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May 25, 2009

Fleet Week on The Intrepid Space Museum

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Memorial Day weekend had begun and I was going to make it GREAT. Because in NYC, Fleet Week is full of activities for adults and kids, and do a pretty good job in celebrating the uniforms that step on shore for a reprieve.

And all this “greatness” was going to be kicked off by the activities taking place on Pier 84 in celebration of Fleet Week.

When we arrived at the pier, the lines were already pretty long, the sun was beaming at full capacity, and the boys were ready to go.  Luckily, the angels that watch over me came up with this amazing gift called “Will Call“, and though I received these tickets as a gift, anyone who purchases their tickets online will reap the same benefits I did: no lines.

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Once we were on the Pier, we headed straight to the Intrepid Museum‘s Flight Deck.  Now, fighter planes and helicopters are not really much of what I would call a “good time”, but my guys (husband included) could not lift their dropped jaw at the sight, and this reaction is enough to get me excited about anything, even fighter planes and helicopters.

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img_6071Truth is, I did think it was pretty cool up there.  My 3.5 year old kept wanting the ship to actually sail away with them on it, and the 2.5 year old kept wanting to get inside the cock pits of the various planes, things that caused a few minor tantrums, but all in all, slowly checking out each machine was fun, interesting, and really exciting for them.

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img_6063We headed to the next level down and then inside the museum.  All was well, until we got inside the museum. Turns out that during Fleet Week the lines for all the free activities in the museum are longer, which is to be expected. However, when you go there with toddlers, who have yet to master the skill of taking and waiting for turns, then long lines and large crowds make for not-so-fun situations.  So, we quickly walked through, with me taking note of all the things there are to do when I return on a weekday, while other kids are still in school, and the festivities are over.

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We made our way out of the museum and onto the pier again, this time to check out all the activities going on. And there were plenty.  We listened to music from the cast of Wicked (who also spray painted the 11 year old’s hair green), participated in drill challenges, which my 3.5 year almost did until the shyness got the best of him, but which my husband took on fearlessly and we watched a tag team competition between the Navy and the Army soldiers, which was unbelievably hysterical.

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img_6165The one game the kids enjoyed the most though was shooting hoops and competing against each other.  Granted, not much competition for the 11 year old, but the little ones took the challenge quite seriously, as is evident by the expression on their faces in these pictures!

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So much to do, so much going on.  It was really a great time!  The boys (and I) loved seeing the men and women in uniform, the boats passing by, the helicopters flying overhead. I think I even saw Whoopi Goldberg hanging out nearby. It was crazy to imagine, but a little over 3 hours had gone by before the boys started showing the first signs of exhaustion.

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img_6166We made our way out, which is conveniently located through the gift shop, and bought the boys a little toy to remember the trip.

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Instead of heading home, we headed to Times Square to walk around a bit more and enjoy the beautiful day.  The streets were crowded, music was everywhere.  It’s definitely the heart of New York City and it fills you up with energy just being there.

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img_6188Before heading home, and by way of Hell’s Kitchen, we stopped by the local Sullivan St. Bakery.  Not having been there before, I was helped by local resident, Samantha, who guided me through the various delicacies to choose from, pointing out her favorites and helping me pick some for my hungry crew.  The shop is small, and cute…but the pastries are huge in flavor and were wonderful!  All the activities and fun, the tasty delights of Sullivan St. Bakery, and the kindness of strangers (who are friends in my heart) place this Adventure on the list of my favorites.

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Thank you Samantha!  We enjoyed every bite!!

Thank you Samantha! We enjoyed every bite!!

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For more Fleet Week check the site for details and scheduled events.

Thank you to all the men and women who serve our country and are dedicated to keeping us safe and protected.  We salute you and hope you enjoyed your visit or return to New York City!

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Carol Cain

Brooklyn native Carol is happiest when on an adventure, whether close to home or farther away. She is a small business owner and travel writer. In addition to creating Girl Gone Travel, she is the Founder and Principal of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. She's mom to three wonderful sons and wife to a handsome Irish/Scot. She lives, works, and plays in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of NY.

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4 Comments
  • Toni
    May 24, 2009

    This means its been a year since we've seen you guys 🙁 We were there last memorial day weekend for the fleet week stuff. Thats too long!!!

    Reply
  • Evelyn
    May 25, 2009

    Looks like a pretty cool way to spend Memorial Day!

    And that shot of your Husband and son holding hands… Made me smile so big! Totally frame-able!

    Reply
  • The Intrepid Museum, NYC NY « Your complete guide to NJ Playgrounds
    May 8, 2010

    […] you want a true NYC mama review of the Intrepid, you have to check out Carol’s, great one about fleet week too, which is coming up! Check out their website for all the details. Also do you have something to […]

    Reply
  • Perfect NYC Day with Go City Card: The Cloisters Museum | NYCity Mama
    March 18, 2011

    […] Garden or even NBC Backstage. They offer access to exhibits in places like Madame Tussauds, the Intrepid Space Museum and more. Food tours, shopping tours, boat rides, in different parts of NYC, and packaged how you […]

    Reply

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About me

Hi! I'm Carol! I am an award-winning travel blogger, a keynote speaker, and the Principal and owner of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. I a wife to a handsome Irish/Scot and a mom to 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 and for your support!

Carol Cain

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If you are a foodie traveler, Madison, WI is a des If you are a foodie traveler, Madison, WI is a destination for you. This list of good eats were all within close proximity to each other and spots we made time for during our short weekend visit. So definitely note that this doesn’t even begin to cover the tip of the iceberg, but makes a good starter list!

