Eastside, Westside All Around the Town...an NYC trip report
Mar 30th, 2010, 11:57 AM
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Eastside, Westside All Around the Town...an NYC trip report
Mom and I spent the last weekend of March frolicking about New York City. Since it had been a year since our last trip to "the city that never sleeps" we decided it was time for a return visit.
A couple months ago I found a good deal on TravelZoo.com for a double room at the Affinia Shelbourne Hotel at 303 Lexington Avenue between 37th and 38th streets on the eastside. In past trips we stayed on the westside, near the theater district, BUT how could I pass on $139 per night! On the previous 3 trips to NYC over the last 2 years the least I ever paid was $160 per night and that was using Hotwire.
With the hotel booked we purchased plane tickets and then it was time to decide which shows we wanted to see. Our trips tend to be both theater and food centered and this trip was no exception.
In the months up to the trip we purchased tickets to The Addams Family, Finian's Rainbow, Lend Me A Tenor and Promises, Promises. Shortly after we purchased the Finian's Rainbow tickets the show closed, so our money was refunded and we purchased tickets to Looped. Our theater plans were set, all that needed to be firmed up were our restaurant reservations.
I like to book restaurants via the OpenTable.com website to earn points. Prior to this trip I had redeemed points for two $20 Open Table checks which we planned to use at restaurants on this trip, in the end we only used one of the checks.
Day 1: Thursday, March 25th
We left Savannah on a direct flight to LaGuardia on Delta. We arrived in NYC on time and called Carmel Cars to notify them we were ready to be picked-up. After a slight mix-up curb-side with another duo of ladies a car arrived for us and we were on our way to the Affinia Shelbourne. Within 30 minutes we were pulling up in front of the hotel...big advantage to staying on the eastside...we didn't have to fight the cross-town traffic!
Check in was a breeze and we had a standard double room on the 7th floor. I was a little concerned that our room was right across the narrow corridor from the elevators, but once inside the room we could not hear a sound in the hallway.
We had a 5:30pm reservation at Maialino on Lexington & 21st Street (in the Grammercy Park Hotel). We decided to walk to the restaurant and arrived 30 minutes before our reservation because we wanted to sit at the bar and enjoy a glass of wine. We LOVED this restaurant. It is a new restaurant opened by Danny Meyer a couple months ago. It is his version of a Roman trattoria and he has done an excellent job of creating real Roman trattoria atmosphere and food (which is most important of all, of course!).
We started with the fried artichokes with anchovy bread sauce and proscuitto di parma and fresh mozzarella...both were delicious. The artichokes just crispy enough and that sauce was tangy. The proscuitto was just perfect and the mozzarella was so smooth and creamy. I have to also say the bread here was great, but coming from a "real bread" deprived area of the country, I'm not hard to please with bread, but another tasty item in the bread basket were the pencil thin cheese bread sticks. Mom who is not a huge bread eater couldn't keep her hands away from those breadsticks! At the recommendation of our server mom had the ricotta and egg ravioli and I had the ox tail pasta. The ravioli was pure heaven, the creaminess of the ricotta and the ooziness of the egg when broken created a culinary work of art! The ox tail pasta was tender and had just the right amount of kick to it. We did look at the dessert menu, but nothing was jumping out at us, unusal for me, since I have an entire mouth full of "sweet teeth"! So we ended the meal with 2 espresso. The total cost with 4 glasses of wine was somewhere around $120.
We left Maialino just before 7pm and decided if we walked at a brisk pace we would be able to walk to the theater on (I think) 46th Street for our first show of the weekend...The Addams Family. We made it with a few minutes to spare and as we turned the corner, we had no worries, because the theater doors had not yet opened and the line was stretched down and almost around the block!
As far as Broadway musicals go, I thought this one was good, not spectacular. And our main reason for going was, I will admit, the big names...we adore Nathan Lane and were really looking forward to the show. Having read a few reviews of the show we knew critics were saying there was very little chemistry between Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth and as much as we wanted to believe there would be some chemistry, we have to agree with the critics..not much chemistry at all. However, we did enjoy the show and there were some very funny lines, none of the music was particularly memorable, I didn't leave the theater humming any of the tunes, but it was a fun evening.
