A relaxing labor

Google maps will tell you that we live 3 miles from the Meatpacking District. Which technically, I guess, is true. But let's just say that on Labor Day your family wanted to enjoy a walk to said district from the Upper West Side--well, you would clock 4.7 miles right there. Pushing a stroller, carrying a toddler and enjoying the walk to boot. You'd also take some stops along the way. 

 

First stop: free kayaking on the Hudson. Yes, there are free things to do in NYC, and this family on law clerk salary is aiming to do them all!

Seriously though, FREE kayaking. How cool is that? Talmage's answer: way cool! Everett's answer: It's child abuse Mom! Luckily the kind kayak people let the boys wet their feet to the idea with a dock-side paddle with Kermit. Everett also got to hold her Kermie straw when we got on the kayak (she really likes frogs, and she gave the straw to Ever--so nice!)

T the big boy got his own seat and his own paddle.

Everett sat on my lap, and after the initial kick-off from the dock decided it wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. "I cwy because I fought it scawy. It not scawy! {giggle}" He is so ridiculously endearing it almost hurts!

We headed east, and then south, and then west again when I realized I needed to use the restroom and thought the Intrepid Air Craft Carrier was our safest bet. We got a free dock pass, but plan on touring the museum in the future (maybe Santa will bring tickets?) The boys were dying to get on that ship and I know they would love it, so hopefully we'll be back. In the meantime, just looking at all the airplanes from afar was cool.

 

The actual reason for our endless walk downtown (after kayaking, of course) was to walk the high line. The high line is a one mile park built above the street on old Subway tracks. We enjoyed the trees, the flowers, the cityscape and some awesome, and I mean, awesome art.

 

Welcome High Line photo dump:

we saw them paint this. yes we did. incredible.

Ever and 16th (I think it was 16th. I'm going with 16th.)

 

True that Manhattan Storage. And I got two oaks in my thimble ;)

To reward our long, long walk, and to celebrate labor unions, and because they're about to close shop for the fall (enter fall ugh here), we shared a snow cone at the Imperial Woodpecker Sno-Balls cart. The flavors are amazing (not just weirdly awesome, but also totally delicious) and it was the most refreshing way to end a great day.