Grand Central Archives - Weary Wanderer

Kicking Off the Summer in NYC: Part 1

Published on June 3, 2023June 4, 2023 by Cheryl Lock2 Comments

Ah friends, welcome to summer! Or at least, it’s summer for us! The school year ended the week before Memorial Day, so we decided to head on out! For as often as we visit New York state, we had yet to actually stay for multiple days in the city itself.

So we decided to change that.

Through the incredible generosity of a good friend of mine from college, we were able to stay in an awesome Brooklyn apartment for free, and spend our money on all. the. activities. And we did activities, friends. Boy, did we do activities 😉

I’ll break down our days into a couple of different posts so as to not overwhelm, but here are a few overarching highlights:

We miss our friends and family in New York like crazy. Trips like this are beyond memorable, especially now that the girls are getting old enough to remember them.
Taking the subway with three littles is … interesting. Hah. One day is was just me and a double stroller and three children. When Carla joined it was five children. We got onto the subway at one station and the (heavenly) woman who gave up her seat for the kids turned to me and Carla and said, “You’re doing amazing” and I could have kissed her right then and there. Or cried. Or probably both.
Both older girls really loved their time in the city (so did Em, but you know, she can’t talk a lot yet, soooo …), but I foresee a future where G goes to school there, or lives there after school … basically makes the city a bigger part of her life story.
On our last full day Grace must have walked over a mile from the High Line to the Color Factory, while she played a game of “veterinarian” with Lotte, who was in one of the double stroller seats. Em was napping in the other. It was an amazing moment I’ll never forget, and damn was I proud of her!

Without further adieu, here was our Saturday and Sunday, Manhattan Style!

Saturday

Because of multiple snafoos that I won’t get into, we didn’t end up arriving in Brooklyn until around 3 on Saturday morning. As such, I didn’t have the highest of hopes for our Saturday plans … but as is usually the case when it comes to my kids, I was proved wrong! These girls slept a cool four hours and woke up ready to explore! My friend Faye and her two kiddos met up with us. On the agenda were:

Seaglass Carousel at The Battery ($5.50/ride or $50 for a 10-pack)
The Staten Island Ferry to see the Statue of Liberty! (FREE!)

There is also a fun playground in this area, too, if you’re looking to spend more time there.

First subway ride! The girls started out fascinated. Then they took it upon themselves to chat with anyone who would chat. Then they decided to use the poles as swings. And finally, by the 5th or 6th ride, they were content to actually sit and ride. The evolution of a subway ride, courtesy of a 6- and 5-year-old 😉

This carousel is expensive, but it’s a MUST if you’re here! It’s beyond gorgeous, and so fun to watch.

After the playground and carousel it was onto the ferry! The kids were more excited about snacking on a ferry ride than they were to take in the views of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty, but that’s okay. It’s all part of the fun!

Ah, the joys of forcing your kids to take memorable photos 😉

At least G was very taken with the water!

We missed the first ferry back to the city and had to wait 30 minutes to catch the next one, but that was okay because it gave us time to do more fun things, like get ice cream …

Back in Manhattan my friend ordered up some pizza and we ate it on her rooftop. It was the perfect ending to the perfect first day in the city.

Sunday

We had plans on Sunday to catch the train from Grand Central into Cold Spring to meet up with our family for lunch at the Cold Spring Depot. That also meant that Chris got a chance to give the girls his world-famous Grand Central tour when we arrived back 😉

No matter how many times I’ve ridden in and out of Grand Central (hundreds), she never ceases to amaze me.

In Cold Spring we met up with these loves of our lives, and it was a delight.

The waterfront was a big hit too, naturally.

All four of these faces were asleep about 20 minutes into our ride home.

Back in Grand Central, Chris’ tour was a hit!

And those were our first two days in a nutshell, friends! They also included Grace discovering that she does, in fact, like cheese on pizza (duh), and only a handful of tantrums and slight frustrations 😉

Next up … a packed Memorial Day! Until then … bis bald, friends!

Some NYC Action, a Surprise Sprinkle, And So Much More

Published on October 3, 2022February 20, 2023 by Cheryl Lock1 Comment

This weekend we celebrated my baby sis and her TWINS, arriving this December!

Happy fall, ya’ll! With the arrival of cooler weather and all things pumpkin related, my mood is uplifted. The fall signals new beginnings, in my mind, so I was thrilled to be able to add “throw baby sister a baby sprinkle” to my fall to-do list!

To that end, I have been in New York for the past NINE DAYS while Chris held down the fort with the kiddos at home. (Kuddos to you, my love!) I spent five blissful days in the city, visiting with friends and old co-workers and just generally traipsing around and eating all the things.