📍@ShortStackEats in the heart of Downtown Madison is clearly a UW favorite. Loved their pancakes! We thought it was a pricey for breakfast, and only offered drip coffee, but the scene was fun, food was good, and service was friendly.
📍@SardineMadison is a waterfront French bistro that has stood the test of time (we’ve been coming here since we lived in Madison!). It can feel very corporate some nights, but their Happy Hour and brunch are definite highlights and it’s a really nice dining experience overall.
📍@EatattheAudrey impressed us! It’s not your usual “hotel restaurant” and I would say it easily stands alone as an eatery worth checking out in Madison. Great breakfast options, cozy vibes, nice bar, and good service!
📍@RamenStation1124 good, affordable ramen.
📍BlindShotSocialClub We really loved this spot for brunch (sorry, was enjoying the company and totally spaced out on capturing food images!). Golf fans will love hitting the putt here (you can reserve a private room too), and what I though was most cool was the delicious and wide selection of non-alcoholic cocktails to choose from. This place is a total vibe!
📍@StringsRamen is a chain, but I have to say it is some of the best ramen I have had in a long time. I especially loved how you can choose your ramen but heat level but also by Japanese region which allowed us to taste a couple of new flavors!
📍@Parthenongyros has been around awhile (hubby recalls coming here during his college years!) and was voted #1 take out in Madison! Though we indulged inside and away from the snow. A delicious, quick bite when strolling around State Street.

And again, this is just a starter list. There is so much more to eat and enjoy in this top foodie city! What other spots would you add to this list?

#madisonwi #foodiegram #foodiedestinations #goodeats @destinationmadison
I love to travel. It has always been important to I love to travel. It has always been important to my family. My parents got my first passport weeks after I was born. They couldn’t afford to travel like I do now, but they understood, as immigrants, the absolute privilege that comes attached to having that shiny blue American booklet and they wanted me to have it.

I was yet again reminded of my privilege when my travel back home on this last trip was delayed over 24 hours. I have a village in place to make sure my kids were ok. Having my own business meant I didn’t have to report in to anyone, and was still able to work remotely so none of my clients were inconvenienced by it. Though the airline covered our hotel and food, we never worried that we couldn’t do it ourselves otherwise. While we were annoyed, we weren’t stressed.

So while I love to travel, and I love sharing my travels with you, I acknowledge that being able to do so, and dealing with the consistent travel disruptions so prevalent today without worries is a privilege…one that started with a little blue booklet that gives me more access to the world than some others do.

And I want us all in this travel space to be reminded of this. Of how lucky we are. Of our privilege to access and time and money.

So let us travel with grace and awareness. Let us remain rooted in reality and perspective. Acknowledging that our escapism isn’t one so easily accessible to others. Understanding that this is also why local stories have as much value as those to exclusive destinations, if not more. And, never forgetting, especially in the travel influencer and media space, that were it not for hosted campaigns and paid-for travel opportunities, most of us wouldn’t be able to afford the lifestyle we so beautifully curate online.

It doesn’t matter how often you travel, or how far. Just that hopefully you will be able to gift yourself the experience of doing so and experiencing something new.

#travel #travelmedia #travelinfluencer #wheretonext
As I work on compiling all the good eats I experie As I work on compiling all the good eats I experienced in Madison, WI, I have to ask: what is your favorite meal of the day, and where did you experience a highlight of the same?

I am a huge fan of breakfast. This beauty was a blueberry pancake order from @shortstackeats. Pancakes are not a big thing for me, but these were pretty perfect. I am craving them still. 🥞♥️

#madisonwi #goodeats #travelingfoodie @destinationmadison
We got back on a plane! Here are scenes from a qui We got back on a plane! Here are scenes from a quick trip to Madison, WI - my first time back in 14 years! Though we were here for family matters, we did take a moment to explore a bit of what used to be a place we called home.

We couldn’t do anything else until we drove around Lake Monona, where we once had a home, and took in the wintery views (there is an epic 13.2-mile trail that loops around the lake that is worth exploring if you visit!). Though our time was limited, we were able to enjoy some of it along State Street exploring the shops, eateries, the FREE @mmocamadison, and the beautiful architecture of the WI State Capitol Building (the Dane County Farmers Market will soon pick up again - Saturdays, April 15 thru November 11, 2023 around the Capitol Building and it is one of the best farmers markets anywhere!). 

We booked a room at the @hiltonmadison Monona Terrace to be within walking distance of all the downtown fun (tip: for a room with a lake view make sure to book at the upper levels above 10th floor for an unobstructed view of Lake Monona). 

Madison, WI is a skip and a hop from the Finger Lakes so this short and sweet visit didn’t feel difficult at all. And we absolutely loved the winter scenery and seeing what has changed (a lot) since we lived here.

Stay tuned for my list of where we ate!

Have you ever been to Madison, WI?

#madisonwi #weekendgetaway #wisconsin @destinationmadison
The joy of that first sip of the day. #randommom The joy of that first sip of the day. 

#randommomentsarethebest
I think my husband enjoys it, but still can’t be I think my husband enjoys it, but still can’t believe how easily I’ve been waking up in the early mornings since our last trip. Not sure how to shake it, or if it’s temporary, but here it is: the rare sighting of me up and moving early in the day. Am I a morning person now? Has travel ever permanently changed any of your habits?

#morningperson #lifeinthecountry #newme <-😂

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