Breakfast @ Soho Grand

Our Soho Grande Check In Ordeal:

We arrived at the Soho Grand after the regular check in time. We had to wait for a little while before we could check in because of the line up of other tourists checking in. Finally, we were given keys to our room. Mommy, Daddy and I went straight to our (small) room and a very helpful bellhop (who would assist us the rest of our time in NY) brought our luggages to us. Right away, Daddy noticed a stain on the bed (the top sheet) and the bellhop saw it from the door. He let us know that this was unacceptable and we would get a new room. We waited for about 10 minutes before he came back up with a new room number and keys. Mommy and the bellhop checked out this new room, while Daddy and I stayed in the old room.

(from Mommy) We walk in the new room and I do the regular bed inspection... nothing on top, but YUCK! A "time of the month" stain on the fitted sheet. Again - completely unacceptable. I went back to the old room to meet James and Addi and tell them what we found. Normally, after two room incidents, I would insist on changing hotels... BUT our friends were staying here too and this wasn't a hotel that you'd expect to find yucky things. We finally get to a decent room and the manager comes up and apologizes and gives us comp tickets...

The following day, we enjoyed a FANTASTIC breakfast... on them!

Daddy had a smoked salmon eggs benedict (with amazing hollandaise sauce!), Mommy had a delicious banana waffle. I had potatoes, fresh fruit and sausage... yummy!

My fam @ Soho Grand

A little bit more on Soho Grand:
They have an excellent Baby Program - we were able to get a stroller, bath mat, baby bath supplies, diaper pail and a sport bag with coloring books and crayons for Addi!
...AND if you get a bit lonely, they'll even loan you a pet goldfish to keep in your room! (we didn't do that, of course... the fish would probably end up on the floor if it was in Addi's reach!)

Arturo's

We had our first dinner in New York at Arturo's. I usually can't eat at Italian Restaurants, but the staff was extremely accommodating! I was able to enjoy a filet of sole (that's usually cooked in butter) and they gave me plain cucumbers and unbuttered potatoes. yum! I heard the pizza was delicious - what a great start to our trip!

Everyone seems satisfied!

I was very pleased with my dish!

Me and Uncle Trouble!

Shopping in Soho

Our hotel was in the best shopping area in NYC! The Soho Grande is in a very convenient location - it's close to all the shops! After our check-in ordeal (I'll write a post later), we checked out the shops in our area... or should I say Mommy checked out the shops while Daddy and I followed her around! I was so excited when we met up with Xavier!

Us babies and the guys hung out in front of Top Shop, while the ladies did their thing...

Bella in Soho?!?

No... but it kinda looks like her for a split second! I ran up to this doggie at our hotel and yelled "Cheeeeeese", so Mommy would take a picture of me... she had to scramble through her purse to find her camera and I held this position the whole time!

... but it's the law!

We rode in a for-hire vehicle from the airport to our hotel. We probably won't do that next time, because it's more expensive than taking a cab - we thought it would be easier than finding a cab, but we were wrong!

Anyways, while I was in there, I didn't have to sit in a car seat! Taxi's and for hire vehicles are exempt from the car seat law (http://nyc.gov/html/tlc/html/passenger/faq_pass.shtml). In retrospect, I should have ridden in one anyways, because it's the safest way to be!

I'm sitting right beside Mommy

Look Ma! No 5 point harness!

On the way to NY...

It was a very short flight, but I managed to sneak in a nap... This time Daddy held me, while I zzzzzzzz'd...

Bye Bye Toronto!

We left Toronto on 5/21 to make our way to New York. I'll miss Toronto and my family and friends. I'll miss walking up and down all the stairs at Lola's house. I'll miss a lot of things, but I know I'll be back before you know it!

Bye Lola!

I insisted that we ride the moving walkway - even though Mommy and Daddy didn't want to!

Daddy, Lola, Marie-Chan and me!

Mommy, Lola, my blanket and me!

Next time we come here, I hope I'll be taller than these kids!

Tim Horton's

Lots of things that I can't eat!
...Though the one with the sprinkles is pretty. I'll just look at it.

Mommy almost went the whole trip without having any Timmy's... we couldn't let that happen, so we passed by a Tim Horton's, even though it wasn't necessary...

Dinner @ Pantheon

Our last dinner in Toronto :(

I thought Mommy took a group photo, but I just can't find it right now! Tiyo Kev, Lolo, Uncle Fran, Ninang Trae, Ninang Joy, Ninang Rach, Hannah and Benjoe joined us for dinner. We thoroughly enjoyed our dinner this time! The Danforth has redeemed itself! Great food, great company... who can ask for anything more? Maybe a winning ticket, perhaps!

Hannah, Benjoe and me!

Cheese!

Ninang Rach, Eva, Ninang Trae, Mommy and Ninang Joy!

Another day at the Mall...

Mommy and my Ninangs had a lunch date planned (Ninang Trae couldn't make it... booo for work!), so Lola and Daddy took me to the mall - Of course, I got loot again! A beautiful Disney Princess sippy cup (which we later left in Brooklyn...boo!) and a cuddly Lumpy doll and my fave - a big Marie-Chan doll.

I love the Marie-Chan doll - I have to make sure she's with me (along with my original Marie-chan doll and Roo) when I go to sleep... every... single... night. I have to make sure they're comfy and under my blanket too. I have now decided that the big Marie-Chan doll is Mommy, I'm the small Marie-Chan and Daddy is Roo. I'll post a pic of the little family soon!

Ninang Joy and me before we went to the mall!