There are many great places to explore in New Orleans, The French Quarter, The Warehouse District, Magazine Street (six miles of shopping!), and the Garden District to name just a few. I can count on a completely different experience each and every time I visit! In a city as diverse as NOLA there are many choices, but here are some of my favorite things to do with and without the kids when I visit the Crescent City.
RESTAURANTS
Careful of all that powdered sugar! Best to eat downwind!
As I mentioned above Cafe Du Monde is probably my favorite place in NOLA. It’s open 24 hours a day every day of the year except Christmas and, as their website mentions, when the occasional hurricane passes too close. You can get three beignets and a cup of coffee for under $5! They are served hot and with about a cup of powdered sugar on top! It’s not a full day in NOLA without a trip to Cafe Du Monde. There is always a line for both indoor seating and the to go window, but if you’re not in a hurry it’s kind of fun to sit down and get table service. Otherwise the take out window line moves fairly quickly and you can see a trail of sugar leading away from the place in all directions!
The Acme Oyster House is sooooo good and although there is almost always a line to get in you can drink hurricanes outside while waiting! The shrimp po boys are great but I had the “10 napkin roast beef” and it was to die for! You’ll definitely need those 10 napkins and probably a few more! By the way this place isn’t just for tourists the locals love it too!
We discovered District: Donuts, sliders and Brew while walking on Magazine Street one afternoon and we loved it! We make sure to hit this spot each and every visit!
Mothers Restaurant is an institution and has been around since 1938. They are famous for their Ferdi Special a sandwich with debris, which are the little bits of meat that fall off during cooking. There are always long lines here and it’s not just tourists, but locals too!
Commanders Palace, located in the Garden District, is definitely worth a visit! I had the Sunday Jazz brunch here and it was a real experience! From the truly southern welcome when we walked in to the balloon bouquets on each table to the three piece band to the turtle soup. Plan ahead for this one, you’ll need reservations. If you have time, the Lafayette Cemetery across the street is worth a stop.
Emeril’s Delmonico is located on the St. Charles Street car line in what looks to have been an old house. The restaurant has not only great food, but extremely warm hospitality. We had Easter Brunch here loved it. They take reservations and walk-ins. Clancy’s is another fine dining restaurant located uptown. This was a place recommended to me by some local friends. The Food was amazing! Reservations are a must.
HOTELS
During our most recent trip in April 2015 we stayed at the Hyatt French Quarter and we really enjoyed this hotel. Its located on Iberville and Canal streets. One foot in the Quarter and one foot out which makes for a great location when staying with the kids! The rooms were fairly large and quite up to date. We ordered room service and the food was some of the best room service I’ve had anywhere. The lobby bar and coffee shop were both new and had fun decor. The coffee shop was called Powdered Sugar which I think is such a cute and clever name considering all the streets in town are covered in powdered sugar from all the beignets! It was overall a very pleasant place and I would definitely stay here again. There is a pool, but it wasn’t heated and so we didn’t get in. We stayed over the Easter holiday, so the photo is of my little guy with his easter bunny loot!
The Royal Sonesta is located inside the French Quarter on Bourbon Street. I stayed here on my girls trip and it was probably my least favorite of all four hotels I’ve stayed in. If you stay here request a courtyard room. Otherwise it will be very loud. The rooms are spacious, but rundown and due to it’s location you’ll need to show your key before you can come in and out during certain times of the day and night. We chose to enter and exit from the other side just to avoid being flashed. There is a pool, but we never found time to use it.
The Roosevelt Hotel is located just across Canal street which is the dividing line between The French Quarter and the Central Business District. We stayed over the winter break and everything in town was decorated beautifully. In fact The Roosevelt is famous for their holiday decorations which were spectacular. My photos don’t do it justice! In addition to all the amazing lights and trees, they also had an entire French Quarter including the Cathedral made entirely of gingerbread and candy! The rooms were very spacious which is reminiscent of older hotels and it was nice for the boys to be able to spread out a bit.
Tim and I stayed a the Hotel Monteleone 16 years ago when we were engaged and so it wouldn’t be fair to give it much of a review. However, I will say that the location is good, right on the fringe of the quarter on the Canal side and it’s famous for it’s revolving Carousel Bar.
Bars
Bourbon Street If you’ve never been to NOLA I’m sure you’ll find your way to bourbon street! You’ll probably see a bit of this and that, LOL! but in my opinion those with something worth seeing are never the ones showing. 😉
Tipitinas located in the Garden District is a famous place for music and drinks I went there with the girls and had a great time!
