Day 7 Central Park and Upper West Side

I started the morning off by walking up the street and finally getting some bagels and bialy's. New Yorkers are right, there's nothing that compares to a New York bagel. Later in the morning we headed off for our last full day in the city hoping to see much of Central Park and the Upper West Side. It was only a fifteen minute walk to the park and the park was incredibly busy. It's closed to traffic on Sundays and becomes a beehive of joggers, cyclists, and strollers. It's fantastic to see the park used so extensively. We wandered around for awhile and then crossed over to 80th and Broadway to Zabar's. If you ever want to visit a great food speciality store, Zabar's is the one to see. It was a little calm today, they only had five guys slicing Lox and five working the cheese counter. We spent most of the time upstairs in the kitchen equipment section. If they make a pot, pan, or utensil for the kitchen, Zabar's has it.

Chicken Pot Pie at St. James Gate

After leaving Zabar's we started looking for a place to have Brunch. We tried to get in at least half a dozen restaurants and there was a minimum 30 minute wait at each one. Finally we walked into an Irish pub called St. James Gate. We arrived at just the right time as a two top was leaving. It took awhile to get our food, but it was very good as were the Bloody Mary's and beer. I had the Chicken Pot Pie and Sylvia had a Bird's Nest something or other. After St. James Gate we walked up Broadway and down Amsterdam avenues before heading back to Central Park. We went in the park at West 71st wandered around and back out at East 79th. By now it was getting to be late afternoon so we started back to the apartment. On the way we stopped in at a little place on Third Avenue called Lukes (http://lukesbarandgrill.com/)) to see what was happening in the football games. There were a couple of seats at the bar between two women. Sylvia sat next to a nice older woman and they had a good chat. I sat next to a beautiful and wonderful dancer/actress/screen writer/finance executive and held a long and thoughtful conversation. I think she liked me, Sylvia seemed to think it might have been the champagne I was buying her. I think she's wrong. Sylvia finally drug me out of Lukes and we headed back to the apartment to wait for dinner, which turned out to be back at the first place we went earlier in the week, Rathbones (http://rathbonesnyc.com/). We had a burger and grilled cheese which was just right. Tomorrow we're heading home.

The Reservoir in Central Park

Day 6 Shopping???

I was doing my early morning stroll looking for something to stuff my face with (found some great corned beef hash), when it started snowing. Damnit, they said it wouldn't snow until late. How was I going to get Sylvia out?  - Shopping of course!  It worked; we braved the array of rain/sleet/snow/wind/puddles and took the subway down to Bloomingdale's on 59th and Lexington. Once inside, Sylvia went one way and I went mine, which was across the street to Brasserie 360 (http://www.brasserie360nyc.com/). I obviously, didn't buy anything and Sylvia bought very little for the amount of time she spent shopping. I don't know how, but she found me at the bar and joined me for a few toddies - just to dry out and warm up of course. Later, we were getting kind of hungry and decided to walk over to First Avenue and go to Bistro Sixty One for lunch ( http://www.bistro61.com/). It was only a three block walk, but we got soaked anyhow, and my umbrella got turned inside out. It was truly a miserable day. We had a nice bottle of Pomeral and Sylvia had Steak Frites (hanger steak and fries) and I had the Lamb Burger. We were both happy with the food, plus our waiter was very entertaining. It's a great place to hang out in the snow. Being fairly dry again, it was time to venture out, but this time we took a cab up to the Mountain Apartment. This time the climb up the stairs wasn't so bad since we had not spent the day walking.


Bistro 61

 Once back at the apartment I knew there was zero chance of getting Sylvia out again - probably the only time all day I was right. However, I wasn't exactly of the same mind. I went looking for a place to sit and watch the football games. It wasn't until the fourth Pub before I could find a seat at the bar. Every place was packed. It's amazing how many people are out and about on a horrible day. It could not have been a more miserable day for walking with the wind, snow, rain - and slush puddles at every street corner, yet the sidewalks were full of people. I watched a little football and then walked up the street and got a whole roasted chicken from a Peruvian place and then back down the street and picked up a couple of slices. We were in for the evening.

