The final part of my New York City adventure: Empire State Building, shopping and MoMA

My desire to ascend to the top of the Empire State Building happened after watching movies like An Affair to Remember and Sleepless in Seattle dozens of times. My husband wanted to go thanks to watching King Kong. (Sigh.) No matter. We both wanted to go, even though our reasons for being there were polar opposites of each other.

Waiting in line at the Empire State Building

If you decide to put this on your itinerary for New York, make sure you allow hours and hours of time for waiting. We avoided a lot of the lines by going at night, but still had to walk through all of the potential waiting areas. We go to amusement parks frequently, and even in peak season I had never seen anything like this line. Just when you thought you were at the end, you waited for something else. Prepare yourself and your kids and pack snacks. It takes a while.

Now I have to say it is worth the work and waiting. Of course, the views are breathtaking and we took numerous photos. Of course, my husband imagined a huge gorilla hanging off the top whacking at planes. And of course, I envisioned a small boy curled up in the corner waiting to see a woman he never met. We both had the reason for our compulsion to get to the top of the building, but our delight in being there was the same. I couldn’t believe I was standing there, seeing the entire New York City sprawled out around me. I crossed another item off my Life List.

We got a great tip from a friend about a bar at 230 5th Street. The view of the Empire State Building is spectacular from this site. The drinks are no more expensive than anywhere else in New York, but the view is priceless. Thanks to their indoor and outdoor seating, this is a great choice for a breathtaking view of New York at any time of the year. The bar isn’t spotless, and the service takes a while, but when you are sitting gazing at the lights of New York City, what’s your hurry?

Shopping in New York City

As I mentioned earlier, I am not a big shopper and would rather spend my time in a museum in a large city, but New York is New York and some shopping must be done. It’s the unwritten New York law.

Although I felt uncomfortable and knew we were fish out of water, we crossed the threshold of Harry Winston. This is the jeweler that provides all of Hollywood with jewelry for the Oscars. Being huge movie fans and from California, we had to go in there! I found an emerald ring for the low, low price of $4.6 million, scraped my jaw off the counter, and we left. But now I can say I’ve been there, done that.

For me, the  must-see shopping experience in New York is a trip to Tiffany’s. I have seen the movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s countless times and had to see this location for myself. After walking through their four floors of New York City history, being greeted by everyone, and seeing the beautiful items on display, I realized what makes this an iconic destination. Items ranged in price from hundreds to millions of dollars and most things I saw were items I would be proud to own. I didn’t feel intimidated being there. I felt welcomed.

In honor of our boys, we visited Toys R Us and FAO Schwartz. Of course, our sons would have gone completely nuts in these stores and extracting them would have been horrendous. Every toy you ever could want is in these locations and the displays are the best in the toy industry.The Ferris wheel inside Toys R Us is huge and impressive, and the huge piano keyboard at FAO Schwartz (as seen in the movie Big) is fabulous. We came, we saw these features, and left. Check!

Museum of Modern Art

One of my favorite places in a big city is a phenomenal art museum. I could have spent all of my time in New York City museums, but we devoted one day to the MoMA, knowing we would return someday and visit others.

The helicopter in the stairway is outstanding! It is a powerful focal point as visitors climb the stairs to the various levels and displays. My favorite exhibit was the design studio on the fourth floor. I wish we had started in the furniture and design section earlier before my eyes were starting to cross. I would have loved to spend more time here, but I needed a break.

The courtyard of the museum is a peaceful resting place in the middle of this bustling city. If you take time for the Museum of Modern Art, make time to sit in the garden to enjoy the sculpture and views. The modern walls of the courtyard have cutout areas where you can view the ornate architecture surrounding the museum. The juxtaposition of the the clean lines and intricate stone work is a work of art in itself.

Why I heart New York City

We met helpful, friendly, welcoming people everywhere we went. In Central Park we were obviously, hopelessly lost and looking at our map to try and figure where we were. One of the workers in an information kiosk called over to us to offer help. He said, “Here! Take this map. Trying to find your way around Central Park with that map is like trying to find New York City on a map of the Universe!” HA! We smiled, took his map, and still got lost.

This generous man personified what we experience during our entire trip: New York City and the people in it are proud. They love their city and want you to love it as well. Mission Accomplished.

More about my New York City trip:

• You can make it in New York City
• The New York City adventure continues: Broadway, Statue of Liberty and a trip to Ellis Island

Eileen is the Chief Mom Connector of Mom Central. When she isn’t dreaming of her next trip to the Big Apple, she is having adventures with her family and writing about them on her own blog calandroclan.com. You can connect with her on twitter as @MomCentralChat.

Eileen Calandro