tourist in your own town: part 2

On day 2 of my cousin's trip to NYC, we hit the ground running.  Like any good NYer, we started the day off with bagels for breakfast.

Quick *sigh* sidebar: We really miss the Brooklyn Bagel Co.

now that we're up, up, uptown. Currently in search of a suitable replacement.

Fueled by coffee and carbs, we headed over to our first stop, the Empire State Building... otherwise known as Where Ellen said Yes. The weather, while hot, was sunny and basically perfect for checking out the NYC skyline.  Certainly a big improvement over the previous day on our wet adventure to the WTC and Statue of Liberty.  The line to get in wasn't terrible and we spent a good hour walking around and checking out the city from each direction.  I've heard Top of the Rock has an impressive view, but for my money, there's nothing that beats the romance and allure of the original Observation Deck.

After soaring 86 floors above the city, we came back down to reality and continued our day.  We stopped by the New York Public Library to say hello to Patience and Fortitude, which was especially fun for my cousin since "Between the Lions" was a favorite show of hers as a child. I often forget what an impressive building the library is, nevermind the precious contents held inside.  Next, we picked up lunch beneath Grand Central Station and took a quick peak at the main terminal -- the ceiling alone is worth a view if you're planning a trip to the Big Apple.

Photo credit: Antiques & Fine Art magazine

Carrying lunch with us with a plan to picnic in Central Park, we first took a quick subway ride uptown to indulge every teen's (and let's face it, every adult's) sweet tooth at Dylan's Candy Bar.  I had a feeling my cousin would love this candy store, and I was right!  Honestly, what's not to love... the store is just a happy place, filled to the brim with every candy imaginable.  Granted, if you're almost 7 months pregnant and handling a stroller like I was, you might find it challenging to navigate.  Powered by sugar in every direction, however, I managed to get around okay.  We all left with a major case of perma-grin.

Central Park, from Sheep Meadow and Belvedere Castle, to the picturesque beauty of ponds filled with row boaters and statues standing tall, is a no brainer when planning your trip to the Big Apple. While we hardly skimmed the surface of the park, I think my cousin saw enough to appreciate its beauty and, quite frankly, it's necessity for us urban-ites.  We took a ride on the carousel and strolled underneath the canopy of trees that makes up "the Mall" (personally my favorite section of the park).

Topping off the day, we headed over to FAO Schwartz, because really, what's not to love about a giant toy store (and we were already on a nostalgia kick from our trip to Dylan's). Toddler S picked up a Labrador puppy stuffed animal when we entered and didn't let it go for the entire visit -- naturally we left with it in hand because clearly Husband and I are a couple of suckers -- though not before first channeling Tom Hanks from the movie "Big."  Seriously, I need that giant piano.  So much fun!

Stay tuned for Part 3 (hopefully coming sooner than this one), and here's a teaser to boot: I'll be sharing my new favorite place in NYC!