Once we got used to the brain-numbing cold, we discovered that New York in the winter is rather breathtaking. And yes, we did acclimatise after all, or rather, we figured out how to be better prepared for the arctic blast.
1. Layer up (this is the one time it’s ok to take fashion cues from Baymax), 2. Take frequent pit stops (for cookies, macarons, cupcakes) and 3. Get lots of hot chocolate on the go. We also fashioned this cosy stroller hideout cocoon for the kids, which they loved – we were staying at the Trump Soho and the hotel staff supplied the kids with soft, plushy blankets to keep them all warm and nice in the stroller.
It must have been real comfy in there because Finn would fall asleep within minutes after getting in his stroller. The combination of cold air and plushy warm blankie = immediate KO.
Speaking of sweet treats, I have to introduce to you to the two best desserts we had this trip. We tried a bunch of pretty good ones but these two were truly remarkable. And so, the two most divine specimens of sugary goodness we had in NYC, ranked in order of deliciousness…
Number one: behold the beauty that is a Levain cookie.
It does not look like much but this thing is the size of a scone, perfectly crisp on the outside, with a soft, crumbly, chocolatey inside. This little shop along the Upper West Side was so crowded when I got there but the wait outside in the cold was so worth it. I ate the cookie over 2 nights with a glass of milk and lo, it was good till the very last crumb.
Number two: cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery. The texture, taste and moistness level of the carrot cupcake will bring tears to your eyes. The other flavours were good too, but the carrot cupcake, that’s a clear winner.
In between our food discovery pit stops, we made our way to Central Park, which was covered in powdery snow like a winter wonderland. There was stomping to be had after all!!
Just look at all that beautiful snow. If it wasn’t so insanely cold (I’m not asking for much, I’d be happy with anything above 0 degrees celsius), I would most definitely have flung a snowball at the husband and then built a snowman. Yes, I do want to build a snowman, always yes. But that would mean that the kids would immediately follow suit and probably make it back with several missing fingers. And those little fingers are important, so that snowball showdown will just have to wait.
*This is part where I tell you the story of Finn and the lunatic bird outside the American Museum of Natural History. There he was, just chillin’ with the magnificent statue of one Theodore Roosevelt, when this bird swooped down and attempted to attack him. Maybe it thought Finn was easy to pick on, or maybe it’s very possessive about its statue but the result was me having to fight off the bird with my frozen stump hands.
Kirsten had such a great time skating at Rockerfeller that we decided to go for round 2 at Bryant Park Winter Village. I think this has to be my favourite memory of wintery New York City. The crisp, cold air against my cheeks as we held hands, zipping across the ice. And this face!
Hey New York, thanks for showing us a good time.
