Bridges of Kings County

Last spring we hit the amazing waterfront park in DUMBO that served as a perfect backdrop for a little people watching and bridge admiring. So I was eager to see how it fared after Hurricane Sandy took its toll along that low lying area.  Last Saturday we returned for a brief visit and I was honestly a bit surprised that it's been over four months and the playground under the bridge is still closed for repairs. It doesn't appear to be too damaged (actually nothing out of place to the naked eye), but I suppose they are waiting for better weather to pressure them to get the job done. Elisa was a little upset, but Carolina was positively despondent trying to break into the chained gates. So we distracted them both with a little walk around the shore skipping rocks into the East River before heading over to the resurrected Jane's Carousel. It was Carolina's first time on one and she wasn't too sure at first. But after switching horses just in the nick of time, she managed to ride next to big sister and that gave her all the confidence she needed to get through. We do a lot of divide and conquer when it comes to childcare and outings, so it was fun to be doing something together--i.e. all four of us at the same time--for a change. 

Walking over to the pier to play at another park for a little bit gave us a bit more scenery of the Manhattan skyline, and the girls got to swing and snack and run around. Nacho and I were tempted to make more of a day out of it, but considering Bubby's closed (and pre-hurricane at that!), I didn't have any real idea of where to eat down in DUMBO with two crazy, tired kids. So we opted to drive back home, put them down for naps and order in some sushi which more than made up for our somewhat anticlimactic stroll. Yes, sometimes, it's okay to just poke around and then leave. We saved some money and most importantly our sanity.  The food order arrived just as the girls drifted into slumber and Nacho and I had an almost date-night quality lunch at home free from distractions.  It was way better than the over-priced, long-waiting pizza places we passed earlier in the day.  I almost shudder to think of how that could have turned out.  Whew.  We'll definitely be back when the playground reopens, but until then, I'll stick to the waterfront closer to home. 

Taking the high road

In the past few days I can tell I've had a surge of energy. Maybe it's changing the calendar or just the hope that spring is around the corner, but I feel like I want to get out more. So yesterday I took the morning sunshine to mean that maybe we could go for a city adventure of some kind even if it might not the be the spring temps I was hoping for.  We were up and fed and out the door by about 10:30 a.m. which was a nice change.  So many days it feels like we fritter away the morning and then it's naptime for Carolina and we haven't done anything. The laziness has become almost depressing which is probably why I am so ready for spring and inching ever closer to the Twos and the hope that maybe a stroller nap will suffice sometimes. But yesterday, we had the benefit of Nacho being off on a Saturday and the girls were mostly cooperative getting dressed. So we were off.  I decided taking the Roosevelt Island Tramway would be our surprise for the girls, and I can say I'm honestly not sure why it took us 8 years of living here to do this.  It was a great way to see the city from up high and I think we all enjoyed it equally--a rare feat!

And now for our return ride...

We didn't make it far after our little ride across and back, but that's okay. The sun gave way to clouds and a few flurries and we were ready to hit the playground and then home. But I have a feeling we will be back in better weather soon to check out the lighthouse at the northern end of the island or the park at the southern tip. I saw so many little parks and places of interest just as we were driving around. The area definitely has a small neighborhood vibe and somewhat older 1970s feel. I suppose it's a unique part of NYC in that it is its own tiny island in a city full of them. And if Elisa and Carolina's reactions to the tram ride were just what I'd hoped--quietly awed and glued to the windows--Nacho's amazement at the scenery was an added bonus. Going in the midmorning on a lazy Saturday meant it wasn't a crowded tram and so we grabbed good seats up front in both directions. The girls wouldn't take their eyes off the skyline as we inched ever closer to the skyscrapers in Manhattan and then came back and descended over the East River towards Queens. Nacho spoke to another dad at the park who said we have to come back in the evening when it's even better with all the twinkling lights. Sounds perfect....but I'll wait til summer.

Brooklyn Bridge Baby

I love it when a day comes together with almost no planning. Seriously. I was already back from my workout this morning when I thought, crap, we have to do something else besides the park today. Nacho has had a string of days off this week and up til now, I've been doing errands or hanging out with friends nearby. It's been a chill week but I was ready to do something new. And then the thought of water and maybe strolling around the Brooklyn Bridge came into my mind.  Last summer we went down to the docks on the south side of the bridge for a brief bit late in the day and while it was fun enough, I kept feeling like we'd missed seeing something. So this time, I thought why not head to the other side of the bridge where I know there was some open green space. With a little picnic lunch and the usual list of go-to items (sippy full of juice, two water bottles, diaper bag, large blanket, camera bag, toys for Elisa, chew things for Carolina), we were off. And boy, was I happy to see this kickass playground when we pulled up to the bridge.

It was called the Main Street Playground for its location at, you guessed it, the end of Main Street in DUMBO. Now naturally, Nacho and I had a little disagreement about where exactly we were heading today and I repeatedly said, no we're going to Brooklyn Bridge Park, not DUMBO. But I was wrong. There, I said it. In fact, according to the signage at the park, we were both right. [And isn't that more important?]  But anyway, the playground was the perfect start to our visit since Elisa was thrilled to have a new place to roam.  As Nacho went to park the car, Carolina and I settled in to a bench and Elisa took off.  It was so nice and relaxing to sit and take in the views while Elisa kept herself occupied and Carolina happily munched on some puffs for the first time.  And if yesterday was any indication, the kid is a natural with finger foods.  She was pinching and putting them straight in her mouth from the get-go. Much better than Elisa's first forays into pushing food all around her tray. No, this little girl wasn't messing around.  By the time we were ready to head over to the grass, it was almost time for Carolina's normal nap time, but she was raring to get down and play.  Keeping her occupied wasn't a problem and we all took turns exploring the rocky waterfront while Carolina tore up the grass. 

And what a lovely day for a picnic and great scenery. Carolina was so happy that she decided to start crawling. Yes, it's true. Up til now, she's been soooooooo close. But today she took off in earnest and she was thrilled to be so near grass that she could just lie down and start shoving pinches of dirty green stuff into her mouth. Ugh, here we go. I think the crawling phase is my least favorite. You have to watch them all the time. Even tonight after we got home, I turned around and she had made it over to Elisa's dinner plate on the living room floor and was shoving a wad of pork chop in her mouth. Oh, Carolina. I think we're going to have to get a bell to tie on her so we can hear her sneaking around. She's like the Siddler in that Seinfeld episode.  That or tic tacs, but those would be too much of a choking hazard. So yeah, it was a pretty good day for pulling this idea out of my ass at the last minute. I try not to feel pressured to maximize Nacho's time off and always accommodate the ticking time bomb of Carolina's naps. But somehow, I still do. So I like it when we do finally get wherever we're going and it feels like we have all the time in the world. Carolina was tired but not grumpy and Elisa ran and ate and ran some more. It was a good mix of outdoor time, playground fun, and city views and good eats.  I think we all enjoyed it. 

And to cap it off an otherwise terrific day, we grabbed some ice cream at the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory and watched the boats racing up and down the East River.  I couldn't believe how long the line was and it wasn't even a hot sunny day.  But nevermind. The ice cream was the perfect creamy treat for all of us. Elisa had behaved better than expected, and I was pleased that we'd lasted this long.  The clouds rolled in just as we were starting to pack it in, but the breeze was still light and the temps divine. By mid-summer this place will be a crush of people and I'll despise even the idea of lounging with so many others on the green grass. So today, in late April, I'll take the surprise trip and savor the respite it gave us all. Now tomorrow, back to our park? Hmmmm. We'll see.