What I did on my Spring Break Vacation

This week was Spring Break, and we took advantage of it by making a few short trips. First a day trip into New York City, where we divided and conquered, with the boys going to the Police Museum, and the girls to the Lower East Side Tenement Museum. The latter tells the stories of immigrants living in the tenement building at 97 Orchard Street around the turn of the century. The building is accessed by guided tour; we chose the "Piecing it Together" program, which highlights two Jewish families working in the garment industry in the first decade of the 1900s. The history, semi-restored building, and the entire neighborhood is interesting. DD on Allen Street:

Lower Manhattan of course contains numerous enclaves within minutes of each other. From the LES, we walked through Chinatown and a bit of Little Italy, to the Street of Values, Canal Street. Time was spent at the open fronted vendors' niches, where after sorting out which wall or corner belonged to which merchant, DD was able to buy a snazzy wallet, while I opted for a pashmina in my favorite colors.

Of course my artist companion had to visit the original Pearl Paint, and purchase some charcoal pencils as well as a new marker paper drawing pad. Then up lower Broadway, Street of Upscale Retail Outposts, and winding our way over to the West Village to meet up with the boys and have a Spanish meal at El Faro. By twilight we were on the way home.

 

Next day we took the opposite direction, and went to Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, Mushroom Capital of the Nation. The day was sunny and beautiful, and the grounds and Conservatory are amazing:

On the return trip, we routed through Philadelphia for a visit to the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, followed by lunch at Reading Terminal Market. DH did get a cheesesteak, although my daughter and I opted for chicken korma and saag from the Indian stand.

The afternoon we spent at the Eastern State Penitentiary, a fascinating, historic prison which now exists in a state of benign ruin. The prison was the first built with the goal of inspiring penitence rather than punishment, and introduced the radial architectural model. It currently is open for tours, and also houses a continuing roster of interesting art installations. It's creepy:

All this activity finished up with a family Easter dinner at home, and so I leave you with: Peeps Cupcakes!