We Interrupt No Fly July for NYC Tourism?!
July 18, 2014
If you follow NPS, you know about no fly July which basically gives me a chance to slow down and think away from airplanes. You may also have figured out that this year has (thankfully) been a light year of travel so far. After more than a decade of road warrior work, that feels pretty good FWIW.
Anyway, no fly July plans were interrupted this year for a trip up to NYC. United was its usual awful self. For the first time ever, I paid revenue for what was essentially a jump seat on a propjet. United has gone completely to the dogs.
Propjet on @united express. pic.twitter.com/O6Q4DTvfd9
— noplasticshower (@noplasticshower) July 17, 2014
It got better. The NJTransit train from EWR was convenient and fast.
Once we got to NY, we started with a game of Escape the Room, which was pretty fun all told. The only problem with the game is it is not puzzley enough and relies too much on random finding. But we had a good time (even though we ultimately did not escape the room).
We regrouped at Butcher’s Daughter near Little Italy to plan a quick trip down to Battery Park. Where we took a very touristy sailboat ride to the Statue of Liberty.
tourist sailboat in the NY harbor. https://t.co/NoH3TakCmN
— noplasticshower (@noplasticshower) July 17, 2014
Statue of Liberty
Dinner at Keste with Jason and Haley was fantastic and authentically italian as always. A quick trip to Mulberry Project was kind of disappointing due to the thundering dance beat. Good drinks, wrong atmosphere.
View from the Cigital apartment in NY.
We’re staying at the apartment again. Midtown 36th floor penthouse. It’s gorgeous in NY this week. Kind of Fall-like weather. Not bad. I guess nature is playing along with no fly July.
More NY impressions…
Morning way up north at the cloisters. A visit to the conservatory gardens in central park. Excellent tapas at Txikito. Comedy at the upright citizens brigade. Late nightcap at Ayza wine bar.
The Cloisters
A walk down the high line after a very late but decent breakfast at the Petit Poulet (right across the street from the apartment) is a good way to start the day. Follow that with coffee at the superb Happy Bones. Then a first visit to the 9-11 Memorial museum. When you go, plan to spend over 3 hours.
Liam Finn at the Poisson Rouge
A late night begins at Le Poisson Rouge (LPR) for a Liam Finn show. Great show. Excellent use of charisma. Followed by midnight dinner at the Blue Ribbon.
Liam Finn also loves customer 42 (starbucks identity of NPS)
Sunday included a trip up the Empire State Building next door, a visit to the Brooklyn flea market (meh), lunch #2 at The Meatball Shop, an Iranian film (close curtain) at Film Forum and dinner at L’Asso.
The apartment and its tall next door neighbor.
Way down there is the roof of the apartment.
Time to go home (on the Acela).
NY Happens Awfully Early (The Apartment)
October 18, 2013
6am came awfully early this morning. I made it through Logan in a daze. Uber’ed up a car and slept on the way in to the apartment.
Empire state building (the neighbors)
Looking down from the roof.
Manhattan.
Things are even more stunning at night.
Moon by Empire State Building
Movie set.
Caliope in the west village is outstanding. Simple French bistro food done right. They do need to remove some tables and charge more so things are not so tight and a little less hectic. But the food is outstanding. And they make a great Negroni.
Also worth a visit (and way better than Hearth) is Fedora in the west village. Well crafted cocktails made by barkeeps who know what they are doing (Negroni, Old Fashioned), a quirky wine list heavy on the French and a bit overpriced, and very good food. The mushroom appetizer is a must.
After dinner with Chalmers and a quick run by a tribeca party at Steve Pyke‘s house, we headed up to ZZ’s Clam Bar for a nightcap. Delicious oysters and well-crafted cocktails from the tiki side of the universe. I ordered off the card, and barman James Kaspari (who had on very silly shorts) made the following ZZ Topper (my name):
1.5 oz Bourbon (Elija Craig 12 yr)
.75 Apple brandy
.5 Cinnamon bark syrup
Teaspoon orange liqueur
4 dashes Angostura bitters
2 dashes mole bitters
Stir down, serve on the rocks with an orange twist.
ZZ Clam bar is worth a visit. Though rumors of their tiny size seem to be holding people back, we were gladly received and had a great time. Just go.
Sunday brunch at the gorgeously-appointed Maialino (in the Grammercy Park Hotel) was a perfect ending to a great weekend.
Bittersweet in NY
August 24, 2013
Dropping off the first born for college at NYU. It’s gonna be a strange week next week adjusting to life without him underfoot! Nobody will be up at 4am or asleep at 3pm (unless it’s near the solstice). We battled I-95 and the NJ Turnpike and drove directly into the city for the first time since 1989. The corporate apartment (with ample secure parking next door) is a perfect place to stay.
Room with a view
It’s a gorgeous crystal clear late summer day. Here’s the view.
Amenities include a kitchen (which we will ignore), and a big leather couch.
Kitchen
Big leather couch
We will pretend the showers are less plastic than they are. Well, no plastic, but they are shower over tub showers. Yes we will. And we will wash the sheets and towels on the way out.
Dinner at hearth as suggested by jS himself. A quick review. Music and ambiance: superior. Any place that has Queen, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, the Beatles, and Bowie on rotation makes us happy. Wine list: outstanding, quirky, weird and fun. We had a GSM like wine from Portugal that was superb. Food: good solid, not amazing. Service: our poor waitress was overworked with too many tables. The wine guys and server boys stepped in to help. All in all, we felt like we were whipped around on the trolley car of the second seating. That’s not good. Go back? Maybe.
But before that, a walk down the high line park. The park is a must see. Excellent in all respects.
HIgh line at sunset.
That’s Dr. Apartment to You (New York City)
March 3, 2013
We’ve been here before, but it was a while ago—Penthouse Apartment D (or PHD). It’s nice to have a corporation sometimes!
We’re in the city to see Kandinsky at the Guggenheim and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolfe. Also had some great meals (at the Guggenheim’s superior Wright Cafe and Aureole).
View from the 38th floor.
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Laundry: feature of bug?
These are not the machines you’re looking for.
One notable cocktail recipe from Aureole is the Tim’s 135
.75 oz Dubonnet Rouge
.75 oz Eagle Rare 10 year (this needs to be plussed with something hotter)
.75 Campari
.75 Lillet blanc
Shake. Express orange peel and drop in.
Off to Maialino for brunch (thanks to Jaques for helping us massage the reservation situation) before flying home.
The apartment is super convenient. Close to Penn Station. Right in the middle of everything. Beautiful view. But then there’s the laundry.
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