On Broadway!

This past weekend Sami and I spent the weekend in New York City.  It had been planned since early in the summer when I had taken Zach on a “boys weekend” away. 

Quintessential Sami....breakfast at a
neighborhood diner

Sami had decided to spend two months at sleep away camp this past summer (clearly she loves seeing her friends from all over North America, the independence of two months away and the array of cool wilderness activities).   I drove her up to camp (3.5 hour drive north from Toronto into Algonquin National Park) and when I discovered that I she had to be at camp on Thursday afternoon I asked Zach what he wanted to do for the weekend…I think my actual words were “what do you think about a boys weekend away?”.   He jumped at the opportunity, so I said it’s up to you – we can go anywhere in North America.   After a little thinking he came back with Washington DC so we could museum hop.

On finding out the news of our impending trip to Washington DC she was disappointed that I was going to spend a weekend away without her even though she was going to be at camp. I promised that I would take her somewhere by herself in the fall after camp was done and she was back at camp.  

 She is a classic!  I asked her where would you like to go for the weekend?   Before I could offer up a few options she said “Paris” with a beaming smile!  

Nearing the entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge
on our way in from the La Guardia

I gulped and said it had to be somewhere in North America otherwise we’d be traveling all weekend and so wouldn’t have time to spend together other than on a plane…quick as a flash (as only Sami can) she said “okay New York!”   Why New York I enquired?   “So I can shop of course” (I’m sure she was thinking…hello, New York…what else would you do but shop...drrrrr)

She’s so sharp, already having a number two location in mind, and of course I’d like to think she was a chip off the old block, but unfortunately she’s significantly sharper than I ever was or will be!  :-)  

Our flight departed on Friday afternoon, luckily with Canadian Thanksgiving falling on Monday her school also had a Professional Development day so she didn’t miss school, not that would have been a limiting factor for Sami.   She’s become quite an accomplished and experienced traveler so she was ready to go (carry on only – yes, I’ve trained her well!) early Friday morning.   

After arriving into New York (La Guardia airport) on a sun filled and rather warmish Friday afternoon we caught a taxi into the city, we were staying at the Marriott Downtown, which is adjacent to the World Trade Center site in Lower Manhattan.  Sami and I are both foodies (I put it down to our high metabolism :-) so as soon as we checked into the hotel we found a place to eat...   Pub food was always good after a trip like this so we decided on a bar in the Financial district a half a block off Wall Street right in the middle of the action, work had just gotten out so it was a loud and packed locale, and perhaps a little eye opening for Sami when she said “dad its so loud in here”.   It was a slice of New York life…and a great introduction to the frenetic pace, noise and action of New York. 

Sami at Dean & Deluca's at Broadway & Prince Street

Saturday morning with a quick on-the-go breakfast before taking the subway (R train) to Union Square, from there walking through the Farmers market which takes over Union Square each Saturday before strolling up 23^rd street to the Flatiron building.   Sami and I both love this building and spent time having an impromptu photo shoot on the sidewalk.   We lazily strolled, browsed and chatted our morning away with a mandatory Starbucks visit thrown in for good measure – so loves the Vanilla Crème. :-) 

One of my goals for the weekend was to find a replacement breakfast bowl from my favorite home ware store in New York – Fish Eddy’s on 19^th street.   I had recently broken one of my breakfast bowls and so was looking for a replacement.   Seriously I could buy the store!  Sami was a great companion, making lots of other suggestions for stuff I should get for my place.   No surprise but we picked up more than just a replacement bowl!

It was gorgeous day so we slowly strolled along Broadway and across into SoHo – what can I say could there have been anything more fun than to stroll, people watch, window-shop and look for photo opportunities with my daughter in NYC?  I doubt it!

Cool photo - fire escapes in SoHo

One of the big items on her wish list was to go to a Broadway show.  She keenly researched the variety of shows before finally deciding on Mary Poppins, which was playing at the New Amsterdam Theatre on 42^nd street.   I’ve got to say it was excellent!   Our seats were up high in the balcony with a commanding view of the stage, both of us merrily tapping our feet to all the well known show tunes, an afternoon well spent!  

After making our way back to our hotel for a quick freshen up after the matinee we had talked about going out for a fancy dinner.   Deciding on the TriBeCa Grill – a ritzy local favorite, we cabbed it there for our 7:00 pm reservation, and enjoyed an amazing dinner nestled amongst some of New York City’s cool and glamorous.   A great way to end a perfect day of exploring!

Sunday dawned a much chillier day, and although a little overcast it didn’t dampen our enthusiasm.  We love going out for breakfast even when we’re in Toronto on the weekend so locating a little neighborhood breakfast place about a mile from the hotel up toward Chelsea was on our list of “to-do’s”.   After breakfast we walked over to Broadway and Prince Street to the Dean & Deluca’s on the corner (one of my favorite places for a coffee, pastry and people watching).   Next it was uptown to 23^rd street and the start of our shopping along 5^th Avenue up to Central Park.   The morning was grey but good walking weather…

Sami had two items on her shopping list (1) was in the mood to buy shoes (OMG!), therefore we stopped at the myriad of shoe stores plus any other “cool stores”; (2) she was interested to go to FAO Schwartz on 57^th street.  This one intrigued me - so why the toy store?

Her reply was “Dad, I’m 11…” – I guess I’m supposed to know what that means.    By this time the weather had turned a little murky and started to shower intermittently so our afternoon adventure consisted of a trip to Dylan’s Candy store at 3^rd Avenue and 60^th street (opposite Bloomingdales) before a walk across Central Park up to the American Natural History Museum at 79^th Street and Central Park West.

Statue of Teddy Roosevelt outside
the American Natural History Museum

The museum (where the movie “A Night at the Museum” was based) was packed but its a great place to go and we both enjoyed it immensely!    A relatively quick subway ride back downtown to the hotel, a freshen up and then a cab ride over to Little Italy for dinner (did I tell you we loved to eat?)

It was New York at its finest as we cabbed it over to Positano’s on Mulberry Street in the heart of Little Italy.  This bustling family run place has been around forever, and always on my list of great places to eat in NY.   It didn’t disappoint!

The weekend was fantastic - filled with lots of playful banter, belly laughs and the occasional serious conversation, we both loved the experience.  Each night we talked about the best thing that we had shared or experienced that day, it only reinforced the wonderful and shared experience. 

I realize that as she enters her teenage years that she likely won’t want to spend as much time with me (its natural who does at that age), so having this time to truly connect and make sure she knows that I’m always there for her was really important...