Day 5 Chinatown and Little Italy



Katz's Deli



Left the apartment late morning and rode the subway down to Canal street to checkout Chinatown and Little Italy. We spent an hour and a half walking the streets of both places and it seemed as though Chinatown is encroaching on Little Italy. We did enjoy the Chinatown sights, but Little Italy seemed to be a little too hokey and touristy. Instead of having lunch there, we decided to walk on up to Katz's Deli on Houston(http://katzsdelicatessen.com/). It's a crazy place and most people consider it the best deli in New York. We split a Pastrami sandwich that was orders of magnitude better than any pastrami sandwich I've ever had. On the way up there we passed through a neighborhood called Nolita (North of Little Italy) that seemed to be a wonderful place to live and hang out. I'd like to go back there some day. Leaving Katz's I thought since we we were near McSorley's Ale House (http://www.mcsorleysnewyork.com/) and the oldest bar in New York, we might as well stop in and have a beer. It was a short walk to a different sort of pub. It's 156 years old and only serves two beers, their own light and dark, and when you order either light or dark, they give you two beers. The only other beverage is a soda. I had my beers and a clam chowder and Sylvia stood there (no bar stools) and watched me drink. Women were not allowed in McSorley's until 1970 and then it took a Supreme Court ruling (must have been a bunch of Liberals). We could have taken the subway back uptown, but since we were already on 7th street, and it was a nice enough day, we thought we would just walk the 80 blocks back to the apartment. We walked mostly up First and Third avenues through the East Village, Grammercy Park, Murray Hill, and Lennox Hill areas. We did make a couple of stops though, one in particular was O'Flannigan's on First and 66th - an Irish Bar I used to stop in fairly often (couple times a week). I remember sitting at the bar when Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's home run record. The place has not changed one lick. Arrived back at the apartment late in the afternoon, and as we had just walked a total of about 12 miles, the 34 steps looked like a mountain.

For Dinner we decided to try Zebu Grill (http://www.zebugrill.com/) a small Brazillian restaurant a block from where we used to live. We arrived at 8 to a nearly empty restaurant, and by the time we left it was mostly full with people still coming in. The staff there were very young, extremely friendly and enthuiastic. Sylvia had Filet de Lombo - it's almost like a pork schnitzel. She had been clamoring for one the past couple of days - she loved it. I was a little more adventuresome and ordered Feijoada, the Brazilian national dish. I have no idea how to pronounce it, I asked three times and still couldn't. It's a black bean stew with braised pork, short ribs, and sausage served with rice, collard greens, yucca (consistency of sand), and oranges. It was outstanding and I couldn't believe I ate the whole thing. I would be a regular customer if I lived anywhere near here. Stuffed, we waddled back to face the 34 step mountain.





McSorley's Menu

Day 4 Upper East Side

Doggie Day Care

Rain, rain, rain, it was a complete day of rain. I got up early and walked around the area looking for a breakfast place. On the way I passed a totally entertaining doggie day care. It even had a separate rooms for both small and large dogs - New York's a crazy place. Anyhow, after walking in the rain for a half hour I settled on a diner just around the corner from our killer (34 step) apartment. It was a terrific breakfast; fresh orange juice, lots of bacon, good home fries, eggs, toast, and coffee ($7). Later in the morning we walked over to the Metropolitan Museum of Art on 5th and 82nd. What a great museum - it's about five times the size of the National Art Gallery in DC and has at least as good, if not better collection. We may have covered a quarter of the galleries, it's just so huge. If I lived here I'd need a lifetime pass to see all that I wanted to see. My limit in any museum is two hours and I lasted just a little bit longer before running out of gas. Leaving the museum in a fairly heavy rain, we walked over to Tiramisu on 3rd Ave and dried out with a bottle of wine and a fairly good lunch. We didn't want dessert, but the waiter decided we needed something anyhow and gave us a complementary Tiramisu. Of course I had to supplement it with an Averna - they'll do anything for a bigger tip. Still raining we went over to the East End and walked up along the river and through the Carl Schurz Park. I used to run through the park, past Gracie Mansion, and down along the river. It's one of the most beautiful places for a walk and hardly anyone ever uses it. Soaked, we went back to the apartment to dry off and hang out until dinner.

