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Tag Archives: new york

A Great Deal on the Brooklyn Bridge

New Year’s Eve in The Big Apple and your GypsyNesters were seriously contemplating a Times Square, ball-dropping extravaganza. After a bit of research and chatting up of locals, we felt that wading into a crowd of a million people, getting frisked and herded into little fenced-in safety areas, then standing for hours with no restrooms, food or libation is no way to ring in a new year.

Even an article entitled “Fear Conquering & Ball Dropping,” as hilarious as that would be, could not entice us to spend that much time needing to pee.

So, what to do?… CONTINUE READING >>

Tagged Americana, bang-up people watching, big ideas, countdowns, famous stuff, fireworks, flying spew, food, ginormous stuff, glowing with food enjoyment, holidays, new york, rushes, travel, walking

Exclusive GypsyNester Merchandise for Celebrating Life After Kids and Breaking the Empty Nest Rules!

New Year’s Eve on Brooklyn Bridge!

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Forget Times Square! Fireworks for days! Countdown with the Watchtower Clock! Sights and sounds and parties on the… CONTINUE READING >>

Tagged Americana, bang-up people watching, big ideas, countdowns, famous stuff, fireworks, ginormous stuff, holidays, new york, rushes, travel, video, walking

12 Things We Told Our NYC Girls to Prepare for Frankenstorm

We have two daughters living on Manhattan, right in the path of Frankenstorm. After years of living in the Caribbean we have some valuable tips to give them. Though being over-prepared may make them feel stupid, it can also save their lives.

Please share these with your urban loved ones in the path of the Hurricane Sandy.

1. Fill up your bathtub… CONTINUE READING >>

Tagged baby boomers, caribbean, electronics, GN Guides, gypsy nester, new york, panic, things going terribly awry, top ten lists, urbanite offspring

Fear Conquering & the Flying Trapeze

It was my first Fear Conquering – as kids today say – “epic fail.” Not pretty at all.

Maybe I was too jet lagged. Maybe it was too early in the morning. Maybe it was the ten extra pounds of delicious-food Europe weight. Maybe 50-ish is a bit too old to take up a new trick this physical – the reflexes ain’t what they used to be! Maybe I should shut up and stop… CONTINUE READING and watch the video >>

Tagged aching joints, baby boomers, big ideas, certain death, empty nest, fear conquering, gypsy nester, new york, panic, The Piglet, things going terribly awry

No Home for the Holidays

Selling the nest and becoming GypsyNesters has given our adult chicks the joy of being the hosts in their homes for the holidays.

Christmas is the one time we allow ourselves to hands-down spoil our kids – and, boy, do we ever! As thrifty as we are during the non-Jesus-being-born part of the year, we let loose the coffers when we visit The Spawn during that “most wonderful time of the year.”

Oh, the anticipation! The joy!… CONTINUE READING >>

Tagged baby boomers, change, Decibel, empty nest, food, ground level travel, gypsy nester, holidays, new york, out-of-the-box memories, sell the nest, The Boy, The Piglet, urbanite offspring

Adventures in Nest Swapping

One of the many advantages to having an “empty” nest is the freedom to swap your nest with other adventurous types. We decided that before we sold our house, we would try using it as bait for a cheap month in New York City.

Being in the habit of Googling at the drop of a hat, we took the online approach to finding suitable exchanges. We looked at several different sites, and chose a well known one for its ease of use and abundant choices from all over the globe. For a small annual fee, one can peruse homes, set up destinations to visit and… CONTINUE READING >>

Tagged cheesy tourist diversions, Decibel, empty nest, food, GN Guides, googling at the drop of a hat, gypsy nester, hotel alternatives, new york, The Piglet, travel, urbanite offspring

9 Things We Told Our Girls in the Event of the Manhattan Hurricane

We have two daughters, The Piglet and Decibel, planning to ride out Hurricane Irene on Manhattan. Having lived in the Caribbean, here is the advice we gave them. Please share this with loved ones as being over prepared can make you feel stupid, it can also save your life.

1. Fill up your bathtub with water. Water supplies get contaminated with flooding. You will want to bathe and cook. If you don’t have a bathtub, buckets, pots & pans work as well.

2. Buy food. I called it “The Week of Living Amishly.” Canned food, canned food, canned food.

3. It’s gross, but your toilet will only… CONTINUE READING >>

Tagged baby boomers, caribbean, Decibel, drunken college kids, electronics, empty nest, GN Guides, gypsy nester, new york, panic, The Piglet, things going terribly awry, top ten lists, urbanite offspring

Love and Spit-takes

Have you noticed that the older we get, the less we laugh? As a mother and someone who has worked in academic settings, I find myself envious of teenaged girls who can work themselves into hiccup-inducing hysterics over the slightest thing. Admittedly, the tears come just as fast, and I have to say I’m glad I’m past THAT nonsense but just witnessing a spontaneous giggle-fest sets my heart a-singing.

