Camping Preview

The very word "camping" conjures up the most unpleasant visions for me. 


Insects, heat, sweat, discomfort, public bath house, critters, cramped quarters, and all other sorts of primitive illusions dance in my mind. 

Guess what? I'm going camping in the very near future. In spite of all of this imagery, I am casting down vain imaginations and branching out. For my husband who grew up camping and loves it and for my girls who need the experience and will probably love it as well. And, for myself who needs to stretch beyond my comfort zone from time to time (ok, more and more). 


After all, we will be camping in an RV. With electricity. And air-conditioning. It even has a mini kitchen with running water and a refrigerator. The park has Wi-Fi and a brand new pool. 

Oh, and we plan to eat very well while there. We're going with our Aunt and Cousin who will make sure of that! And did I mention that we will be at the beach? 


Suddenly, I feel a lot better about the situation. Maybe I'll make it! Blogging is good therapy!


Camping review post to follow soon. Check back to see if I survived roughing it!

A Year Ago In New York City - Day 4

Oh no...we missed our Sunday brunch at Uva with Matt and Jamie! We were just too weary to venture out. After we packed up we walked to nearby Park Pizza for a quick lunch. Then, we were off to the airport. The girls look like they were ready to go home!

Goodbye, apartment...

On the way to Newark we passed the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum and instantly wanted to visit it. 

Why hadn't we planned to stay another week? Why did we sleep so late? There was so much that we didn't have time to do. We didn't walk across the Brooklyn Bridge or go to Chinatown, Little Italy, Ellis Island, South Street Seaport, Chelsea Piers, and on and on. 


Then we entered the Lincoln Tunnel and New York City was behind us. 


Goodbye, Central Park...

Goodbye, Times Square...

Goodbye, pretty buildings...

(Matt's picture)

Goodbye, different people...

Goodbye, Lady...

Goodbye, friends, see you at home...

We'll be back. We are looking forward to going when everything is decorated for Christmas...except for the cold weather! And when the girls are older we'll take them to shows and museums and baseball games. 


Even though we were ready to turn around and go right back we were also happy to be at home where refills are free and getting from point A to point B is much less complicated! We have a new appreciation for small town living!

It was a fun trip and it was one year ago! 

A Year Ago in New York City - Day 3

The Saturday morning alarm sounded much sooner than we wanted, but we had another big day planned. Since Matt and Jamie were with us we braved the subway again. 

We took a walking tour through SoHo, Chelsea, and Greenwich Village (not necessarily in that order). If I were to live in NYC, it would have to be in one of these neighborhoods...not that I want to live in NYC. We walked through residential areas and shopped in quaint little boutiques and bookstores. 

(Another picture taken by Matt Ross.)

Chelsea Market was our destination for lunch. We each had lunch from a different vendor. I chose soup and a sandwich from Hale and Hearty Soups. All of us were very pleased with our selections! 


Chelsea Market is home to dozens of retail shops and restaurants and is housed in the old National Biscuit Company factory. Remnants of the old factory are an integral part of the Market's decor and charm. 

We had gelato for dessert while walking on a rooftop park that is part of The High Line, a former elevated rail structure. It has also been renovated and is beautifully landscaped and offers great views of the city. 

We rested at Washington Square Park, home of the Washington Arch.

That's the Empire State Building in the background.

The girls were hanging in there! They were such good traveling buddies!

Shortly afterwards we took the girls back to the apartment for a nap while Matt and Jamie went downtown. That's when I started freezing and wheezing. The upper respiratory symptoms I had been fighting were doing overtime and put me down with a fever and chills for the rest of the afternoon. We had a long rest before going back to Chelsea for dinner at a nice French Restaurant, Paradou. 

We sat in the garden area that is partially enclosed. There were  trellises, lots of white twinkle lights, and candles creating a magical atmosphere. The service was less than acceptable but the food was wonderful. Look...I was even served in an iron skillet! 

No amount of fullness, exhaustion, or sickness could keep us from going back to Times Square for the third time! 

This was our last night and we didn't want to miss an opportunity to go back. From here we took a cab back to the apartment. We had brunch plans with Matt and Jamie the next morning before going to the airport. Our time in the City was almost over. 

A Year Ago In New York City - Day 2

After a few hours of much needed sleep we had a nice breakfast at Cafe Manhattan and went to The Today Show and saw Natasha Bedingfield perform! Yes, we were behind the stage but it was still exciting! 

Then, we took the subway and went downtown. We explored the Financial District...

Ground Zero...

Battery Park...

and rode the Staten Island Ferry.  

We sailed right past the Statue of Liberty. It was hard not to get emotional seeing Lady Liberty.

