Wednesday in NYC is brought to you by the letter S. I couldn't have planned that better if I tried...and I love to plan. We all slept in, and after a Starbucks (I'm just getting going...), we headed out for breakfast, which turned into lunch as it was just after noon. We headed up to Grand Central Station and found a cafe directly across from the 42nd Street entrance called Pershing Square. Overpriced and full of business people, the food was actually not bad and the service pleasant enough. No rave review but if you are hungry and not on a strict budget, its a satisfying choice. Continuing along 42nd Street, we almost walked the entire length of it to the western edge of Manhattan. Along the waterfront a few streets up we found the Intrepid - an aircraft carrier anchored in the harbour, now serving as the Sea, Air and Space Museum. A bit of a line up to get in, it was well worth the wait to visit and both kids said it was one of the highlights of New York City. The ship, if standing upright, is almost as tall as the Chrysler Building. You can tour the Hangar, where they used to store the aircrafts and have interactive displays for both the space and air programs. The flight deck features many older aircrafts and helicopters, and most impressively - the Space Shuttle Enterprise protected in a huge indoor golf like bubble. We headed straight for the Space Shuttle, and after a short wait, were standing beside/underneath the coolest mode of transportation ever. Even standing along side it, it's awe inspiring. It's roped off, and with the wheels down, makes it impossible to touch, but you can walk around it and pose for a picture right in front of the nose of it. We carried on our tour, and walked out along the flight deck, before heading down to the ground again to check out the British Airways Concorde parked along side the aircraft carrier. Much smaller than I imagined it would be (although it was directly beside an aircraft carrier...so maybe not the best way to show off any size), the only way to see the inside of the Concorde was to pay an extra $22 each on top of the $30 to get into the Intrepid, and have a personalized tour. It was already late in the day, so we skipped the Concorde tour for this trip and flagged down a taxi that took us to our final "must see" destination in NYC for the week - Strawberry Fields.
Our taxi driver let us out just south of the Dakota - the apartment overlooking Central Park where John Lennon was shot and Yoko Ono still resides. We walked around the entire building, and was surprised there was no memorial, or even a sign stating it was the Dakota. Only 2 doormen wearing Dakota on their hats gave any clue to the identity of the building. Directly across the street is the entrance into Central Park, and a path leading to Strawberry Fields. A large stone circle with the word Imagine lays in the middle of the pathway, and red roses left by an unknown fan rest just above it. A cello player performed a soft slow version of Eleanor Rigby - helping to set the tone for this simple yet touching memorial for a great artist.
Hungry again for a snack after all the sightseeing, we strolled up to 78th and Columbus a few blocks north of the Dakota, and found another Shake Shack. The line up this time was just out the door, so we tried our luck, and found a line up inside just for shakes that was empty! A few minutes later we were all enjoying a delicious shake and able to take shelter from the few raindrops that had started to fall. The rain lasted as long as a New York minute, and we hailed a taxi back to our hotel for a rest.
Even though tonight is our last night in NYC, we are all beat and decided on a local diner for dinner - Scotty's on Lexington, just south of 40th Street. Another wonderful recommendation from our front desk staff at the Seton Hotel, we enjoyed some traditional American classics such as burgers and fries, and meatloaf with gravy. Followed up by the best peanut butter pie ever created, we left our last dinner in NYC happily stuffed. An early start tomorrow, we head back home to Toronto. We found 5 days to be a perfect amount of time to spend exploring New York City - enough time to be exhausted, but still leaving us with so much more we want to come back to.
Wednesday 22 August 2012
Dining, Shopping and the view from the Top in NYC
The itinerary I had all planned out for our second full day in New York City was significantly modified before we even left the hotel room in the morning. I'm in the city notorious for their food, and I had yet to hit one of the restaurants on my to do list. Deciding it was going to be Shake Shack for lunch, and Shake Shack being no where close to where we planned on being around lunch, our schedule required some modifications. So after a sleep in (that waking up early thing lasted a day - not any of our styles), we went out looking for breakfast. This time heading south on 5th Avenue, we stopped at one of the many Pret a Manger shops - fresh yogurt, croissants, bagels, the best orange juice outside of Florida and half decent coffee - might be our new "regular" spot at least for the next couple of days here.
Continuing south a few more blocks we came across the iconic Empire State Building. Surrounded at it's base by dozens of blue vested "official" ticket sellers for express trips to the top, we were quickly bombarded by their well rehearsed selling lines. A little disappointed we a) looked so much like tourists and b) had to keep saying no, when they no doubt heard us already say no to the guy beside them, we made our way to the lobby for an essential picture then moved on.. The wait from what we had overheard was over 2 hours long and I could think of much better ways I wanted to spend my New York Tuesday morning - or afternoon.
