Kay, Jacob, Courtney, JD. Since we all fall within two years of each other, the four of us all tend to come as a package deal when it comes to family events. Some of our favorite memories from past reunions/cousins trips:
- Making Jacob watch Camp Rock
- Jacob actually liking Camp Rock
- Spoon people
- Building stilts
- Teeth chattering after that insanely fast ride at Knottsberry Farm
- Courtney always being the shortest
- Attempting to breath underwater using the jacuzzi jets
- Watching that one movie with all the briefcases
- "Papa! PapaPapa!"
Kay and I always said we wanted to move to New York together, so when I moved out here a few months ago, we decided what better time to live out our dream than to have her come visit! As we started planning, JD expressed interest as well. We figured if both of them were coming, we might as well ask Jacob, who quickly said yes! And voila! Cousins trip.
Everyone stayed in my apartment and surprisingly, even though JD and Jacob are practically double the height of Christopher and Nicholas, the apartment did not feel nearly as crowded. (Probably because they were all very good about keeping their suitcases contained to one general area unlike my brothers haha.) It was so easyyyy to be with everyone and we had the best time all together. Each day I had to go to campus for a bit to work on homework, so Kay, JD, and Jacob would take that time
to do the touristy things that I have done before and later in the afternoon I'd meet up with them to continue the adventure. Thanks to JD, we have a very well-kept list of each day's happenings.
Things to note that will make JD's list make that much more sense:
- JD is 6' 7"
- Each morning after I had left to campus, they ate toast with cream cheese and jam. They nicknamed this "Breakfast at Courtney's"
- I did not suggest to them to eat at McDonalds, but for some reason the fact that it was on Times Square seemed exciting and that was their dinner of choice
- Halcyon Records gave me a $25 credit literally because I said the magic words "mix up the adventure"
- I started playing copycat with a little toddler on the train and she LOVED it. She was seriously the most adorable little girl ever. Before I knew it, she was begging her dad to let her come sit on my lap, which he did. She just wanted to play and play and was so cute. Jacob was sitting next to me and so he got involved also and the three of us were basically just in our own little world playing with this cute little girl. When she had to get off the train, she just gave Jacob and me a big kiss. Then she continued to blow kisses to us as she was carried off the train and as she passed us in the windows until we couldn't see each other anymore. Neither she nor her parents spoke English, but goodness she just expressed so much love so immediately. That can be a great life lesson if you start to think about it. Anyway, she made me very happy that afternoon.
- JD says "bumped" when describing Santacon-goers. I would describe it more as "taken over by the masses"
Alright, I think you're now prepared for the list. So thank you, JD, for writing the rest of this blog post for me.
Wednesday: ⁃ Arrived ⁃ Barney Greengrass hot pastrami ⁃ Walked around at night ⁃ Courtney showed up ⁃ Went to Tom’s Restaurant ⁃ Went to Columbia ⁃ Went to fancy gelato ⁃ Came back - watched some stuff
Thursday: ⁃ Fruit stand and toast ⁃ Walk around Central Park ⁃ Walk down 5th ave ⁃ Went in a few shops - saw famous things ⁃ MOMA - a lady said I wear my height well ⁃ Times Square and McDonald’s ⁃ Grand central station ⁃ Rockefeller Center - Anthropologie ⁃ Bryant Park and ice skating ⁃ Joe’s pizza on Times Square ⁃ Lincoln center Starbucks ⁃ Juliard contemporary dance concert ⁃ Big Daddy’s cafe and live band
Friday:
⁃ Woke up, breakfast at Courtney’s ⁃ Top of the Rockefeller Center ⁃ St. Patrick’s Cathedral ⁃ Chopt salads and Levain bakery ⁃ Halcyon Record store in Brooklyn ⁃ Lots of subway and walking in Brooklyn ⁃ Walking on Brooklyn Bridge ⁃ Passed by Battery Park ⁃ Staten Island ferry and Statue of Liberty - spontaneous epic firework show ⁃ Greenwich village and Smalls Jazz Club ⁃ Tom’s Diner for meat loaf sandwich and fries. So many fries today. Too many fries. ⁃ Finished Space Jam
Saturday: ⁃ Snow snow snow ⁃ Brunch at The Smith ⁃ Oculus and World Trade Center ⁃ 9/11 fountain memorial ⁃ Baby and Courtney on train ⁃ Bumped into people about to do Santacon ⁃ Naps and Seinfeld at apartment ⁃ Nom Wah Tea Parlor in Chinatown ⁃ Shopping in Chinatown and Little Italy ⁃ Grocery shopping
Jacob left Saturday afternoon and we all missed him dearly. Kay left early Sunday morning and JD left Monday morning. JD and I woke up to beautiful snow and decided to slowly make our way through Central Park to get to church on Sunday. It was beautiful. That evening we cooked dinner together. I can't remember what we cooked, but I remember it was delicious and we also broke a bowl. We then watched You've Got Mail, because what better way to end a New York weekend?
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| Jacob was very excited to see the lions in front of the library. |
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| Bryant Park ice skating |
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| Brooklyn Bridge view |
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Kay really wanted to climb up onto the fire escape, but we had to convince her that would
be trespassing and it would be pretty unsettling to look out your window and just see
two people posing for pictures on your balcony. |
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| JD fell in love with Brooklyn. |
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| Joe's Pizza |
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| Just HAPPENED to be on the ferry during the firework show to commemorate Pearl Harbor. Quite amazing. |
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| The tree that survived 9-11. |
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| I spy JD in Central Park. |
