• About
  • Blog
  • Working together
  • Testimonials
  • Contact

Girl Gone Travel

Girl Gone Travel

North America, Travel
/
June 25, 2009

In The Rain at Madison Square Park

Enjoyed this post? Give it some love and share!
Share

It’s been raining a lot in NYC for the past couple of weeks.  This has caused me to get somewhat creative in the things I do with the boys do during the day.  Luckily there is always something going on at the different public libraries throughout the city.  I tend to venture to other neighborhoods just for a change in scenery,  at times the just go to the bookstore, or museums.  But with all the rain, it seems that all those activities inside aren’t enough to get rid of the desire to do things outside.  So, more than once, I had settled with just getting wet.

Today was such a day.  The forecast promised rained, and it had already been drizzling on and off.  I had an event at the ever fun-tastic Apple seeds and was excited to take the kids with me.

IMG_8088

IMG_8085

IMG_8086

They had a great time at Apple seeds, the play area is big, and colorful, and tons of fun.  The boys were the last to be picked up from the reserved play area they had for the event, and it took me a little while to get them out.  Eventually, I got them out by taking them through the gift shop and getting them little toys to play with.  I rushed out, realizing way too late that I had left the 2.5 year old’s shoes behind.  It started to drizzle, but as we were about to enter the train station someone told us that the uptown trains weren’t working.  At that point the rain started coming down, hard.  I started getting frustrated, but then I looked down at my boys, and neither of them cared.  They were so distracted by the little toys that the heavy rain had no effect on them at all.

IMG_8091

IMG_8092

IMG_8096

So, I took a deep breath and headed over to Madison Square Park, to walk around, in the rain, and take some pictures while the boys played and splashed around in the puddles.  People hurrying by stared, some smiling watching us as the boys laughed at the joy of getting wet.  My 3.5 year even sat down next to a lady who had an umbrella and tried to encourage her to come out from underneath it and join him in play. (She gently refused).

IMG_8098

IMG_8105

It was great to walk through the uncrowded park, and I did see that there would a few people who also didn’t mind being in the rain at all, these were the happy souls standing on the very, very short line in front of the often ridiculously busy Shake Shack (shame, had I planned it better, I wouldn’t have eaten so much at beforehand).  As a matter of fact, I’ve never had a shake from this location, even though it is the original, because the lines are always so long! Thank goodness for Shake Shack on Columbus Ave!

IMG_8103

We also took some time to sit down for a bit and watch the people working around the stage that had been set up for Madison Square Music, which are concerts that happen every Wednesday night till August 5th (I can’t wait to see The Jimmies on June 30 as part of Kid Fest). It seemed for a moment as if it weren’t raining at all, there was a quietness brought from the rain, which inspired me to close my eyes and enjoy it.

IMG_8099

I have always loved getting caught in the rain.  When I was very, very young I lived with an aunt in the poor rural countryside of Puerto Rico.  We lived in a cinder block home, with no running water, dirt floors, and a tin roof. My aunt would bring in water and pour it into a bathing tin and this is where my sister and I would bathe.  But when it rained, we would both go out and “shower” with the water pouring out of the drainage pipe my aunt had installed for such occasions or just by standing in our muddy garden letting the rain pour on me. I remember these times as being some of the happiest from my childhood.  As a teenager then living in a troubled home in the Dominican Republic, I would escape to the roof of my father’s home when it rained and I would lift up my face and close my eyes, imagining the rain was washing away this sad, lonely existence and allow a better one to surface. It was in those instances, at that time, when I felt most at peace.

Sitting there in Madison Square Park, letting the rain soak me, my children, and all we carried with us, it seemed those years were someone else’s life rather than my own past, but yet the rain, and seeing the joy in my children’s faces as they played in it reminded me of both the poor little girl in PR, and the sad teenager in DR, who found freedom and refuge in the cool drops that fell from the sky, and though I know that that life is nothing like what my children have experienced in theirs, I was glad to see that they were, like me, able to really appreciate and enjoy it.

IMG_8108

As the heavy rain starting becoming a soft drizzle, we got up and started making our way back home, dripping wet, with squeaky shoes (those who had any), and a big smile on our faces talking about what fun all that was.

IMG_8110[subscribe2]

Related

Enjoyed this post? Give it some love and share!
Share
Pin this Post
Share this Post
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.

You May Also Like...

Christmas Tree Hunting in Long Island, NY

December 12, 2008

Fort Tryon Park, Washington Heights, NY

December 10, 2008

Winter afternoon in the Bronx Zoo, NY

December 16, 2008
4 Comments
  • Lisa
    July 1, 2009

    I love walking around in the rain but I hate having wet clothes 🙂

    They looked like they were loving the rain..

    Reply
  • Jessica
    September 28, 2009

    Just discovered appleseeds, AND ShakeShack- OMG. Words cannot describe my JOY!

    Reply
  • Jessica
    September 28, 2009

    Your boys are absolutely adorable.

