DC /NYC Day 11 (Friday, July 3)

This morning we wanted to get up & out pretty early (up at 7:00AM, out by 7:30AM) and get down to Battery Park on the subway to see Lady Liberty on the first (8:30AM) ferry. Because everything we read told us that if you don't want to wait online for HOURS, you need to be on the first ferry.

We didn't QUITE make it... we ran a little late.

(Jade & Lando just couldn't hack it and stayed sleeping.)

We made the second (8:45AM) ferry.

We walked right on.

Barely a line.

The kids didn't even want to get out at the Statue, but we made them.

We didn't have tickets to go up inside, so we just took some photos and left and hopped back on the ferry to Ellis Island.

We rented the audio tour... it was great!

(If anyone wants to see Ellis Island, you can.

D literally filmed our ENTIRE tour!!!)

When we got back, it was SO CROWDED at Battery Park. There was this ENORMOUS line wrapping around the entire park for like 1.5 miles... we were like "What is this line for? What is happening here?" (Because the line was so far away from everything and wound around every where.) Turns out it was to get through security to get on the ferry for the statue and ellis island!!! There were even news crews there taking footage.

We walked a few blocks from there to the 9/11 WTC memorial site. There was nothing really there to see - still just TONS of construction. We walked across the bridge to view the site. We eventually found the temporary visitors center but there was a long line & we were hungry, so we did not go in.

We found the subway to Greenwich hoping we could get into the Village and find a yummy restaurant. Instead, we just walked around and saw no where to eat. We walked all around through the NYU area (cool) and walked through the fabulous Washington Square Park (also cool) where I could've stayed all day!

We also passed many cute little buildings and darling stoops.

We finally found an older couple (they heard me telling Miss M how to spell Greenwich "Like Green-Wich" and they needed to correct me that is was "Gren-itch"... I tried to explain "Oh, yes, THANKS!... I was just telling her how to SPELL it" - embarrassing!) who told us to go to Mario Batali's restaurant Otto (pronounced Oh-Toe).

They said it was in the Village.

Then we were confused. "Well, where IS the village then?"

"You are in it" they said.

(Confusing!)

Anyhow, by the time we found Otto, we also connected with Jade and Lando who had been out exploring SoHo and Chinatown. We had lunch together at Otto. Mediocre food and TERRIBLE service... probably some of the WORST we have had - ever. (Not rude, just inattentive & forgetful - wow!)

We HAD to take the big boys back to the park, so we did. Jade caught a game of chess (he lost $5 and is dying to go back and redeem himself!). We listened to a little music. We sat and people watched for a while.

Afterward, we headed toward SoHo. We found Bleeker street and THAT was what we had been looking for: a restaurant every other shop, adorable stores, etc. Oh well!

We walked toward SoHo but Deevs & Miss M were DONE. They wanted to go back. Jade & Lando went to the Garment District. We went back to the hotel & napped.

Just woke up & deciding where to go for dinner.

xo