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Katie’s Second Halloween

Katie’s second Halloween was a wonderful evening filled with friends and fun. Our cuddly puppy dog loved every moment! Even though we were only out and about for two hours, it was such a treat for Katie who loved taking in all the sights.

We started the festivities in Cobble Hill Park where we met a few friends and watched as more than a thousand people gathered for the parade through the streets of Cobble Hill. There were some incredible, creative costumes but the row homes near the park were what really had us in awe! Just look at the decorations on these homes!

 

We meandered through the streets from Cobble Hill back to our apartment stoop. Katie walked six blocks, while holding Bo’s hand – a new record. We stopped to admire the decorations and say hello at a few of our favorite shops as they each had employees stationed on the sidewalk giving out candy.

Once we arrived at our apartment, our group of friends and children gathered on the stoop to enjoy beer, wine and appetizers while one person stood near the gate giving out candy. We opted to keep the gate closed so the kids could play and weren’t overwhelmed by the chaos. Similar to last year, we went through more than 450 pieces of candy in just 90 minutes! It was such a great way to catch up with friends while the kids enjoyed playing with ice, watching the costumes and pushing Katie’s toy stroller.

Katie didn’t want to miss out on the fun, so we took her to seven of our neighbors, where she was able to collect candy and say hello. Hopefully next year she’ll be able to say trick-or-treat but this year, a quick “woof” or “hi” was what the neighbors received instead.  Our little trickster kept trying to grab the candy from her older friend’s pumpkin and by the end of the evening, a few bites of candy made their way into her mouth.

We candy stash ran out at 6:30 which coincided perfectly with the time everyone needed to head home for the bath and bedtime routine. It was a wonderful evening and I can only imagine how magical it’ll be next year, when Katie is a little bit older.

Tell me: What was the best costume you saw last night? What did you or your family dress up as if you celebrated Halloween? 

 

 

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Brooklyn Adventures: Prospect Park Zoo

Over the past few months, I’ve started to receive more and more Brooklyn requests. Locals and tourists alike want to know our favorite spots to workout, run, sip, shop, eat and explore with Katie. While I have a few ideas in the works, today’s post highlights the most wonderful Brooklyn adventure we had with Katie this weekend – Prospect Park Zoo. \

One of New York City’s four zoos, the Prospect Park Zoo is located on the eastern side of Prospect Park. It’s a small, 12-acre zoo perfect for a short visit. We spent 1.5 hours exploring the grounds with Katie on Saturday and really enjoyed our experience. Even on a hot, Summer Saturday the zoo was busy but not packed, allowing us to easily navigate with the stroller and even allow Katie to practice walking. There is a mix of indoor and outdoor exhibits, providing a nice respite from extremely hot or cold weather.

The zoo’s main attraction is the sea lions, which are located at the center of the zoo. There are feeding sessions three times a day – 11:30am, 2pm and 4pm. While I’m sure the sea lions are especially playful at this time, they were engaging with the crowds and chasing each other even when we were there; without the trainers or food. Katie loved squealing and pointing at the sea lions. Beyond the sea lions, the zoo is organized into four different areas: Hall of Animals, Discovery Trail, Animal Lifestyles and the Barn. Throughout these exhibits, there are 25 animals ranging from the alpaca to tamarins. While it was hard for Katie to appreciate or see some of the animals who were further away or hiding in the shade, she was able to appreciate every section except the dark bat section.  If an animal was out of site, we focused and pointed out other things in the area such as birds, flowers, trees or even playful children.  As you would expect, the zoo staff said that the best time to visit is early in the day when the animals are more active. During the summer months, many of the animals will hide in the shade during the hot afternoons. 

The highlight for us was the barn area as Katie was able to safely pet pigs, sheep and alpaca. Next time, we will make sure that we bring spare change or a few dollars so we can buy feed for Katie to give to the animals.

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Hours: The zoo is open 10-5 PM during the Summer and Fall hours but closes at 4:30 during the winter.

Admission: Earlier this year, we purchased the Family Zoo Plus Membership which gives us access to all of the zoos throughout the city as our nanny enjoys taking Katie and the two boys in our nanny share to the different zoos and aquarium on a regular basis. If you don’t have the membership, admission to the zoo is $9.95 for adults, $6.95 for kids and children under 2 are free!