For dinner we walked up to Pinocchio Ristorante on 90th and First Ave. intending to have something light. As expected though, it didn't work out that way. Pinocchio is a very small restaurant - twelve feet wide and seats a max of 30. It has an warm ambiance complete with opera and an American waiter who tried to sound Italian. Started off with a Bresaola (thinly sliced dried beef with arugula and shaved parmigiano). Sylvia had Truffle Tortellini with Vodka Sauce and I had Osso Buco with Risotto. Everything was good and we managed to skip dessert even though they had homemade Cannoli. It's amazing how these small restaurants give you a check. It's hand written with absolutely no detail, just a few scribbles with a dollar amount circled, and its always a whole dollar amount.

Day 3 Lower Manhatten and 9/11 Memorial





9/11 Memorial



Got up and left mid morning for the main objective of the day, the 9/11 Memorial. As we both had offices next to the world trade center, we found it a little emotional. I thought the memorial was beautifully simple and very, very well done.What most surprised us was the amount of construction going on in the area. There must be half a dozen sky scrapers going up in the blocks demolished during 9/11. Afterwards we walked down to Battery Park, over to Wall street and the Financial District. Things there are pretty much the same as we remembered. We stopped at Harry's on Hanover, an old luncheon haunt full of crusty old Wall street bankers. We ordered Bloody Mary's and three tasty Short Rib Sliders - a good stop. From there we started our trek uptown, first through the old Fulton Fish Market District - which no longer contained a fish market but is much better for it - and then over to the Tribeca District (Triangle Below Canal). Tribeca was off the radar 35 years ago, but now it's very lively and upscale and seems like a terrific place to live. From there we walked through SoHo, which seemed to be unchanged, to Greenwich Village. Once there we stopped at the Greenwich Village Bistro where we grabbed a sidewalk table, had a few beverages, rested and relaxed. It was perfect spot for people watching. Refreshed we walked up to 14th street and took the subway back to the apartment and again tackled the 34 stairs. It's hard to believe that we once lived in a fifth floor walk up.



Greenwich Village Bistro

Once back at the apartment Sylvia had no desire to go back out. I thought differently and took an evening stroll up the east 90s. There are so many neat little bars and restaurants that it's really very difficult to decide where to eat or drink. I finally decided to stop in the East End Pub for a drink and maybe a bite to eat. I had a couple of beers and a first-class Shepard's Pie. It's incredible, people think New York is expensive, and it can be, but you can also eat cheaper here than you can back home. The Shepard's Pie was hugh, good, and only eleven dollars. After leaving I realized I was tired too, so back to the 34 step apartment I went and called it an evening. It was another 14 plus mile walking day. Tomorrow's supposed to rain so long walks are out.

Day 2 Midtown andTimes Square

Orchids at Le Bernadin

Today we do the obligatory Midtown/Times Square walk. After coffee and a baguette, we walked Madison Ave. from 91st St. down to 59th (considered uptown). It's a terrific street to walk with all the little shops, cafes, and art galleries. We even stopped a bit to watch them making a movie - no idea which one. Once we got to 59th (midtown) everything changes as it becomes a mass of humanity and concrete. We spent the next few hour touring the midtown area down to 40th expecting things to be a little different than 35 years ago. It always was my least favorite part of town and I guess it always will be even though it is still interesting. The Times Square is exactly the same except for updated billboards .We even walked the Diamond District (47th between 5th and 6th). Purportedly 90 percent of all the diamonds that come into this country go through this one street of 2600 diamond merchants. Sylvia didn't see anything she wanted ...yeah right.

