My Journey North - Final Leg: NYC with Ruby

I left Albany on Amtrak and headed down to NYC to spend a week with Ruby and Joe and Joy.  When I arrived at their apartment, Ruby was sitting at the table having lunch.  I didn't want to rush up to her and scare her off for the week, so I kept my distance at first.  I wanted to hug and squeeze and kiss her, but I controlled myself!  Fortunately, she took right to me!  It had been four months since we had seen each other.

We had a fun week!  Playtime, snack time, playground time, walking time.  I was trying very hard to get Ruby to say "G-Pa".  Towards the end of my stay she was saying something like Paa Paa, but she came up with this sign, of pointing and taking her pointer finger and tapping her lower teeth and tongue.  It is hysterical!  Joy and Joe have been teaching her sign for 'eat', 'drink', 'more' and 'all done'. There are two playgrounds within two blocks, in opposite directions, one being right on the East River front.  I love the area and could even see myself living there, oh, except for the financial part!  Several days when Ruby was down for a nap, I would walk around the park and pier areas and relax on the wooden chaise lounges.  All with a spectacular view of Manhattan.

One afternoon we took the subway to the Upper West Side to check out a playground and to meet Joy and then go to the Shake Shack for early afternoon dinner.  The pictures of Ruby and me and of Ruby and The Daddy were taken in Central Park.  We couldn't get into the playground because the elementary school next door was still in session, so we headed over to Central Park where Ruby could drag us around by the finger.

 

On Saturday we took a ferry to Williamsburg for the Smorgasburg.  The weather had been threatening all morning and my cell phone started with this warning signal, informing us that the area was under a tornado warning.  (One did hit down.)  But the weather did clear, and luckily for us, it keep the crowd down at the Smorgasburg.  There were so many different vendors and types of food, it was hard to decide!  I did manage to get some macaroons to take back with us, and Joe and Joy bought some of these fancy donuts.  We ate them before I could snap a photo.  In the photo above, in the lower left hand corner, ruby had just poured a bottle of water over herself!

 

On Sunday we walked over to Testaccio Ristorante, a couple of blocks away.  Joe and Joy had a brunch dish, and I had a panini.  Ruby went to town on the bread and the rice balls (we all did!).  Before walking back to the apartment, we stopped at Manducatis Rustica to pick up some desserts.

It was so much fun hanging out with Ruby.  What a busy little lady!  What with singing, dancing, reading, walking, running, playing on the playground, G-Pa was exhausted!  And up before 6:30 every morning playing!  I wouldn't trade a minute of it!

On my last day there, Joy had to run out to meet some friends, so I got to walk Ruby to sleep for her morning nap.  I got to do that the night before too.  I love it!!!  That's one huge thing I miss by living so far away.  And I got to go to music class with Ruby.  She and I had a ball!

 

I went for some night walks too.  Such spectacular views, and I had to snap a few pictures.  On the night of September 11, the two light beams were lit at the WTC site and the Empire State Building was ablaze in red, white and blue.  (No yellow fringe.  See who gets this reference.)

I must plan a trip back real soon!  My return flight presented some amazing views of NYC.  I could even pick out the Js and R condo building!