We headed west towards Madison Square Gardens a few blocks over, and was unimpressed that it looked a lot like an office building, except for the sign stating it was Madison Square Gardens. Confusingly enough, the next sign over said Penn Station, and according to our map, they looked pretty much in the same place. We didn't have tickets for either place, so our motivation to figure out which was which was little, so we headed back east to 6th Avenue and headed once again south. A few blocks south was the Flat Iron Building. The architecture in New York is worth the trip alone, and I gave up my not so discreet tourist disguise staring at this beautiful building and snapping a few pictures despite it being noon and the worst time to take pictures with the harsh overhead sun light. The Flat Iron Building faces Madison Park, which in the southeast corner lay our first food "destination" the Shake Shack. A small building with a faded Shake Shack sign showed us we had arrived...with about a hundred others, who had already formed a massive line that snaked it's way down the park paths. With limited seating and no doubt a long wait ahead of us, we hailed a cab and went to my next choice (truth be told, my first choice - but travelling with 3 others who could not recite When Harry Met Sally as I proudly can, took the more crowd pleasing route of Shake Shack), Katz's Deli. Located at Houston and Avenue A, Katz's is in a not so touristy part of town, and I figured would be much less crowded. Until we opened the door. Looking nothing like the Katz's of When Harry Met Sally, the large restaurant was filled with tables instead of booths, and we were herded in by a security guard and ticket man who gave us each a ticket to have our order written on by the staff, which is used to pay as you leave, and the security to keep us moving and ordering us to move back and allow others to keep coming in. We lined up at the first of 6 or 7 counters, and waited to place our order. As luck would have it, we chose the day a television crew had set up shop and were filming an episode of Chefs of Anarchy. (never heard of it, and even after googling it back at the hotel, still confused about our brush with celebrities). Television crews walked around filming the patrons, as well as the staff, but that was only a moderate distraction as we fought our way to the front of the line as the kids searched out a vacant table for us. Not a long wait, we made it to the front and placed our order with Eddie, a wonderful New Yorker who obviously enjoyed his job and is the type of person who makes New York the one of the best cities to visit. He asked us where we were from (it must say tourist on our foreheads in magic ink only locals can see), and gave us samples of the pastrami we had ordered to try before he made our sandwiches. He didn't mind posing for a picture for me, and only smiled and nodded when I answered his question of why we came to Katz's. I guess Katz's still gets a lot of business from their brief cameo in When Harry Met Sally, although it is a legendary scene, which I will be happy to show the kids when they are 18 years old. Or maybe 30. Bruce and I both tried their Katz's Ale, and very impressed - accompanied by the BEST pastrami on rye sandwich I have ever tasted, this was by far my favourite lunch in NYC yet.
We walked west on Houston, and over to Bowery. Just a little north of Bowery was supposed to be CBGB's - a punk club that was huge in the 1980's, but now shut down and turned into a store front. I was disappointed CBGB's was no longer there, and it's a shame to see such a legendary club disappear without a trace. Since we were close, we walked a few blocks west to Le Poisson Rouge - the club Bruce and I had visited only a year and a half earlier in the dead of winter to see one of our favourite bands The Little Death and the marvelous Lady Rizo perform. Le Poisson Rouge is in one of my favourite neighbourhoods in New York, technically West Village and just north of Tribeca. If you get a chance to visit New York City for a few days, make certain you wander off the tourist trail near Times Square and head to the more residential neighbourhoods like West Village. Great stores, cafes and clubs, it's one of Bruce and mine's favourite place to stroll around and discover what the locals enjoy.
Having a 2:30pm appointment to make, we all hopped in taxi and headed south to the World Trade Centre Memorial. Again, a huge line up awaited us, but thankfully moved quickly through the 4 security and ticket checks to the Memorial Park, surrounded by fences and on going construction. To say the least, we were all underwhelmed. The north and south tower are now represented by large concrete waterfalls that lead into a large square that looks like it leads to the centre of the earth. The names of all those lost in 9/11 are engraved on the ledge of the square waterfalls that mark where the twin towers used to stand. A few grassy areas lay in between, and newly planted trees are in rows surrounded by sidewalk. A new tower is in the process of being built to the north of the park. Although there is no shortage of crowds, security checks and NYPD, the whole memorial left little desire to stay and remember the tragedy that happened over a decade ago. A quick lap of the park, we all left thinking that this was something we wouldn't have been too upset missing.
Much to my daughter's delight, Century 21 shopping was just around the corner and we made our way to the superstore for some New York City shopping. Floors and floors of designer ware with more reasonable prices, I was happy that we weren't there too long and she found a few items for back to school starting in only 2 weeks.
A quick water and rest break at a cafe hidden off on a sidestreet, we walked some more, this time south past Wall Street, and down to the Staten Island Ferry docks. We boarded the free Ferry to Staten Island, with the sole purpose of a drive-by view of the Statue of Liberty. We luckily got a seat outside, and thankfully chose the right side of the ferry to be on, as we sailed past the beautiful lady that stands tall in the Harbour. Truthfully, it was also a great rest from all that walking and once we arrived at Staten Island, we walked back through the terminal and lined up immediately for the next ferry back to Manhattan.
