Wednesday 19 August 2009

Triple the Fun

I move to New York tomorrow (ack!) with my just barely fourteen year-old sister in tow (ACK!) for some triple-duty bonding with my brother, who's been living in the city for almost a year. (My even younger brother, who's between the two, is starting college this week, so that's kind of a big deal and preventing him from joining us.)

I'll be in charge of the budget leg of the trip, which will involve as much window shopping, museums that take donations, and eating-while-standing-up as I can fit into the days that my brother is at work. I will be doing this with the kind of enthusiasm that might make you believe that a public bus is fun like a rollercoaster, even if someone is peeing. I think we'll go to the High Line, though, which I think she'll like, and I told her I'd take her jogging and go up to Morningside Heights with her so she can see Columbia. (She's decided she wants to apply there for college, and I'm not doing anything to disabuse her of that idea even if she's likely to change her mind about five thousand times over the next three years.)

So basically, I'm taking recommendations for fun things to do with a fourteen year old who is blessedly into shopping, theater, and eating things that she is skeptical of. And this will relieve my guilt on Friday, when I have tickets to see Amy Ray and Toshi Reagon and will either a) leave her with David, b) lock her in the apartment with a sandwich, or c) put her on stilts and say she's 18. Options!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Staten Island ferry. Much cheaper than the Statue of Liberty boat, but with great views of the Statue and of downtown Manhattan. And all that sea air.

The Oyster Bar under Grand Central. Not cheap, but you don't have to have a whole meal, just a few oysters each. Sit at the bar and marvel at the variety.

And for adventure, you could always walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. They don't build bridges like that anymore.

Rachel said...

See Next to Normal!! It was a really excellent show, just ask David :)

David said...

The Met is obviously by donation, and the Frick is $5 for students with ID - but it's unclear how exciting those would be a 14 year old, and they're uptown. Maybe you should try the New Museum, which is pretty inexpensive for students and free for under-18s. You get the joy of walking with your sister through a room full of Black Panther posters, and it's near SoHo - which despite being a zoo, does have all the window shopping you could want. She'd probably like Topshop, since she's 14, and you could show her the Rem Koolhaas Prada store.

abby.sugar said...

I LOVE Toshi!!!! When I get back to NYC (2 weeks!) can we go to tons and tons of concerts together??? I can't wait to see you!!!