As a society, we unfortunately chalk uncontrollable laughter up to immaturity. How sad is that? I feel blessed anytime I’m with someone who can find humor in… CONTINUE READING >>

Tagged baby boomers, Decibel, empty nest, flying spew, gauntlet dropping, googling at the drop of a hat, gypsy nester, laughter, new york, out-of-the-box memories, spit-take, The Piglet, urbanite offspring, wine

HOliday HOmecoming HOopla

The holidays are fast approaching so now is a good time to explore some of the unique aspects of family gatherings for empty nesters.

(A little note from the authors: When we refer to Christmas, please feel free to substitute Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Festivus, Saturnalia, winter solstice or whatever it is you celebrate. We are only using Christmas as an example because it is our family tradition, and to keep from having to write three or four names every time we refer to a holiday. Absolutely no slight is intended or any preference for one over another. If your family is like ours, no doubt any one of them can be just as crazy as the next.)

Thanksgiving, Christmas or both… CONTINUE READING >>

Tagged baby boomers, college, empty nest, grandkids, gypsy nester, holidays, homecoming, in-laws, new york, out-of-the-box memories, pitfalls, thanksgiving, The Boy, urbanite offspring

Ten Things You Don’t Know About New York City

Your GypsyNesters found the wild, weird and wonderful not-so-known sights, sounds and flavors of The Big Apple!

Even if you are a New Yorker - we bet you don’t know most of these! … read more

Tagged Americana, bang-up people watching, being a carnivore, cheesy tourist diversions, dirty secrets, effed up food, food, new york, octopus, street food, top ten lists, trains, travel

T-Rex and the City

There’s passion on Manhattan. I felt it as soon as I arrived on the island. For me, a major part of this enthusiasm radiates from my fast-walking, subway-chasing, black-wearing, taxi-flagging urbanite daughters, The Piglet and Decibel. The New York I know is viewed through their eyes and it is a very youthful place. The Piglet recently moved in to her first studio apartment (all by herself!), so it was decided I’d stay with her. Between work and school, Decibel is fitting me in where she can.

I’m on my own during the day (as a matter of fact, I’m sitting in a Starbucks with my laptop, just for the experience. Very civilized.) and at night, we go out. I have to say I’m a bit flattered that The Piglet feels she can drag this old T-Rex around everywhere she goes. But, apparently, this dinosaur can… CONTINUE READING >>

Tagged baby boomers, bang-up people watching, cheesy tourist diversions, comedy, Decibel, dinosaurs, drunken college kids, empty nest, gypsy nester, new york, out-of-the-box memories, rushes, The Piglet, travel, urbanite offspring, walking, wine

SoHo Appy Crawl

We take making a meal out of appetizers very seriously. Having them at multiple restaurants is even better. For this appy crawl, in the heart of Manhattan, we enlisted help from our middle child, Decibel, the black-wearing, taxi-flagging, fast-walking, free-lancing, f-bomb-dropping, urbanite New Yorker.

Feeling generous, we asked Decibel to decide on three restaurants she’d been waiting to visit until Mom and Dad could be there to pick up the tab. She rattled off three so fast that we knew she must have been waiting for us to ask 22 to decide on three restaurants she’d been waiting to visit until Mom and Dad could be there to pick up the tab. She rattled off three so fast that we knew she must have been waiting for us to ask and next thing we knew she was at our hotel room. The girl is like the… CONTINUE READING >>

Tagged Americana, appy crawl, bang-up people watching, caramel, Decibel, food, meat avoiding, new york, oysters, seafood, sushi, travel, urbanite offspring, Veronica crying, wine

Woodstock Turns the Big 4-0

Woodstock. The name instantly brings to mind a whole era to any of us who were old enough to listen to music when the concert happened. I didn’t go to Woodstock, I saw the movie — at a drive-in, no less – with my brother pretending to be my uncle / guardian because it was rated R for showing muddy hippy-chick boobs… oh, and maybe that part where Country Joe led the crowd in a chant. I may have been too young to get into an R movie forty years ago but I was old enough to know something big… CONTINUE READING >>

Tagged Americana, anniversary, bang-up people watching, drunken college kids, Dylan, festivals, living legends, museum, music, new york, old hippies, peace, the 60s, travel

Ethiopian Delight: Ghenet in Nolita

Nolita (north of Little Italy) is home to one of our favorite places on Manhattan, Ghenet Restaurant. It’s the perfect eatery for (friendly, non-germophobic) relatives and close friends as it is traditional eat-with-your-hands Ethiopian. Participants gather around a huge plate of communal fare and dig in with injera, a spongy, sourdough flatbread/food scooper.