New York City, 9th Time

 

Tallies for all the trips to NYC: 

5: Boroughs 

82: Restaurants 

16: High end restaurants 

120: Bakeries and ice cream shops 

Countless: Sites 

Saturday, April 27th, 2024 

Brighton Beach and Coney Island

Brooklyn

 

Midtown

Terminal A at LaGuardia opened in 1940.  Just imagine, when people dressed up to fly and behaved appropriately.  Those murals were a WPA project.  

Bus to Astoria, jump on the subway to Manhattan.

Always love strolling Chinatown.

Once upon a time, been to every bakery here.

Joe's Shanghai is a Chinatown institution, and their Soup Dumplings are indeed outstanding.

Always have to stop at Chinatown Ice Cream Factory. That is Don Tot.

Little Italy is getting more kitschy touristy every year.

Juxtaposition of eras and architectural styles in NOHO.

Caffe Panna makes it on many NYC best ice cream lists. And the first spoonful of Pink Stracciatella Affogato Sundae put me in a stupor of delight.

You need to live in one of the homes around Gramercy Park to have a key to that park.

Madison Square Park had the first baseball game, Christmas tree lighting and Shake Shack (which is excellent).

 

Empire

Midtown

5th Avenue. 

Sak's. Boy, could I do some damage here and dress even better.

   

Rockefeller Plaza is a favorite from its history and aura.

Tradition! (Atlas Shrugged is my favorite book.)

Stood there taking in the sea of humanity, watching the signs, listening to so many languages and watching street performers.

Hell's Kitchen

Sunday, April 28th, 2024

Good morning.

   

   

Strolled over to Hudson Yards since I haven't seen the Vessel in a few years.

   

Penn Station opened in 1910.

   

World's largest department store.

   

Cruffin. Oh my.

   

A visual everywhere you turn.

   

After walking past it countless times over the decades, finally ate at Pershing Square underneath Park Avenue across from Grand Central.

   

Walking up Lex.

  

Original RCA headquarters.

   

On September 15th, 1954, Marilyn Monroe stepped on this subway grate and created an iconic photo.

   

Walking up Park Avenue.

   

Trump Tower

   

Sunday mass at St. Patrick's.

   

After going through it countless times, found Grand Central Station now has a tour.

   

It was a so-so tour.

   

   

Vanderbilt Hall, the original waiting room, is part of the common area, though roped off.

   

But at least got into a more inaccessible space.

   

And looking over the terminal.

   

17 stories below ground, the year old Long Island Railroad cost $14B.

   

Let's go up to 51st and get lunch.

   

The Modern 

** Michelin Stars 

Worlds 50 Best 

NYT 3 stars

 

Eggs on eggs on eggs

   

Citrus cured hiramasa and green tomatoes, whole milk burrata

   

Avoid toxic grains...until at a Michelin starred restaurant...served with butter from Normandy.

   

Lobster with artichokes and preserved tomato

   

Yorkshire rhubarb and custard pavlova

   

Entering Central Park, looking back down 5th.

   

Spring in Central Park!

   

It was crazy busy.

   

 

Have never been to The Metropolitan Museum of Art. I know, what a slacker.

   

The building is art itself.

   

The Met has 1.5 million objects over 2 million square feet.

   

In this hall, the façade to the right is actually the original entrance.

   

Their collection covers all kinds of countries and facets.

   

Walked for a couple of hours and didn't see it all.

   

My fave.

   

Walking across the Upper East Side.

   

To get in line for Bronte Pistachio and Cremino.

   

Walking to the subway.

   

Back to Queens.

 

I'll be back.