When you are the parent of multiple children, some days it is nice to take time to spend with them individually. James and I have been trying to be more mindful of this, so that each of the kids have some one on one time with us. So when we were contacted to preview some new episodes of the new season of the Littlest Pet Shop in New York City, Laina and I made a day of it.
The event took place at the Bryant Park Hotel, so naturally the park was our first pick to explore. The weather could not have been any more perfect.
While I live in New Jersey now, my roots are in New York, so it always feels like home. Oddly though? I never realized just how gorgeous Bryant Park in the spring/summer could be. I think this is because all of my visits have been in the winter months, touring the market place– which is awesome by the way– but sometimes, its hard to see the beauty in freezing cold temps.
As soon as we arrived, Laina spied 2 things. The Carousel, which unfortunately was not open (because we got there so early in the morning) and the gorgeous water fountain. She asked for a penny and ran to make a wish.
I suspect she may have wished that the carousel would be open when we were done watching Littlest Pet Shop because as soon as we left, she b-lined it right back to that Carousel.
{ New season of Littlest Pet Shop airing on HUB now. The episodes we watched will air June 7th and June 21st. They were super cute!}
Le Carrousel
Known as Le Carrousell, and made up of 14 unique animals, this attraction was inspired by Bryant Park’s French classical style. Each animal is a replica of classical carousel animals and go round’ and round to French cabaret music.
Le Carrousel opens daily at 11am. $3/ride
As you can see she was over-the-moon. Is there anything better than seeing that smile on your child’s face? I love how excitable she is over simple things, like a $3 carousel. I hope she holds on to a little of that for many, many years.
Free Games !
In the spring and summer seasons, the park also hosts free games. Yes, you read that right– FREE! Who said everything in NYC is crazy expensive?
You could quite literally spend all day in this park on a beautiful day and never get bored. The park offers free chess, botchy ball and ping pong areas throughout the park as well as lovely area filled with over 30 different board games!
We had absolutely no where to be, so we sat down and played Jenga and three rounds of Candyland (Of which, I may or may not have beat her twice… you know, but who’s counting? ) I have to admit I don’t know the last time we played a board game, but sitting outside on a gorgeous day playing a classic like, Candyland certainly reminded me why we need to do this more often.
And if you forget the rules? No problem! There is a helpful park attendant who keeps a large binder of all the game rules. The attendant on duty the day we visited, was also kind enough to take some pics for us!
Lunch
From food kiosks serving soups, sandwiches and coffee to a gorgeous casual outdoor Bryant Park Cafe with lounge and swing seating that serves casual American food right off the Barbecue– There are tons of options for lunch. Laina was really hoping we could snag one of those swing seats at the Cafe. But after 15 minutes of circling around, waiting for an opening we decided it just wasn’t meant to be this time around (I should note that there was lounge seating available, but she really wanted the swings). There is also a more upscale restaurant, The Bryant Park Grill which offers indoor, outdoor, and rooftop seating.
The Subway And Beyond . . .
What I love most about these individual days we do with the kids, is not only the memories (like when the Times Square Cookie Monster tried to approach her and she said in her most grown up voice she could muster up, “Well, that was scary!… Right Mom?”) but all that you learn things about them that you may not have realized or have known before. Laina told me tons of new stories about school, things she wants to do this summer and then she hit me with this:
Laina: What’s a subway?
…. Wait. MY daughter doesn’t know what a subway is? How could this be?? We’ve been to the city dozens of times! How am I raising a child who at 5 years old has no idea what a subway is?
Me: It’s a train thats underground and takes you from one part of the New York City to another.
Laina: (at shreiking levels) A TRAIN?? UNDER THE GROUND??? Yes, yes, yes!!!! SO COOL!
Me: Ok, Jersey girl. Let’s go.
And just like that we were off– for her very first subway ride.
Being born in Brooklyn and growing up in Staten Island, taking the subway is “NBD” (no big deal) to me. Jaded New Yorker at heart here. But watching the fascination of it all unfolding for the first time through her eyes was nothing short of awesome.
She had a ka-zillion questions about the letter names of the trains, was not a fan of the screeching train pulling in and when she got on the train and found no seating, she at first attempted to sit on the floor (omg!).
Because I am absolutely awful with directions, we ended up still pretty far from the Wonka pop up store so we took a Taxi…. which apparently was another “first”. She kept telling me how she could not wait to tell Ryan all about it.
Oh, the beads around her neck are from some random parade we happened upon while walking to hail a cab. Only in New York. I still have no idea what parade it was, but she got beads and she was thrilled.
The punchline of the whole trek is that when we arrived at the Willy Wonka Pop-up in the Meatpacking District, she was petrified of the Oompa Loompa that greeted us. I’m talking- leg clinging, face hiding, tears streaming… petrified. I was shocked because she has never been afraid of characters before, but I suppose seeing this at your own eye level, *could* be a little scary. Oops!
{File under: Ways I’ve scarred my kids/Wonka}
She still wanted her ice cream though, so keeping all Loompas far away from her, she did enter the pop up to try out the ice cream. The skinny on the peel pops (available in stores this summer) is that they didn’t really peel as easy as I thought they would, however once you took a bite of the top it was easier and Laina loved the peeling feature.
Things to do in New York City are endless, and I wish we could have done more! But now, I am making my it my mission to do more of these un-scheduled exploring New York City days with the kids days more often this summer because playing tourist in your own city with your kids can be like seeing it for the very first time.
