Weekend Recap: Easter (Etc) In New York
The fam and I just got back from an epic, four-day visit to Brooklyn (and boy, are our arms tired!). Seriously though, we ARE tired. The trip was fun-filled, non-stop and involved so much eating and drinking I need to subsist on leaves and water for the next few months just to undo all the damage.
DAY ONE.
After battling gruesome traffic and non-existant parking, we arrived at Citifield (nee Shea Stadium) for the Mets' Opening Day game with Esposo's family. Getting there was a bitch, but once we arrived there were hot dogs, beer, a win for the home team, AND I even got an excuse to wear my new Seadogs hat so I could stealthily represent the Red Sox.
Here's the family of faithful baseball fanatics. I call this shot "Bump Watch" because I was carrying so much of the Munchkin's and Patoot's stuff in my pockets, I look pregnant. Actually, I feel like I looked pretty hefty in most of the pictures from this past weekend, which has resulted in today's salad for lunch. Le sigh. Moving on...
DAY TWO.
My in-laws offered to take P and M to the Prospect Park Zoo so Esposo and I could have an afternoon in Manhattan to ourselves. This rarely happens, so we jumped at the chance. Esposo wanted to hit a few spots featured on Anthony Bourdain's new show, "The Layover" and I was game to play (sort of) native tourist. We were joined my by BIL who's a chef and he was completely bowled over in love with the first place we visited called (punnily) "Eataly." The first floor of the building was laid out like a very fancy-pants Italian market. You could buy fresh produce, meats, imported sweets, you name it.
My BIL was so excited, he took a picture of the cheese.
The real reason we went to this place, though, was because of the rooftop beer garden called Birreria. It was GORGEOUS. The view was amazing (the Empire State building loomed over my BIL's shoulder, for example) and since it had a retractable glass roof like a greenhouse, it was super warm despite the chilly day. We had a selection of yummy cheeses, delish sammiches, and - of course - gourmet beers.
Day drinking. Don't knock it.
Best of all, it wasn't anywhere NEAR as expensive as a place in Manhattan with that view and that kind of food and drink usually is. Ergo, we *may* have gotten a mite tipsy. This resulted in the Esposo running around town like a giddy school girl, buying me earrings...
...gelato shaped like a flower...
"You guys, you guys! Fancy ice cream! Tee-hee!"
...and of course, a bigass knife for himself.
Because the BEST idea when you're half in the bag, is to purchase deadly-looking cutlery then transport it home on the subway.
Needless to say, we were a bit tuckered out by the end of the day.
DAY THREE.
My MIL got us tickets to a book-signing/Easter event at a local bookstore. The book was "A Night Light for Bunny" and the author/illustrator, Geoffrey Hayes, was there. He showed the kids how he drew the bunny, read them the story, then signed the book.
Patoot's first book signing! She walked right up and told him how to spell her name and her brother's name and everything. I was so proud. *sniff*
After the book-signing, the kids could take a picture with the "Easter Bunny." The Munchkin was having NONE of it. He took one look at the costumed rabbit person and said to me: "That a GIANT Easter bunny, Mommy. He's scary." You know what, kid? He kind of scares me too.
Patoot was no fool, however. She knows where jelly beans come from.
The kids also got to do a craft (making bunny hats):
...and finally, an egg hunt:
Sadly, every plastic egg contained chocolate which our little allergic Munchkin couldn't have. So that was a bummer. He seemed un-phased, however, probably realizing that the real, proper-sized Easter bunny was totally gonna hook him up with Gummi Bears the next day. And he was right.
DAY FOUR.
This was actual Easter Sunday. My MIL took a family picture of us, but I don't have it so... let's just say everyone looked cute. The kids made out like bandits. And in a Brooklyn First, we went out to a restaurant for Easter luncheon - Monte's, Brooklyn's oldest Italian restaurant. Everything was delicious (I even tried frog's legs!), and I think it was nice for my MIL and FIL to have at least one day off from feeding/entertaining everyone. Although I know she secretly wished she had everyone over her place again instead. ;)
"Bring on the Easter pizza!"
