Grandma in Times Square

Finally to show Grandma some classic New York sights.
First, Times Square.

Grandma wasn't actually posing. I caught her turning around.

We walked through Rockefeller Center, saw Radio City Music Hall on the way. For a rest we sat in the Channel Gardens. After we walked past Saks and into St Patrick's.

We walked up Fifth Avenue, looked through Tiffany's. We didn't find anything for Grandma's beau, Norm.

Then we took a carriage ride through Central Park.

Followed by a beautiful wallk through Central Park.
I was tired and feeling a bit like this melting ice cream...though it doesn't really seem to be able to melt.

While my family thought it was odd that I would photograph a melting ice cream bar perched on the side of a garbage can, I was soon vindicated when a man came along with a serious camera and did the same thing. We finished our day with dinner at Kobma. It was a wonderful, 20 hour day!

Remember those concert ticket lines...

Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Iggy Pop...Now I do this for opera tickets, a dress rehearsal! We were so happy to do it so the grandparents could see Yves in Tosca. It was amazing to hear the conductor, James Levine correcting and talking. Good thing the booing was saved for opening night! but that was for the production not the talent. I would like to know who is reading to whom in bed?! All that rehearsing and card playing has worn Yves out.

So it really was night when we got in line. How interesting to sit in the plaza in front of the Met. We were about tenth in line.

After munching on trail mix it is light enough to read.

Lucien plays with the camera, the wait is wearing thin.

Then Grandma takes a turn.

I am not getting as much knitting done on Lucien's sweater as I thought.

Okay, we are inside but still not quite there, Lucien has lost it a bit.

But finally it is so worth it. We have second and third row, premium seats!!!

What a way for Grandma to see her first opera, not to mention with her great grandson in it!

Lucien joins his siblings with their father and I go with the grandparents for an amazing brunch, at La Foccacia. Wish Nathalie was there! The Eggs Benedict is delicious.

In Search of Coffee

Dad, Mom and Grandma in front of McNulty's. We found a good coffee and asked for a grind suitable for a press. Then we also selected some chai tea mix that drew my attention, of course.

I love this place, all the jars full of tea and coffee beans, all the smells, the lighting, everything is wood, glass jars and tins, absolute charm.

McNulty's is really wonderful. I hope this perfect spot does not succumb to the current blight in our neighborhood.

The Card Sharks....aka the Grandmas

Grandma Gloria got the card games going. She came prepared with decks for the children.

Gael photographing his Great Grandma, who was supervising.

I won!

Gael photographing the essentials.

Gael's dinner view.

Back to the card games.

Grandma Prouse comes to New York

The grandparents arrived today, my parents and my Mom's Mom, Grandma Prouse.We went for a walk on the Highline. Grandma had both her knees done this summer. She was very impressive. The Highline would mark the beginning and the end of her trip.The Cragnotti's joined us to say hi to my parents and meet my Grandma.

Me, Grandma and Mom.

The boys and the grandparents

C, M and Yves with Grandma, Grandma P and Dorina in the back.
On the way home we stopped at the water park.

Yves started swinging and Lucien had to follow.

All four in the sand box, I can't remember the last time they did that!
It was a great walk showing Grandma our neighborhood.

Rasberries, Corn Maze, Picnic and Craft Fair

After a feast of banana pancakes and a visit from the turkeys, Bernadette and Miles headed out with us to a craft fair where Bernadette's friend Tara was working. Well, we found so much to do on the way we barely made it to the craft fair and Tara was already gone.We found a corn maze, that Yves was not willing to pass up.

It is in the amazing shape of Henry Hudson's Mayflower to celebrate the 400th anniversary. A farmer comes around each year with his tractor and GPS and creates the maze. The part we liked is that his whole family comes with him from field to field.
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/08/nj_farms_try_corn_mazes_to_bol.html

We had some disagreement about how to discover the maze so Lucien armed with my cell phone branched out on his own, preferring not to use the map. The rest of us followed Yves as he led us through the smaller portion. There were six stations with different stamps to punch out our cards.

We saved the larger portion for a return trip. Too bad we didn't realize the night before as the moon was full and bright and the maze was open until midnight just for the full moon! We have until Halloween, possibly into November to get back and finish the maze.

This is feed corn. The tassels were an incredible color.

A road side farmer's market.

A field of wild flowers.

Then we were distracted by a U-Pick. The raspberries were wonderful. Yves, Lucien and I picked a few for lunch.

We all had a lovely picnic with guacamole, carrot cake baked by Yves and company, and raspberries. Gael, Lucien, Miles, Yves and Gabriel.

A run around the field, some hide and seek.

And finally the craft fair, near New Paltz. The children were enchanted with many things. Everyone loved the sprinklers. Though I think Gael and Miles really loved the wooden guns with elastic bands to shoot ping pong balls.

On leaving there was a lot of traffic but we had a lovely drive back to NY.

More Cold Spring....

Lucien and Caleb

Justine, Brendan, Lucien discovering a cellar.

Lucien, Brendan, Caleb, Ellen, Justine sitting down at the creek for a picnic.

Cold Spring and Little Stony Point, NY

Today we went for a hike with the Farhis. Alan showed us this amazing spot just past Cold Spring. Lucien and Gabriel scaled the wall. Later Gael and Claire would scale a spot just beside, a little too high and too steep but they managed to get down unharmed.

Everyone loved discovering the ruins. They were beautiful.

Gabriel, Caleb and Gael in the Greenhouse.

Hidden arches and secret forts were everywhere.

Gael trying to operate the green house window gear.

Gabriel and Gael.

All these ruins were part of the Edward Cornish Estate.

http://www.hudsonvalleyruins.org/yasinsac/cornish/cornish1.html

An amazing spot. The children loved discovering all the nooks and beautiful crannies.

We enjoyed a picnic at a stream nearby where the children found crayfish, unusual mushrooms and huge worms.

Just love the greens!

Everyone enjoyed a rest at the beach while Ellen and I walked to town to pick up Yves from the train. He spent his morning rehearsing Tosca and catching the Metro-North train by himself for the first time. He did well. Camille stayed in the city to do show castings and have dinner with her dad.

We ended our day by walking through Cold Springs. We loved all the little antique shops, can't wait to go back.

We drove to Woodstock, a little late for dinner. Dan barbecued delicious chicken and Bernadette made the best mashed potatoes and veggies.

An incredible day.