Originally, we planned on hoping on the subway back up to Grand Central Station, but most of us were exhausted and outvoted Bruce for a taxi ride back to our hotel. Taxis are by far the best mode of transportation here - cheap, clean (except for the occasional smelly one), and a fast way to get anywhere, thanks to the fearless drivers. I couldn't imagine owning a car in New York - parking alone is at it's cheapest $400 a month and hourly parking we saw as high as $11 for a half an hour! Even bicycle parking here is $175 a month. With our most expensive taxi ride being $15 before tip for a ride half way up Manhattan, it's by far my favourite way to get around.
A short rest back at our hotel, we headed out for dinner at what we heard to be one of the best pizza places in New York, the Rustica Trattoria, at 2nd Avenue and 44th Street. A small pizza joint, that had a few tables set up in the back, we sat down for another delicious dinner of pasta and pepperoni pizza. Not spectacular, but pretty delicious and affordable, we ate until we could barely move and went for a night time walk towards Times Square. A last minute decision, we stopped at the Rockefeller Center to try our luck at getting to the Top of the Rock without much of a line up. Luck was on our side, and we found ourselves one of the few taking the elevator to the Top and overlooked breathtaking NYC at night. It's amazing how huge this city is, and even at night you can see for miles. Although we did want to make it up the Empire State Building, the Top of the Rock allows an incredible view of the Empire State Building and there's not too much difference in height. Now, Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks did not agree to meet at the Top of the Rock in Sleepless in Seattle, I have to say, it's the much less busy and slightly less expensive way to admire New York from above. At our daughters request, we walked back to our hotel via Times Square again, this time all lit up at night and as crowded at 11pm as it is at 11am. A late night, but New York City is alive and well - no matter what time of day you choose to enjoy it.
Continuing south a few more blocks we came across the iconic Empire State Building. Surrounded at it's base by dozens of blue vested "official" ticket sellers for express trips to the top, we were quickly bombarded by their well rehearsed selling lines. A little disappointed we a) looked so much like tourists and b) had to keep saying no, when they no doubt heard us already say no to the guy beside them, we made our way to the lobby for an essential picture then moved on.. The wait from what we had overheard was over 2 hours long and I could think of much better ways I wanted to spend my New York Tuesday morning - or afternoon.
We headed west towards Madison Square Gardens a few blocks over, and was unimpressed that it looked a lot like an office building, except for the sign stating it was Madison Square Gardens. Confusingly enough, the next sign over said Penn Station, and according to our map, they looked pretty much in the same place. We didn't have tickets for either place, so our motivation to figure out which was which was little, so we headed back east to 6th Avenue and headed once again south. A few blocks south was the Flat Iron Building. The architecture in New York is worth the trip alone, and I gave up my not so discreet tourist disguise staring at this beautiful building and snapping a few pictures despite it being noon and the worst time to take pictures with the harsh overhead sun light. The Flat Iron Building faces Madison Park, which in the southeast corner lay our first food "destination" the Shake Shack. A small building with a faded Shake Shack sign showed us we had arrived...with about a hundred others, who had already formed a massive line that snaked it's way down the park paths. With limited seating and no doubt a long wait ahead of us, we hailed a cab and went to my next choice (truth be told, my first choice - but travelling with 3 others who could not recite When Harry Met Sally as I proudly can, took the more crowd pleasing route of Shake Shack), Katz's Deli. Located at Houston and Avenue A, Katz's is in a not so touristy part of town, and I figured would be much less crowded. Until we opened the door. Looking nothing like the Katz's of When Harry Met Sally, the large restaurant was filled with tables instead of booths, and we were herded in by a security guard and ticket man who gave us each a ticket to have our order written on by the staff, which is used to pay as you leave, and the security to keep us moving and ordering us to move back and allow others to keep coming in. We lined up at the first of 6 or 7 counters, and waited to place our order. As luck would have it, we chose the day a television crew had set up shop and were filming an episode of Chefs of Anarchy. (never heard of it, and even after googling it back at the hotel, still confused about our brush with celebrities). Television crews walked around filming the patrons, as well as the staff, but that was only a moderate distraction as we fought our way to the front of the line as the kids searched out a vacant table for us. Not a long wait, we made it to the front and placed our order with Eddie, a wonderful New Yorker who obviously enjoyed his job and is the type of person who makes New York the one of the best cities to visit. He asked us where we were from (it must say tourist on our foreheads in magic ink only locals can see), and gave us samples of the pastrami we had ordered to try before he made our sandwiches. He didn't mind posing for a picture for me, and only smiled and nodded when I answered his question of why we came to Katz's. I guess Katz's still gets a lot of business from their brief cameo in When Harry Met Sally, although it is a legendary scene, which I will be happy to show the kids when they are 18 years old. Or maybe 30. Bruce and I both tried their Katz's Ale, and very impressed - accompanied by the BEST pastrami on rye sandwich I have ever tasted, this was by far my favourite lunch in NYC yet.
