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.
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!
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.
Before heading back to 14th St to take the M14 crosstown to the Westside, the boys decided to stop in Stuyvesant Square.
I sat on a bench and soaked in some sun while the boys watched the squirrels and blew bubbles.
It’s so beautiful there, a perfect stop before our long train ride back home. T’was another beautiful day full of discoveries and surprises.
Allyson
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.
Latina On a Mission
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!