Playing Hooky with the Bead Girl

Bead Girl's picture of a door at Clinton Castle

Native American Pin

Last Friday my daughter had an optional field trip. Their school does an annual trip to view a surgery. This year was a bypass, in previous years it's been open heart. She was dreading it, and the school allows for kids who just can't take it to opt out. 

Seems a strange field trip, but the district here feels like it encourages those kids that can see themselves in the sciences, or those that might go into medicine. But for those of us that can't take the sight of our own blood (that would be me) ... the kids can opt out.

Bead Girl's picture of museum sky light

And so, the Bead Girl and I played hooky last Friday. I took the day off to run around NYC with her. We managed to get in quite a bit of the city including a trip down to Battery Park for a peek at the Statue of Liberty and a look around Clinton Castle (the battery itself). 

Native American Water Jug

Then afterwards we walked across the green there to the National Museum of the American Indian, which had free admission. I love this type of exhibit. I have seen many in multiple countries. But I will tell you that only one rivals this exhibit and that is the one in Vancouver, BC at The Museum of Anthropology. If you are ever in the area it is a must see.

The National Museum here in NYC was amazing, and completely unexpected. They had exhibits from Indian culture from all over the Americans and down into Central and South America. While not as large as the exhibit in BC, it is packed with beautiful things to see. 

Chibi polymer figures by Bead Girl

From there, we headed uptown to check out other landmarks she had never seen. I know we live close to NY, but we really don't bring the girls into the city much. And even then we usually have an engagement to meet up with someone so we don't sightsee. This trip was to tick off a few places she'd always wanted to see. We stopped into the Empire State building and then on to the Chrysler building. Not to mention Grand Central Station and the Graybar building next door. 

Cake, carrot and peas in polymer by Bead Girl

Our last stop was a store that she'd been talking about for months called Kinokuniya which is a bookstore full of all things Japanese. She's very in to anime whether it is drawing, painting or creating the little figures. She's practiced this miniature polymer art over past year. So she wanted to explore the store for new ideas. We spent 2+ hours there. Yes, 2+ hours. I can honestly say I was more than ready to leave when she said she thought she was 'done.' It was a fantastic day. And I loved every minute of spending a little one-on-one time with daughter.