We walked west on Houston, and over to Bowery. Just a little north of Bowery was supposed to be CBGB's - a punk club that was huge in the 1980's, but now shut down and turned into a store front. I was disappointed CBGB's was no longer there, and it's a shame to see such a legendary club disappear without a trace. Since we were close, we walked a few blocks west to Le Poisson Rouge - the club Bruce and I had visited only a year and a half earlier in the dead of winter to see one of our favourite bands The Little Death and the marvelous Lady Rizo perform. Le Poisson Rouge is in one of my favourite neighbourhoods in New York, technically West Village and just north of Tribeca. If you get a chance to visit New York City for a few days, make certain you wander off the tourist trail near Times Square and head to the more residential neighbourhoods like West Village. Great stores, cafes and clubs, it's one of Bruce and mine's favourite place to stroll around and discover what the locals enjoy.
Having a 2:30pm appointment to make, we all hopped in taxi and headed south to the World Trade Centre Memorial. Again, a huge line up awaited us, but thankfully moved quickly through the 4 security and ticket checks to the Memorial Park, surrounded by fences and on going construction. To say the least, we were all underwhelmed. The north and south tower are now represented by large concrete waterfalls that lead into a large square that looks like it leads to the centre of the earth. The names of all those lost in 9/11 are engraved on the ledge of the square waterfalls that mark where the twin towers used to stand. A few grassy areas lay in between, and newly planted trees are in rows surrounded by sidewalk. A new tower is in the process of being built to the north of the park. Although there is no shortage of crowds, security checks and NYPD, the whole memorial left little desire to stay and remember the tragedy that happened over a decade ago. A quick lap of the park, we all left thinking that this was something we wouldn't have been too upset missing.
Much to my daughter's delight, Century 21 shopping was just around the corner and we made our way to the superstore for some New York City shopping. Floors and floors of designer ware with more reasonable prices, I was happy that we weren't there too long and she found a few items for back to school starting in only 2 weeks.
A quick water and rest break at a cafe hidden off on a sidestreet, we walked some more, this time south past Wall Street, and down to the Staten Island Ferry docks. We boarded the free Ferry to Staten Island, with the sole purpose of a drive-by view of the Statue of Liberty. We luckily got a seat outside, and thankfully chose the right side of the ferry to be on, as we sailed past the beautiful lady that stands tall in the Harbour. Truthfully, it was also a great rest from all that walking and once we arrived at Staten Island, we walked back through the terminal and lined up immediately for the next ferry back to Manhattan.
Originally, we planned on hoping on the subway back up to Grand Central Station, but most of us were exhausted and outvoted Bruce for a taxi ride back to our hotel. Taxis are by far the best mode of transportation here - cheap, clean (except for the occasional smelly one), and a fast way to get anywhere, thanks to the fearless drivers. I couldn't imagine owning a car in New York - parking alone is at it's cheapest $400 a month and hourly parking we saw as high as $11 for a half an hour! Even bicycle parking here is $175 a month. With our most expensive taxi ride being $15 before tip for a ride half way up Manhattan, it's by far my favourite way to get around.
A short rest back at our hotel, we headed out for dinner at what we heard to be one of the best pizza places in New York, the Rustica Trattoria, at 2nd Avenue and 44th Street. A small pizza joint, that had a few tables set up in the back, we sat down for another delicious dinner of pasta and pepperoni pizza. Not spectacular, but pretty delicious and affordable, we ate until we could barely move and went for a night time walk towards Times Square. A last minute decision, we stopped at the Rockefeller Center to try our luck at getting to the Top of the Rock without much of a line up. Luck was on our side, and we found ourselves one of the few taking the elevator to the Top and overlooked breathtaking NYC at night. It's amazing how huge this city is, and even at night you can see for miles. Although we did want to make it up the Empire State Building, the Top of the Rock allows an incredible view of the Empire State Building and there's not too much difference in height. Now, Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks did not agree to meet at the Top of the Rock in Sleepless in Seattle, I have to say, it's the much less busy and slightly less expensive way to admire New York from above. At our daughters request, we walked back to our hotel via Times Square again, this time all lit up at night and as crowded at 11pm as it is at 11am. A late night, but New York City is alive and well - no matter what time of day you choose to enjoy it.
