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

DC/NYC Day 9 (Thursday)

Today we kind of slept in (we needed it). We got up and got ready and ate pizza at Famiglia Pizza (yum!) then negotiated the subway up to the Natural History Museum (Night at the Museum). We went inside and the lines were SO long we asked the kids "Who really wants to see this museum?"... we got 4 "not me's"... so we left.

We went to Central Park and walked all around it. We saw all the things you want to see in Central Park (and then some - haha!).

We saw the Belvedere Castle

and the Bethesda Fountain.

We went to the Boathouse and got an ice cream cone. While we were still there, we got caught in a torrential downpour!
We only had 2 umbrellas with us, so we just hung out in the Boathouse. (There were tons of poor people out rowing in boats on the lake in this HUGE rain.)
Once the rain stopped, we walked some more and went on the Central Park carousel and saw the great lawn and the Conservatory.

We eventually left Central Park (much to the delight of the children) and headed onto 5th avenue. Jade was very eager to use his NYC spending money on an ipod and he was eager to do it at the 24 hour Apple store that is a large glass cube on 5th. you enter the glass cube and then go down underground to the store which was huge & packed. The rain started pouring again and so tons of people headed into the store which became even more crowded. We had to stay in there until the rain stopped.

Then we headed down 5th and went into Trump Tower. We went into the 5 story Nike Town. We went into Abercrombie (just to see the live model posing in the entrance - hilarious). By this time we were all getting hungry and all agreed we did not want to eat in a chain restaurant that we could eat in at home. We wanted to eat "authentic" New York food. We had read about Sapporo on frommers.com and it was only a block or so from our hotel, so we tried it. It was a little hole in the wall and it was yummy. HUGE bowls of noodles. Delectable.

DC Day 8 (More Manhattan Arrival)

We enjoyed an overpriced dinner at Junior's right across the street from our hotel (I know, get used to it, right?).

It was a Wednesday night Times square is PACKED!

It has been closed to traffic for about a month so people can walk in the street, there are "bleachers" set up to just sit and ogle, there are lawn chairs and little bistro tables to just sit in the street and look up (the cops think is it the stupidest idea the city/Mayor ever had - exaggerated eyes rolls etc.)... but I think it is a kinda good idea... it IS pretty amazing!

We just walked around the area a LOOKED UP. We found our theater for West Side Story (saturday) - we can see it from our room's window! We also had Miss M flicker our room lights so we could find our room and we stood down in Times Square and jumped and waved to her like fools! HA!

We went to a Walgreens in the middle of it all and got some stuff we needed.

We looked for a GNC (sport/nutrition) and got there right after it closed.

And Lando missed it all, poor guy.

DC Day 8 (Williamsburg & Travel to Manhattan)

In our darling little Williamsburg cottage, we had no internet IN the cottage... and our Colonial Williamsburg (CW) day was L O N G... so I had no time to bring the computer somewhere to get wireless. Now that we finally made it to NYC, we have it for a mere $17 per day. (Why is it that cheap hotels have wifi free and expensive hotels - marriott marquis/time square- charge you a TON???)

Anyhow, CW was H O T and H U M I D. Everything felt like a lot of effort and sticky and HOT. We got up and into town kind of early. We saw the gunsmith and the Magazine (weapon and ammunition storage), silversmiths, black smiths, & millinery before the Revolutionary City "show" started. This was good and interesting but felt really LONG standing in the heat.

After an hour, we left for our carriage ride. They said it would only fit 4 people so we bought just 4 tickets and planned to send just the kids. However, the driver said he could fit all 6 of us so we all piled in for our reserved 15 minute ride.

After, we all had lunch together at Retros then the kids went back to the cottage and D and I powered through more history.

Just the 2 of us saw the brickyard and the cabinet maker and toured the Capitol and a Tavern (Inn) and the Gaol (jail). It was all SO informative and interesting.

Definitely fun!

At 5:00, we met the kids at Shield's tavern for our reservation. (I keep stressing our "reservations" because I am so proud & happy I actually planned in advance and made reservations!!! Normally, I would be one of the people going "Hey! We want to ride a carriage. Where do we do that?" and people say "Oh... you had to do that in advance, it is all sold out... you'll have to do that next time you are here." - which may be exactly NEVER!)

So I am SO excited!!!

Anyhow, we ate our reserved dinner at the Tavern and it was mediocre, expensive, not that worth it.

Afterwards we had 2 (also reserved in advance) evening programs.

"In Defense of our Liberty" had us signed up in the first Continental Army. We had to learn to march and learn how to be soldiers as new recruits. (The kids were SO mad at me when they were marching around in the sweaty, buggy early evening heat - haha!!!)

We also did a Ghost Stories tour which was kind of stupid but had us walking around the town at night which was fun!

