People people everywhere!!!

...shouted M happily and incredulously as we entered the busy playground at 84th St and Fifth Ave.

The sun was shining brilliantly.
It was one of the many wacky warm gorgeous November days we've had so far.
Kids were zipping about while parents, grandparents, and nannies chit chatted on the sidelines.
Cold weather jackets were piled up on benches.
Everyone was totally invigorated, soaking up vitamin D.

We railroaded into the Big Apple for the day.
Met up with our Brooklyn pals for some playground fun in Central Park and art history culture at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

M and his buddy S take a free "start with art" class for kids at the Met.
Trekking through the Greek and Roman galleries, the boys learned about carving sculptures from marble using a hammer and chisel. How to distinguish Ionic, Doric, and Corinthian columns.
Read a story about Romulus and Remus. Made a collage.
Enjoyable stuff for the kids.
Interesting for the adults.
After class, the boys really wanted to visit the magnificent Temple of Dendur. No problem.
Nothing more charming than seeing 4 year olds get super excited about checking out an ancient monument.

People people everywhere indeed!  Throughout every step of our journey. On the railroad, on the subway, on the crosstown bus, at the playground, in the museum, on the street.

M and I don't get this much face time with crowds of people anymore.
It just doesn't happen in the burbs.

It's cooler by the shore...

but still somewhat warm enough this past week to have playdates at the beach park.

We've had a three day run of gorgeous indian summer days - a welcome relief from the wintry cold spell of the past two weeks.

To maximize outside play time after school, we drive to the beach park these days. Even though it's a short distance from home.
Me walking & M biking means it's a 25 minute trek home.  Easily accomplished during daylight savings time.
Al fresco playdates during standard time pretty much ends at 4.45pm before darkness falls.

So begins the countdown til March 11, 2012 when we spring forward to daylight savings time.