Monday 20 August 2012
Lessons in Serendipity
Setting the alarm early by vacation standards, we woke in time to grab a shower and head out for a quick breakfast. Not only anxious to explore more of New York, I was also very excited to visit MOMA this morning - the Museum of Modern Art. Walking up along 5th Avenue we were tempted into a few shops along the way but it was only killing time before the 10:30am opening time for the museum. Arriving just after opening, there was already a line up to get in. One of the few drawbacks to travel during the summer months is the crowds. The staff at MOMA have adapted well though, and the line up moved quickly. We headed directly for the elevators and made it up to the 5th floor before most of the crowds figured out where they planned on starting their museum tour. Out of the elevator, I asked the information booth girl where Gallery 1 was located and she directed me around the first corner. I couldn't move fast enough to get there, and the casual, calm museum patrons walking in zigzag patterns in front of me only made me more impatient, until finally I found my way into the middle of Gallery 1. Moments you wait for, sometimes for many years have a way of making your heart skip a beat. Seeing Starry Night from Vincent Van Gogh was one of those moments for me. I was surprised at its unimpressive poster size display, but even behind the glass and despite the tacky thick gold frame surrounding it, its greatness shined through and for a moment or two, everything and everyone around me disappeared and the painting took me in. As the crowds grew heavier, the painting became more and more challenging to see, so we left Gallery 1 and made our way through more great works of art, including Picasso, Monet and Matisse. Maybe I shouldn't have started out with my absolute favourite, because although the other pieces we saw were brilliant, its tough to compare to my bucketlist worthy viewing of Starry Night. MOMA is a place I'd love to return to, and take the time to see all the great works of art, but the crowds and two teenagers in tow made the suggestion of moving on a pretty easy sell and we headed back to 5th Avenue.
We stopped into Tiffany's - and although didn't bring any little blue boxes home with us, it was impressive to see the floors and floors of beautiful jewelry. Next up was FAO Schwarz. We recently watched the movie Big, some for the first time, others for the one hundred and first time...so FAO was a must see on our New York Adventure. A toy soldier doorman welcomed us in and posed for a picture before we stepped foot into the ultimate children's toy store. An entire floor just for stuffed animals, a giant candy store near the back, and a maze of toy sections on the second floor make it easy to get lost and end up wandering in circles with no sign of an exit (a kid's toy store using the same design as casino's - bright shiny things to keep you amused making it far too easy to lose track of time, or your savings...ingenious!). The highlight, thanks again to Hollywood, is the Big Piano. Although not the original from the movie, there is no shortage of people waiting to try out their chopsticks talents using their sock feet to play a tune. The keys light up when you step on them, and if you don't mind sharing your keyboard with a dozen others at a time, it's a fun attraction to visit. We also checked out the Apple store out front of FAO Schwarz, which staircase entrance takes you down below the sidewalk to a massive area lit by the glass ceiling above. It wasn't any more exciting than a regular Apple store, except for it's size and cavernous design, so we headed back up into the daylight and walked over to Central Park.
There is so much to see through downtown Manhattan, it's easy to lose track of how far you've walked, and by the time we got to Central Park, our legs were screaming out for a break so we walked for just a bit and found an empty bench to rest. Lots of people walking their dogs, couples holding hands strolling up and down the many pathway, kids of all ages running and playing on the many massive rocks and play areas, You can almost forget you are in a city - unless you look up and see the massive buildings overlooking the park. We walked past the Central Park Zoo, and checked out a map of the area. It is surprisingly small, and I'm very sad to say, is not the home to lion of any kind, not even one named Alex. Nor is a home to any giraffes, zebras, or hippos. They might have had a few penguins, but seriously - finding out Madagascar the movie was a bit of a fake was a HUGE disappointment. We moved onwards into the park on our search for our lunchtime restaurant, The Boathouse. Again, Hollywood inspired although also recommended for scenery alone, we made a lunch reservation and planned on celebrating our daughter's birthday there. Glad we made a reservation, the restaurant was packed and we were one of the lucky few to get a table right up against the pond. The pond was filled with couples, and families out in rented rowboats, each more entertaining then the next at their attempts to figure out how to row. Forget graceful, most were lucky to stop going around in circles and I was slightly disappointed there weren't more collisions. Although pricey, we hoped that the food and service would be worth it. Wrong on both accounts :(. The food was adequate, but not anything special and the wait staff made it easy to see why the service charges were already included on everyones bill. All of us exhausted, we hailed a cab just outside the park and made our way back to our hotel for an afternoon of rest.
Around dinner time, we left our room and headed down to the front desk of our hotel to ask where we could find a good Mexican restaurant close by. Our new friend Ryan at the front desk recommended Siniqual, which was thankfully (as per my feet), very close by. An awesome recommendation. A well decorated and busy for a Monday restaurant and bar, serving delicious Mexican cuisine and an impressive selection of tequila! The staff were attentive and friendly, even putting a candle in our daughters deep fried ice cream, while we sang her Happy Birthday. For all the planning I had put in at the Boathouse to make her birthday meal special, it turns out our best meal yet was at a restaurant right around the corner from our hotel. A good reminder to me that the best memories you can make on any vacation are the ones you couldn't have planned. Cheers to Serendipity! (which, by the way, also a movie filmed in NYC!).