Hope you and yours had delightful Easters if you Easter, and that all of your pants still fit (unlike mine).
DAY ONE.
After battling gruesome traffic and non-existant parking, we arrived at Citifield (nee Shea Stadium) for the Mets' Opening Day game with Esposo's family. Getting there was a bitch, but once we arrived there were hot dogs, beer, a win for the home team, AND I even got an excuse to wear my new Seadogs hat so I could stealthily represent the Red Sox.
Here's the family of faithful baseball fanatics. I call this shot "Bump Watch" because I was carrying so much of the Munchkin's and Patoot's stuff in my pockets, I look pregnant. Actually, I feel like I looked pretty hefty in most of the pictures from this past weekend, which has resulted in today's salad for lunch. Le sigh. Moving on...
DAY TWO.
My in-laws offered to take P and M to the Prospect Park Zoo so Esposo and I could have an afternoon in Manhattan to ourselves. This rarely happens, so we jumped at the chance. Esposo wanted to hit a few spots featured on Anthony Bourdain's new show, "The Layover" and I was game to play (sort of) native tourist. We were joined my by BIL who's a chef and he was completely bowled over in love with the first place we visited called (punnily) "Eataly." The first floor of the building was laid out like a very fancy-pants Italian market. You could buy fresh produce, meats, imported sweets, you name it.
My BIL was so excited, he took a picture of the cheese.
The real reason we went to this place, though, was because of the rooftop beer garden called Birreria. It was GORGEOUS. The view was amazing (the Empire State building loomed over my BIL's shoulder, for example) and since it had a retractable glass roof like a greenhouse, it was super warm despite the chilly day. We had a selection of yummy cheeses, delish sammiches, and - of course - gourmet beers.
Day drinking. Don't knock it.
Best of all, it wasn't anywhere NEAR as expensive as a place in Manhattan with that view and that kind of food and drink usually is. Ergo, we *may* have gotten a mite tipsy. This resulted in the Esposo running around town like a giddy school girl, buying me earrings...
...gelato shaped like a flower...
"You guys, you guys! Fancy ice cream! Tee-hee!"
...and of course, a bigass knife for himself.
Because the BEST idea when you're half in the bag, is to purchase deadly-looking cutlery then transport it home on the subway.
Needless to say, we were a bit tuckered out by the end of the day.
DAY THREE.
My MIL got us tickets to a book-signing/Easter event at a local bookstore. The book was "A Night Light for Bunny" and the author/illustrator, Geoffrey Hayes, was there. He showed the kids how he drew the bunny, read them the story, then signed the book.
Patoot's first book signing! She walked right up and told him how to spell her name and her brother's name and everything. I was so proud. *sniff*
After the book-signing, the kids could take a picture with the "Easter Bunny." The Munchkin was having NONE of it. He took one look at the costumed rabbit person and said to me: "That a GIANT Easter bunny, Mommy. He's scary." You know what, kid? He kind of scares me too.
Patoot was no fool, however. She knows where jelly beans come from.
The kids also got to do a craft (making bunny hats):
...and finally, an egg hunt:
Sadly, every plastic egg contained chocolate which our little allergic Munchkin couldn't have. So that was a bummer. He seemed un-phased, however, probably realizing that the real, proper-sized Easter bunny was totally gonna hook him up with Gummi Bears the next day. And he was right.
DAY FOUR.
This was actual Easter Sunday. My MIL took a family picture of us, but I don't have it so... let's just say everyone looked cute. The kids made out like bandits. And in a Brooklyn First, we went out to a restaurant for Easter luncheon - Monte's, Brooklyn's oldest Italian restaurant. Everything was delicious (I even tried frog's legs!), and I think it was nice for my MIL and FIL to have at least one day off from feeding/entertaining everyone. Although I know she secretly wished she had everyone over her place again instead. ;)
"Bring on the Easter pizza!"
Hope you and yours had delightful Easters if you Easter, and that all of your pants still fit (unlike mine).