birthdayz - take one

Ok - the broad strokes of my folks' visit:

• Wednesday - After a crazy day at work, picked them up at the airport, then took them out for Octoberfest dinner at the fantastic German restaurant that has been renovated since that fire a couple years ago. (and if you're keeping track of such things: Ettaler Klosterbrauerei makes a fine brew)

• Thursday started with a walk to the best bagel place in town, then to the Path station
• Took the train to the World Trade Center
• Walked through St. Paul's Church, over to City Hall, up through Tribeca and over to Canal Street for shopping
  
• Subway up to Columbus Circle, hung in the Park for a while
• Walked down to Empanada Mama for lunch
• Walked to MoMA, which museum we then walked through
• Walked back to the Gershwin, where we waited on line for - and got! - the $25 front row lottery tickets for Wicked
• Dinner at the Olympic diner
• Saw the show (they loved it!)

Permit me to point out that this represents quite a bit of walking

• Friday (my Dad's 60th Birthday) - went to the Malibu for Breakfast
• Bus into town; subway up to Museum of Natural History
• Walked through museum, including the planetarium, and Robert Redford's movie about 'cosmic collisions'
• Walked into the Park; saw the Delacorte and the Great Lawn
• Walked over to Fred's for dinner
• Train down to theater district for shopping
  
• Walked to BB King's for Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels

• Saturday - slept in till 9 (they were tired)
• Bus to town, walked to TKTS booth; got tix for Avenue Q
• Breakfast/Lunch at Smith's - atypically terrible service
• Back to the Golden for the show
• Train down to Chelsea
• Visited Dominic & family at the 'Seal Park'
• Georgia got her dress drenched in the fountain :-) and Caleb fell on his face right in front of us :-(
• Went back to Dom & Ilana's place; gave Georgia a bath; went up to the roof
• Walked to the Riviera for playoff baseball, food, many friends and birthday partying
• Walked across Bleecker to 'the party that wasn't', then up to the 'North Square' tavern, where the drinking got creative (dad had a double creme de menthe on the rocks, which I've never heard him order. I've never heard anyone order that.)
• Train to bus to home

• Sunday - drove them to the airport first thing

I think we did ok.