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Girl Gone Travel

North America, Travel
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April 3, 2009

Sunny in the East Village

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Sunny. Over 65 degrees. Just by looking out the window, i knew it was hot. The fruit vendors in my Washington Heights neighborhood were out in large numbers. Mangos, papayas, even coconuts where on display for sale today. We decided to head to the East Village for fun.

The East Village on a sunny warm day is bustling with people of all kinds. Young, old, students, professionals, artists, parents with strollers. It’s just lively and busy and great to walk through.

We stopped into Artichoke Pizza on East 10th street. The awesome smell of brick oven pizza spilled out on to the street. The boys immediately become obsessed with the thought of having pizza for lunch. We ordered two slices of the Margarita and it was good.

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Afterwards we walked around to where the boys could work off some energy. So we walked further North to 19th St. where they were able to play in the Augustus Saint-Gaudens playground. This wasn’t just the discovery of yet another city playground. This playground, like so many in New York City, had every reason to be proud of itself, something to hold claim to because it turns out that in June, this is the place to be if you want to see the beautiful Monarch Butterflies.

During their journey back from warmer climates, the butterflies come in large numbers and rest on one of the playground’s many butterfly bushes. Surely a sight not to be missed!

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The playground was full of little boys the same age as mine. It was fun watching them play with other kids besides each other, though they still fiercely defended one another if somebody did something to upset the other. It was very cute to watch.

The playground divides the play areas for the little kids from that of the bigger kids and has a basketball court adjacent to it but separated from the rest of the park.

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Before heading back to 14th St to take the M14 crosstown to the Westside, the boys decided to stop in Stuyvesant Square.

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I sat on a bench and soaked in some sun while the boys watched the squirrels and blew bubbles.

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img_3659It’s so beautiful there, a perfect stop before our long train ride back home. T’was another beautiful day full of discoveries and surprises.

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Carol Cain

Brooklyn native Carol is happiest when on an adventure, close to home or farther away. In addition to creating Girl Gone Travel, she is the Founder and CEO of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications management, and brand development agency. She's mom to three wonderful sons and wife to a handsome Irish/Scot. She splits her time between her homes in New Jersey and Finger Lakes.

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2 Comments
  • Allyson
    April 2, 2009

    Thank you for the wonderful photos. I have visited NYC many times and would love to live there. Thank you for sharing your adventures and letting me live vicariously through you.

    Reply
  • Latina On a Mission
    April 3, 2009

    Ahhh sounds like you had a great time even with the messy pizza- gotta love the challenges of motherhood! And I totally agree about asking questions in NYC but I think its cause evryone is sooooo rushed, not like the islas, that they don't enjoy whats around them!

    Reply

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About me

Hi! I'm Carol! I am a communications professional, an award-winning travel blogger, a public speaker, CEO of a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency, a wife, and a mom of 3 sons and 2 puppies. Welcome to my blog where I share stories of my travels and professional public relations insights and advice. Thank you for reading!

Carol Cain

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Mother Nature sent us some dusting. She must be Sp Mother Nature sent us some dusting. She must be Spring cleaning.

I know. I know. Snow 😖 But we’re almost there...I just feel it. Just not today!
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#myflx #fingerlakes #snowinspring #snowday #lakelife #iloveny #senecalake
Crack of dawn wake ups to check in with electricia Crack of dawn wake ups to check in with electricians at @theflxcottage, followed by mornings full of meetings.

Not complaining though because I also got to hit up one of my fave coffee spots (@amitycoffeeco), in one of the prettiest main streets in Penn Yan, NY. And I got to do it with this handsome dude, @travisjcain.

