Tribeca Safe Haven

If you're at the new (and very nice) playground/park area on the West Side Highway, in Tribeca, and you're completely overstimulated and annoyed and hot and bothered, just a couple of blocks away, a 5 minute walk, is one of the nicest cafes I've been to in forever. Kaffe 1668. It's dark, it's cool (as in temperature, and in vibe), and the people who work there are friendly. They serve nice coffee, and good food, and they have wine in the evenings. Check it out.

And the park is actually great--there's miniature golf, a great playground, and even volleyball. It's just super crowded on a weekend, so it's good to have an escape to a place that couldn't feel more different.

Blue Marble Ice Cream in Rwanda

We are huge fans of Blue Marble . I do think it's probably the best ice cream I've had in New York. Maybe in the U.S. If you get to New York, you should try to get over the bridge to Brooklyn, and come to Blue Marble. The owners are smart, idealistic, and passionate about using good/responsible ingredients, and also doing progressive ventures as they succeed. It's very exciting that they are working with a group of women in Rwanda, to open up the first ever ice cream shop there, and it's grand opening is today! Read their story about how they got to this exciting moment, and support them if you can.

Natural History Museum

I'm embarrassed to admit that I had never been to the Natural History Museum. Clara has, multiple times, with school, camp, a playdate...but any time I have thought about going, I always imagined it would be too crowded, and I end up taking her to the Met. But this week, after our London trip, I realized that I have made more of a cultural effort in every town but my own, and I was determined to make it there. We had a doctor appointment in the city, so we decided to go afterwards, close to closing time at the museum. It was magical, and I think a big part of why it was so great is because it wasn't crowded. There were no school field trips, it wasn't a weekend--it was 4:30 on a weekday, and we had the place almost to ourselves. And, it was so late, they gave us the tickets for free! We had such a blast, and were so inspired, that we decided to go back two days later when we had dinner plans in the city. (Although this time we didn't get in for free.) Since we only had about an hour each visit, we planned what we were going to see on each visit, and now we know what we have to go back and check out. I think the most exciting thing of all was hearing Clara exclaim how much she loves science, as we were looking at the petrified wood, and how she wants me to find science dvds, so she can learn more. 

Cold Weather Option: NYC Indoor Pools

I've always known that the pool is the main attraction for any trip we go on.  It can be a rinky-dink chlorine filled one with a chain link fence around it in the middle of Idaho, or a salt-water infinity pool in Mexico--it doesn't really matter--if there's a pool, it's a good time.  While not a fan of an indoor pool because I can't stand the smell of chlorine, I can probably get past that for an afternoon of bliss (for Clara)  this winter, especially if I am not going anywhere warm in the immediate future.  The NY Times recently did a clever piece on indoor pools around New York. Most of them require an overnight, but the Grace Hotel doesn't.  It's only $10 per day for the pool, and a two-drink minimum.  Le Parker Meridien has a pool overlooking Central Park, and for $50 you get an all-day pass, and access to gym and classes (and you can see when there's a line at the Burger Joint or Norma's).  Crowne Plaza Times Square has a 50 ft indoor pool, and a $25 per guest pass. The Millenium UN Plaza Hotel has an indoor tennis court, and a 44 foot indoor pool, and it's $35 per day.  

Cozy Spots in Chilly New York

Rockefeller Center:  Of course there'st the tree and the ice skating, but we like the concourse level of the building itself, because it has tons of food options (Two Boots pizza, Pret a Manger), a bookstore, and plenty of corridors to meander around while staying warm.


Grand Central: We could spend days there--from watching the trains come and go, the whispering wall just outside the Oyster Bar, looking up at the magnificent ceiling, grabbing a coffee at Joe's, the food court with so many healthy choices, the clean bathrooms...

ABC Carpet and Home: We like to go test out the $10,000 beds, so we get to kick our feet and relax, and pretend we are rich...then, with our well-rested feet, we walk over to the kids section, which has toys and clothes and accessories that we usually haven't seen before...there is so much to look at, and then we get a coffee and hot chocolate at Le Pain Quotidien. This is a great place to come after you've braved the cold at the nearby Greenmarket.

The Metropolitan Museum:  One of the prettiest Christmas trees in the city--you could spend an hour just walking around looking at all the vignettes.

Time Warner Center:  If you find yourself at a performance at Lincoln Center, at the Nutcracker let's say, this is a nice place to grab lunch and wander around. There is a Whole Foods in the lower level, which has plenty of counter space and ready-made options. Bouchon Bakery has a fantastic chicken soup, and the most amazing chocolate bouchon dessert. And while the shopping there isn't that great, the kids section at Border's Bookstore is good.