I was so disappointed to wake up this morning to find out that Tavern on the Green in Central Park is closing on December 31st.  I always considered that place a New York classic that would always be there.  I loved the look of the restaurant in the winter, all covered in snow while driving through Central Park on the way to work every morning.  About six years ago, I took my niece Abby there for the very first time and we enjoyed it so much.  Abby and I had a holiday tradition of her spending time in the city during Christmas break doing whatever her heart desired.  On the day we were going to see The Nutcracker, I treated her to a special lunch at Tavern on the Green.  She was five at the time.  I will always remember her little eyes opening so wide when we walked inside and saw all the holiday decorations.  She (and I) were thrilled that we were seated right next to the giant Christmas tree that was decorated with hundreds of beautiful and unique ornaments.  She stared at that tree for a long time taking it all in.  We also had a fabulous view of the ice sculptures out on the patio.  A couple of years later when my other niece Isabel was old enough, I took both girls there and to see their little faces light up is the best memory in the world.   While the food wasn’t anything special, it was the experience and I will remember my experiences at the restaurant for a lifetime.  Too bad we won’t be able to give David the same experience now that the restaurant is closing its doors.   How disappointing!

According to the iReport on CNN’s website:

Report —

“Tavern on the Green, one of the most famous sites in New York City and once one of the nation’s top grossing restaurants, will close its doors on December 31, 2009.  Located in Central Park and 67th Street, it was originally a sheephold for the nearby Sheep Meadow.  Converted to a restaurant in the 1930’s. it gained international fame with its 1976 re-opening at one point becoming the second highest grossing restaurant in the U.S.Since then it’s been the scene of Broadway opening parties, movie premieres and has been featured in films like “Wall Street” and “Ghostbusters” among others.  The City of New York declined to renew its operating license in August 2009 and shortly after Tavern filed for Chapter 11 protection. Besides its glass framed dining and function rooms, the Tavern is well known for its outdoor space with horticultural figures and its entrance lined with yellow cabs and horse-drawn carriages.”

Saturday night was the start of the major ‘blizzard’.  Well…. for us in Westchester it was a lot of buzz about nothing.  We did get some snow but certainly not the one to two feet as predicted.  Mom and Dad were so excited for a big snowfall so I could crawl and flop in the white powdery stuff once daylight approached.  When it was all said and done, there was enough snow though for me to put on my new snowsuit, hat and gloves and check out the six inches of white powdery stuff that was on the lawn.  After being bundled up so snuggly, Dad sat me on a pile of snow.  I didn’t really know what to make of it.  I just sat there and sat there….and…sat there.  I couldn’t move.  I felt the cool wet snow beneath me but I didn’t know how to get up.  I didn’t even try to roll over or do much of anything.  I was actually quite stunned.  I was also extremely mystified by the whole situation but thought it was interesting.  I just looked all over and had a little smile on my face.  I was thinking…this is different.  I might actually like this!   And it’s a good thing I seemed to enjoy the cold air and the snow because I am venturing on my first trip to Vermont next month.  It should be pretty interesting to say the least but what a better place than Manchester to get the real feel of winter.  I am still a couple of years away from skiing, much to Daddy’s chagrin, but I can roll around in the white fluffy stuff and go sledding which looks like lots and lots of fun.  I’m too young for hot chocolate but I am sure Mommy will have two warm cups ready for her and Daddy when we all come back inside.  Let the winter begin….

Yesterday, I had my very first haircut.  I am attending Daddy’s office family holiday party on Thursday so after lunch and a nap, Mom and I headed over to Snip Its in Scarsdale to be sure I will be looking my very best for the party.  Considering this was my first experience, I have to admit it wasn’t that bad.  Snip Its is dedicated to servicing kids so they knew just what they were getting when we came in.  Fortunately I didn’t have to wait and the lady took me right away.  I sat on a big chair, watched videos and played with toys while she wet my hair and started cutting.  I had a pretty serious face on at the beginning but midway through my cut I was curious as to what was going on around me so I started checking out the place.  This of course made things a little more challenging for the hairdresser but she went with the flow.  I was actually kind of enjoying the experience until the very end.  After 20 minutes or so, I wanted out of the chair and didn’t want the buzz cutter around my ears and neck.  I made that portion very challenging to say the least and that is when I started to cry.  But other than that it went very well.  When it was all over, I got a little prize and a certificate commemorating my first haircut along with a portion of my hair for mom to save.   All in all, I don’t think I’ll mind when I have to get another cut.

Well, it is December and I realize I haven’t been writing much lately so I’m going to try to do a better job.  My little life has been quite hectic lately and I’ve been on the move so much I haven’t had any time to sit down and write.  But it is a dreary afternoon so I figured now would be a great time to pull out the laptop and start filling in my loyal readers on ‘life in David land’.  All has been going well since my birthday.  I’ve been playing with oodles of new toys and dressing in the hottest of fashions thanks to all of mom and dad’s fabulous friends and our family.  I am definitely a candidate for ‘best dressed’ in school.  I also have started standing and pulling myself up on everything and anything but I am very cautious and must make sure the surface is stable enough to hold me.  I usually give it a few pats with my hand and make my assessment off of that.  If I think its good, up I go and I will stand there for quite awhile.  I am also getting so comfortable that I’m climbing onto the fireplace and even attempting to open the doors and go inside.  That is not making my mom happy in the slightest and she keeps pulling me off.  One of these days she is going to turn her head and I’m going to win.  Either that or when daddy is around, I’ll outsmart him and he’ll find me sitting there with my gummy grin.

Aside from learning to stand, I’m climbing on stairs as well.  I am having so much fun going up the three little steps between our living room and dining room.  Trouble is, I don’t know how to get down so poor mom is always tagging right behind me.  Yesterday, I got so adventurous that I climbed up half the stairs from our main level to the bedroom level.  I was breathing pretty hard but was determined to make it as far as I could.  Daddy couldn’t believe this amazing feat of mine so he made me show him when he came home from work.  I think my little legs and stamina blew him away.

One other new detail in my life is I finally got a tooth on the top.  Nearly two months ago, my bottom two teeth came in and it has been silent ever since.  I’m guessing my other front tooth should appear in the next week or two.  This is all so exciting.  Now, maybe I will be interested in trying some new food although, meatballs seem to be my favorite so far.  I definitely get that from mommy!