We walked back to the hotel after the show and it took about 45 minutes, this is a drawback to staying on the eastside if you plan to spend alot of time going to shows, however I would not hesitate to stay at the Affinia Shelbourne again.
Stay tuned for Day 2...art, food and more theater!
A couple months ago I found a good deal on TravelZoo.com for a double room at the Affinia Shelbourne Hotel at 303 Lexington Avenue between 37th and 38th streets on the eastside. In past trips we stayed on the westside, near the theater district, BUT how could I pass on $139 per night! On the previous 3 trips to NYC over the last 2 years the least I ever paid was $160 per night and that was using Hotwire.
With the hotel booked we purchased plane tickets and then it was time to decide which shows we wanted to see. Our trips tend to be both theater and food centered and this trip was no exception.
In the months up to the trip we purchased tickets to The Addams Family, Finian's Rainbow, Lend Me A Tenor and Promises, Promises. Shortly after we purchased the Finian's Rainbow tickets the show closed, so our money was refunded and we purchased tickets to Looped. Our theater plans were set, all that needed to be firmed up were our restaurant reservations.
I like to book restaurants via the OpenTable.com website to earn points. Prior to this trip I had redeemed points for two $20 Open Table checks which we planned to use at restaurants on this trip, in the end we only used one of the checks.
Day 1: Thursday, March 25th
We left Savannah on a direct flight to LaGuardia on Delta. We arrived in NYC on time and called Carmel Cars to notify them we were ready to be picked-up. After a slight mix-up curb-side with another duo of ladies a car arrived for us and we were on our way to the Affinia Shelbourne. Within 30 minutes we were pulling up in front of the hotel...big advantage to staying on the eastside...we didn't have to fight the cross-town traffic!
Check in was a breeze and we had a standard double room on the 7th floor. I was a little concerned that our room was right across the narrow corridor from the elevators, but once inside the room we could not hear a sound in the hallway.
We had a 5:30pm reservation at Maialino on Lexington & 21st Street (in the Grammercy Park Hotel). We decided to walk to the restaurant and arrived 30 minutes before our reservation because we wanted to sit at the bar and enjoy a glass of wine. We LOVED this restaurant. It is a new restaurant opened by Danny Meyer a couple months ago. It is his version of a Roman trattoria and he has done an excellent job of creating real Roman trattoria atmosphere and food (which is most important of all, of course!).
We started with the fried artichokes with anchovy bread sauce and proscuitto di parma and fresh mozzarella...both were delicious. The artichokes just crispy enough and that sauce was tangy. The proscuitto was just perfect and the mozzarella was so smooth and creamy. I have to also say the bread here was great, but coming from a "real bread" deprived area of the country, I'm not hard to please with bread, but another tasty item in the bread basket were the pencil thin cheese bread sticks. Mom who is not a huge bread eater couldn't keep her hands away from those breadsticks! At the recommendation of our server mom had the ricotta and egg ravioli and I had the ox tail pasta. The ravioli was pure heaven, the creaminess of the ricotta and the ooziness of the egg when broken created a culinary work of art! The ox tail pasta was tender and had just the right amount of kick to it. We did look at the dessert menu, but nothing was jumping out at us, unusal for me, since I have an entire mouth full of "sweet teeth"! So we ended the meal with 2 espresso. The total cost with 4 glasses of wine was somewhere around $120.
We left Maialino just before 7pm and decided if we walked at a brisk pace we would be able to walk to the theater on (I think) 46th Street for our first show of the weekend...The Addams Family. We made it with a few minutes to spare and as we turned the corner, we had no worries, because the theater doors had not yet opened and the line was stretched down and almost around the block!
As far as Broadway musicals go, I thought this one was good, not spectacular. And our main reason for going was, I will admit, the big names...we adore Nathan Lane and were really looking forward to the show. Having read a few reviews of the show we knew critics were saying there was very little chemistry between Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth and as much as we wanted to believe there would be some chemistry, we have to agree with the critics..not much chemistry at all. However, we did enjoy the show and there were some very funny lines, none of the music was particularly memorable, I didn't leave the theater humming any of the tunes, but it was a fun evening.