We stopped into Tiffany's - and although didn't bring any little blue boxes home with us, it was impressive to see the floors and floors of beautiful jewelry. Next up was FAO Schwarz. We recently watched the movie Big, some for the first time, others for the one hundred and first time...so FAO was a must see on our New York Adventure. A toy soldier doorman welcomed us in and posed for a picture before we stepped foot into the ultimate children's toy store. An entire floor just for stuffed animals, a giant candy store near the back, and a maze of toy sections on the second floor make it easy to get lost and end up wandering in circles with no sign of an exit (a kid's toy store using the same design as casino's - bright shiny things to keep you amused making it far too easy to lose track of time, or your savings...ingenious!). The highlight, thanks again to Hollywood, is the Big Piano. Although not the original from the movie, there is no shortage of people waiting to try out their chopsticks talents using their sock feet to play a tune. The keys light up when you step on them, and if you don't mind sharing your keyboard with a dozen others at a time, it's a fun attraction to visit. We also checked out the Apple store out front of FAO Schwarz, which staircase entrance takes you down below the sidewalk to a massive area lit by the glass ceiling above. It wasn't any more exciting than a regular Apple store, except for it's size and cavernous design, so we headed back up into the daylight and walked over to Central Park.
There is so much to see through downtown Manhattan, it's easy to lose track of how far you've walked, and by the time we got to Central Park, our legs were screaming out for a break so we walked for just a bit and found an empty bench to rest. Lots of people walking their dogs, couples holding hands strolling up and down the many pathway, kids of all ages running and playing on the many massive rocks and play areas, You can almost forget you are in a city - unless you look up and see the massive buildings overlooking the park. We walked past the Central Park Zoo, and checked out a map of the area. It is surprisingly small, and I'm very sad to say, is not the home to lion of any kind, not even one named Alex. Nor is a home to any giraffes, zebras, or hippos. They might have had a few penguins, but seriously - finding out Madagascar the movie was a bit of a fake was a HUGE disappointment. We moved onwards into the park on our search for our lunchtime restaurant, The Boathouse. Again, Hollywood inspired although also recommended for scenery alone, we made a lunch reservation and planned on celebrating our daughter's birthday there. Glad we made a reservation, the restaurant was packed and we were one of the lucky few to get a table right up against the pond. The pond was filled with couples, and families out in rented rowboats, each more entertaining then the next at their attempts to figure out how to row. Forget graceful, most were lucky to stop going around in circles and I was slightly disappointed there weren't more collisions. Although pricey, we hoped that the food and service would be worth it. Wrong on both accounts :(. The food was adequate, but not anything special and the wait staff made it easy to see why the service charges were already included on everyones bill. All of us exhausted, we hailed a cab just outside the park and made our way back to our hotel for an afternoon of rest.
Around dinner time, we left our room and headed down to the front desk of our hotel to ask where we could find a good Mexican restaurant close by. Our new friend Ryan at the front desk recommended Siniqual, which was thankfully (as per my feet), very close by. An awesome recommendation. A well decorated and busy for a Monday restaurant and bar, serving delicious Mexican cuisine and an impressive selection of tequila! The staff were attentive and friendly, even putting a candle in our daughters deep fried ice cream, while we sang her Happy Birthday. For all the planning I had put in at the Boathouse to make her birthday meal special, it turns out our best meal yet was at a restaurant right around the corner from our hotel. A good reminder to me that the best memories you can make on any vacation are the ones you couldn't have planned. Cheers to Serendipity! (which, by the way, also a movie filmed in NYC!).
Sunday 19 August 2012
Festivals, Squares, Parks and Urban Legends
Touching down in Newark, we easily navigated the airport and found our way to the Newark Airport Express bus, which for only $16 each, took us right to Grand Central Station. On a side note, I can't even type Grand Central Station without hearing it in Chris Rock's voice, in the role of Marty from Madagascar. Sadly, although not for moviemakers, much of my knowledge of the Big Apple highlights comes from Hollywood. I'm not alone in this, as when we got to the main concourse in Grand Central Station, my son asked if they had fixed the clock after Melman had broke it. (If you haven't watched the movie Madagascar I might lose you through most of my NYC blogs...fair warning).
It was an overcast afternoon, and the forecast for the next few days looks like a lot of clouds and rain - yet New York to me always looks beautiful so a few gray skies only means a probable umbrella souvenir for all of us. We totally lucked out for our hotel. We are staying at the Seton Hotel, on east 40th Street, only minutes walk from Grand Central Station. We came across it while searching hotels on line, and found it to be one of the more affordable hotels within walking distance of Times Square, Central Park and MOMA. Recently upgraded, this old hotel has a very modern feel - boutique style with high ceilings (at least 20 ft) and comfortable beds. There are some rooms without in room bathrooms, but for about $200 a night, we have 2 double beds, our own bathroom, and a view of a brick wall - it's New York after all, and I don't see any rooftop views with our budget in our immediate future.
We dropped our bags and headed out for a bite to eat, finding Blooms Delicatessen a few streets west of our hotel that served monster size hamburgers, and the cliche new york deli pastrami on rye sandwiches. Fuelled up on energy, and the excitement of exploring New York, we began our journey towards Times Square, only to stop at Madison Avenue when we saw a huge street festival that closed Madison for blocks northwards. Not being able to resist an unexpected festival we made our way up Madison Avenue stopping to check out the venders along the way. A few purchases later, including some early Christmas shopping!, we left the street festival and headed back west towards Times Square.