I stayed at my friend’s Brooklyn townhome while I was in the city, and spent no small amount of time in these comfy chairs, with this adorable dog, reading my book and people watching the passers-by on the street below.

Dinner at Chela on Saturday night included a lot of laughs and a lot of margaritas 😉

The delight of walking around the city, listening to music and in your own little world, is pretty unmatched for me.

Got to meet up with these cuties — my friend’s kids — at J.J. Byrne Playground in BK, which is a must-know spot if you have kids in the area.

Took the subway in Manhattan on Monday and spent some time wandering around my old fave haunts, including, obviously, Bryant Park.

From there I walked over to the High Line, which I hadn’t visited in years! It was such a pretty day for it!

My walk from the High Line to meet a friend for lunch took me through the flower district, which was so fun at this time of year.

A delight of flowers in the middle of the concrete jungle.

Lunch was pizza at Posto near Union Square. Could you not just reach in and eat this picture??

I spent Friday through Tuesday in the city, and then grabbed the train from Grand Central Tuesday morning to head upstate for the second half of my trip, including surprising my sister with my visit and, on Saturday, her baby sprinkle 😉

These statues outside of GC are new … and delightful.

It doesn’t matter how many times I have been here. (Chris and I even took wedding photos here!) Grand Central is always magic.

The views along the Hudson Line are spectacular, too.

I got off in Beacon for a night with my stepdad who is absolutely rocking his recent heart surgery!

We got breakfast at Beacon Bread Company in Beacon, and were lucky enough to spot a glute-free cafe, Kitchen & Coffee, down the road to pick up THE MOST DELICIOUS gluten-free treats for my sister’s shower! (The theme was ‘Twin Buns in the Oven’ and we had all the sweets and treats you could possibly want!)

After spending the night in Newburgh, I hopped in my stepdad’s Mini Cooper and drove to Middletown to surprise my sister. Even though she says she had an inkling of the sprinkle to come after I showed up, it was still so. much. fun. keeping things a surprise! I even got to go to an ultrasound my sister had scheduled for Friday and see my newest little niece and nephew 😉 😉

Surprises — and sisters — are the best <3

After the ultrasound on Friday, Steph & I stopped at Hudson Taco in Newburgh for lunch. I had never been, but it did NOT disappoint!

More margaritas! (For me, obviously not for the preggs …)

Saturday was the day of the sprinkle, and when I tell you that I was stressed out trying to find a venue, believe that to be true. Luckily, a little deep dive Googling came in handy, because I was able to find the cutest little venue — a vintage barn with the sweetest owner you’ve ever met — in Wallkill. It’s called R&W Farms, and it was exactly the set-up I would have wanted for my sister’s sprinkle. We brought in treats from The Bakery in New Paltz and decorated the Thursday ahead of time (while my sister was at work!), and it turned out so beautifully.

And that, as they say, was that, my friends. It was the sweetest of trips with the best of people and I had a grand time, but really ….

There’s no place like home 😉

Bis bald friends — AND HAPPY FALL!

The Covid Christmas We Should Have Seen Coming

Published on December 29, 2021December 29, 2021 by Cheryl Lock1 Comment

Christmas Day was surprisingly joyful, considering what came before and after …

As the final days of 2021 wind down, I’m hoping that you and your loved ones are staying safe and healthy. Our trip to New York for the holidays got disrupted by an outbreak of Covid within our family (extended family, at least, so far the five of us are still Covid-free), so we ended up cutting it short by a week. Still, we managed to pack in a lot of celebrating before things turned ugly.

While I’m grateful for the positive things that came this year — vaccines, three healthy daughters who turned five, four and one, a husband who loves me and takes care of us in this roller coaster of a life, a career that I really love, and so much more — I also won’t be sad to see it go.

Here’s hoping there’s even more to look forward to in 2022. Bis bald, friends … and happy New Year!

The “Calm” Before the Storm

The week heading into our trip was crazy for us, as well, with my stepdad flying in for a visit, Grace turning four and Emilia turning one. We managed to get in a lot of partying before we even boarded the plane.

My sweet, sassy middle daughter. I hope you never, ever change <3

She insisted on having her dinosaurs with her in this picture. Just one of the many reasons I love her so.

My last baby. Emilia turning one has been bittersweet for me. It’s the most fun to watch her grow, and also the saddest to leave the baby phase behind.

We took the family to see the holiday lights at Chatfield Farms before we flew out to New York, which ended with freezing cold kids and lots of tears … but it was pretty while it lasted!

Early Christmas at home before we left meant another excuse to wear our matching Christmas pajamas … not that I ever need an excuse.