    Reply
  • Hotel Giraffe: Catering to Couples, But Also To Kids in Tow | NYCity Mama
    August 25, 2010

    […] on Park Avenue South and 26th street, it is near a lot of my favorite spots, such as Madison Square Park, where you’ll find the first and famous Shake Shack, as well as the location where many free, […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Previous Post
The Little Red Lighthouse, Ft. Washington Park, NY
Next Post
An Evening in Pictures: Big City Lights

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

Categories

  • Asia5 Post(s)
  • Caribbean17 Post(s)
  • Central America4 Post(s)
  • Europe53 Post(s)
  • North America315 Post(s)
  • Oceana1 Post(s)

Contact

  • carol@girlgonetravel.com

Follow @girlgonetravel

Hubby and I recently went to check out office spac Hubby and I recently went to check out office spaces for our business. We (I) started getting caught up in the perceptions of what other people might think about our business, or rather, how successful or serious it was with us operating it from our home. So, in order to keep up with the Joneses, we went out and searched. And immediately were like, "Nope."

One, it was an additional expense that we were taking on to convince other people of whatever we (I) thought they needed to be convinced of. And two, it felt like....well, like working out of an office, something which I personally haven't done in over a decade (almost two now) and which my husband just escaped from!

And lastly, we like to go out into the communities that our clients serve, but also that we live in, and get to experience it all ourselves. It makes us a great agency.

I share all of this because I am slowly coming to accept that there will always be those who will make a determination of who we are as people, as professionals, as a business simply from what they think they know, not from actuality...and..we (I) am still working on breaking down the toxic traits of corporate / professional influence and narratives.

As once a full-time travel blogger, I experienced first hand what it is to be dismissed and not taken seriously. But, because of my travel blogging work, I have visit over 40 countries (and still counting) and have been published and spoken on stages around the world. That doesn't just happen.

All this to say, as I (we) move away from renting an office in order to be taken more seriously by the corporate world...and save ourselves some money in the process...we are reminded to work on ourselves and on being our own biggest cheerleaders and advocates. Sure, we seek out support and mentorship and always work on learning and refining our skill. But can't pay attention to what others might be thinking. It will never be an accurate portrayal.

And a lesson to never, ever spend more money than we have to just to convince others how serious we are in our commitment to our work. In the meantime, our current office spaces are working out just fine.

#entrepreneur #smallbusiness
A band of misfits on a beautiful Finger Lakes nigh A band of misfits on a beautiful Finger Lakes night.

Life is too short and time too precious, so make sure to spend it with people who bring you joy and make you laugh. Whether it’s one person or more…it’s not the number of people, but the quality and kindness of their hearts that counts.

Here are some of the kind, sweet friendships we’ve been so lucky to have cultivated in our new home. Kisses and hugs @haejones32, @sarahloublagg, @nevetsretlaw, and @jerakahheady.

Till our next gathering! 

#friends #fingerlakeslife #fingerlakes
My happy place: the farmers market. It’s the sea My happy place: the farmers market. It’s the season for all the fresh, local, delicious goodness of the Finger Lakes to take center stage.

The region has a lot more than fried and fast food to offer locals and visitors. The vast amount of organic and locally sourced food is something that is really celebrated here. Even more so the fact that it is accessible and not exclusive to the privileged.

From cider to cheese to meats and veggies…all local, all from a passionate farming community. 

Oh, then, the artisans. *swoon* So much handcrafted beauty. For example, this beautiful hat from @easylivinghats. I have been wanting one of her hats forever and finally got not one but two! And her team, seen here, is so sweet and helped me find the right fit. Support local, shop small, be happy in the process. 📸@ithacafarmersmarket. 

#fingerlakes #myflx #farmersmarket #shoplocal #shopsmall
Hey, wanna come to a cool event in one of the cool Hey, wanna come to a cool event in one of the coolest places I know in Ithaca? (Read on!)

Today I took a stroll into the pavilion of the @ithacafarmersmarket. There was no market today, and though still a lovely space when empty, nothing compares when the market is buzzing with food purveyors and food-lovers! It is exciting and a favorite pastime of ours. Even more fun is when there is a special event happening!

And with that, I want to let you all know about the upcoming @tasteoftheflx taking place on Tuesday, June 14, 2022, at the Ithaca Farmers Market and offer you a discount code for your ticket! Use BRAVE20 for $20 off of either ticket tier.

The event will feature 50 + vendors, music in 3 acts, and a full evening of celebration! Taste of the Finger Lakes serves the dual purposes of showcasing the dynamic Finger Lakes food and beverage industry while raising funds for 3 non-profits doing the important work of improving access to healthy food across the region. Local, good food for a good cause...the best combination!

If you already have your ticket or plan to take advantage of this discount code to purchase it, let me know! I hope to see you there!

#fingerlakes #tasteofthefingerlakes #flxfood #flxeats #farmersmarket #ithacany
Cheers and Happy Pride to this beautiful, inspirin Cheers and Happy Pride
to this beautiful, inspiring, proud community full of people that I love so much.

To my LGTBQIA+ family and friends, know I adore you, would fight for, and support you always. You make my life and the world a more beautiful place. I celebrate you today, this month, and always. 

Thank you for being you. 🌈

#pridemonth #loveislove
What a stunning day to be on the lake with my fam. What a stunning day to be on the lake with my fam. We missed spending time with each other and it was time for us to slow down and bond. Even the surly teens eventually gave in to the fun and smiled a few times. Have I told y’all how much I love our new life here?

#lifeintheflx #fingerlakes #lifeinthecountry #soflx #thisissoflx #Lakelike #myflx #keukalife #winecountry

Copyright © 2022 Girl Gone Travel | Privacy Policy | Copyright Notice