We had lunch at Georgio's, a little Italian Restaurant in the Financial District. It is in an old building nestled among modern skyscrapers.

The subway system was a bit challenging to navigate with a double stroller. Some stations are several floors deep and most of them do not have an elevator or escalator. New Yorkers are much more considerate than they are stereotyped to be. Every time we were in the subway they would offer to help carry the stroller...with the girls in it! What a welcome and pleasant surprise! 

Even though we had unexpected help in the subway we decided after the second day that taxi cabs are the best mode of transportation for us. "The yellow ones don't stop!" -Elf...ha ha!

(Matt Ross took this photo!)

Later we were joined by our friends, Matt and Jamie! 

They invited us to stay with them at Matt's company's corporate apartment on the Upper East Side. 

They graciously gave us the master suite! After spending a few days with us at the beach earlier in the summer we couldn't believe they were brave enough to go on another vacation with us! 

Before Jamie arrived we had dinner with Matt at East Japanese, a small restaurant near the apartment. 

As soon as Jamie made her entrance into the City (all by herself!) we all went to Rockefeller Center. 

We ascended to the Top of the Rock via a super-fast elevator complete with Twilight Zone-esque lighting and video. We were happy for the distraction because it took our minds off of just how rapidly we were rising!

On Top of the Rock we had the best view of the city. The Empire State Building was directly in front of us. 

(Matt Ross took this photo!)

Around midnight we went to Times Square. After shopping at a few of the mega-stores we sat in chairs and visited and took it all in. It was bright enough to wear shades.

(Matt Ross took this picture!)

The old folks (us) took the girls back to the apartment and the kids (Matt and Jamie) went out on the town. We had to rest up for the huge walking tour we had planned for the next day!

A Year Ago In New York City - Day 1

It has been a year since our family trip to New York City. Since I wasn't blogging a year ago and I really want to go back I am posting a few pictures and a rundown of some of the things we did. I packed a lot into that last sentence and we packed a lot into that short four-day trip. 


We left early Thursday morning. It was the baby munk's first time on an airplane. She slept almost the entire time. I miss those chubby cheeks and legs.

Her big sister was more seasoned and was comforting her own baby, Little Hailey. We flew into Newark, NJ and taxied into the City.

We checked in at Sheraton New York at Times Square and took a walk to Rockefeller Center and had lunch at Rock Centre Cafe. The restaurant overlooks what is the ice rink during winter. It was expensive and we paid for drink refills but we were not disappointed. It was delicious!


After lunch we visited St. Patrick Cathedral. It was busy with tourists trying to be reverent while snapping pictures and locals who stopped by to light a candle and pray. It is magnificent inside and out. It was neat seeing where acquaintances of ours were married over fifty years ago!

After that, we strolled up Fifth Avenue taking in all of the storefronts and buildings. The cute costume jewelry prices were right and the smells from the street food vendor carts were divine.  

Since my favorite television show is The Apprentice, I loved seeing Trump Tower!

Then, there it was. FAO Schwarz. Three stories of toys and fun!

We had to play on the BIG piano...you know, from the movie "Big" with Tom Hanks. It was only $250,000!

While there we visited the Middleton Dolls nursery where Little Hailey was "born". Hailey almost perished later that day in a revolving door accident. She fell out of the stroller and was hung up between the door and the stroller. It wasn't a pretty sight but we got her cleaned up almost next to new. She still has a slight NYC scar on her cheek. 

Central Park was next door. It was fun seeing all the places we have seen on television and in movies! 

(This photo courtesy of Matt Ross!)

It was Friday evening and the locals were fleeing from the long week of work, trading concrete and glass for trees and grass. I'm sure I would crave some greenery if I had been shoulder-to-shoulder with millions of other people all week.

On the way back to the room we strolled by The Plaza Hotel, Carnegie Hall, and lots of other recognizable landmarks. 


We had worked up an appetite with all that walking in the August heat and needed a little pick-me-up. 

After resting for a bit we ventured back out and had dinner. For the life of me, I cannot remember where. For some reason I don't have it written down and my memory fails me after almost a year. I must have been busy with two little girls or something.    


I do remember this: later, we went to Times Square. We shopped in some of the specialty shops including the three story M&M's store. In the middle of the Square there were bistro tables and chairs set up...how hospitable! We people and billboard watched for a while. These southerners were in awe. By then it was after midnight and the girls were worn out!

And so were we! We had walked everywhere we went that day and the miles were adding up. We turned in for the night exhausted and excited about the huge weekend ahead of us. The next day we were meeting our sweet friends and neighbors, Matt and Jamie.