NYC Neighborhoods

Grandma wants me to be very clear about how much we walked in Manhattan. She feels like she saw more in 2 days than most people see in a week on an organized tour. She's absolutely right. (This was anything but organized!) Keep in mind that our stroller is a thing of the past and Doodle was a champ, with the aid of Tio's shoulders now and then. So, here are the neighborhoods that we covered on foot:

Lower East Side, Financial District, Tribeca, Chinatown, Little Italy, Soho, Greenwich Village, Garment District, Midtown, Upper East Side

A new spot for me on this trip was Brooklyn. Did you realize that if Brooklyn went back to being an independent city, it would be the 5th largest city in the U.S.? It has 2.5 million people and 3.5 Manhattans would fit inside it. Aunt NYC said it's become the place where people wanting to start a family can actually afford to live -- within the city -- and not have to move to the burbs. That's precisely what Tio and Aunt NYC will be doing: staying put in Brooklyn when Baby NYC arrives early next year. We were all so thrilled to see her pregnant and the kids couldn't seem to keep their hands off her belly.

We were also introduced to DUMBO, a Brooklyn neighborhood down under the Manhattan bridge overpass, on our last morning in town. We met some friends at Bubby's for breakfast and I must insist that you go there to sample the cheesy grits. Upon returning to my own kitchen, I will begin to tackle the recreation of this creamy breakfast/lunch/snack/dinner delight.