Hi! My name is Madison.

I live in New York City. It’s a great city to live in because there is so much to do here. I can go to a Broadway show in Times Square or hop a subway to Queens or take the Staten Island ferry over to Snug Harbor. New York City is called the City “that never sleeps” because there is just soooooooo much to do that you could keep busy 24/7.

I don’t like to stay up all the time. I like to take naps with New Yorkey. He’s my puppy. My parents gave him to me for my birthday. Before him I didn’t have a pet. Now I have more than a pet, I have a best friend. People say that dogs are “man’s best friends” but I think they are kids best friends. New Yorkey and I do everything together.

I like to dress New Yorkey in outfits that match mine. My favorite color is blue. I like the color blue a million billion times better than any other color. My favorite number is 8. I’m in the third grade. Someone told me that there’s a saying that goes, “First grade babies, second grade bums, third grade angels, fourth grade sugar plums.” I don’t think first graders are babies or that second graders are bums but I do think I’m an angel and next year I’ll be a sugarplum!

I always try to wear something that sparkles. I think sparkly things are a million billion times better than things that don’t sparkle. Stars sparkle. Jewelry sparkles. Mom says my teeth sparkle when I brush them in the morning after I wake up and at night before I go to bed.

New York has yummy food. There’s chocolate of course. But there are also black & white cookies, chocolate Rugelach and strawberry Hamentashen. You can buy chicken curry, pretzels, hot dogs and sugar coated peanuts from street vendors. Street vendors also sell Italian ice in the summer and roasted chestnuts in the winter. At home I have a bagel with cream cheese for breakfast. But I don’t eat at home much. I always drink seltzer. Sometimes I put cranberry juice and a slice of lime in it and call it a Cranzer. That’s my official drink. I invented it.

Inventing food comes naturally to me. My dad invented a lot of food. He invented a crepe that he calls “A gift from God”. “A gift from God” is a crepe with melted butter and brown sugar rolled up in it. It’s a million billion times better than anything else in the whole world. We have them on the weekend when dad has time to cook. Otherwise we order out for food. I like to order Chinese, Greek, Sushi, Italian, Indian or Thai food. There are a ton of restaurants all over New York City.

After a big meal there is nothing better than a massive bubble bath. I like to have Fred in the tub with me. Sometimes he gets lost in the bubbles but I always find him. Have you ever blown bubbles in a bubble bath? I’m very fond of my bubble wand. I think it may have magical powers.

After I’ve walked all over the City, visited the sites, eaten dinner and taken a bath I love cuddling up in my massive bed and reading books to New Yorkey. Reading is a million billion times better when you do it together. New Yorkey likes it when I read to him. He chases his tail around and around before settling down into a warm comfy spot to enjoy the book. When he’s settled he put his little head on his paws and look up at me with his brown eyes. That’s how I know he’s ready to hear the story. Most of the time I read from my journal because my life is so interesting. But sometimes I read other things like history. Reading history is fun because you always know how it will turn out in the end. There are no surprises. I only like surprises if they come on my birthday or other holidays. What about you? Write soon! Madison