On Friday we met up with the homeschool group for a class all about the Union Square Greenmarket. This is a huge outdoor farmer's market with tons of fresh produce, meats, cheeses, honey, juices, homemade breads, desserts, and snacks, organic flours, wines, and even t-shirts and artwork. Our instructor talked 
about what a farmer's market is and how it differs from a supermarket. She went over the broad varieties of foods coming straight from the local farms. There are so many farms all around the city - in Long Island, Upstate NY, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Connecticut. We saw stands from all those places.The instructor took us on a little tour around the square and we stopped at one stand to ask questions. This stand had lots of different fresh goat milk cheeses. The kids were generally interested in how they milk goats and how the cheese is made. I loved it. I learned a lot.
We finished up the class by tasting some fresh goat cheese on homemade pretzels. W loved it, J thought it was interesting, and I needed another couple of tastes before I knew if I liked it or not, lol.
For about an hour or so afterward, W played in the Union Square playground with his friends. I got to relax and chat with some moms. Then W, J, and I headed to the Forever 21 across the street and picked up the dress K wanted, then across the park to Barnes & Noble. A few days earlier I decided to cash in all my Amex points for some B&N gift cards and buy myself a NOOK. That's right. I bought something for ME. So, that day at B&N I played with the Nooks on display, knew it's exactly what I wanted and bought a cute cover for $40. (Later that evening, my B&N gift cards were delivered! B had to drive K to a semi-formal dance at her school, so I told him to swing around to the bookstore to get my NOOK!!!).
The kids and I then had a quick lunch and I had the ridiculous idea that it would be no problem to walk the 30 blocks to Times Square. I did it all the time as a teen. Ok, that was dumb and we should have taken the subway, lol. But we got there in about 25 minutes anyway. We went back there because J wanted to meet up with a friend of hers who lives over there. We ended up visiting the Toys R Us store again and the Hershey Store. It's Fleet Week in the city and uniformed military were all over the place. We thanked every one of them we passed for their service to our country. Then we got on the subway and were home in 20 minutes.
3 comments:
Mmm, just thinking about the farmer's market makes me hungry! It's never occurred to me to combine goat cheese and pretzels, but even that sounds pretty good.
The last time we visited NYC, I thought it would be a good idea to walk from our hotel in midtown to my BIL's place in Chelsea. My daughter (born and raised in Southern California) is still traumatized by the memory of SO MUCH WALKING. :)
Goat cheese and pretzel was actually pretty good. If you get to NYC again, visit the farmers market. There's SO much stuff there.
Found your blog from another blog. It must be wonderful to homeschool in the city. There are so many places to see and visit that can tie into your homeschooling efforts. Also I find it fascinating that you have a child about to attend a performing arts high school. Our daughter's passions are drawing and theater, she would love a school like this so much.
Blessings
Diane
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