Issue #9: Our New York itinerary and three tips for traveling with kids
How are you doing? Last month we visited my sister and brother-in-law in NYC, did all of the touristy things, and loved every minute of it.
Recently, a few different people have asked: “After owning Dumpling Club, are you so much pickier about food?” The answer: No, I’m a lot less picky than I used to be.
For one, even mediocre food is hard to produce at scale. Every restaurant has the tough job of making the same dishes in mass quantities, night after night after night. But the inputs are highly variable: their best line cook might call in sick, or there might be an egg shortage, or their freezer might unexpectedly short. Even if the food isn’t exceptional, as long as it’s consistent, they’re doing a pretty good job.
Secondly, there’s more to food than the food! Which is to say, a good restaurant experience is made up of so many more different components. I appreciate a friendly server, because I know it takes a lot of emotional emotional energy to show up positively for customers day, after day. I really appreciate a clean bathroom.
But most of all, I’m aware that the restaurant isn’t just feeding me. It’s giving me a place to gather and relax with friends or family. And there’s something sacred about that, isn’t there? I feel a deep sense of gratitude every time I sit in a cozy booth or comfortable chair.
Below I’m sharing our New York City itinerary and you’ll see a bunch of restaurants linked. Two of them were booked ahead, but otherwise everything was chosen spontaneously on Google Maps. And I enjoyed them all!
Hope I’ve given you some food for thought… ;-)
xo, Cathay
Our family’s NYC itinerary
My sister and brother-in-law moved from SF to Brooklyn last October, so for spring break we decided to take the kids on their first-ever trip to New York City. I’m sharing an unfiltered list of everything we did, along with some photos and tips for traveling with kids. We had a spectacular time. If I had to do it all again, I’d repeat this exact itinerary!
Day 1: We walked over the Brooklyn Bridge to Manhattan and ended up close enough to Chinatown that dim sum felt like a natural conclusion to our trek. After an average but satisfying meal at Dim Sum Go Go, we walked down historic Doyers Street and got bubble tea at Teazzi. We returned to the hotel for a nap, followed by an excellent dinner at Quality Bistro and the 8pm showing of Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre. The kids were terrified by the flying monkeys but Glinda’s hair tosses (courtesy of Allie Trimm) had us all giggling for days after.
Day 2: The morning started with Shelsky’s bagels, which were the perfect combination of chewy and soft, followed by an hour at the New York Transit Museum. Then we walked down beautiful State Street lined with trees and brownstones, found ourselves at a lovely children’s playground at the pier, and eventually hopped onto the commuter ferry. We got off at South Seaport where we lounged at the McNally Jackson bookstore a while. Dinner that night was at Sukh, an adorable train-themed Thai restaurant in downtown Brooklyn with excellent cocktails.
Day 3: Fortified by a second round of Shelsky’s, we moved hotels to Times Square (a location I wouldn’t have chosen, had it not been personally requested by my son for his birthday). The kids ran amok at the M&M flagship and then we spent the rest of the day at the Museum of Natural History, aka THE BEST PLACE EVER. Yes, we did a self-guided scavenger hunt for all the Night at the Museum scenes. We stayed until closing and ended the night with a phenomenal meal at Don Don Korean BBQ. Adults had the set menu while the kids loaded up on scallion pancakes and steamed egg. (Also, a tip: the seat tops cleverly hinge open so you can store your coats and bags.)
Day 4: Time for some skyscrapers. We bought a CityPass* for up to three attractions and spent the first one at the Empire State Building. We dutifully took all the photo opps, including the King Kong hand (I am 100% committed when it comes to these things). Afterwards we made our way to Chelsea Market for lunch and walked up the High Line to Hudson Yards where we punched our CityPass a second time to go up to the Edge. This was easily my favorite of all the skyscrapers: floor to ceiling glass provided no obstructions and it was relatively uncrowded.
Day 5: On our last day, we attempted the MOMA, which the kids found entirely uninteresting outside of the comfortable lunch at the cafe (one of my favorites, distinctly un-cafeteria-like). Their spirits were renewed after a trip to the Rockefeller Center and FAO Schwarz, although at this point in the trip they’d run out of pocket money and contented themselves watching the store attendants perform magic tricks. Despite staying in midtown for the whole day, we still clocked 12,000 steps and treated ourselves to a final dinner at Sicily Osteria, a cozy, reasonably-priced, and well-portioned Italian American eatery. The kids devoured the lasagne, and I was impressed by the perfectly cooked bisteccha (NY strip).
* CityPass is worth it if you visit at least two skyscrapers, not worth it if you’re only going to museums. I’d recommend getting the 3Pass and going to the History Museum + Empire State Building + The Edge.
Tips for traveling with kids
We’re fortunate to be able to travel extensively with our kids, which we prioritize over living in a larger home in SF (fact: we’re still in the same two-bedroom, one-bath condo we moved into over 10 years ago!).
Here are my best three tips:
#1. Each person gets one suitcase and one backpack.
Two years ago, we bought each kid their own carry-on suitcase (we swear by the Hue Mini from Calpak) and it’s been one of our best decisions ever. They’re small enough that the kids have no trouble pushing them and they’re sturdy enough that the kids can sit on them when they need to rest.
My packing formula:
Each suitcase is packed with two pairs of shoes, three pairs of pants, three tops, one sweater, one set of pajamas and lots of underwear and socks.
In each kids’ backpack I put an iPad, wireless headphones, one stuffy and a toy/activity (this trip: paper + markers and a pack of cards for L, toy cars for M)
Uli packs all the toothbrushes and chargers in his backpack, and I pack snacks and water bottles.
#2. To beat jet lag, just sleep whenever you’re tired.
Our best tip for beating jet lag is to simply run on a different schedule. In New York, for example, we slept until 9 or 10am every day and let the kids stay up until midnight. It was so delightful to eat dinner at 8pm (which we never do in SF) and go to proper evening shows instead of matinees—and my friends have told me next time to do our skyscraper visits at sunset to watch the city light up.
This strategy works best when traveling west to east. When going the other direction (SF to Hawaii or China), everyone’s wide awake at 4am. Instead of fighting it, we just get up: we’ll put on a movie for the kids, go down to breakfast at 7am sharp, and take a 2-hour nap later in the day.
Some people insist on powering through the first day and getting onto your home schedule as soon as possible. I’ve found this approach just leaves us with very cranky kids!
#3. Front load kid-friendly activities at the beginning of the day.
Traveling is exhausting for kids, but it feels less exhausting when they have something to look forward to. We try to start each day with something kid-oriented and we hype it up the night before: “In the morning, we’re going to the Nintendo flagship!!!” It doesn’t have to be something big, but it does have to be something specifically for them. Bonus points if they get to choose the activity. (For my son, his one NYC wish was the Empire State Building. For my daughter, it was riding a boat.)
Once we’ve checked the kids off our list, the rest of the day is so much easier. They’re energized and happy, and much more likely to do the things we want to do.
What’s your best travel tip? Leave it in the comments for me, I’m always collecting them!