I've been to Times Square a few different times, and each time I'm amazed and overwhelmed by the lights, the people, the signs and the stores. This afternoon was no different and we were quickly surrounded by the excitement of it all. A few quick must do tourist photographs later, we took in a few stores before we had to move on just to regain our sanity. We found our way south to 42nd Street, and headed back east towards our hotel. On the way we passed Bryant Park. I have never heard of Bryant Park before today (Hollywood, get on it!), but loved my new found oasis in the city. Bryant Park runs north from 40th Street to 42nd Street, and takes up the entire block between 5th and 6th Avenue. Trees and pathways with patio style tables and chairs fill the park, and in the middle is a large grass area with a giant movie screen at the west end of it. Giving our feet a break, we joined the New York City locals and sat on the grass enjoying the summer evening. A quick rest later, we set out for Grand Central Station, which was a few blocks east along 42nd Street. It was dusk, and the outside of the Station was softly lit up giving it a romantic feel as we admired this amazing landmark. We went inside, and went directly to the main concourse. It was priceless to see both kids expressions of awe as we entered the incredible main room, known for its infamous clock, once fictionally destroyed by Marty the zebra. Both kids looked up and were taken aback by the tall blue ceiling, decorated with paintings of Greek Gods, and the stars named after them. Bruce and I had read about a few secret places in Grand Central, so we headed towards the Oyster Bar in search of the Whispering Room. Directly in front of the Oyster Bar is a room with a domed ceiling, and each of us stood facing the opposite corners and tried out this urban legend. We were happy to find out that the Whispering Room lived up to its legend and despite the noise of the Station, we could hear what each other was saying, even though we were not speaking louder than a whisper. A few people followed suit and soon there was a little line up waiting to try out this hidden gem.
It was getting late, and we were hungry after our first day adventure though NYC, so we walked a block east of Grand Central, and found a highly recommended "cheap eats" place called 99 cent pizza. We ordered our pizza to go, and walked back a few blocks south to our hotel. It was delicious and by far the best deal I expect we will get - $10 for a dinner for 4. An early night, especially by New York City standards, we need a good night sleep for our next adventure tomorrow - MOMA to fulfil my bucketlist item - seeing the original Starry Night from Van Gogh, and a birthday lunch at the Boathouse in Central Park. Of course, we might have to stop off to play a big piano at FAO Schwarz, but only if I can learn the chopsticks before then.
It was an overcast afternoon, and the forecast for the next few days looks like a lot of clouds and rain - yet New York to me always looks beautiful so a few gray skies only means a probable umbrella souvenir for all of us. We totally lucked out for our hotel. We are staying at the Seton Hotel, on east 40th Street, only minutes walk from Grand Central Station. We came across it while searching hotels on line, and found it to be one of the more affordable hotels within walking distance of Times Square, Central Park and MOMA. Recently upgraded, this old hotel has a very modern feel - boutique style with high ceilings (at least 20 ft) and comfortable beds. There are some rooms without in room bathrooms, but for about $200 a night, we have 2 double beds, our own bathroom, and a view of a brick wall - it's New York after all, and I don't see any rooftop views with our budget in our immediate future.
We dropped our bags and headed out for a bite to eat, finding Blooms Delicatessen a few streets west of our hotel that served monster size hamburgers, and the cliche new york deli pastrami on rye sandwiches. Fuelled up on energy, and the excitement of exploring New York, we began our journey towards Times Square, only to stop at Madison Avenue when we saw a huge street festival that closed Madison for blocks northwards. Not being able to resist an unexpected festival we made our way up Madison Avenue stopping to check out the venders along the way. A few purchases later, including some early Christmas shopping!, we left the street festival and headed back west towards Times Square.
I've been to Times Square a few different times, and each time I'm amazed and overwhelmed by the lights, the people, the signs and the stores. This afternoon was no different and we were quickly surrounded by the excitement of it all. A few quick must do tourist photographs later, we took in a few stores before we had to move on just to regain our sanity. We found our way south to 42nd Street, and headed back east towards our hotel. On the way we passed Bryant Park. I have never heard of Bryant Park before today (Hollywood, get on it!), but loved my new found oasis in the city. Bryant Park runs north from 40th Street to 42nd Street, and takes up the entire block between 5th and 6th Avenue. Trees and pathways with patio style tables and chairs fill the park, and in the middle is a large grass area with a giant movie screen at the west end of it. Giving our feet a break, we joined the New York City locals and sat on the grass enjoying the summer evening. A quick rest later, we set out for Grand Central Station, which was a few blocks east along 42nd Street. It was dusk, and the outside of the Station was softly lit up giving it a romantic feel as we admired this amazing landmark. We went inside, and went directly to the main concourse. It was priceless to see both kids expressions of awe as we entered the incredible main room, known for its infamous clock, once fictionally destroyed by Marty the zebra. Both kids looked up and were taken aback by the tall blue ceiling, decorated with paintings of Greek Gods, and the stars named after them. Bruce and I had read about a few secret places in Grand Central, so we headed towards the Oyster Bar in search of the Whispering Room. Directly in front of the Oyster Bar is a room with a domed ceiling, and each of us stood facing the opposite corners and tried out this urban legend. We were happy to find out that the Whispering Room lived up to its legend and despite the noise of the Station, we could hear what each other was saying, even though we were not speaking louder than a whisper. A few people followed suit and soon there was a little line up waiting to try out this hidden gem.
