Exodus from NYC

Yesterday was just a prelude! Today, the clan assembles in the epic scenery of… Newark International Airport. But first, a trip to the south end of the island–which, from midtown in a time crunch, means ya gotta take the subway, a new adventure for the kids!

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A few obligatory photos later…

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It’s easy to forget a) how small the statute is, and b) how far away it is from the southern tip of Manhattan.

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Our only hat tip to touristy paraphernalia involved a pair of statute hats for the girls, which promptly began falling apart–but not before Leila could strike a pose or two.

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Finally, we grabbed our bags and headed to the airport. We were the first to arrive, so we blocked off a legion of seats near the power sockets and soon found a parade of familiar smiles marching down the terminal!

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The next update will be from Scotland!

The Big Apple

New York air is saturated with electric, self-sustaining levels of energy. We stepped out of the hotel this morning, and within minutes, Leila was hooked. The unplanned pause outside the American Girls store didn’t hurt.

 

A quick jaunt through Times Square, of course, necessitated a stop at the Toys ‘r’ Us indoor Ferris wheel.  

Dinner was the Shake Shack in Madison Square Park. Being from California, my expectations were muted, but the Park Burger (bacon and cheese on a juicy grease-filled patty and perfectly toasted bun) was fantastic.  
Madison Square Park was a particularly fun stop for Leila, who requested we take a look after remembering Samantha and her 1904 American Girl adventures in women’s suffrage.

Between pausing at the Empire State Building and Grand Central Station, we had to take a break to introduce Leila to the library and Bryant Park (bemoaning the fact that we had yet to show her Ghostbusters yet).
Nap time in a hotel means getting pictures of dad and kids snoozing together.  

Our hotel’s location meant we passed by the Rockefeller several times today.  
Lunch in New York? It’s gotta be street hot dogs. You can live on them, but they taste like… Well, Leila actually liked hers.   

 

The obligatory family photo at the LOVE sculpture.  
Someone really, really enjoyed her share of dad’s chocolate malt.