New York City, NY

Geo: 40.7528, -73.9853

Weather 81 sunny, warm and breezy

[PHOTO_ID_L=train-to-nyc.jpg] Somehow we figured out how to hop a train from Stamford, CT to New York City. It took a couple of circles around the station to figure out where to go. Bought our tickets and hopped on the train. Pretty easy. It dropped us at Grand Central Station which was a few of blocks from our hotel.[PHOTO_ID_R=ready-for-tigers-game-in-nyc.jpg]

We are staying at the Courtyard Marriott Manhattan. I really like Marriott. They are clean and comfortable. We happen to be Gold members because Paul racked up points during his travels with Ernst and Young and now I keep up the levels by spending money on our Marriott Visa. [PHOTO_ID_L=room-in-nyc.jpg] Must go shopping. Gold gives us concierge breakfast, happy hours and today it got us in our room earlier than we were supposed to. Nice. Niagara, Boston, NYC, Philly and Hershey are all rooms on Marriott points. Saves lots of money and we stay somewhere nice.

We decided we had to go to the Yankees/Tigers game today. Very cool. Verlander was pitching. Though we had some drunk jerky Yankee fans a few rows behind heckling the Tigers fans. Annoying. We were losing when we left. [PHOTO_ID_R=yankee-stadium.jpg] They tied after we left but still lost. It was cool to take the kids to Yankee Stadium. We took the subway both ways. Nasty but easy. New world for the kids. I like that we can teach them how to do these things and how to behave and be safe. They did very well. We did very well. Fortunately, Dave taught us how to do all that. Thanks Dave. Not the same without you here. Not the same with kids here. [PHOTO_ID_L=at-the-game.jpg]

After a little relax at the hotel, I took a suggestion from my friend Johanna. A good one too. We hopped a subway downtown to a place called Ninja Restaurant. [PHOTO_ID_R=ninja-greeting.jpg] I highly recommend it for a fun night. Yes there are ninjas and atmosphere and antics. The kids loved it. We loved it. Fun for adults and kids. The food was really good too. We had a steak, teriyaki chicken and a sushi platter. This kids and us all shared everything. We told the kids they had to be adventurous on this trip. The are good eaters but at restaurants they order easy like a hamburger or chicken nuggets. This trip they have to order something different. Highly recommend the Ninja.[PHOTO_ID_L=ninja-waiter.jpg]

For the majority of the trip, we have all gotten along great. Ben and Matthew like to wrestle and pretend fight and poke at each other which is fine at first but always ends in some whining or crying and punching. That's when we get annoyed. We have to separate them for our sanity. Mostly Paul takes a boy in each hand and Elizabeth is always hand in hand at my side. Just works out that way most of the time. We are all having fun together.

Tomorrow is another day in NYC with the Statue of Liberty, 911 and the off broadway show Potted Potter. I'll check in tomorrow. Is anyone reading up on our trip? Hope so.Read more