We walked back to the hotel after the show and it took about 45 minutes, this is a drawback to staying on the eastside if you plan to spend alot of time going to shows, however I would not hesitate to stay at the Affinia Shelbourne again.
Stay tuned for Day 2...art, food and more theater!
Mar 30th, 2010, 03:10 PM
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Great report, LCI! I still cannot get over the deal you got on your hotel. The Italian restaurant sounds to die for. Was it awkward watching Nathan Lane and Bebe interact? Interesting observations on lack of chemistry. I wonder how that felt as an audience member or was it a non-issue?
Look forward to more!
Look forward to more!
Mar 30th, 2010, 05:30 PM
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Hi Y'all; I'm LCI's 'Momarama'. We had a great week-end in NYC. LCI really does her 'homework' when traveling. The hotel (Affinia Shelbourne) met all of our expectations (no elevator noises..for me to complain about)and all of our dining picks did not disappoint. We both luved Maialino as our 'first' back to NYC dining choice...very reminnicent of an Italian trattoria. We enjoyed the Addams Family but as LCI observed: the chemistry between Nathan Lane & Bebe Newirth left alot to be desired, but,overall a fun, fun show..great scenery & great visual side effects(think Uncle Fester 'shooting the moon'). The show is a BLAST! Decide for yourself and enjoy. (to each is own).
Mar 30th, 2010, 06:21 PM
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Hello Momarama, nice to see you posting here. I'm glad you had a good time in NYC. It's great to have a daughter to do all the research. I used to travel with my mom too.. and we had some great trips.
Mar 30th, 2010, 06:49 PM
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Day 2: Friday, March 26th
When we opened our eyes in the morning the view out the window looked a little “iffy”, kind of gray. Then we turned on the television to hear snow in the forecast! Fortunately as the day went on the sun came out, but the temps hovered in the upper 40’s – lower 50’s. It was time to bundle up!
After a quick stop at Starbucks for coffee and a couple muffins we walked to Grand Central Station and bought Metro cards. We each bought the $8.00 card and got $1.20 bonus so we had enough for 4 rides. We then hopped on the subway uptown to go to the Frick Collection (on 70th Street and 5th Ave.). We were on the #4 subway, so when we got off on 68th Street, we had several cross-town (long) blocks to walk. As we came up from the subway I stopped to get my bearings and to my surprise a nice man stopped and asked if he could help, within seconds he pointed me in the direction of 5th Ave. and we were on our way!
In all the years growing up right outside the city and working in Manhattan for 2 years I never went to the Frick, honestly, I don’t really even remember hearing about it until a friend told us her mom used to take her there as a little girl…so now of course our curiosity was piqued! And I am very glad we finally went, we really enjoyed it!
There was no line, we walked right in, checked our coats bought our tickets ($18/adult and $15/senior) and the admission included an audio guide. We wandered about ogling the art and the furniture in the rooms. What I liked the most was, I did not feel overwhelmed, yes there is absolutely incredible art, Monet, Renoir, El Greco but the way it is displayed in the rooms really made me feel like I was strolling through a home, albeit a mansion!. I highly recommend a visit.
We left The Frick Collection at about 12:30pm and headed back over to the eastside for our 1:30pm lunch reservation at La Mangeoire at 1008 Second Avenue between 53rd & 54th Streets (www.lamangeoire.com). Mom had read about this restaurant in a newsletter published by David Rosengarten and the article left the impression this would be a terrific place and well, Mr. Rosengarten, you were spot on (props to mom for finding this place!).
La Mangeoire is in my humble opinion, an absolutely adorable Provencal restaurant smack in the middle of NYC. We walked and it truly felt like we had stepped into a cute Provencal country cottage…the interior is small in size, but with the rustic wooden beams on the ceiling the dried flowers hanging in the windows and the pale blue and yellow Provencal tablecloths we could have been in any number of little French villages.