Thank you, Denver Airport, for having all the fun holiday entertainment! Emilia hadn’t met Santa yet, so this helped me tick that item off my bucket list 😉

As a surprise to no one, Emilia is a champion traveler.

At Grandpa’s …. pre-Covid confirmations :/

New York City for a Day

We had always planned to head into the city for a day during this trip, but we got spooked by Covid numbers the morning we were meant to catch the train. So we ditched the public transport idea and decided to rent a car, instead. I’m so glad we did, because it ended up being a highlight of the trip. It was the first visit for Emilia, and seeing the city we love all decked out for the holiday … well, there’s really nothing quite like it.

We stuck to the touristy parts of midtown — Grand Central, Bryant Park, Rockefeller Center, Times Square, and the Saks Fifth Avenue holiday window displays — and seeing these things through the kids’ eyes, for the first time, was so much fun.

Ah, the allure of a mini-van. I won’t lie … it was definitely nice having this extra room! We love our Highlander, but a mini-van … let’s just say I get it now.

This is the building where it all started for me. My first real job in magazines — an internship at More and then a full-time gig at Parents — was right here, and I must have walked these streets hundreds of times. To be back there, taking a photo with my girls, really meant a lot to me <3

Of all the places in the city to visit on a holiday trip, Bryant Park is my absolute favorite.

And of course no NYC trip is complete without a big ole’ street vendor pretzel!

Times Square was freezing! But the ball was up, and the girls thought the craziness was so much fun!

Grace was very excited by the Rockefeller Christmas Tree 😉

We spent a lot of time in front of these window displays, and Lotte would have stayed even longer! She was so thoroughly entranced by them, and it was the cutest thing in the world to see.

We ended our visit with a trip to Grand Central, where Chris showed the girls the parabolic curve (where you can talk to people on opposite sides!) and the pretty main hall.

And the Grand Central Market for treats, of course!

Christmas and the Days Before It

We learned the day after we got back from the city that my stepdad had Covid, so we hightailed it out of his house and went over to my sister’s (after we all got negatives on our rapid tests, of course). This ended up being futile, since our Christmas morning tests were negative again, and by the next day my brother-in-law and then sister had it, as well. Still, for those couple of days, we continued on, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Chris and I had already decided that we would be leaving early, and we had already cancelled our Airbnb trip to a lake house in PA (THANK YOU AIRBNB FOR ISSUING A REFUND!) and had moved our flights up by a week to return home (THANK YOU SOUTHWEST FOR ALLOWING US TO DO THIS FOR ONLY THE COST OF THE FLIGHT CHANGE, A MEASLY $150!). We figured if we’re going to get sick, we’d want to be at home when that happened.

Plus, we had nowhere to stay. We officially had Covid cases in both of the family homes where we could go.

I know a lot of people had their holidays ruined or changed due to Covid this year, and I can only hope that by next year, we’ll be in a better place. Who knows, really, but for now, like I said, I’m counting my blessings …

At least there was snow on Christmas Eve!

Christmas Eve gifts from elves, courtesy of my sister <3

Grace’s face pretty much says it all … does it not?!

And that was our trip in a (shortened) nutshell, friends. We made it back home in one piece, which is pretty much all that I can ask for at this point, and we’ll be ringing in the New Year together as a family of five <3

See you all in 2022 … and BIS BALD!

Cousins Are for Life

Published on March 17, 2019August 21, 2019 by Cheryl LockLeave a comment

Is there anything in the world quite like holding your baby sister’s first baby in your arms? I’ll go ahead and answer that for you — no. No, there is not.

I just got back this past weekend after nine days out in New York, the purpose of which was to do just that — hold my baby sister’s first baby in my arms.

And, you know, help out, however I could.

Continue reading “Cousins Are for Life” →

Back in the Borough: Hot Child in the City

Published on November 30, 2016 by Cheryl LockLeave a comment

^^ Oh NYC, how I’ve missed you.

Well friends, two amazing things happened on the very first day of our trip out east — Lotte met my grandmother and she visited NYC.

Lots of love for those two things right there.

For starters, I have to give props to our little four-month old for being quite the flying champ. Sure she had her moments, but for the most part she was pretty great. She was totally fascinated in the airport and held her own all the way until the very end when she got a little sleepy, but once we boarded (a half hour late, mind you) and I could breastfeed her, she settled right down.

^^ Look at that face! Like, ” what in the heck is going on around me?!”

^^ Since we had a small delay we stopped at Root Down to grab some food. Lotte was just a little bit popular there, as you might have guessed 😉

^^ Landed!

cryinglotte
^^ Lest you think my child is always happy, here’s a bit of a meltdown pic for ya, as well.

