Four Fun Things We Did in New York

When this kid came home for Easter, he shocked his dad and me by telling us he was thinking of moving back to Kansas City from New York, where he’s been for the past year.

Actually, he was more than thinking about it, he had pretty much decided to do it. We were thrilled!

Since Tom had gone with Grant to help move him to NYC, I decided to go and help him pack up to come home. Between shipping boxes, stuffing suitcases, and finding someone to take his bed, etc. we had time for some fun. Here’s what we did.

Visited the New York Public Library

Our hotel was in Midtown, just around the corner from the main branch of the New York Public Library, so a stop was definitely in order.

The building is truly something to behold.

I love this view from inside the library onto Fifth Avenue, just outside.

The main reading room always takes my breath away. So majestic and all those brass lamps!

This is the ceiling in the reading room. Amazing.

We walked through the library’s exhibition on the Stonewall riots (the 50th anniversary is this year). I loved the way they used these lighted words throughout the exhibits.

We also hit The Library Shop. Museum and library gift shops are right up my shopping alley. I picked up a tote bag and a Christmas ornament of one of the library lions, which I love.

Had Lunch in Bryant Park

The library is adjacent to Bryant Park, which is beautiful and full of activity. Grant and I grabbed sandwiches and ate in these little chairs that looked like school desks.

The weather, as you can see, was perfect. (It poured on the day I arrived and rained on the day we left, but in between were two perfect days of sunny skies and temps in the 70s.)

We actually got to walk through Bryant Park several times, which I wasn’t mad about. On one trip through I stopped to take it all in. From where I stood I could see (and hear) an opera singer performing on a stage, a bunch of men playing chess, and kids on the carousel. What a fun place.

Explored The Met

This was my fifth time in NYC and I had never been to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, so I really wanted to make that happen this trip. In fact, visiting The Met was on my list of places to go and things to do so I got to check that off.

Our time was limited, so I went in search of some things I really wanted to see, like this Mary Cassatt painting.

Van Gogh was another must-see for me.

We stumbled onto some neat finds completely by accident, like this sculpture, The Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer, by Degas.

It’s equally beautiful from the back.

We also came across Washington Crossing the Delaware. I didn’t realize that this painting was so large (there’s Grant on the right for perspective).

Before we left we headed to the roof for drinks and views.

I had read about The Met rooftop years ago on A Cup of Jo, and it really was such a treat. It’s a little hard to find so I was glad I knew about it.

Saw ‘Come From Away’

We knew we wanted to take in a show while I was there and we decided on Come From Away, a musical about the people stranded on Newfoundland when their flights were diverted there on 9/11, and the townspeople who welcomed them. It’s based on a true story.

The show was both funny and touching. The actors played multiple parts, which was an interesting twist. Grant and I both highly recommend it.

After the show we walked back to our hotel through Bryant Park, which was still going strong late on a Wednesday evening.

We also got a great view of this beauty.

Took a Dinner Cruise

It’s cheesy, it’s touristy, but one of my favorite things to do in NYC is to take a dinner cruise around Manhattan. You don’t do it for the food (although our dinner was better than I was expecting) you do it for views like these.

There are lots of cruises you can take in NY, but the thing I like best about a dinner cruise, in particular, is that you leave while it’s light outside (at least in the summer) and get to watch the city lights come up as the sun goes down. It’s magical.

I also look forward to the up close look at The Statue of Liberty.

Which is where I caught this lucky shot of Grant. It will always be one of my favorites and a great memory of a few mother/son days in NYC.