Sorry it's been so long with no blog post- with Becky here I just haven't had the time, but she is back in Chicago now so here is a recap of my first three days!
Note- At some time I'd like to get pictures dicrectly onto this blog for this post, but it just takes too long. Im posting links... please click! Pictures are good :)
Day 1- China Town, Little Italy, Soho, NoHo, Greenwich, Broadway:
I was impressed a few weeks ago when Becky and I made it from the loop back up to Irving Park Road. This, my friends, is nothing.
We started the day with our first and only subway ride, down to China Town down south. Shopping on Canal Street insued. The place is pretty crazy. Every $6 scarf you can imagine (or $4-$5 if you are someone like Becky), knock-off rolex, and cologne in the universe must be here. It's a bit of a zoo. Lots of tourists. But good prices on knicknacks and knock-offs, if that's what you want.
Canal Street: http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/abrottman/NYC%2009/IMG_0664.jpg
We next dove into the more sane parts of chinatown. Really really cool place- citibank signs in chinese, and stores devoted to selling chopsticks. We were the only white people in a little bakery we stopped at- always a good sign. For something like $6 we purchased a small feast of buns stuffed with meats. I may have to subway down one of these remaining mornings just for these... mmmmm. (But not today- today is bagels!) We ate them at a beautiful park. There were large clusters of men around little tables smoking cigars while playing some kind of game. Awesome!
Park: http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/abrottman/NYC%2009/IMG_0667.jpg
We then walked through a part of Little Italy, which seemed to be mostly residential over restaurants. I will return here and take many more pictures when I do my Pizza Tour of NY on Thursday :)
More walking, More walking, More walking! We walked a lot on this day, and it didn't much catch up to me until yesterday (day3). We've walked through little neighborhoods, past gigantic skyscrapers, and underneath the stoops of countless bakeries, shops, and restaurants. It's a good thing I have my boy scout bakground though, I think, or I might not be able to keep up with my girlfriend-- how embarassing! (OK, no secrets between you and I, dear reader, she could leave me in the dust if she desired...)
Eventually it was time for Rice to Riches, an amazing Rice Pudding place with hilarious writings on the walls extolling the greatness that is Rice Pudding. And there's no doubt about it, this was pretty great. (Picture is terrible, booo.)
Pudding: http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/abrottman/NYC%2009/IMG_0670.jpg
More walking around Soho/Noho/Greenwich area. We went to a shop that makes their own candy and had sampes, went to Strand Bookstore (pictured), and went for what Becky swears is the best Hot Chocolate in the city. And much, more....
Strand Bookstore: http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/abrottman/NYC%2009/IMG_0681.jpg and http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/abrottman/NYC%2009/IMG_0682.jpg
Eventually it was time for my first broadway play, Next to Normal. It was extremely good, even though the Tony-winning lead actress was out that night.
Day 2- New York Wet, Central Park, Cookies, CRAFT!
The next morning the forecast was light rain in the 40s. We went to brunch at Sarabeth's, an iconic brunch place, at their location at Central Park. It was good for sure, loved the ambiance of the place and large amounts of people it can hold, but my favorite brunch will remain Orange, in chicago...
Brunch: http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/abrottman/NYC%2009/IMG00018-20091213-1151.jpg
We had hoped the rain might be mostly done after we got out, but sadly it had gotten worse. We sloshed through central park, which is AWESOME and beautiful, even in the rain. I will definitely return when it is lighter out.
Uptown, west of the park, we had what are probably the world's best cookies. They were so good that some carelessness on my part sparked some momentary tension between us... these were some effing good cookies.
Cookie: http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/abrottman/NYC%2009/IMG00020-20091213-1437.jpg
It should be mentioned that Becky has a thing for goods sold in tents. We stopped at many such places, but one of the most interesting was a rain-or-shine sunday fair that is held outside of and inside of a highschool we passed. Lots of jewelry as always, but this one also had antique maps and prints, which I looked through a lot. Cool stuff.
The rain was cruddy so we thought we might go to MoMa together, but so did zillions of other people and just stepping through the doors was enough to convince me that sunday during rain was not the right day to do it. Plus Becky was sooooo soaked. So we headed back to the hotel to prepare for Craft.
Craft is Tom Colicchio's restaurant, so as huge top chef fans we had to make an appearance. Seasonal new american cooking. Simple but gooooooooood. Pictures to follow. Large and excellent waitstaff took good care of us, even giving us a complimentary dish since they were out of Gnocci.