After landing around 11 p.m. and getting back to Newburgh around 1 a.m., we had a super early wake-up call to try to leave the house by 8 a.m. the next day to head into the city.

Our departure time ended up being closer to 8:30, which I still say is pretty awesome, all things considered.

We were only in the city for a couple of hours total, but we sure did make the most of it. Chris renewed his passport. Steph and Lotte and I met up with my friend Carla and her 9-month-old Fiona for brunch at The Wheeltapper Pub inside the Fitzpatrick Grand Central Hotel. We even took the babes through a bit of a Grand Central tour and on to Bryant Park so that Steph could take some potential Christmas card photos for us.

Here’s our time in the city in photos.

^^ Fiona was fascinated with Lotte’s hair for some reason, which made for some pretty funny photos. Love these two ladies, and I’m so thrilled Carla and I get to raise our babies together, even if we do live half-way across the country from each other.

^^ Some Aunt Stephie cuddles. (Aunt Stephie also dresses Lotte every single time she’s with her, in case you were wondering … )

^^ The Grand Central detour.

^^ Hubbub all around them, and yet these two babes remained as calm as ever. True city babies, if you ask me 😉

bryantparkentrance
^^ Bryant Park at the holidays — my absolute favorite place on earth. I cannot believe I got to actually share it with my own daughter this year.

^^ Behind the scenes of our baby photo shoot 😉 Don’t worry – Chris was holding on very tight!

^^ My child has perfected her side eye.

^^ Ah the stroller and steps — thanks hubs, for always taking care of the transport!

^^ Back to the car, completely unfazed. Like I said – a little city lady.

And that, my dear friends, was our fast and furious introduction of Lotte to the city we love so dearly. Of course there are 10,001 other things I want to do in the city with her, but I have no doubt we’ll be back plenty. In fact, we’re planning another potential trip in January with Chris’s parents while they’re in the states for Christmas, so I’ll start dreaming of that for now.

I’ll be back tomorrow with more of the rest of our trip. For now … bis bald, friends.

Life Recently: The Upstate New York Version

Published on July 9, 2015 by Cheryl Lock1 Comment

Hey friends,

So I’m back in upstate New York right now, and life has been hectic and totally laid back at the same time here … is that possible? I’m here for two weddings, to celebrate my mom’s 60th birthday and to get some stuff done for my sister’s upcoming bridal shower in August, so all of that is definitely hectic. But when I’m not busy running around, I’m pretty much hanging on the back porch as much as I possible can.

Here’s what I’ve been up to lately:

^^ A gorgeous Union Station the day before I left Denver.

^^ And an even more gorgeous Grand Central Station the day I arrived back in New York!

^^ Views from Mom’s porch.

^^ My mom and I had to make a pit stop into Newburgh Vintage Emporium for some stuff, and can I just tell you how much I’m loving this place? If you happen to be in the Hudson Valley, and you like vintage goods, this place is a must-see.

^^ More Vintage Emporium prettiness.

^^ Saturday’s wedding took place on a rooftop overlooking the Albany skyline. Not too shabby for a fireworks view, eh?

^^ Me and sissy.

^^ My sister and her fiancé — these two.

^^ With the gorgeous bride.

^^ Meeting my cousin’s baby for the first time was definitely a highlight of this trip, as well.

^^ Soon-to-be bro-in-law made me a delicious butternut squash risotto for dinner one night … yum!

^^ Lobster and crab roll at The River Grill in Newburgh.

^^ The Newburgh Waterfront, aka the glorious Hudson River.

Still left to do? A couple bridal shower errands, mom’s 60th birthday excursion (I’ll blog about that later) and another wedding in Tarrytown on Saturday.

Bis bald friends!

A Break In the Regularly Scheduled Programming For …

Published on December 4, 2014 by Cheryl LockLeave a comment

Christmas in New York City, ya’ll!

Yesterday I caught an early train from upstate into the city for the day to do a little Christmas shopping, catch up with friends and — you know I had to — go ice skating at Bryant Park.

Oh New York, I’ll miss you most of all at this time of year.

^^ Love, love, love everything about the holidays in NYC — especially the ice skating 😉

^^ Pardon the horrible reflection in this photo, but I caught the Lord and Taylor holiday window displays on Park during my walk from Bryant Park to Union Square, and how cute are they?!

^^ I stopped into Club Monaco on my walk to check out their selection of Strand books, and this door to their mannequin closet was open, so I had to snap a pic. It’s all legs and arms, yo.

^^ If I’m being completely honest, it felt a little weird going into the city, knowing I couldn’t go home to my apartment whenever I wanted, and knowing I’d be catching a train back upstate later that night to go home. It truly is the end of an era, my friends, and it felt just like that.

