Today my husband and I embark on a trip to New York City to celebrate my birthday, and while turning 33 is kind of “meh,” our trip is going to be fantastic! NYC is a book-lovers paradise and we have some great literary stops on our itinerary:
The Art and Whimsy of Mo Willems Exhibit
Mo Willems is one of my heroes. I have so much respect for his ability to make the reading experience fun and interactive. I can always whip out an Elephant & Piggie book during storytime and know that students will love it. The exhibit is at the New York Historical Society Museum & Library and is described as bringing “together original art, sketches, and inspirational drawings from Willem’s most popular series, plus stand-alone classics.” I’m particularly excited about seeing his Pigeon drawings, because Pigeon is pretty much the best picture book character of all time. There’s also a “Moseum Store” so I definitely plan on picking up some Mo swag. “Pigeon of Liberty” tote bag? Yes please!
Matilda: The Musical
Evan asked me back in the winter what I wanted to for my birthday and my immediate answer was Matilda tickets! I read Roald Dahl’s Matilda numerous times growing up and I’ll admit I tried my hand at telekinesis (unsuccessfully). I’ve also watched the movie more times than I’d like to admit and even baked Bruce Bogtrotter’s chocolate cake from the Roald Dahl Revolting Recipes cookbook (also unsuccessfully – I forgot to add the flour!). So let’s just say I’m a huge fan and seeing the musical is going to be AMAZING!
Prune Restaurant
Now, this may not seem like a literary stop, but this is the restaurant owned by chef/author Gabriel Hamilton. Her memoir, Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef, is one of my absolute favorite foodie reads. I own the Kindle version, so I can’t have Hamilton sign it if she’s actually there, but I would probably be too starstruck to ask her anyway. Eating like a maniac won’t be a problem though – the menu looks fantastic. Grilled branzino with toasted fennel oil, smokey eggplant with grilled sesame flatbread, poached pear with toasted almond cream… nom nom nom!
The Strand
This stop is a given. I can’t go to NYC and not go to The Strand – that would be madness. When the New York Times came out with their article about getting a job at The Strand and included versions of the quiz potential employees are required to pass, I took the test immediately. I got 40 out 50. Not perfect, but I think I can still go in there with my head held high. Now the big question is: what books should I buy???
Are there any bookish stops I should add to our schedule ? Let me know!
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