After months of anticipation, the Carnegie Hall weekend finally arrived! As is true for most traveling families, our trip to New York wasn't without drama but we still managed to have a wonderful weekend. The drama was due to a sick chicken (more on that in another post), a trip to the vet, and the discovery of lead poisoning in the hen. We finally got out of Melrose about 3:30 pm on Friday afternoon, which happens to be just about the worst time to attempt a drive to NYC. It took us more than 2 hours just to get out of Massachusetts, but the plus of that was there was minimal traffic as we drove into NYC. Our hotel was a few blocks away from the Hudson river, near the Hell's Kitchen district and it was actually perfect for families. We had two queen beds and a set of bunk beds, and more storage than we needed, which never happens! The kids thought it was a great omen that this quote was on wall in our room!
We had a late dinner in the hotel restaurant and all managed to get a good night's rest. Saturday morning we were all up early and decided to take a family run along the Hudson. We logged 5 easy miles as we took in the sights and even got a distant look at the Statue of Liberty.
We headed straight to brunch after our run and then cleaned up before doing some more sightseeing. We headed south and walked around Battery Park, saw the Fearless Girl statue, and made an emotional stop at the 9/11 Memorial.
We then hopped in cab up to Carnegie Hall and walked up to Central Park. We had a great time getting lost in some wooded trails in the Park. We made a quick stop at the Steinway store so that Caleb could warm up and then went back to the hotel to rest up for a while.
We ate at a restaurant called Il Punto and we had a great experience. The kids blew away the staff because of the food that they ordered and the manners that they displayed. Randy and I were very proud parents!
And finally....it's time for Carnegie Hall!
Caleb was definitely getting annoyed at all the photos and was happy to be taken back stage and left alone!
We only managed a few photos before and after the performance and no videos were allowed to be taken. Caleb had a wonderful performance and truly enjoyed every second of his time at Carnegie Hall.
Our dear friends Matthew and Alison came to the performance and it was great to share the night with them!
After the show ended, we went out for dessert with Caleb's teacher and had the best time celebrating! The kids were out past midnight and didn't go to bed until 1 am! It was definitely a night they'll remember always!
The next morning, we grabbed some Italian street food for breakfast and started making our way back home. Levi was excited to see a Mike's Barber shop sign since that is his barber back home.
It was such a great weekend and one that will stay with us for a while! Caleb works so incredibly hard and it was wonderful to see him enjoy the fruits of his labor. The kids can't wait to go back to NYC again soon!
