Stewart Falls winter hike

Kent, McKinley and I too, a hike with the Palmers to Stewart Falls. The weather was nice. There were some icy/snowy spots on the trail, but overall not too bad.

 

5K

 Shelley and I wrapped up our Winter fitness series with a 5K called Break the Ice. Of course I had just gotten off a 2 week vacation and this was the course with the most hills. But I did it with only a little walking. I got a gym membership to get going on training for June's trip. My asthma's been acting up and this winter inversion isn't helping.

NYC

 We flew out of Puerto Rico and into New York City. Took an uber to our hotel and went to bed around 10:30 pm.

Saturday we got to sleep in a smidge, and then hit 5th Avenue for some sites and shopping. We met up with Shelley's family and got a pastry at Rosetta's before starting the day.

We stopped at Abercrombie for McKinley to get the NY exclusive tee. 

The Lego Store

American Girl Store

And then just wandered 5th Ave to look around.

We ate lunch at Los Tacos, then dropped Josh off at the hotel while the rest of us watched Cursed Child featuring Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy.

After the play we picked up Josh and went to Joe's Pizza to stand in line for some dinner. Classic NY pizza.

At 8 the Palmers and McKinley had reservations to skate at Rockefeller Center. We saw the last day of the Christmas tree. It was rainy. We had some famous Glace hot chocolate. Kitschy, but not my favorite. McKinley and Josh got to see their first NYC rat in the subway.

Times Square on the way back to our hotel

Sunday January 11, we started off at the 9/11 museum where Kent got very emotional.

Occulus

Before our play we got lunch. Kent and Josh, got McD's. McKinley and I stopped at Angelina's bakery and had heaven. The pizza was potato and rosemary (the best half slice I've ever had), a fruit pastry, and a raspberry mousse shaped like a raspberry!

While Josh gamed at the hotel, we saw Hamilton at the Richard Rodgers Theatre.

After the play we picked up Josh and walked to Grand Central. After a quick visit there we went to Summit One Vanderbilt which was on Josh's list. He wanted to see the "ball" room. We had tickets to ascent on the all glass elevator, but it was too windy so they had to cancel. Which actually worked out because we had a reservation at Carmine's soon. We were lucky again when we got pulled out of the line waiting to get back down and use the back elevator for the disabled since there was still room in the elevator car going down.

It was a cool way to see the city skyline.

After dinner at Carmine's we chilled at the hotel.

Monday, January 12, we visited the Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island. We usually just take the free Staten Island ferry to see the statue, so this time was up close and very cool!

Her face from inside the statue.

Looking out through the crown at her book

Looking out through the crown at her crown spikes and arm that holds the torch.

View looking up inside

McKinley and Kent

After Liberty, we walked by the charging bull of the financial district on our way to Liberty bagels.

Holy smokes the bagels were so good. I got asiago, McKinley got rainbow with birthday cake cream cheese, Kent got plain, Josh got a bacon egg cheese bagel.

Then we walked through the financial district to see the NYSE, Wall Street, and Trinity church. 

Eliza and Alexander Hamilton's graves

Hercules Mulligan!

Then we walked on to the Brooklyn Bridge.

We walked across to the other side to view the DUMBO.

Then we took the subway back uptown. Josh and Kent went back to the hotel while McKinley and I met Palmers for some Din Tai Fung.

We still had a bit of time until our 7pm FAO Schwarz appointment so McKinley, Shelley, Finn and I went to the PIQ store, the Union Square Barnes & Noble, and then Grand Central Station for Finn to see and for us to get Magnolia cupcakes and banana pudding.

We met up with everyone for our 7pm private shopper appointment so McKinley could do the JellyCat Diner experience.

On the way back we stopped at Van Leeuwen's ice cream. My stomach was still so full so just McKinley and Josh got some.

Then back to our hotel for the night and back to Utah in the early morning.