So - during this holiday season when the economy is really bad, my family (including our italian greyhound, Luna) traveled to New York City to experience the sights and sounds of Christmas.
What a treat! First - all those reports about New York City being dog friendly? All TRUE!!! Luna is a 15 - 17 pound italian greyhound (think big, then reality sets in as she is toy sized) and she is a spoiled - and I do mean very spoiled - dog. She is not used to walking long distances, nor is she used to being in ice and snow. Both of these experiences completely wiped her out.
We began our stay at the 30 30 Hotel in Midtown. It is located between Park and Madison Avenue about 4 blocks from the Empire State Building (ESB). Very dog friendly. The rooms are also pleasantly updated and appointed and we had a large deluxe room. Very large. Excellent prices as well. They were great with our need for a refrigerator in our room and very quick for our request for extra towels in the room. As an aside, why don't they provide enough towels for 3 people? I mean, this happens in every hotel that I've ever stayed in. They ask how many people will be staying in the rooms and then they don't provide enough towels? What's up with that? So back to our experience. We got a fridge because Luna eats homecooked meals. They need to be kept cold. This also allowed us to purchase bottled water at a small market so that we would have it if we needed it. The hotel was also centrally located near MacArthur Park which has a small dog park located in the center of the small green space. Great dog run! Everyone was sooo friendly.
Did you know that you can take your well-behaved dog into Starbuck's? Well, we did. And no one said anything. Whether this is actually allowed or not, I'm not sure. The police officer I asked about it said that small dogs are often allowed into deli's and coffee shops because technically, they are held the entire time and never touch the floor. Because they don't touch the floor they are not technically there. Same goes for the subways and trains. If you have your dog in a purse, bag, etc. the dog can be taken literally anywhere.
So - Friday night we arrived in the ice and freezing rain into Manhattan. The drive was made more difficult by the fact that my contact lenses were acting up. Some times they get blurry - or in this case, one eyeball was slightly blurry. So not only is vision difficult due to road spray, etc. from the snow, sleet and freezing rain, but then the contact lens issue. Of course, I just thought it was road spray until I had dinner Friday night. Then I began to check out what was up. I know that those who were looking at us thought for sure that I was mentally ill - I mean when someone is sitting a table and winking out of both eyes at different times - well, that person surelly has something wrong with them, right? So Friday we walked 27 blocks from our hotel in the ice, and sleet up to Rockefeller Center. You don't cab around NYC unless you really have to. So we walked (dog on leash) and saw the Lord & Taylor window. What a superb, stupendously wonderful window. I loved this window. I wasn't nearly as impressed by Macy's, Sak's or Bloomingdale's windows. But the Lord & Taylor window just took my breath away. Then we walked down to Rockefeller Center. The tree is even more impressive in real life than on TV. It had lights that sparkled. Kind of like they were strobe lights. Very cool.
The one thing about NYC that I just can't quite compute is that women - even in ice and snow - wear spike heeled shoes. I'm talking Jimmy Choos and Manolos here - how in the world they don't break their necks walking as fast as they do on the ice - I'm in awe here. Stylish, sporty, furred high heels, and they don't fall down. Not to mention the number of smokers. It was like being back in Europe. Everyone smokes. Zac was just appalled. He's 9 and everyone has taught him that smoking is soooo not cool and that it is terribly bad for you and then everyone he sees in NYC is smoking.
So - in my ducks (I don't do heels in snow and ice - and they're insulated and waterproof) we walked. By the time we got back to the hotel, we were starving so we hit - yes, California Pizza Kitchen. All the restaurants in NYC and we eat at a chain. But, it was right around the corner from our hotel and I didn't want to be too far away from our poor puppy who was just soooo cold.
Saturday, we went to MacArthur Park first. Ted and Zac stopped at a deli for coffee, breakfast sandwiches and hot chocolate for the Zman (he managed to spill every cup of hot chocolate ever made for him on himself that weekend - boys!). Luna did her thing then we walked back to the hotel. Luna burrowed under the covers refusing to come out. We determined then, after calling to make sure that the observation deck was open at the Empire State Building, that we'd do that first. Luna determined to stay in the room...so that's what she did. All day - no regrets, not a whine or a bark out of her.
After the Empire State Building (Zac was impressed with the speed of the elevators and really obsessed about his ears popping prior to going up - not as bad as he originally thought) where I experienced vertigo for the very first time looking straight down at traffic (ugh! I've determined to only go up at night here on out, or at least not look straight down ever again) and we all froze our butts off, we headed up 5th Avenue to see more of the sights. We managed to stop at Saks (potty break) and Ted and I bought winter gear while Zac pouted - he didn't want to buy anything, but he felt left out. However, the objective was to hit FAO Schwartz. It was a long walk, and it was cold, but it was great fun! When we got to FAO we had to wait in a long que. It moved quickly. Once inside, it was nirvana - until we hit the fill your own bag of candy bar. So, you pay by the pound. I am a candy freak -I went a wee bit nutso - that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. $70 (!!!!) later, we had 6 pounds (!) of candy. My husband is still miffed by this - with good reason.
We stopped by Hamburger Heaven on the way back to the hotel and ate heavenly burgers. Yummmy. Then once we got back to the hotel, the hubby and I took restful naps (not really sleeping, but resting). Z watched football. Then T & Z went to Bryant Park to go ice skating. Z is still upset at not getting his carriage ride through Central Park, but we promised we'd go back in the Spring or summer and he could do it then. Maybe, he'd even be able to go up to the ESB at night - which is something he really, really wants to do. I slept. The dog? She slept too. I think she was/is traumatized by the 50 block walk on Friday night in the cold and sleet/rain.
We left early on Sunday morning to avoid getting snowed in by the blizzard that was moving in as we were departing. The only bad thing to happen was on the way home. Turnpike food apparently doesn't agree with my stomach, so I had serious stomach issues by the time we got home. I'm better now, but our weekend in New York rocked.
For all those dog lovers out there bring your dog. They'll love it and you will too. Restaurants may be a problem, but you can eat from sidewalk vendors. Hotdogs and kebabs are yummy! And there aren't any preservatives in the kebabs since they are grilled right there.
The lights were great - the shopping was awesome and the walking was tiring, but all together it was a GREAT vacation.
Enjoy and Happy Holidays!
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