Oh... and we all saw our first fireflies - EVER!!!

Jade met a girl and went out with her and some of her friends (Lando went along strictly as a "wingman").

We all got up at 6:45AM to hit the road for Manhattan.

We made good time, made very few stops, drove in 7 states in 8 hours (Virginia, DC, Maryland, Delaware, Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York)

and even got lost!!!

WHY - I ask you - are there TWO 95 freeways?????????????????

We didn't realize we were lost and were driving the wrong way on the wrong 95 for FORTY MINUTES.

By the time we turned around, it added a good 1.5 hours onto our drive UGH!!!

We eventually entered Manhattan very close to rush hour and tried to make our way to our hotel... this process took about an hour (most of the kids had to PEE desperately!).

We got checked in and have adjoining rooms on the 17th floor with a nice view of Times Square.

The kids are getting cleaned up and I am blogging before we hit the town for dinner.

(Oh, and poor Lando is SICK. Please PRAY for a speedy recovery for him... he has been SO looking forward to being here :o(

xo

DC Day Seven (Monticello & Travel to Williamsburg)

MONDAY -

Today we woke up kind of early and headed out to Williamsburg. (Our Comfort Inn was overall not a terrific choice. The employees were SUPER nice and helpful. It was far from town and not terribly close to Monticello and the mildew smell was OVERPOWERING.)

We toured the house which was MUCH smaller than you would think. It was fascinating to hear about Thomas Jefferson - "TJ"as our kids called him. He was beyond brilliant.

* His adaptations of inventions he saw in Europe,

* His desire to place things about the rooms to inspire interesting conversation,

* His placement of the workings of the household as much out of sight as possible (the working areas of the plantation and the servants bring food & wine etc.).

* His desire to not live alone and therefore inviting his eldest daughter and her husband and 11 children to come live at Monticello with him.

* His love for vanilla ice cream.

* His adoration of books.

* The fact that he believed in liberty and freedom and that owning "enslaved workers" was evil, and yet the fact that he owned a couple hundred slaves who worked at his homes... and he even fathered at least one child (probably several) with one of his slaves.

We walked the grounds; the garden, the "dependencies", the lawn, and the trail down to his cemetery and his grave. We also went and spent time in the Discovery Center where we could sit & lay on some reproductions of his furniture and dress in costumes and learn in a more hands on way. It was more for younger kids, but we had fun with it any way!!!

(Jade sitting on a replica of TJ's bed)

(sitting in Jefferson's "siesta chair"... Lando playing a colonial game)

(Working making nails)

(Our little slave boy)

We packed up the car and then before embarking on our 2 hour drive to Williamsburg,

we stopped by a Charlottesville barber shop where Jade got a beard trim!!!

We arrived and checked in to our lovely little cottage with the white picket fence.

We walked around, had ice cream (D had a blueberry milkshake, Deevs had a chocolate dipped custard cone, and Jade & I had rootbeer floats - my diet is a little on hold this trip... ugh! I'm going to have to get back on my "A game" - as D would say - when I get home!).

The boys/men found a beanbag game and played for about an hour.

Miss M stayed back at the cottage & rested, I walked the town a little more.

Tomorrow is the big Williamsburg day. The kids aren't really looking forward to it (they have their eyes locked on Manhattan), but I am hoping they will still be able to enjoy it!

xo

DC Day 6 (Charlottesville)

Today we woke up in DC and took the Metro to Union Station (Orange Line from Federal to Metro Center where we transferred to Red line to Union Station) to get our rental car.

At Union Station there was a store called "My Obama Shop". We HAD to take a few pictures.

Once we picked it up, we drove to Dupont Circle... we just wanted to SEE it... we didn't even get out and walk around. Then we continued West on Massachusetts and drove down Embassy Row and tried to see how many of the Embassies we could identify. We saw Zambia, Iraq, Cote d'Ivoire, Britain, Indonesia, Philippines, Niger, Brazil, Haiti, South Africa, Trinidad & Tobago, to name most of the ones we can remember.

Then we headed back to the hotel, packed up, and headed South to Charlottesville.

We all grew CRABBY on the road and had to stop and get LUNCH immediately!!! We arrived and found a hotel near Monticello for which we have tickets tomorrow at 9AM.

Then - at Jade's request - we headed out to look for a barber to clean up his beard (woo hoo!!!!)... but they were all closed (boo hoo :o(

We went to a 6:10 showing of TRANFORMERS and then had CHIPOTLE for dinner (this is like a Taffy Memorial day!!!). Landon wanted Cracker Barrel (still Taffy), but we couldn't find one near enough... maybe tomorrow.

After Monticello, we will pack up again and move to Williamsburg for 2 nights then on to NYC!

Well, bedtime.

Early morning tomorrow.