The walk to the restaurant through some blustery winds was the perfect reason to order something warm and comforting. The restaurant had their “stimulus” menu for $19.75. We could choose one appetizer and one entrée and it included coffee. We both decided to have this menu. Mom had the pea soup and I had the pureed mushroom soup, both were warm and delicious. Mom chose the Provencal shepard’s pie with veal, eggplant and mashed potatoes and by the looks of the empty plate it was a hit. I had the potato gratin with bacon and herb goat cheese and it came to the table in a cute crock bubbling hot. We finished off with a coffee for mom and a cappuccino for me. The perfect lunch!
We didn’t have any firm afternoon plans so we walked over to MOMA, but after seeing the crowds inside decided to pass on the museum, but we did take time to check out the book and design stores…love that stuff! After about an hour we decided we would hop back on the subway and head down to SoHo to check out a restaurant recommended by Fodorite gracie04. The restaurant was Sora Lella at 300 Spring Street between Hudson & Greenwich St. (www.soralellanyc.com). This is the sister restaurant of Sora Lella in Rome, and as you may know mom and I have a complete and total adoration for Rome, so we really wanted to check this place out, and we had plenty of time before our 8pm show!
On our way to Sora Lella we stumble upon The City Winery, and now for the life of me I can’t remember the name of the street (maybe Varrick), but we walked by and they have a full winery operation and restaurant here. We made a note to self for our next NYC adventure to put this place on our list of restaurants to check out!
It was about 5:30pm and we figured it was aperitivo hour and time to quaff some wine, so into Sora Lella we go. Still being early, we were the only ones there, but we received a warm welcome and sat down at the bar. There were complimentary snacks, 2 types of bruschetta and olives and we settled in for an enjoyable glass (or 2) of wine! I really liked the interior of this place, all cream and pale yellow colors, high ceiling, big front windows that let in lots of light. There is also seating outside, but with the cool temps, no one was sitting there. I would not hesitate to go here for dinner.
At 7pm we left Sora Lella and got back on the subway uptown to see our second show of the weekend. This was Looped with Valerie Harper and I was really looking forward to it. It’s about Tallulah Bankhead and as much as I thought Valerie Harper did a fantastic job, I just couldn’t really get into this show. Maybe it was the subject material, Ms. Bankhead’s life seemed rather tragic to me. My gut tells me this show may not see a long-time run because the theater was barely half full, we even got our tickets for $25 each, granted we had balcony seats, but I haven’t seen that ticket price in over 20 years.
After the show we walked to Thalia on 8th Ave. & 50th Street (www.restaurantthalia.com) for a late dinner. We had this restaurant on our radar for years now, thanks to a recommendation from Doug Stallings (a Fodors editor) a couple years ago. At just after 10pm the place was packed and buzzing. We decided to go “lite” and ordered a couple pasta dishes. The pasta was homemade and very good. A table across from us had order what looked to be a steak and a chop entrée and I can only say the chop looked to be about the size of my head it was huge! Made a mental note of that for next time when I’m really hungry!
By 11pm we were finished with dinner and since it was cold and windy we decided to grab a taxi back to the hotel…smarter than walking…we were back at the hotel in about 15 minutes and got another good night’s sleep in the comfy beds!
Up Next: Brunch & burgers and a phenominal theater double-header!
When we opened our eyes in the morning the view out the window looked a little “iffy”, kind of gray. Then we turned on the television to hear snow in the forecast! Fortunately as the day went on the sun came out, but the temps hovered in the upper 40’s – lower 50’s. It was time to bundle up!
After a quick stop at Starbucks for coffee and a couple muffins we walked to Grand Central Station and bought Metro cards. We each bought the $8.00 card and got $1.20 bonus so we had enough for 4 rides. We then hopped on the subway uptown to go to the Frick Collection (on 70th Street and 5th Ave.). We were on the #4 subway, so when we got off on 68th Street, we had several cross-town (long) blocks to walk. As we came up from the subway I stopped to get my bearings and to my surprise a nice man stopped and asked if he could help, within seconds he pointed me in the direction of 5th Ave. and we were on our way!
