Saturday, July 1st, 2023
Train from Newark to Penn Station.
At the One World Observatory looking north to Midtown.
The Charging Bull is in there. What an obnoxious scene.
Look for the peach down a side alley off 1st between Bowery and 2nd to find Momofuku Ko.
Pineapple shrub, omija, club soda
Hit the spot since it was like 100 degrees with matching humidity.
Green strawberry, cucumber
Fried, served cold
A signature item for a valid reason. Good enough to negate guilt for eating fried food.
Fig
Tempura, crème fraîche
Strawberry, saffron
Pineapple, worm salt
Old and new in Midtown.
Legend.
Grand Central never fails to impress and evoke thoughts of its history and my own memories.
At The Comfort Diner in Turtle Bay the waitress called me "my love". Twice. Pretty sure that means we're going steady.
In the Upper East side doing the ongoing NY bagel thing.
Ducking into Central Park.
To get the view of the newest super tall category of skyscrapers.
Then down 5th.
Another required stop since Atlas Shrugged is my favorite book.
St. Patrick's was started in 1858 and finished 1879, being interrupted by the Civil War.
Been to Rockefeller Center many a time, done Top of the Rock, seen the Today show tape, done the NBC tour.
But have never done the Rockefeller Tour that focuses on it's amazing history, art and architecture.
22 buildings on 19 acres.
It was built 1930 to 1939, infamously during the Great Depression.
The broadcast building was originally the Eastern Air Lines Building (1939) and you'd go here to get your airline tickets. Since Internet was too slow.
More art.
The International Building was built from September 1934 to May 1935.
The wonderful murals in 30 Rock.
These I always come in to to admire.
The piano Tom Hanks played in Big.
This lunch was more about the 96 year history and decor.
And that was the right mindset.
As their Red Borscht was underwhelming and overpriced ($28).
Paley Museum of Media. Was a little lost from not watching TV in 20+ years.
FNC
Took the subway emerging in the Dumbo area of Brooklyn.
This neighborhood of old warehouses has become a hot bed of activity.
Flea market under the Manhattan Bridge.
Everyone getting their Instagram shot.
Was first on this street in 2005 for Jacques Torres Chocolates when it was a desolate area.
Time Out Market was insanely busy.
First Day Out: Roasted corn, jalapeños
Tuma Buna: Ethiopian coffee, turmeric and ginger
To the roof to see the Manhattan Bridge (1901-1909).
And the Brooklyn (1870-1883). (Read David McCullough's The Great Bridge)
Never seen the Brooklyn Bridge so busy.
Walking through Lower Manhattan.
To Civic Center.
Passing through Chinatown.
Lower East Side
The Tenement Museum has several tours showing how immigrants lived in these small dwellings from the late 1800s to present day.
I bring me to the nicest places.
Ube, toasted coconut, mochi
Decided to bypass the subway and walk to dinner.
Greenwich Village
Cafeteria in Chelsea.
Ginger Salmon with Charred Brocolinni.
With the rain, subway to...
...42nd Street.
And Times Square.
Never seen it so busy.
Bloomie's! The building and shopping an institution since 1930.
Looking south down Malcom X, you can see one of the slender super tall skyscrapers at the foot of Central Park cutting a silhouette.
One of Frank Lloyd Wright's more famous creations.
Pineapple Salted Egg Yolk
Tuesday, July 4th, 2023
My 5th location of Milk Bar having one of their 3 signature creations- Cereal Milk Soft Serve.
Monday, July 3rd, 2023
To the Upper East Side for breakfast.
Continuing the NY bagel thing.
Walking Park Avenue.
Banana Bread Pudding at Magnolia Bakery. Bananas....basically a health food.
Up 5th Avenue with the omnipresent canopies and doormen.
Going through familiar center part of Central Park.
And then through an area of northern Central Park not seen before.
Haven't been to Harlem in a while.
Seems the same.
And just had to go by the legendary Apollo again.
Can't comprehend how many street vendors there are the world over.
Red Rooster
Chef Marcus Samuelsson
Deviled Eggs
Po' boy hummus, sweet relish, crispy onions, chives, caper berries
Collard Greens
Crab Cake
Charred spiced cherry tomato, collard slaw, salsa verde
They don't build them like that anymore.
Sugar Hill Creamy
Chairman of the Board- cream cheese ice cream with blueberry jam and graham crackers
I bring me to the nicest places.
Northeastern part of Central Park.
Harlem Meer
Conservatory
Reservoir
The Guggenheim itself is a draw more than its contents.
The spiral ramp is the gallery. And I didn't get this art. At all.
However, building 2 had Picasso, Monet, Cezzane, Gauguin and Matisse.
Cutting across Central Park at Bethesda Fountain.
Getting on the subway near The Dakota (Lennon assassination).
To Tea & Sympathy in Greenwich Village for a salad.
Then down to Bleecker to finish my list of the most legendary pizza spots.
1929
A really good average NY pizza.
Continuing down Bleecker taking it all in.
Life. Washington Square Park.
Good night.
Down to Chelsea for Quiche at Balthazar.
The morning sun highlighting history.
On a side street, Dominique Ansel invented the Cronut.
Hour subway right out to Brighton Beach.
Last here in 2005.
A neighborhood synonymous with Eastern European and former USSR country immigrants.
No one was speaking English, so knew this would be good.
Took the boardwalk at Brighton Beach.
Down to Coney Island.
What is more American than Coney Island on Independence Day?
:(
Last time at Nathan's, had the place to myself.
But today is the famous hot dog eating contest.
Speaking of, as good as I remember.
Heading into the questionable Brooklyn neighborhood of Gravesend.
Then it started raining.
Then pouring.
So abandoned plans and got back on the subway.
To Davey's in East Village for spectacular Fresh Strawberry.
Then walked all the way to Upper East Side.
For dinner at P.J. Clarke's.
1884. Just imagine the history!
Salmon Third Avenue Chopped Salad
Radicchio, bell peppers, cucumber, celery, fennel, green beans, chickpeas, kalamata
Subway to hotel, walk to Penn, train to Newark.
Until next time NYC.