Also, being in this place just makes me so dang happy all around.
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Perks of life in wine country: membership to our f Perks of life in wine country: membership to our favorite wineries. Where as in some places farm-to-table is a trend, here it is a way of life. This made it easy for us to pick up a slew of winery top picks from @hectorwineco and we can’t wait to pair them with some awesome dishes I plan on cooking this week. 
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Home life has become less tense as the end of scho Home life has become less tense as the end of school days get closer and closer. Work has been fulfilling and gratifying. I’ve started putting more time into my fitness, which is making me feel really good. I’m slowly booking my calendar to see my dearest, and nearest friends. And though long distance travel is still not in the works for us, we are gifted with the Finger Lakes nearby and are not taking any of it for granted.

So while @theflxcottage is still being worked on, we decided to take a weeklong workcation along the beautiful Seneca Lake.

The air is still a bit too chilly for swims or BBQs but I plan on spending as many sunsets as possible right in this spot.

I hope this inspires a road trip close to home for you. Because don’t we all deserve a bit more serene beauty in our lives? Go get yours! @flxwinecountry @flpplake 
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#myflx #fingerlakeswinecountry #fingerlakesny #senecalake #workcation #staycation
We were in Jamaica when I realized I had never tak We were in Jamaica when I realized I had never taken my kids snorkeling. They were 10 and 11. So we booked a snorkeling excursion and the boys were fine until we got to the reef and they could see all the ocean wildlife, clear as day, that would be swimming among them.

My youngest hesitated. Saying he didn’t want to go.

In my heart I felt his fear. I understood it. I’ve spent many years playing in the ocean. I’ve had many encounters with sharks, jellyfish, sea urchins, and even had a near drowning experience. The ocean both thrills and terrifies me. But I venture into it often because fear is such a debilitating drug. And that was my biggest fear for my kids. So I made him sit on the edge of the boat as he teared up, and I nudged him into the water. 

As I prepped to jump in after him, I saw our Jamaican guide give me a thumbs up, and the other tourists give me a look of disapproving judgement.

I jumped in the water and held my boy’s hand, tears were coming down his cheeks, past his goggles. 

“Baby, it’s OK to be scared. It’s normal. But I will not leave your side. I will hold your hand and nothing will hurt you, I won’t allow it.” I never felt a promise so deeply.

We started swimming. Fish of every size and color passing us by and gliding beneath us. He would look at me, nod his head, give me a thumbs up.

After awhile he signals wanting to go up, so we do.

“You Ok?”, I ask. “Yes,” he responded, “You can let go of me now. You don’t need to hold my hand anymore. I’m not afraid.” Then he let me go and started swimming away.

I swam along side him. Never leaving his side. The warmth of my tears fogging my goggles as I realized that it was me who needed his hand holding far more than he did, and bursting with pride at the newfound courage in him, at the beauty of watching my son grow up before my eyes.
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#travelstory #parenting #travel #oceanfun #Jamaica
How I started today. Sending love to all those who How I started today. Sending love to all those who need it most. To the mamas worried sick about their babies living out in the world right now. To those having the conversation right now with their boys about what it is be Black in America.

I texted my boy last night. And he didn’t respond. And I fell asleep fighting off all thoughts of potential harm that could come his way. I think of the tall, beautifully brown-skinned, big smiled man he has become. How bright his present and his future are. How much he is loved and all the dreams he has. I think about how he is still learning, still growing, still making mistakes, things that shouldn’t be held against him much less cost him his life. I think about how he is my heart and my soul and I can’t imagine it - what these mothers and fathers are going through.

I woke up to his reply. He had been out bowling with his small niche of friends. His happiness pulsing through the text. And I felt grateful that I alone carried the weight of the fear and sadness of these repetitive moments of violence against our Black and brown babies. He and they all deserve the bliss so easily enjoyed by others. But maybe so do we in knowing they are safe too.

The violence isn’t just physical. It is emotional and psychological, and it reaches far and wide, beyond the latest crime. And maybe that’s the point? Maybe that’s the goal? But it is also why we should and will fight harder. Because, Black Lives Matter too. And our families and our children deserve peace.
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#blacklivesmatter #bipoclivesmatter #protectourchildren

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