In all the years growing up right outside the city and working in Manhattan for 2 years I never went to the Frick, honestly, I don’t really even remember hearing about it until a friend told us her mom used to take her there as a little girl…so now of course our curiosity was piqued! And I am very glad we finally went, we really enjoyed it!
There was no line, we walked right in, checked our coats bought our tickets ($18/adult and $15/senior) and the admission included an audio guide. We wandered about ogling the art and the furniture in the rooms. What I liked the most was, I did not feel overwhelmed, yes there is absolutely incredible art, Monet, Renoir, El Greco but the way it is displayed in the rooms really made me feel like I was strolling through a home, albeit a mansion!. I highly recommend a visit.
We left The Frick Collection at about 12:30pm and headed back over to the eastside for our 1:30pm lunch reservation at La Mangeoire at 1008 Second Avenue between 53rd & 54th Streets (www.lamangeoire.com). Mom had read about this restaurant in a newsletter published by David Rosengarten and the article left the impression this would be a terrific place and well, Mr. Rosengarten, you were spot on (props to mom for finding this place!).
La Mangeoire is in my humble opinion, an absolutely adorable Provencal restaurant smack in the middle of NYC. We walked and it truly felt like we had stepped into a cute Provencal country cottage…the interior is small in size, but with the rustic wooden beams on the ceiling the dried flowers hanging in the windows and the pale blue and yellow Provencal tablecloths we could have been in any number of little French villages.
The walk to the restaurant through some blustery winds was the perfect reason to order something warm and comforting. The restaurant had their “stimulus” menu for $19.75. We could choose one appetizer and one entrée and it included coffee. We both decided to have this menu. Mom had the pea soup and I had the pureed mushroom soup, both were warm and delicious. Mom chose the Provencal shepard’s pie with veal, eggplant and mashed potatoes and by the looks of the empty plate it was a hit. I had the potato gratin with bacon and herb goat cheese and it came to the table in a cute crock bubbling hot. We finished off with a coffee for mom and a cappuccino for me. The perfect lunch!
We didn’t have any firm afternoon plans so we walked over to MOMA, but after seeing the crowds inside decided to pass on the museum, but we did take time to check out the book and design stores…love that stuff! After about an hour we decided we would hop back on the subway and head down to SoHo to check out a restaurant recommended by Fodorite gracie04. The restaurant was Sora Lella at 300 Spring Street between Hudson & Greenwich St. (www.soralellanyc.com). This is the sister restaurant of Sora Lella in Rome, and as you may know mom and I have a complete and total adoration for Rome, so we really wanted to check this place out, and we had plenty of time before our 8pm show!
On our way to Sora Lella we stumble upon The City Winery, and now for the life of me I can’t remember the name of the street (maybe Varrick), but we walked by and they have a full winery operation and restaurant here. We made a note to self for our next NYC adventure to put this place on our list of restaurants to check out!
It was about 5:30pm and we figured it was aperitivo hour and time to quaff some wine, so into Sora Lella we go. Still being early, we were the only ones there, but we received a warm welcome and sat down at the bar. There were complimentary snacks, 2 types of bruschetta and olives and we settled in for an enjoyable glass (or 2) of wine! I really liked the interior of this place, all cream and pale yellow colors, high ceiling, big front windows that let in lots of light. There is also seating outside, but with the cool temps, no one was sitting there. I would not hesitate to go here for dinner.
At 7pm we left Sora Lella and got back on the subway uptown to see our second show of the weekend. This was Looped with Valerie Harper and I was really looking forward to it. It’s about Tallulah Bankhead and as much as I thought Valerie Harper did a fantastic job, I just couldn’t really get into this show. Maybe it was the subject material, Ms. Bankhead’s life seemed rather tragic to me. My gut tells me this show may not see a long-time run because the theater was barely half full, we even got our tickets for $25 each, granted we had balcony seats, but I haven’t seen that ticket price in over 20 years.
