Family Time in NY, 8/18-20/2017

After our whirlwind tour of beautiful New England this summer, we had planned a week at the NYC North/Newburgh KOA in Wallkill, NY. Our daughter lives in Astoria, NY, so, of course, while we were in this part of the country we wanted to spend some time with her as well.

The day after we arrived in the area, Amanda took the train from Manhattan (Grand Central) to Beacon, NY, when she was done with work for the day. The train ride is about 75 minutes. We picked her up at the Beacon Train Station (about 25 minutes from the campground). Although there was rain early in the evening, we had a great time having dinner, catching up with each other, and, (when the rain stopped) a lovely campfire. These are always the best times!

Saturday we drove to Astoria to help Amanda move stuff from her 4th floor apartment to her storage unit (as she is moving, but will return to NYC for theatre work later in the year). Because it was a weekend (with less traffic) the drive was about 1.5 hours (over the George Washington Bridge [$15 toll]). And, yes, we used our little Mini Countryman. You'd be amazed at how much we could fit into it for each trip. The storage unit was only about a mile away. 

After several trips, we walked to Mom's Kitchen & Bar (www.momsastoria.com) for a bite to eat and some relaxation. Amanda and I had one of their signature drinks, a "momosa" (OJ and champagne). They were very refreshing!

We walked by the Astoria Blvd Train Station where Amanda catches the subway to get to work in Manhattan. This is the view from the bridge by the station. 

The next day we returned and finished moving the remaining items to the storage facility. And then walked to Halsey's Tavern (www.halseystavern.com) for something to eat and drink (and to spend more time with Amanda). Because we had Sadie (our dog) with us both days, we sat outside where she was allowed to be with us. 

One of the things I love about Astoria is the great "neighborhood" feel of the community. Check out this produce store that is open 24 hours a day. The prices were decent and the selection vast! 

And this flower store is a very traditional New York City scene for me!

Because Amanda was working; and, we have our dog (who we do not like to leave alone for too long); and, we have visited NYC on numerous previous occasions, we stayed at the campground for the remainder of our stay in the area. It was so fun to spend some time with Amanda as she usually flies in to see us (depending on our itinerary). She has met us in Las Vegas, New Orleans, San Diego, and Philadelphia while we have been full-timing. Always fun!