Days 13 & 14 - New York City

Our final day in New York City, we let the boys sleep in, but they were still pretty exhausted on the train that morning when we headed back to Chelsea. My brother wanted us to check out the Highline (a former elevated train line through the Meatpacking district that's been transformed into a public park). Since we've never been there (but I've heard a lot about it), we were excited to check it out.

The boys were also very, very excited to check it out too.

I guess what makes this park so cool is that you can see and hear the bhustle and bustle below...but it's so calming on the walkway!

I secretly enjoy peering into other people's (multi million dollar) homes, so the Highline was heaven for me. I picked out this one for my brother because of the outdoor 'yard' (it's all artificial) for his dog and location along the park.

Once we were done, we stumbled upon the Chelsea Market. It was incredible! This is from their webpage:

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.

The area has always been the locus of food in the city, beginning with the Algonquin Indians, who traded their game and crops on the banks of the Hudson River at this same spot. The trains of the High Line once served the wholesale butchers who lined the streets beneath the tracks and cooled their provisions with blocks of Hudson River ice, and the National Biscuit Company established its factory—now reclaimed as the Chelsea Market—here to take advantage of the butchers’ lard in the nineteenth century. This long history—and the stripped-down brick architecture of the building—gives the Market a unique character. For foodies and even casual tourists, it is possible to enter the Market at one end in the morning and not exit the other until lunchtime, without ever growing bored—and certainly without ever going hungry.

Whoever wrote that captured the ambiance of the place well. Though we had only planned on spending about 30 minutes there, we spent three times that and ended up eating lunch there (sushi, clam chowder, artisanal pizzas, candies).

They even had a wishing well there, so I gave the boys a few coins to toss in. Ryan excitedly told me his three wishes:

1. To become a puppy.
2. To get a chihuahua puppy.
3. For world peace and non-violent people.

Super cute, right?

We are forever shamelessly teasing the Japanese subway riders...who seem to be able to fall asleep in seconds after being seated, and then miraculously wake up at their stop to exit. 

 After the lengthy detour to the Chelsea Market, we hopped back on the subway and took the boys to check out Radio City Music Hall and Rockefeller Center (below was their fourth, and sadly, best attempt to look like chorus girls). Clearly we're not genetically predisposed to flexibility.

This topiary was rotating 'round and round...so gorgeous!

He could not wait to skate! After we'd paid, we were told we had a 45-minute wait (to end the prior skate session and then run the Zamboni to clean the ice). Though he could have killed the time at the Lego store nearby with his cousins, he insisted on watching the other skaters the whole time.

I nearly had a heart attack when I heard how much it cost for the three boys to skate...$91!!! Thankfully, my dad paid for half of it. :-) We figured it was a once in lifetime opportunity though, and have no regrets. They all ended up having a great time! And I give them credit for going all 90 minutes without complaining of excessive bruising or store/tired ankles (this would have been my complaint inside of 10 minutes).

Look at those excited grins!

Keni and Riki's first time in skates! (Ry skated twice prior, but it's been a year since he last skated.)

The dream! Skating in Rockefeller Center!

After 45 minutes or so, they all shed their thick jackets and gloves because they got all hot and sweaty.

After skating, we took the boys over to their 'surprise' of the day...Dave & Busters.

I wish I were kidding when I tell you that it took him about 8 tries to get one stuffed animal (Riki got one on his first try, as were most other kids). The attendant who was refilling the machine felt so bad watching him that he gave him one free!

That evening, I was telling my brother how Ryan's eyes were closed in about a third of our photos... He told me had a solution.

It worked! Two shots back to back with eyes wide open!

Since we were all leaving the next day, we took a few goodbye photos with Uncle Joey and his three nephews... I would like to say that it took no more than 5-6 shots, or two minutes to get all three boys to look at me at the same time.

Saying a sad goodbye to their only wayward child, who is gradually moving further and further from home... First CA, now WA...and next, we hope, NYC?

When we all fell asleep around 11, we had no idea that Joey would get a text from United at 1:30am notifying him that his 7am flight was cancelled. He finally saw the notification around 3am and then spent the next few hours trying to get re-booked on another flight (he finally got on a flight to Salt Lake, but it wouldn't have been wise for him to get off the plane there...he'd be stoned in minutes). I heard through the grapevine later that he somehow got on First Class from SLC back to SEA/TAC, so maybe it all worked out for the best?

Our flight back home was was on Easter Sunday/Rich's birthday, so Ryan didn't get an Easter basket for the first time in 7 years, and Rich got to celebrate by special day by sitting on a nearly 11 hour flight from JFK to HNL. ;-)

Our trip was a little 'different' this time around without Ryan (very disconcerting), and was a little more rushed than I'd have liked because we were in three different cities. It seems like every trip has an unexpected hiccup or two- a missed flight, a cancelled train ride or a train ride with rats/roaches, illness, injury, etc. But any trip we arrive back home safely is a blessed one that I am grateful for.

Special, huge mahalos to Rich's brother, two very special mothers and his extended family for the fun and somber times in CA, the K's for letting us crash at their new pad, my parents for treating our son to an unforgettable two weeks of fun, to Luis & Rosario in Havana for hosting us and being so kind, to my brother Jon for helping to watch our son while we were gone, my brother Joey for spoiling our son to death, and of course, to Rich for working hard to pay for the trip. :-)