Transportation: Subway (B/Q/S), Bus (B41/B47) or Car (street parking on Flatbush Avenue)

Best For: Young children or people who are exploring Prospect Park and want to squeeze in some animal time

Food: While there were food options, they were a bit underwhelming. I was happy that we chose to bring Katie’s lunch in a stay-cool bag and give it to her while sitting under the shade.

 

You can easily experience the entire zoo in a few hours or even visit for a shorter, more focused trip if you’re short on time or trying to squeeze a visit in between naps. You can access the zoo via car, bus or subway. We found plenty of free parking on Flatbush Avenue, just a few steps from the zoo entrance.

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Rock’n’Roll Brooklyn Half Marathon Race Recap 2016

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Yesterday I had the opportunity to run the Rock’n’Roll Brooklyn Half Marathon for the second year in a row and it was once again a great half marathon right in my own borough.  This years race was even better than last years which says a lot as it was my favorite half marathon that I ran. Admittedly, last year’s inaugural RNR Brooklyn Half Marathon did not go off with a hitch as organizers faced multiple problems including a late start due to issues with ensuring clear roads.  This year it was clear that Rock’n’Roll took all the feedback to heart and did their best to improve.

I headed to the expo on Friday afternoon and while I didn’t love the Manhattan location at Penn Plaza, I will be the first to admit that it was far more convenient than last year’s expo in Greenpoint. The expo was smaller than last year with far fewer vendors, but I also found it to be very easy to navigate. Including the shopping we did in the official race shop, where I picked up a Brooklyn branded Brooks shirt, we were in and out in just 15 minutes.

Saturday morning I woke up at 5:30, got dressed, sipped coffee and made peanut butter and banana sandwiches which I ate while heading to the starting area at Grand Army Plaza. I took an Uber since I was running a few minutes behind schedule, and found myself at the VIP security entrance at the Brooklyn Library just 10 minutes later! I met Zoe minutes later and we quickly checked our bags and then head over to our corral, just in time to find Nicole and stretch before the race began. While we chatted, I made sure to do my pre-race stretching routine which I’ve done during each of my long runs over the past five weeks.

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Check out the gorgeous sunrise the 17,500 runners were treated to as we waited for the 7 AM start? I know the race directors couldn’t plan this but man was it a perfect way to start the race. The weather at the start was 65 degrees, overcast and slightly humid. My only goal for the race was to enjoy the 13.1 miles with Nicole and Zoe for as long as possible. They are both training for the New York City Marathon and therefore our pace would be around their long run pace. As I had a far shorter training cycle than normal for this half marathon, I told them that I would drop back if my glute started giving me any pain or I found it tough to maintain their pace.

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At 7:01 the three of us crossed the starting line together, each with one ear bud in our ear and smiles on our faces ready for a great race. As Zoe lives on the Upper West Side, we pointed out local landmarks and navigate the course as we ran through this year’s course. I prefer this course over the May NYRR Brooklyn Half as it includes a shorter stint on the very boring, monotonous Ocean Parkway.

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The first eight miles flew by as we talked about marathon training, favorite races and injuries. We kept a 9:55 pace, exactly on target with their long run training plans.  There were multiple water stops along the way as well as small bands and local cheerleading groups motivating the runners.  At mile 8.5 as we headed back towards Prospect Park following the turnaround point on Ocean Avenue,  Zoe and I urged Nicole to run ahead as she was having an especially strong race. The next five miles weren’t easy but as we turned back towards the park I just kept focusing on the massage waiting for us in the VIP area.

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When we entered Prospect Park at Mile 10 we were greeted by amazing cheerleaders, family members and supporters as well as the first signs of Fall. During those final miles I walked a 1/4 mile and ran 3/4 a mile to ensure that I was smart considering I only did 3 long runs in preparation for this half marathon.

I finished my 22nd half marathon in 2:14:14 and couldn’t have been more thankful. After fighting through injuries these past few months any day that my legs and body can carry me 13.1 miles is a great day, no to mention the wonderful conversations and laughter that Nicole, Zoe and I shared on the course.

After crossing the finish line we spent the next hour relaxing with fellow runners in the Westin Rock’n’Blog VIP experience which was the perfect way to end the morning. Zoe and I each enjoyed 10-minute massages, freshened up and dove into fruit and food before heading back towards the subway.

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Thank you to Brooklyn and Rock’n’Roll for such a wonderful race and great half marathon!

Your turn – If you raced this weekend, how did it go? 

I was provided a bib and VIP entry as part of my partnership with Run Rock’n’Roll but as always the opinions in this post are my own. 

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