Amuse, tuna and cracker: http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/abrottman/NYC%2009/IMG_0689.jpg
Sweetbreads (First bite good, texture got to be a bit much by the end of the dish): http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/abrottman/NYC%2009/IMG_0690.jpg
Pumpkin Fantasy (GOOOOOD): http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/abrottman/NYC%2009/IMG_0693.jpg
Wagyu Carpachio (If it was top chef, this chef would be packing their knives): http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/abrottman/NYC%2009/IMG_0695.jpg
Monkfish wrapped in Proscutto (My continued attempts to push my boundaries. And I'm glad I did. This was soooo good! So warm, with great texture, and the wrapping just made it perfect): http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/abrottman/NYC%2009/IMG_0696.jpg
Risotto (top), Mushrooms (bottom) (Both incredibly good, thanks Becky for picking these!!): http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/abrottman/NYC%2009/IMG_0698.jpg
Complimentary Greens, forget what they are...: http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/abrottman/NYC%2009/IMG_0699.jpg
Gift for the next morning, apple muffin (yum): http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/abrottman/NYC%2009/IMG_0701.jpg
Day 3 - East Village, Bryant Park, Rockefeller Plaza, Minetta's Tavern, Phantom of the Opera!
Becky and I walked down all the way to Houston to get brunch at a very little place that had a 40 minute wait even on a Monday morning! But that just means that it's good, right? And we did more walking during the wait.
Berry Blast Drink, gooood http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/abrottman/NYC%2009/IMG_0704.jpg
Eggs http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/abrottman/NYC%2009/IMG_0705.jpg
Other Eggs http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/abrottman/NYC%2009/IMG_0706.jpg
We passed Bryant park and went in for some very good booths of shopping.
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/abrottman/NYC%2009/IMG_0707.jpg
We wanted to see Rockefeller center together before Becky had to leave, so we started walking that way. I was getting pretty tired at this point and required some breaks. We're talking about below 1st street all the way up to 47th street, here... no wonder!
The building itself is fantastic and I can't wait to go to the top of it some other time. Next to the height of the building the tree looks less impressive, but there's no doubt about it: that's one big tree. It escaped photography, I was definitely very tired! The iceskating I thought was pretty funny, since its like 60 people skating being watched by 1000+ people. Must be very very creepy.
At this point we went back to the hotel and Becky had to go. Sad, but at least now I get to use subways and busses... ;)
I subwayed down to Minetta Tavern, home to Time Out New York magazine's #1 food attration- The $26 black label burger. I had this with a $14 tom collins, yowza! No doubt about it tho, it was an excellent excellent meal. I sat at the bar, since this place is so hyped that you cant possibly get a decent reservation in less than a week. The bar was really something. The bartenders know the regulars, and are unfailingly polite. They have mastered the art of moving slowly and gracefully yet efficiently even though they have 20 people they are taking care of at one time. It was fascinating in of itself. I was inclined to tip generously. The burger... mmmmmmmm. Goooood, for sure! What impressed me most was the deliciousness and warmth of it, and the size of it, and yet, it held together well, not making a mess when you bit into it. And the flavor... mmmmm. Goooood. Right behind me two italian guys with accents right out of the godfather were drinking in suits, conversing loudly and emphatically. This is New York!
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/abrottman/NYC%2009/IMG_0710.jpg
I subwayed up to Rockefeller plaza and walked to Times Square. Getting off the subway I'm always disoriented, not knowing which way is north and often walking the right way. No chance this will happen when you you are walking from 48th stree to Times Square at night... just look up! Is the sky DISTINCTLY whiter, and the streets below it look almost like daylight? That way is times square! I had been there the day before but today I did a more nuanced tour of it. They have chairs you can sit in and watch the people go by. I did this for the sake of my feet and soaked it in. I went in the M&Ms store and the Toys R Us, which have some pretty ridiculous merchandise. Finally I made my way to Phantom of the Opera.
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f291/abrottman/NYC%2009/IMG_0712.jpg
To like Phantom, I think you have to like operatic singing. I went to this production because I've played countless medleys of the music, which always have great horn parts and just give me chills. Well-- all those great horn solos in the band arrangements-- it turns out that those are the vocal lines, in the real thing. It didn't really do it for me. I didn't love the story either, even being slightly bored at times. Still, it was a really fantastic show and I'm glad I went. Who stole the show for me was the Ballet Instructor, Madame Giry. Really well acted.
Whoo! Now it's day4. I'm going to get me some fresh bagels, take a boat ride around manhattan, see the Met, eat Carnegie Deli!
New york miscellaneous:
-Thanks to Becky I can now pass for a new yorker on the crosswalks. Red means look both ways; not wait! People do it right in front of police officers.
-Everything you've heard about Manhattan tap water is true: delicious!
-Becky looks great in a skirt.
Sounds like you're walking and eating a gaint swath of the city. I'm still a little queasy after seeing and reading about the sweetbreads.
ReplyDeleteI must be true to my dadish nature and ask you look behind and infront and both ways when crossing the street regardless of the color of the light, yellow, green , red , or blue.
Sounds like you and Becky had a great time. I'm happy for you both.
Phil
1- You must admit that those cookies were totally worth the tension, and a good story to explain to people how crazy your girlfriend is...
ReplyDelete2- I was walking around Chicago today and was definitely walking like an agressive New Yorker. Ooops, time to start paying attention to crosswalk signage again...
3- While you may be enjoying getting places more efficiently without killing your feet, admit that you kind of miss all the random things we find along the way... such as more booths :)
You are right, as always...
ReplyDeleteAaron! You can't just say "brunch" or "eggs" as photo captions! What *were* they?
ReplyDelete