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The family went to NYC last Sunday through Thursday - we really did have a good time though I think we probably could have stayed 4 nights instead of 3. The room was really small, though nice. And while the location of the hotel was FABULOUS - there were three separate subway lines within a block or two! - the elevators in the hotel leave a lot to be desired. I swear they moved fast, but there were I think 44 floors with 12 rooms on each floor and four elevators. Waiting to go up or down in the mornings was insane. On more than one occasion we would get on the elevator going in the opposite direction of where we needed to go, if there was space. On the day we left we had to just go up and by the time it got down to where we had been it was full again. And someone on the next floor tried to get on but it was FULL full and he said they'd been waiting 25 minutes. We didn't even have the hotel breakfast on the last day because we couldn't get down there. This was the Hyatt Place in Chelsea btw. I would stay there again maybe but I would definitely ask for a room on a lower floor!

Anyway. We arrived in NYC Sunday morning around 10 and walked to the hotel, it was only 10 minutes away. We dropped off our bags and decided to get something to eat and went to Empire Diner, which apparently was in a scene of Home Alone 2. The food was pretty good though a bit expensive IMHO. After that, we went on the High Line, which was right across the street. We LOVED it. I wish we had gone back another day, it was so lovely and we just really enjoyed walking up there. We eventually got off and went to the Chelsea Market and I did make a stop at the Starbucks Roastery just to see what was up with that (got a dark chocolate mocha, it was fine, we didn't go to SB again on the trip). Went back to the hotel and were able to check in and relax a bit. One thing that was annoying, and which I just realized I didn't mention in the review, was that there were no dressers. There was the bed, a sofa bed, a wardrobe, and a fridge in a cabinet and that was pretty much it for furniture. I hated that because I really like unpacking if I'm going to be somewhere more than one night and I couldn't.

Anyway, after relaxing we went to a place called Little Poland because Jack wanted to get pierogi. This was the second time we've tried them while traveling and this was the second strike. He ordered cheese, but instead of them being cheese and potato like he's used to, or just being savory cheese, it was basically filled with the same filling as a blintz. He literally ate two, if that, of an 8 pierogi order. Mr. Kris had a meatloaf sandwich and a stuffed cabbage, and I had a platter with pierogi, a blintz, and a potato pancake. The potato pancake was definitely the star of the dish. We should have gone to Brooklyn to Pierozek but we didn't want to be on the train that long.

Monday morning was the Statue of Liberty. We went up to the pedestal and really enjoyed it. We also went over to Ellis Island. The ferry was nice but they really need to 1) have stanchions up so the boarding can be more orderly and 2) have cover over the area where you wait, it was SO hot and I got sunburned because I was dumb and didn't put on sunscreen. When we got off the boat, Jack saw someone selling fruit and he and I shared a strawberry and mango cup and that was some of the best fruit I've ever had. Jack then rode a carousel called the Sea Glass which was interesting, he enjoyed it. Then we fed pigeons for a while and went back to the hotel to rest.

For dinner we went to the lower east side and went to Katz's Deli and omg when they say it's the best pastrami they really mean it. The sandwich was HUGE - Mr. Kris and I split it. We also had matzoh ball soup and full sour pickles and everything was so good. We had meant to go to a gelato place nearby after but we forgot all about it (plus I was so stuffed I don't think I'd have been able to eat anything!).

Tuesday we went to the American Natural History Museum - on the way we got off the subway a stop early and stopped by Strawberry Fields and listened to a guy playing music, he was really good. Then went to the museum and planetarium. We were initially going to eat lunch there but we didn't feel like eating at noon and ended up leaving around 3 so Jack and I got a hot dog from a street vendor (it was fine) and then Mr. Kris wanted to go to Tom's Diner, which is on Seinfeld. When they're at the restaurant in the show, the establishing exterior shot is Tom's Diner. Took a cab there Food was good, I wasn't that hungry so I got a grilled cheese and it was freaking amazing. I can't remember the last time I had a grilled cheese sandwich. That night for dinner I walked to a place nearby and got dumplings and some other Chinese appetizers and we all just had those. Oh and I picked up a slice of pizza for Jack.

Wednesday was Mr. Kris's favorite - we did the NBC Studio Tour and we got to see Studio 8H, where SNL broadcasts! We'd been in it before (Mr. Kris for three live shows, and we went together to a dress rehearsal in 2011) but it was different without a show going on. It was interesting and the tour guides were great. We also got to go into the Tonight Show's studio. It was expensive but totally worth the money IMHO. It was my father's day gift to Mr. Kris. We also hit up FAO Schwarz on that day, along with La Maison Du Chocolat which still has the best macarons EVER and hopefully next time I go I'll remember that the caramel ones are my favorite. I only bought one and I regret that.

That night, Jack and I went to see Six, his first Broadway musical. We both really liked it - we had heard the music before but watching the show was totally different. Mr. Kris is not into musicals so he wandered around Times Square and drank, lol. Afterward we went to Junior's for cheesecake and dinner. Very good!

Thursday was our last day, and our train left at 4pm. For breakfast, since we knew we couldn't get downstairs in time, we ate leftovers we'd brought back to the room (the meatloaf sandwich, pizza, etc.) and some snacks we had packed. We initially were going to go to the Central Park Zoo, but when we got there it would have been over $60 for us to go and honestly the zoo is really small and I don't think it was worth it. We wandered around the park for a while instead, really enjoyed the Hallett Nature Sanctuary. Then we got some coffee and decided to go to Chinatown for Dim Sum. We went to Golden Unicorn, where I had gone last year with my friends. It was still good. Jack had a shrimp ball and a shrimp ball wrapped in bacon, plus he ate a soup dumpling which, trust me, was a big deal. I was actually really impressed with him all week food wise, he ate pretty much everything we bought him and we didn't have to go track down the microwave in the lobby to make him mac and cheese once.

The train ride home was uneventful and we were happy to see our cat when we got home and to sleep in our own beds. The bed at the hotel was actually really comfortable, I didn't have any issues with that.

I would love to take Jack back to NYC again, maybe at Christmas some year (probably not this one, we won't have any money LOL).