^^ Until next time, Grand Central.

Bis bald, friends. I’ll be back tomorrow with our Galapagos adventures!

Life Recently: Early June Edition

Published on June 5, 2014 by Cheryl LockLeave a comment

Hi friends,

So … it’s June? How the heck did that happen?! We’ve been having a lot of fun at baseball games, with friends and family visiting, etc., etc. Here’s a bit of what we’ve been up to lately, courtesy of my iPhone.

^^ Some of the prettiest things in Grand Central are only visible when you look up.

^^ I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — Bryant Park is my favorite.

^^ These adorable little kids were competing against each other in chess. Can you say smarties?

^^ Sections of Times Square are now closed off to traffic for the summer.
It’s only slightly more bearable this way.

^^ FIrst iced coffee of the season for Sheral.
[That’s not how you spell my name ;)]

^^ NYC: The only place in the world where you’ll see
a cab, a car and a horse-drawn buggy lined up like they’re about to race.

^^ Poor horses — you make my heart hurt.

^^ Ahh! It’s a Christmas lights murder!

^^ I simply love this brownstone-lined street right next to ours. Swoon.

Bis bald, friends! Here’s to summer right around the corner!

Life Lately: Late Feb 2014 Edition

Published on March 4, 2014 by Cheryl LockLeave a comment

Two months down in this new year of ours, my friends — unbelievable!

Here’s a little bit of what’s been going on in our neck of the woods …

^^ The views in Iceland were astonishing.

^^ Climbing the fish hut to take photos in Iceland.

^^ Chasing the Northern Lights

^^ The Gullfoss Waterfall.

^^ Watching geysirs (that’s how they spell it in Iceland) erupt.

^^ Walking through Grand Central to the subway after our Valentine’s Day drinks at T he Campbell Apartment.

^^ How much did I love this man and his dog in snowy Central Park?

^^ I checked out the annual Toy Fair at the Javits Center for a story I was writing.
It’s so much fun seeing all the new toys for the year!

^^ This face. Kills me every time.

^^ Shrimp and grits for dinner, inspired by our brunch at East End Kitchen,
which serves shrimp and grits as well, but they’re pre-made
with bacon so I couldn’t have them. Our take was better 😉

Bis bald, friends! Hope everyone’s having an amazing year so far! I’ll be heading to Marathon Key with a friend for my birthday in a few weeks. With the winter we’ve been having, I could definitely go for a little bit of sun, that’s for sure.

The 52 Project: Feb. 17

Published on February 17, 2014February 17, 2014 by Cheryl Lock1 Comment

^^ I’m cheating ever-so-slightly with this 52 Project pic, seeing as how it’s actually four pictures …
so sue me 😉 This past Friday, Chris and I ticked another little something off our
NYC bucket list when we hit up The Campbell Apartment in Grand Central for
Valentine’s Day drinks. This place is classic old-school New York, my friends.
It’s dark and the music was right out of multiple old-time soundtracks
(think “When Harry Met Sally” and “Sleepless in Seattle”). It was pretty expensive
(as in $120 for an olives and nuts appetizer and five drinks), but what
isn’t these days? This place is so fun. Get dressed up in your classiest gear
and head over to The Campbell Apartment, a place with a coat check,
waitresses and hostesses in beautiful little black dresses and
bar tenders who actually care about their jobs. (And have fabulous moustaches!)

I’m back tomorrow with our final Iceland installment. Bis bald!

A Valentine’s Day Trip to Tarrytown

Published on February 18, 2013February 22, 2013 by Cheryl Lock1 Comment

Hey friends,

Chris and I just arrived back from our Valentine’s Day trip to Tarrytown, a quaint little town about 45 minutes north of the city, and I have to say–I loved everything about it. Since it’s winter it was obviously a bit freezing outside, and some of the stores in the town and some of the historical sites were closed for the winter months, but still, we managed to have an awesome time just the same.

Here’s what we got up to.

Continue reading “A Valentine’s Day Trip to Tarrytown” →

Happy 2013–From Newlywed Land!

Published on January 4, 2013 by Cheryl Lock1 Comment

Hey friends!

So we did it…Chris and I got married! At City Hall right here in Manhattan, on Dec. 31, 2012.

Here’s to an amazing 2013 my friends, with trips already planned to the following:

London in April for Chris’s fifth and final marathon in the World Series
Australia in September to celebrate our wedding with my new Aussie family, including a trip to the Great Barrier Reef for a little honeymoon getaway

Bis bald, my friends! Hope your 2013 started out as amazing as ours did …