The motto at Pat O’Briens is: “Have Fun” and who can argue with that!? A New Orleans institution, you’ll find Pat O’Briens, just next to Preservation Hall and across the street from the Rev Zombies Voodoo shop. The Hurricanes here are big, strong and the color of Kool-aid! They have a huge bar with lots of room to spread out, but if you’re not in the mood to hang out in one spot just get your hurricane to go and head across the way to the Rev Zombies Voodoo shop and sign up for a Haunted History Tour! It’s perfectly acceptable and legal to walk around with alcoholic beverages in NOLA.
Lafittes Blacksmith Shop claims to be one of the oldest bars in the US. It’s located on Bourbon Street, but further down from all the hullabaloo with beads and such! It has a long history and is considered to be haunted. Definitely a fun place to visit and if you go on a Haunted History tour it’s one of their stops.
Attractions
Located on St. Peter’s Street in the French Quarter The Rev Zombies voodoo shop is a fun and quirky shop to visit! There are many things of interest to look at and a variety of voodoo dolls and other items to purchase. This is also the meeting spot for my next entry below.
Haunted History Tours is a great tour company where you can book a tour through the cemeteries and other parts or New Orleans. By day if you want to learn about New Orleans history or a ghost tour by night if you want silly fun! I’ve done both multiple times and it’s always interesting! Our kids came along too! These are not jump out and scare you tours. They focus on legend, history and humor! They do a great job of changing things up from time to time, so you’ll enjoy a different experience every time.
St. Louis Cemetery #1 is located on Basin Street this is the oldest extant cemetery in New Orleans. It’s still in operation! It’s a fascinating place to visit and I highly recommend taking a tour. New Orleans has a fascinating and long history and a lot of it is explained during the cemetery tour. This tour is very appropriate for kids although younger ones might find it a little dry. There is a nearby visitor center with bathrooms and interesting exhibits to look at.
The grave of Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau
Faubourg Marigny is the neighborhood bordering the French Quarter on the other side of Esplanade. A quirky area with a lot of jazz clubs and good food! We found a fun casual place to eat called Dat Dog and visited the Frenchmen’s Market. This was our first time visiting this area and I think we will definitely want to come back and explore more!
The Frenchmen’s Market is an evening art and flea market located on Frenchmen’s street in the Faubourg Marigny. It’s open from 7 pm and it’s very family friendly. My little guy loved drawing with chalk on the floor of the outdoor “living room” in the center of the market while Tim, Simon and I took turns browsing around.
The Audubon Zoo. We’ve been to this zoo twice and at last count I think we’ve hit close to 20 zoos around the world (maybe that will be another post?!), so we consider ourselves zoo connoisseurs! Visiting the same zoo twice means we think it’s up there pretty high on our zoo list! They have some unusual animals here and we particularly enjoyed seeing the white alligators and they have a white tiger too! They also have a really nice Louisiana swamp section featuring local animals and foliage. If you’re not too grossed out by their long tongues there is an area where you can feed the giraffe carrots. You can even get alligator jambalaya at the zoo cafe!
The Audubon Aquarium of the Americas is located along the river front this is a nice aquarium and while we haven’t been to as many aquariums as we have zoos we’ve certainly seen our share! It’s pretty self explanatory so I won’t say much, but it is a nice place to take the kids in between cemetery tours and antique shops!
The Insectarium is located on Canal Street just across from the Quarter and a few blocks from the aquarium this place is pretty neat! I’ve been to one or two bug zoos but this place takes the cake! It’s huge and really well done. Definitely worth a visit especially if your kids are into this kind of thing. Mine were!
ART GALLERIES
Located on Chartres Street in the French Quarter, Bee Galleries is the current home of a number of local New Orleans artists. My favorite happens to be Mark Bercier and I recently had the opportunity to visit the Bee Gallery and to purchase one of Mark’s paintings! This was a dream come true for me! Not only did I bring home this fabulous painting, but I also had an opprtunity to speak with Mr. Bercier and let him know just how much I admire his work! The title of this painting is Silence.
We loved Graphite Galleries located on Royal Street in the Quarter and we visited a number of times trying to make up our minds. The owner was incredibly gracious about showing our boys around and explaining all the art to them. I’m sure we will visit again when we next visit NOLA.
AND FINALLY…
With six miles of shopping and galleries Magazine Street is a fantastic place to just wander and browse. The Garden District has many beautiful old homes to wander by and during our last visit we found the previous home of Anne Rice author of the Interview with a Vampire books! We discovered SIMON the sign maker just off of Magazine, toured The Pharmacy Museum, rode the St. Charles Street Car and ate beignets every single day! Honestly, I could go on and on and on…
Would you like directions to all these fabulous places? Why not take me with you! you can download this and other fun hilarystyle articles using the GPSmyCity app!
