New York

This weekend we took Bluet and Ilona for an overnight trip to New York. First stop, the Upper East Side, where we ate lunch then took a walk to the apartment we used to live in on 79th Street.



Onwards, to Rainbow Hardware, where we used to buy our DIY supplies (they also stock more or less everything else you could think of for your home), where we also took a look at paint colours for our new house.

We then walked further downtown to the hospital where Bluet was born, then took a taxi down to our hotel near Grand Central. After dumping our bags, we headed up to Central Park via Bloomingdales, where Ilona got a new pair of shoes



And then Central Park, the kids favourite, where they ate ice cream and climbed big rocks.




There was time to visit Whole Foods Market for refreshments



And then for dinner, then bed





Sunday we headed downtown to get the best view (land based) of Bluet's current obsession, the Statue of Liberty




Then the train home

Central Park

So let's see. We were staying in our old hood, Yorkville, on 88th and 1st. Of course the first thing Bluet managed to do was get her fingers caught in the door of the lift. They were stuck for what seemed like several minutes, but was probably 10 seconds. We thought she was going to have to go to the Hospital, but we realised she was ok when she started asking for Hello Kitty plasters. And although 2 fingers swelled up, the next day they were not bothering her at all. Phew!

One of my favourite New York things is to walk many, many blocks to get somewhere. We started with breakfast at PQ, then as one of Bluet's favourite things is to run around, and another is to climb stuff, we took her to Central Park (unfortunately only one time, although she did go to the Ancient playground later in the week). Bluet was thrilled to have the long, winding paths to run down without us telling her she had to stay close to us. Then we walked all the way to the Lego shop in the Rockefeller Centre, and she made three Lego people. Then she fell asleep in Ilona's buggy (Ilona was in the carrier), allowing us a quick trip to Bloomingdales. Emily has good photos of the latter part of the trip.... In fact, Bluet was so happy in New York (as were we all - Ilona was definitely stimulated by all the things to see around, her little head would poke out the carrier, eyes wide open) that we were sad that she isn't living somewhere so walkable right now, but thrilled to be moving back to Europe where places like New York are the norm, albeit on a smaller scale.

Stay tuned for tomorrows exciting installment of 'What we did on our holidays'

Breakfast in PQ

To the park! Wrap up warm

All aboard the Alice in Wonderland Statue (Bluet was a little apprehensive of giant Alice)

Snug as a bug in a rug

Asleep in Bloomingdales, Lego bag held tightly in hand

Ilona wakes for coffee time