on those new york minutes …

S/O and I went to New York last weekend.  We flew out on a red eye on Friday night that arrived at JFK at 6:00 in the morning.  We have a condo in Brooklyn that we rent partially to tenants at a reduced rate with the understanding that we keep one of the bedrooms for us to use when we go to New York–About two or three times a year.  The weather was cold, but gorgeously sunny and clear.  Some highlights:

Avenue Q

Avenue Q — We got to see Avenue Q on Broadway.  I'd seen it before, but S/O hadn't so we got some half-priced tickets and had a great time.  If you haven't seen it, it's one that you absolutely shouldn't miss.

Brooklyn Bridge — We took a walk down near the South Street Seaport where I had some great views of the Brooklyn Bridge. 

Brooklyn-bridge

Canal Street — We meet a friend and had some dim sum in Chinatown and did a bit of shopping where the counterfeit bargains are second to none.

Canal Street

Tragic Moment — At about 1:00 in the morning on Saturday night, I heard the screech of tires and a thud.  When I got up to look out of our 3rd story window, a car had run over a pretty big dog.  The dog was a gonner and was under the front right wheel of the car, but he was so big that I think that the impact broke the car's steering because the driver wasn't able to move the car.  It ended up getting towed.

Nanny Diaries Moment I — A youngish mom, a little girl (I'm guessing about four-years old), her grandma, a baby in a stroller, and their middle aged Asian nanny got onto the subway car I was riding.  The little girl insisted on standing up near the door at the front of the train car that people often open as they're moving from car-to-car as the train is moving.

Nanny: "Lauren, I want you to sit down.  You need to be away from the door.  It is really dangerous
Lauren:  "No."
Mommy:  "Lauren, you need to sit down.  It is dangerous near the door."
Lauren:  "No."
Mom looks at Nanny and shrugs
Nanny to Mom:  "She needs to sit.  It is SO dangerous for her there."
Mom to Nanny:  "You tell her."
Thought to Myself:  "Holy crap!!!  That kid is going to be a JOY to teach when she gets to school in a year or two…"

Nanny Diaries Moment II — On our flight home, a young man of about five or six was sitting with his mommy and daddy on the row across the aisle from me. Upon boarding, Mommy and Daddy put the $27,000 worth of toys they purchased for him in the overhead bin and Jr. got out his Nintendo DS and started playing.  As departure time neared,

Daddy: "Buddy, you're going to have to turn off the game in a minute.  It's the law so save now."
Jr. ignores Daddy and keeps playing.  Daddy says nothing.  Then a few minutes later …
Daddy:  "Buddy, you're going to have to turn off the game in a minute.  It's the law so save your game now."
Jr. ignores Daddy and keeps playing.  Daddy says nothing.
A few minutes later …
Flight Attendant:  "Due to Federal regulations, he's going to have to turn off his game until after we are in the air."
Jr., right on cue, throws a big ass tantrum, kicking the chair of the lady in front of him.
Daddy to Flight Attendant:  "Are you sure he can't just play his game?"
Thought to Myself:  "Holy crap!!!  Now, it is probably a bunch of bullshit that the plane's navigation system will fail due to Jr.'s Nintendo DS, but all the same, just in case, I'd prefer to not go plunging into the raging surf below because Mommy and Daddy have overly permissive parenting skills!!!"
Jr. throws his Nintendo DS into the aisle with impressive force for a guy his size, but alas, it doesn't break!!!  That kid is, also, going to be a JOY to teach some day.
Other Thought to Myself:  "What the hell is wrong with these people and their parenting skills?  I'm not even a parent and yet I know that all GOOD parents ply their kids up with copious amounts of Benedryl before long cross-country flights!!!  Come on people, get with the program so the rest of us don't have to endure your "delightful" son's charms!!!"

All in all, a great weekend in a GREAT city!!! 

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