After the show we walked to Thalia on 8th Ave. & 50th Street (www.restaurantthalia.com) for a late dinner. We had this restaurant on our radar for years now, thanks to a recommendation from Doug Stallings (a Fodors editor) a couple years ago. At just after 10pm the place was packed and buzzing. We decided to go “lite” and ordered a couple pasta dishes. The pasta was homemade and very good. A table across from us had order what looked to be a steak and a chop entrée and I can only say the chop looked to be about the size of my head it was huge! Made a mental note of that for next time when I’m really hungry!
By 11pm we were finished with dinner and since it was cold and windy we decided to grab a taxi back to the hotel…smarter than walking…we were back at the hotel in about 15 minutes and got another good night’s sleep in the comfy beds!
Up Next: Brunch & burgers and a phenominal theater double-header!
Mar 30th, 2010, 07:24 PM
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LCI - I am looking forward to your review of a phenominal theater. We just booked air and hotel for a four day visit at the end of April and need a few recommends for a great theater! Am also taking down your restaurants suggestions.
Mar 31st, 2010, 05:08 AM
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Thanks everyone for the positive comments!
Anna...my next post will included our 2 favorite shows of the weekend.
yk...thanks for following, I always enjoy your trip reports and often get great info from you...like last year when we did the Tenement Museum!
Kristina...I knew if I didn't start this report right away I might not be motivated enough to do it at all...I'm now starting to kick into high gear for San Sebastain in May!
Anna...my next post will included our 2 favorite shows of the weekend.
yk...thanks for following, I always enjoy your trip reports and often get great info from you...like last year when we did the Tenement Museum!
Kristina...I knew if I didn't start this report right away I might not be motivated enough to do it at all...I'm now starting to kick into high gear for San Sebastain in May!
Mar 31st, 2010, 09:55 AM
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Great report so far.
Regarding City Winery, it is at (yes) Varick, and Van Dam, and I think it's a great place. Love the atmosphere there. Wines are good, food is good -- menu shows what food items pair best with which wines by the glass. Fabulous place to see a show, too -- very intimate space for a concert, even though the actual size of the facility is quite large. If there is a performance the night you want to go to the restaurant, though, you might be out of luck as ticket holders have dibs on the seats. But maybe next time you're in town, you'll see a concert there and then you can experience both the food, wine, and music.
Regarding City Winery, it is at (yes) Varick, and Van Dam, and I think it's a great place. Love the atmosphere there. Wines are good, food is good -- menu shows what food items pair best with which wines by the glass. Fabulous place to see a show, too -- very intimate space for a concert, even though the actual size of the facility is quite large. If there is a performance the night you want to go to the restaurant, though, you might be out of luck as ticket holders have dibs on the seats. But maybe next time you're in town, you'll see a concert there and then you can experience both the food, wine, and music.
Mar 31st, 2010, 06:47 PM
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Day 3: Saturday, March 27th
We woke up to another chilly day, but the sun was on our side! We stopped for a quick cup of coffee and then jumped on the subway and headed downtown to SoHo for brunch at L’Ecole at 462 Broadway (www.frenchculinary.com/lecole). This is The French Culinary Institute’s restaurant. On a trip last year to NYC we stumbled upon this restaurant when we went to the Pearl River Store, when we walked across the street to check out the menu the people coming out of the restaurant were saying how great the brunch was, so this trip we figured a Saturday brunch was a good idea. Plus the $19.75 brunch menu price was very enticing!
Since we arrived in the neighborhood about 30 minutes before our 11:30am reservation we walked across the street to browse through Pearl River. The last time we were at this store we weren’t overly impressed, but hey, we needed to kill 30 minutes, so in we went. I’m really glad we did because I found the most adorable little wooden dolls for my nieces. There is a little slot in the bottom of the doll where I can write a fortune/wish or happy thought and I just couldn’t resist!
After my purchase was complete is was just before 11:30am and across we went to L’Ecole. The dining room is light, bright and very comfortable. The service was very attentive, but not hovering. For the brunch menu we could choose one appetizer and one entrée. I had the shrimp and grits, which were creamy and delicious; mom had a beautiful seasonal salad. I choose to have an omelet with mushrooms and goat cheese, mom had the croquet madam. All the food was very good but the best part of the whole meal was the homemade lavender and thai basil soda…so light and refreshing.
