Showing off the city

The Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory is a favorite spot on a summer day. This photo comes courtesy of thingstoseenyc.com. I know I’ve taken many photos of this place, but I can’t put my hands on them…

So my sister-in-law is coming to visit from the west coast with her two kids and husband in tow… they have all sorts of other family obligations (her husband’s family is nearby in Jersey) so we only have a limited time to hang out with them and show them our world. The girls have, essentially, never been to New York, so this will be their first real window into what their younger cousin’s life is like here.

In a perfect world, here are links to some of the things I would love to do with them. Hopefully these will come in handy as things you guys could do when you want to show off this big bad city of ours (or when you come to visit!)

The Kara Walker installation at the old Domino Sugar Factory in Williamsburg is only up for a few more weeks. Then it gets destroyed and the factory becomes another luxury condo. The show is a once in a lifetime experience. If you’re in Brooklyn before July 6, don’t miss it.

Take the East River Ferry to Dumbo and ride Jane’s Carousel (and play in the playground there, call ahead to pick up pizza at Grimaldi’s, grab some cones at The Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory, and then stroll back to Manhattan over the Brooklyn Bridge. Fun!)

If you’re organized, go see a Broadway show. I vote for Matilda or The Lion King. If you’re adventurous, head to TKTS in Times Square or it’s two other locations to see what kind of same day discount tickets are available… a great way to enjoy a show at a fraction of the regular (astronomical, if you ask me) cost.

Take the ferry to Governor’s Island. I have never done this and am dying to. Pack a delicious lunch, explore the 30 acres of park and old buildings… what’s not to love?

If you’re looking for the ultimate kids toy store, look no further than FAO Schwartz. This has been the BEST. TOY. STORE. EVER. since before I was a kid.

Of course a trip to the Natural History Museum with a Planetarium show thrown in is a sure fire hit. Try to avoid school holidays, as this is probably the number one destination for most kids on their days off. Right now there’s an exhibit called “The Power of Poison” which looks like a real crowd pleaser…

And what would a trip to NYC be without a little shopping… I think I’ll send these folks to Uniqlo. It’s got great stuff at super reasonable prices, and they don’t have anything like it back home. Uniqlo’s flagship store is the biggest retail location on 5th Avenue, for what that’s worth. My in-laws are also really into outdoor sports stuff (something I know very little about, but whatever) so maybe a trip to Paragon would be a nice thing to do. Oh and Dave is really into playing guitar, so I’m going to take him to Main Drag in Williamsburg and hopefully shop vicariously through him while he’s there.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg, naturally. But hopefully once they get a taste of the big apple they will be back wanting more before too long…