Since we had tickets to go see the Jersey Boys, we decided to have a late lunch and we made a 2:30 reservation for Le Bernardin restaurant (http://www.le-bernardin.com/).  Le Bernardin is one of the top twenty restaurants in the world, and according to Fodors the top one or two in New York. We opted for the Chef's Tasting Menu with wine parings of course. We spent the next two and a half hours enjoying the eight course menu  and a different wine with each course. Le Bernardin is a beautiful restaurant with great service, overall a very pleasant experience.

After lunch we walked about some more before seeing Jersey Boys. It's a great show that brought back many memories - lots of tears and laughing. After walking more than 14 miles today (according to the pedometer) we took a cab back to the apartment, climbed the 34 steps and crashed.

Day 1 Home to New York City

Instead of going to Europe this year we decided that a week in NYC would be interesting since we really haven't spent much time in the city since we lived there in the 70's (Jeez). Back then we lived on E. 91st street and we thought getting a place near there would be fun. Sylvia searched the VRBO website and found a one bedroom apartment on E. 86th and First avenue that seemed to fit the bill.

The easiest way to get to New York from where we live was to go to Baltimore and take the Amtrak. We left Solomons yesterday afternoon and drove to a Comfort Suites hotel near the Amtrak station where we could keep the car parked there for the week. After checking in, we drove to the Fells Point neighborhood in downtown Baltimore. I was interested in trying the food at The Point in Fells pub. We weren't disappointed, it has probably one of the more creative pub food menus I've ever seen. Sylvia had Seared Scallop Sliders which were seared scallops and instead of bread, the scallops were between a thin slice of beet on the bottom and seared ahi tuna on top. I had Olive Oil Poached Fish with artichokes, olives, potatoes, and tomatoes. Everything was very good and this is in a loud, beer drinking crowded Pub. Highly recommended and the fries are terrific. A stop at John Stevens for one finished the evening. Early to bed.

A pleasant train ride got us to the city by noon and a typical NY cab ride got us to the apartment in good time. We knew the apartment was on the second floor, but what we didn't know was that there were 34 steps up to the second floor. At least we would get some exercise. We unloaded our bags and immediately began walking the neighborhood that we lived in almost 40 years ago. Many changes but some things are still here and it still seems to be the same old great neighborhood. We were surprised to find a little bar on Second Ave. where we (I) used to hang out called Rathbones. Do you think we went in? You bet! It was exactly like it was when we left only older and a little dustier. Not very hungry we just ordered a bowl of chili and vegetable quesadilla. Didn't expect much, but wow, the chili was just a normal chili with cheese and onions but was perfect for what it was. I could never ever duplicate it;same for the quesadilla. That and a couple of drinks for thirty dollars. It's tough to beat. But that's New York, you've got to be good to be in business for 40 years. We then stopped at the best grocery store I've ever been in called Fairway and picked up stuff for the apartment - butter, coffee, vodka, and wine would be sufficient for the week.

Except for a short time back at the apartment to unpack, we walked the area from Lexington Ave.to First Ave. and from 91st street to 75th street an area called the Yorkville neighborhood. After passing 200 restaurants, pubs, and cafes that looked exactly like a place I'd like to eat, we settled on an Alsatian place called Cafe D'Alsace (http://www.cafedalsace.com/) on 2nd and 88th. Not surprisingly it turned out to be excellent. To go with a bottle of Alsatian Pinot Blanc I had a unbelievable Cassolette (white beans, fois gras, duck confit, braised lamb shoulder, garlic sausage, and duck sausage). It was not exactly something you could get back in Solomons Island. Sylvia had a sensible Trout Almandine with mashed potatoes and leeks. Dessert followed and I waddled back to the 34 step apartment. I think food will not be a secondary item on this trip.

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