Busiest Day of the Year (even by my high standards)

Ok, these photos of this pre-Christmas adventure were taken awhile ago, like the 14th or so, but it's been a busy season.  Looking back on that Friday, Saturday and Sunday makes me tired just thinking about it now.

So Lucas and I drove into the City and had a great idea that Macy's wouldn't be busy at 6pm on a Friday 2 weeks before Christmas- a thought of delusion that scares me mostly by making wonder how far off base I'm regularly am without the obvious correction or reprimand this idea had.  Literally, not only did I park too far away, and not only was Lucas a little tired, but I think we were on the like busiest blocks of the City that night, and Macy's was CRAZY - super crowded, like 6 deep at the elevators, and we had to go to the 8th floor where Santa was.  Upon arrival and hearing of the 2-3 hr wait we reversed gears (after a lot of hype that I was quickly trying to backtrack from - it's not easy talking about Santa for 2 hours on the way into the city and then saying, 'hey, let's just come back tomorrow'- but I pulled it off with a lot emphasis on how tired Santa would be and he might not remember Lucas' list and a bunch of unchristian baloney and outright fabrications).  Whatever, it worked, and we grabbed a slice and headed to the hotel.

Only to be back on the road to Macy's at 630am, meaning we were up pre 6am.  Here's a pic of lucas, pre-dawn, at Macy's, at one of their cool windows.

Ok, maybe he should have had a heavier coat on.  But Macy's opened at 7am, and we were literally the first ones in the door.  Turned out Santa didn't arrive till 8 cause the 'reindeer needed feeding'.

I got to tell you, Macy's at 7am a few weeks before Christmas is pretty cool.  It's empty, it's Christmassy, it's quiet, and the elves are in great spirits.  It totally has the Christmas vibe.

So, by the the time 8am arrived, maybe there were 25 other people waiting max, and the whole set up worked pretty good.  Right in to Santa, past the penguins, past the mailbox to the North Pole, past the cool train thing.

And right onto Santa, who was very fresh, where Lucas shyly and softly told the big guy what he wanted for Christmas.  Here he is - slumped shoulders, hands folded, best behavior Lucas.

Then back in the car to head up to the Bronx Botanical Gardens Holiday Train show which is super cool.  All sorts of old and new landmarks of NY with lots of trains running in and out of them and lots of varied plants throughout.  This, too, we hit before most people were out of their respective houses.

That's the Brooklyn Bridge in the background.

 The old Yankee Stadium.  I think these were all made out of various twigs and organic matter.

Now, I like to sport the slacks, sneakers and sweater vest look, to the derision and scorn of my ex - and after seeing these two examples of the 'old man' look, I'm rethinking my thought that I was ahead of the curve on that one.  Although I suppose I could spin it as ahead of the curve, and such a simple, utilitarian approach to comfort and fashion is surely soon to be recognize and applauded.  Until that time, however, I've cut back on it as my 'go to' look.

Lucas got his big nap on before heading back to Mid-Town (in case you've lost track, stayed overnight on Clarkson, then up to Macy's, then the Bronx, now back to Mid-Town).  Had to double park for awhile and wait for him to awake.

So we parked the car and since we were ahead of schedule for the main event, we grabbed a cross town cab to ...

That's Right - FAO Schwarz.  Big line around the block, moved very fast.

Bonanza.

Lego Statute of Liberty.

Lego Soldier.

Lego Batman.

Then across the street for a cupcake.

Then a bicycle rickshaw ride through Central Park which was not only expensive, but slightly geared to a much less savvy clientele than Lucas and me.  Though did see and learn about the exact center of NYC (or was it of the park).  Whatever, pretty good, glad he had a blankie, cause it was almost cold.

Then over to the Met by Lincoln Center where we were going to the ...

Old Skool Big Apple Circus.

Horses, high wire, contortionist, bad jokes, high rings, synchronized bicycles, clowns with bad jokes...

I thought the all-chinese trick bicycle troupe was weirdly racist, but authentic.

And then to just make it really crazy I picked up my nephew (dropped Lucas off at his cousins in middle of nowhere PA) and drove out to Pittsburgh for the University of Pittsburgh soccer prospect day - about a 7hr jaunt.

And back to work at 7am Monday morning.

Merry Belated Christmas.  I'm in the process of delivering this year's Catskill Farms Christmas gift to all our clients - a feat that was much more easily accomplished before we had 100 homeowners across a 100 miles radius.  I know, I know - why don't I just throw myself a pity party that no one will come to.