So enjoying this! I smile the whole time I'm reading. I love NY,and seeing familiar pics of restaurants and landmarks is very special. Next please! Linda

Wednesday 26th July 2017 - last full day in New York breakfast, snacks and lunch in Central Park, dinner at Rosie O'Grady's

DH discovered lovely housekeeping had left us four pods of coffee so we could start the day with two coffees, we just knew it was going to be a good day Even the coffee machine was on our side as it only leaked a little bit. More a trickle than a torrent today. Outside we could see the sun was shining and we were feeling good.

We walked around to the Rockefeller Centre as we (read I) wanted to use our last explorer pass ticket for a sunset trip up to the Top of the Rock. This was really simple to book up and there were no queues. We walked up Fifth Avenue to Central Park.

Breakfast was bought from one of the food trucks just outside the park



DH and DD both had a bacon and egg roll



DS and myself had bagels with cream cheese



They came to $20 and it was lovely sitting in the morning sunshine eating our breakfast.

We wandered around Central Park (trying to avoid the rats boy were they huge) it was quite nice to be able to go slowly and just let the kids decide which path to take.



I had intended that we would go up to the Jackie O reservoir but we didn't make it up that far.

We spotted a pretzel cart and bought one to share ($2). This was enough for a snack as we hadn't long had breakfast and to be honest it was bit salty so a quarter each was just right.



Next up we hired one of the rowing boats and each of us took a turn to row. The navigation aspect only resulted in some minor cross words

'Be careful you're going to crash'
'The other left, THE OTHER LEFT'
'That oar is going to take out the lady in the boat next to us if you're not careful'
'Stop, just STOP rowing'

We were just about all talking to each other at the end of the hour which I call a success!

The morning had drifted away from us and hotdogs were bought for lunch from one of the trucks. We each had the same so only one photo for you. These were $3 each.



We went back to the hotel to freshen up before our 4.15pm slot on the RIDE. It was awesome, we had two great tour guides and we feel like we learned a lot about New York. We all agreed that Jackie was funnier than Scott, but the whole thing was fab and I had managed to resist explaining anything about the experience so the street performances were a surprise. DH and the kids said they realised straight away it was actors and not 'real' people. Oh, really

I had wanted our last dinner to be at Ellen's Stardust Diner but the queue was all the way down the block and we were not in the mood for waiting plus we had our slot booked up for TOTR...so we wandered aimlessly not really sure where to go. Finally we made a decision and ended up opposite our hotel in Rosie O'Grady's, but it was a great choice and we agreed this was the best meal of the holiday so far.

The kids ordered cokes and we shared a bottle of Malbec.



DS had the kids sliders $13.95



DD had the California burger, it had avocado which she really likes $18.95



DH and myself both ordered the filet mignon medalions with pepper sauce, roast potatoes and vegetables $31.95



I'm so sorry it's a blurry photo, it was really tasty and we loved it.

DH was curious to know our plans for tomorrow. He knew we had a flight to Orlando at some point and he'd decided now was the right time to find out what was going to happen, you've got to be prepared right? The conversation went something like this...

Him 'What time is our flight tomorrow?'
Me '4pm' (technically it was at 3.59pm, but he doesn't want to get too bogged down in the details )
Him 'What time is the taxi booked for the airport?'
Me 'Er, well, I haven't actually booked a taxi as I've read (on the Dibb) that it's really easy to use the metro to get to the airport' (sometimes it's best not to mention that all my information has come from the Dibb, I think he's starting to think I've been indoctrinated into a cult)
Him 'Really?' (trying to work out if I was serious)
Me 'Yep and much cheaper' (appeal to the money saving side)
Him 'Don't you remember the foot incident?'
Me 'That was a one-off it won't happen again' (now, I had thought Max nearly losing a foot on the way to SOL on Monday might come back to bite me)
Him 'Are you sure you're going to be able to carry one of the big cases down the stairs?' (appeal to my laziness)
Me 'It'll be fine' (I'm not falling for that trick)
Him 'So your plan is for you, me and the kids to take eight bags on the subway and you think it will be fine? What about the turnstiles? What about the stairs?' (at this point I think he's already conceded, he know's there isn't really a point in him debating the plan as it will not change...so I think this is just him getting his 'I told you so's' ready in advance)
Me 'I'm sure it will be fine' (I really hope so...)

Our waiter, Dennis, must have a sixth sense and broke up this discussion by asking The Question at the perfect time and I said we weren't sure, so he brought the dessert menu over to help us decide if we had room



I don't suppose there was any doubt really and three of us were in the mood for a pudding.

DD said she would go for something light and opted for the sorbet, she wanted raspberry but there wasn't any this evening so she opted for lemon $8.95



DS went for the chocolate lava cake $9.95



Apparently it was the best pudding ever and he did actually finish it, the middle looked all gooey



I had chocolate mousse with Grand Marnier $8.95



This was light and the perfect dessert

DH wasn't in his 'We're in America stride' fully yet and had become distracted by the drinks menu



He ordered Rosie's famous Irish coffee $11.50



He let me have a sip and it was good Dennis brought the bill over with the desserts. To be honest it was handy really as I was starting to get twitchy about making our way over to TOTR in time. (I needn't have worried as we bypassed all the lines with our pre-booked slot and didn't have to wait at all.) Looking at the bill now it looks like Dennis forgot to charge us for the Malbec.



We ended the day at the TOTR, which was busy with people camped out in their spot so they could get a good view of the Empire State, think of the Main Street Electrical Parade in days gone by.

We all agreed we'd had a brilliant time in NYC and that it was a beautiful city. We'd managed over 27,000 steps today.

Tomorrow breakfast in New York at Ellen’s Stardust Diner, late lunch at Au Bon Pain in the airport, dinner in Orlando at Perkins I Drive

Your wish is my command! I think we posted at the same time!

I hope you enjoyed today's installment

Well that was quick! Cheers to Dennis then! Looking forward to the "trip" to the airport! Thank you for my morning "fix", Linda

Good stuff! Good to see you enjoyed Rosie O'Gradys like we did.

Also, we just called a yellow cab from outside the front of the hotel when we were going back, we didn't really want to use the subway :P

We loved Rosie O' Grady's too & up there with the best meal of the trip for two trips.



It looks quite unassuming from the outside but really lovely!

This is great! Found your report just after we've booked to go to NYC in November
(I am also partial to a few cocktails )

Really enjoying this so far! I think my husband and I would have killed each other if we'd hired a rowing boat when we went to NYC

Looking forward to the Orlando portion of your trip!

Yes indeed, thank you Dennis! If we'd noticed the wine omission at the time then we would have felt obliged to say something (read probably would have said something, or maybe we'd have scuttled out feeling like we were bank robbers).

The train journey. Hmm...You're going to have to wait and see...OK now I feel like I've built it up into a big exciting story which it wasn't, really, don't hold your breath!

I'm glad to have been a part of your morning.

It was good at Rosie's. Definitely one to go back to next time.

Hmm, I think you are much more sensible than me, or less of a penny pincher!