Prospect Park Archives - Weary Wanderer

These ridiculously adorable subway shirts were courtesy of our besties, Fiona & Jake.

Welcome to the final installation of our time in NYC — Days 4, 5 & 6. They were chock full, and I will do my best to edit, but honestly, we all know I love a good photo. Here’s what we got up to.

Day 4: Prospect Park, Pizza & Baseball

We had tickets to see the Mets play (and beat!) the Phillies on Tuesday night, so we had a bit of more relaxing day. We took Simon the Pup to Prospect Park, had stoop-side pizza for lunch and even managed short catnaps.

We felt like a real Brooklyn fam, with our wagon and our cute pup.

Poor Simon sure would have loved a romp. Of course there was no way I was letting that happpen!

Pizza!! Now that G has discovered her love of hot cheese pizza, it’s literally allllll she wants to eat.

A favorite activity on this trip was sitting on Carla’s stoop, waving and saying hey to everyone passing by. Not one of them didn’t smile and wave back <3

After a quick rest, Chris ran over my friend’s place to pick up their car so we could drive to the game. We paid about $50 for parking up in the VERY front, but it was worth every. single. penny. No regrets at all. The ride was about an hour there and 40 minutes back (minus the traffic), and being on our own schedule was priceless. We weren’t sure how long we’d be staying. Turns out … the girls love baseball! Or at least the fanfare involved with it.

It was such a beautiful night for sitting out and watching some baseball.

Nosebleed seats were the way to go with this gang. We didn’t feel bad getting in and out 20,000 times, the kids are up and down and all over, and it was pure delight.

Thanks for putting on a great first game for these girlies, Mets!

Day 5: Playgrounds, Fiona’s play, Lunch dates with Mom, DUMBO & Jane’s Carousel

Grandpa came back into the city to see us Wednesday night and we headed over to Dumbo for Grimaldi’s pizza, rides on Jane’s Carousel and to check out the Time Out Market. Before that, though, Chris took the girls on a playground hunt, Lotte and I saw Fiona perform a play at her school, and I took my three little ladies out for a special lunch in the neighborhood.

We went to Sweet Chick which, once I figured out how to use the online menu, was SO GOOD.

That night we stopped at Grimaldi’s to pick up our pizzas before heading over to Jane’s Carousel.

Which was every bit as magical as I imagined it would be.

The Time Out Market was also very cool, and had a ton of great food and drink options.

And the sun set on our second to last day in the city.

Day 6: The High Line and the Color Factory

Thursday was our last full day, since our flight out was 7 a.m. Friday. Sadly, Chris had to work, but I took the girls to visit the High Line, we met up with Fiona and Jake at their favorite place, the Color Factory, and Faye and her kiddos and my sister and Rosalie met us back at Carla’s for a farewell dinner that night.

Finding a food truck nearby with vegan smoothies that Emilia could also eat was a total score!

These cuties walked a ton this day, I was so proud of them!

Come for the nature vibe, stay for the food and artwork.

Oh and the views. Definitely also come for the views!

After the High Line we walked about 2.5 miles (with Grace and Lotte swapping out of the second seat of Carla’s double stroller, but really, Grace basically walked the whole thing!) to the Color Factory. This place is crack for kids. They had the best time running around like crazy and, of course, I didn’t mind the opportunity for super cool pics 😉 They actually give you a card with a QR code on it when you enter, though, and there are spots to take pictures throughout that get emailed to you. For free. Can’t think of any other place that does that!

A riot of colors from the very entrance!

Drawing their partner on the other side.

As you can imagine, the confetti room was a big hit!

This is the quiet dance room, where everyone puts on headphones with the same music and dances around <3

Lotte is in a big dancing phase, so this room was definitely a favorite!

The photos from the Color Factory in this room — shared later — were amazing.

And the final room. The ball pit. OBVIOUSLY another huge hit!

Even though Emilia couldn’t even stand in it without being completely submerged, she was in love.

Plus ice cream to round out the visit — what an awesome place!

Confetti room photo via the Color Factory <3

Such a fun experience, and so great we got to share it with friends!

After the Color Factory we met everyone back at Carla’s for our final dinner. It was the perfect way to end our perfect NYC trip.

The love I have for this gang is … a lot.

And that was our trip in a nutshell, friends. It was full of so many amazing and fun things. We had the perfect weather. And Grace found/was covered in no less than five ladybugs, so my mom was absolutely there in spirit.

Until next time New York …. we sure do love you!

We’re onto summer things now (camp, swim, play dates, etc.), and we have a press trip coming up in August that I’m super excited about. Then we have an awesome Europe trip planned for Christmas. I’m trying not to wish the year away for that trip to arrive, but it’s hard because dang I’m so excited! But until then, you know what I say … bis bald, friends! I hope you all have wonderful summers planned.

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.