After brunch at Sarabeth's (Goldie Lox anyone?) we headed to Central Park, where I went for a run and Jason and Lu went to the city's best playground to meet John, Jess, Grace and Maddie, a bunch of Austin friends we'd serendipitously run into on the flight (worthwhile side note: these are good pals that we can never coordinate with because we are mutually busy and disorganized — leave it to fate). I tagged in after my run, then Jason left to meet Mary for the Yankee game (Yankee loss, Jason victory over beer and hot dogs).
Despite the heat and the walking, Lu enjoyed the playdate with Grace, the carousel ride and lots of carnival fun (Central Park is days of discovery, and we'd allotted a mere morning). The heat and stimulation took its toll: by the time I hustled her back to the hotel to get ready for Mary Poppins, we were both pretty beat. No matter. The show must go on. Or at least that's what I was telling myself as I carried a 40-pound kid on my back halfway uptown. While wearing silk. In 100 degree heat. In fairness, she walked most of the way herself (WITH GREAT COMPLAINT).
We made it with minutes to spare and found ourselves ensconced in AC and stage lights. A spoonful of overpriced Sprite (or Chardonnay) helped the medicine go down, indeed. Cue music and ... she was rapt. She sat on the edge of her seat and sang along, her attention never flagged and she spared me any of those I-paid-good-money-for-you-to-have-the-time-of-your-life-so-you-better-dammit moments. Getting autographs at the stage door was even better.
After that we subjected her to a fancy-hipster seafood meal at The John Dory, rewarded her with Shake Shack (original location), then bed for everyone at 9:30.