An Epic Week in NYC With Preteens

This previous week, Anton’s 13-year-old second cousin, Jimmy, got here from England to go to Brooklyn. It was Jimmy’s first time within the U.S., and we have been all past excited. This morning, Anton and I have been reminiscing, and we thought we’d share photographs…

Jimmy lives in a small seaside city in England, and Anton instructed me: “We have been joking round, like, ‘Do you’ve got vehicles in England? Do you’ve got scooters in England? Do you’ve got mild in England? Do you’ve got coloration in England?’ It was actually humorous. And typically when Jimmy would make a joke, we might be like, ‘Is that humorous in England?’ However his jokes have been truly actually humorous.”

Jimmy requested to see a number of sights, and we have been completely happy to oblige. “Can we go to the Louis Vuitton retailer that appears like suitcases?” he requested. I didn’t even know this existed, however once we headed to 57th Avenue, there it was!

We took him to the American Museum of Pure Historical past, one in every of our long-time favourite locations…

…and to see Occasions Sq. at night time, the place Jimmy did a again flip for a crowd. “He taught himself to do flips in his yard when he was six,” Anton instructed me. “He simply absolutely went for it as a result of he didn’t know the implications have been that he may get his neck snapped!”

The boys additionally begged me to take them to the Chelsea Piers driving vary. They hit balls whereas I did the New Yorker crossword puzzle. “Jimmy instructed me he desires to experience in a yellow college bus,” Anton instructed me. “He’s by no means completed that.”

We additionally simply mucked round at dwelling…

…and within the neighborhood. “Once we have been strolling down the road, Jimmy was like, ‘Take a look at that, take a look at that,’ as a result of there have been so many alternative sorts of meals — Japanese, Lebanese, Thai, Italian, Vietnamese, French, Chinese language, Indian, Ethiopian…” stated Anton. “He additionally beloved 16 Handles.”

On the finish of the week, Toby and my mother joined us, and we went to a neighborhood café for espresso and magic tips with playing cards. Jimmy confirmed us some cool ones, and I busted out my previous favourite.

Lastly, on Sunday, my brother and Jimmy headed again to England, and, truthfully, all of us felt actually unhappy. It’s onerous to reside an ocean away from family members, as I’m positive lots of you expertise, as nicely. However we’re so fortunate to have the ability to communicate. When my maternal grandmother moved from Manchester, England, to Chicago together with her new soldier husband, she may solely change letters together with her dad and mom, till they visited a few years later. The place do your family reside? Are you shut by? Half a world aside? How do you keep in contact? I’d love to listen to. I do know there are professionals and cons to each association. xoxo

P.S. Holy smokes, I’ve lived in NYC for 20+ years, and six NYC itineraries for teenagers.