It was getting late, and we were hungry after our first day adventure though NYC, so we walked a block east of Grand Central, and found a highly recommended "cheap eats" place called 99 cent pizza. We ordered our pizza to go, and walked back a few blocks south to our hotel. It was delicious and by far the best deal I expect we will get - $10 for a dinner for 4. An early night, especially by New York City standards, we need a good night sleep for our next adventure tomorrow - MOMA to fulfil my bucketlist item - seeing the original Starry Night from Van Gogh, and a birthday lunch at the Boathouse in Central Park. Of course, we might have to stop off to play a big piano at FAO Schwarz, but only if I can learn the chopsticks before then.
The NYC Adventure Begins
What better way to start a new blog than by combating boredom while waiting for our plane to board. The theme of the day is modes of transportation, and I'm quickly loving the conveniences of city living. From our house, we are able to walk an easy 10 minutes to the GO Train station, and for $4.65 each, we are able to take an 8 minute ride down to Union Station. Deciding it was time for our kids to learn a little more in the skill of travelling, we made it our sons task to find out how we were getting to our plane. He easily figured out the GO train route, as we take it normally to get downtown - but from there had to do a little internet research (with the help of Dad) and discovered the Porter shuttle picks up passengers across from Union Station at the Royal York Hotel. Our son led the way as we exited the GO train, and guided us across the street directly to the shuttle bus, which was luckily there already and waiting. A quick ride through the city centre, we arrived a few minutes later at the foot of Bathurst and boarded the ferry for the shortest trip across the western gap to Billy Bishop Island Airport.
If you've never flown Porter from Toronto Island, I'd find a reason to try it out. They fly short trips, from Washington DC, east to Halifax and St Johns, north to Timmins (if you find a reason to actually go to Timmins, let me know), and most importantly for us...into Newark, New Jersey - a short bus/, train, or taxi ride into Manhattan - our destination today. Not only are Porter's rates fantastic (we each paid $210 including tax, return flight), but the lounge is comfortable, spacious, and offers free drinks and snacks preboarding. To top it off, the view of the city centre from the lounge is beautiful. Huge windows cover two sides of the waiting area, giving a scenic view of the Toronto skyline as well as the harbour. Free wi-fi and a business centre to keep our 14 year old daughter occupied with facebook chat, Porter's advertisements are true - a civilized way to fly.
And why, you ask, are we taking this trip into New York City? I hardly need a reason to buy a plane ticket or plan an adventure...but in the case, we are celebrating our daughters 14th birthday. My husband and I decided a few months ago that physical gifts come and go, and can be easily forgotten about or lost (eg, cameras, phones, ipods...all lost and or damaged in the past year once, or in some cases numerous times). Instead, with very few exceptions, any major holiday or birthday will be celebrated with experiences instead. I say that now. I might wait until the end of this trip before I make this "gifts of experience" a permanent thing. Flight 131 now boarding for Newark. And we are off!
If you've never flown Porter from Toronto Island, I'd find a reason to try it out. They fly short trips, from Washington DC, east to Halifax and St Johns, north to Timmins (if you find a reason to actually go to Timmins, let me know), and most importantly for us...into Newark, New Jersey - a short bus/, train, or taxi ride into Manhattan - our destination today. Not only are Porter's rates fantastic (we each paid $210 including tax, return flight), but the lounge is comfortable, spacious, and offers free drinks and snacks preboarding. To top it off, the view of the city centre from the lounge is beautiful. Huge windows cover two sides of the waiting area, giving a scenic view of the Toronto skyline as well as the harbour. Free wi-fi and a business centre to keep our 14 year old daughter occupied with facebook chat, Porter's advertisements are true - a civilized way to fly.
And why, you ask, are we taking this trip into New York City? I hardly need a reason to buy a plane ticket or plan an adventure...but in the case, we are celebrating our daughters 14th birthday. My husband and I decided a few months ago that physical gifts come and go, and can be easily forgotten about or lost (eg, cameras, phones, ipods...all lost and or damaged in the past year once, or in some cases numerous times). Instead, with very few exceptions, any major holiday or birthday will be celebrated with experiences instead. I say that now. I might wait until the end of this trip before I make this "gifts of experience" a permanent thing. Flight 131 now boarding for Newark. And we are off!
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