New York City Travel Diary

Happy Monday, friends!

As you might have seen on #instastories, we were in New York City over the weekend. It was a FLASH trip- we arrived at 11AM on Saturday and left for the airport on Sunday at 4:30PM- but it was really fun one with a lot of spots (and purchases 😅) worth highlighting. To that end, below is a re-cap of our trip FILLED with shoppable links. 🙌🏽 We are off to Disney World later this week. If you like this kind of post I’d be happy to share what we pack and do in Orlando, too! Just say (I mean, type?) the word.. ☺️

Travel Morning

We left Boston at 9AM on Saturday and took a short 40 minute, $80 Delta flight to La Guardia Airport in Queens, NY- the closest to the city. We always use this website to book trips to and from the airport around the world, with carseats! It’s usually around $100 for a private minivan. The website can be glitchy, so make sure you are clicking the right times/dates when booking! Our travel stroller (pictured above) is always a LIFESAVER- it fits in the airplane’s overhead bin! We’ve had it since Chickie was 6 months old and have used it HARD ever since. The wear and tear has been incredible! The Yoyo has stood the test of time far better than our bigger (and more expensive) Uppababy Vista stroller. When Teddy Bear turned six months we added a the ride along board to the stroller. I really can’t recommend this set up enough if your kiddos are more than 2 years apart.

Saturday Afternoon in the City

We made it into the City around 12:30PM on Saturday and after a quick outfit change we went out exploring! I finally got to wear my new mini puffer from Abercrombie. I am wearing a size XS. It is currently on sale for $49. I was SUPER impressed with the quality of this coat! It’s very light (and easy to pack) while still packing a punch heat-wise. My pink/camel/white version is running low on sizing, but this identical jacket in a similar neutral color is well stocked. My GRLFRND jeans are a splurge but OH SO GOOD! Their relaxed fit is my all-time favorite. I sized up one size to a 26 in these for a looser fit. When traveling with little-ones in winter it’s always easier to put a BIG coat on the stroller than it is on them 🤪 this 7AM Enfant puffer does the trick!

After a quick Mexican bite (and a Margarita or two.. ) at Lucy’s by our hotel, we took the train to the American Museum of Natural History. Chickie ABSOLUTELY LOVED the museum! The dinosaur fossils were out of this world. The Natural History Museum is a great spot to visit if you’re trying to keep your NYC trip low-budget: the suggested ticket price is $23 per adult and $13 for kiddos over 2, but you can choose what to pay. There’s LOTS to see and BIG rooms for kiddos to stretch their legs and run around. We found that after about 3 hours or so we were ready to move on to the next item on the agenda.

After the Museum, we took the C train back to our hotel in order to leave everything set up for bedtime. It was a LONG day for the kiddos with short cat naps on-the-go so we knew meltdowns were on the horizon. When we arrived at the hotel from the airport our room wasn’t ready- can you imagine checking in and unpacking at 8PM with two over-tired kiddos? Yeah, me neither.. Traveling with kids often means slowing down and “loosing time.” But really, what’s a 30 minute delay if it can spare you a hour long meltdown later in the evening?! #worthit

When in NYC, we always make sure to stop by the Grand Central Oyster Bar and this trip was no exception! This cozy spot has been around since 1913 and it’s located SMACK in the middle of the beautiful Grand Central Station-you know, where we originally spotted Serena in Gossip Girl? 🤪😆 The food is delicious and the place is big enough to accommodate littles (and their strollers) something that can’t be said or most NYC restaurants!

It’s 💯 worth pointing out that RIGHT outside the Grand Central Oyster Bar there is a whispering wall that is SURE to blow the kiddos minds. All you have to do is stand facing one of the four archways right outside the restaurant and speak into it. The person standing in the archway across from you will be able to hear even the faintest whisper! It’s the coolest! You can see it in action here.

Sunday Funday

Late Saturday evening I got super sick for some unknown reason and spend the whole night 🤮.. it was awful! Thankfully I was able to rally for brunch in the morning. We made a reservation at The Smith in Nomad. It was delicious! I can’t speak for all locations, but the one by the Flat Iron is HUGE, pretty and super kid friendly! There were families with kiddos at almost every table. I really loved the aesthetic of the place, too. They have a fun Photo Booth in the bathroom that is sure to motivate more than one potty trip 😂 The food and drinks were very good.

Chick and I are wearing matching – not exact- outfits! 🥰 My pants are these from Antro. They are very stretchy, soft corduroys. VERY comfy! They are the kind of pants you can wear three times before washing- they don’t stretch out big. Unfortunately, since they are on super sale, sizing is very limited on the berry color, but they have this pretty light green option available. I am wearing my usual 25 and they fit true to size. The length is good for us petite ladies (I’m 5’2 and they hit right at my ankle). I’m also wearing this JCrew affordable soft wool-blend sweater (sized up to an M for a looser fit) and the Abercrombie jacket again. My hat is very, very old but I’ve linked some similar styles at great price points! Chickie is wearing H&M kids corduroy leggings (run TTS, very comfy! GREAT winter basic) and sweater. Her boots are from Old Navy (similar) and she refuses to wear anything else. Also– these neutral Amazon color-blocked toddler socks deserve an honorable mention. They are soft and GREAT quality. I love how they peek out of her boots!

After Brunch, we walked and walked and walked down 5th Avenue and did a little more shopping than we planned.. I scored these AMAZING hiking boots at 25% off from JCrew! They fit TTS and are FULLY LINED with real shearling. I’ve been on the hunt for a pair for several months and kept coming up with “partly lined” versions– not acceptable for Boston winters. I took my regular size 7. I also got this new hat from brand Stetson USA— I found this and this look alike, affordable versions for ya! This one is also similar but a little more of a splurge.

After walking down 5th Ave (and stopping at one too many stores) we ended our Big Apple adventure by listening to street performers outside Radio City Music Hall. We also had some lunch around Broadway at Victor’s Cafe (a must for Panamanians- the owner is OBSESSED with Roberto Duran and he is plastered all over the walls!) a delish Cuban restaurant close to Times Square. The kids were loving the lights from all the Broadway shows! It was a fun walk. We were hoping to make it down to the character-filled area of Times Square but we were short on time so off to the airport we went instead. Its probably for the best– have you seen how creepy that knock-off Elmo can be? No thank you!

That’s it! Our FLASH trip to NYC complete with itinerary details. Let me know if you’d like me to do something similar for Disney World. Any other posts you’d like to see? Sky’s the limit! Well.. sky and two tiny dictators who command 99.9% of my time and seem to be at their MOST needy whenever I pull out my computer, #momlife at its finest!