When we were finished with lunch it was a quick walk to the subway and then back uptown to the theater district for show #1 of the day. The matinee performance we saw was Lend Me A Tenor with Tony Shalhoub, Anthony LaPaglia and Justin Bartha. With a cast like this we thought it couldn’t get much better until we found out Stanley Tucci was the director and this was his Broadway directorial debut! I have to mention here, years ago when this show was on Broadway my dad LOVED it, it was one of his favorite shows, so when mom and I heard they were reviving it and Tony Shalhoub (who my dad also LOVED) was starring, it was a done deal…we had to get tickets.
I am so glad we saw this show. We had excellent balcony seats and the theater was packed full. The acting in this show was great…I had no idea Anthony LaPaglia could sing so well. This was a fast-paced show with actors coming in and out of hotel, bathroom, and bedroom doors. Tony Shalhoub was not only funny, but his ability for physical comedy was terrific. And I cannot leave out Justin Bartha, who before this performance I had never heard of, but apparently he was in the movie the Hangover…watch for this young man…he was great.
The show ended just after 4pm and since we were so close to the Marriott Marquis we decided a glass of wine in the Broadway Lounge in the hotel lobby, overlooking Broadway was just how we needed to spend our time before our 6pm reservation at…5 Napkin Burger…yes, we had a reservation for a burger joint…but believe me, that was the some of the best advice I got on Fodors about this place!
Just before 6pm we walked to 5 Napkin Burger at 9th Avenue & 45th Street (www.5NapkinBurger.com). I had found this place mentioned on a Fodors thread and by the way everyone spoke about the burgers here I thought…wow, we need to try this place and it would be perfect for a fairly quick meal before an 8pm performance.
As we got closer to the restaurant I could see the line forming out the front door! I walked in to the hostess station and told them I had a 6pm reservation, without missing a beat, we were immediately shown to a table…it really pays to make a reservation, especially for a busy Saturday night, but our waiter said it was pretty much busy all the time. And if you still don’t believe me about how crowded the place was, they were standing 4 deep at the bar!
I had the original burger which had melted gruyere cheese, and sautéed onions on a soft bun, it can with what I can only describe as a trough of French fries. Mom had the lamb burger with tomato, cucumbers and I think it was feta cheese. We decided to splurge and get a stack of onion rings…honestly the onion rings were better (crispier and crunchier) than the fries! Mom had a Brooklyn Pilsner and I had a sparkling white wine from Chile. We were pretty stuffed, so we ended the meal with a coffee and an espresso. The total bill came to about $65.
After dinner we walked to show #2 of the day, the 8pm performance of Promises, Promises. This was the first performance of review performances; I believe the “official” opening date is in mid-April. This show stars Sean Hayes (of Will & Grace fame…”Just Jack”) and Kristin Chenowith.
All I can say is WOW…Sean Hayes was absolutely incredible…he seemed to be tailor made for his part. And he can sing! Of course Kristin Chenoweth was amazing, that woman can sing! It was such a fun show to watch. This was a completely sold out performance and I could feel the buzz in the audience. I give high marks to this show, but I have to admit Lend Me a Tenor was still my favorite!
After the performance we jumped in a taxi and arrived back at the hotel withing 15 minutes.
Day 4: Sunday, March 28th
Today was our departure day, and we had an afternoon flight home, so we got up and walked down Lexington Avenue to Penelope (www.penelopenyc.com) for breakfast. I had heard mixed reviews about this small neighborhood restaurant, but I figured it would have more character than the local Starbucks.
We were seated right away, but others that came in right after us had a bit of a wait. The food was ok. I had the Abuelo Sandwich which was fried egg, cheese and ham on focaccia bread, it was tasty. Mom had scrambled eggs with cheese and asparagus, which were a bit overcooked. The reasonable price made up for the mediocre meal. We paid the bill ($25) and walked back to the hotel, got our bags ready and waited for the Carmel car to pick us up.
Being a Sunday the traffic from the city to LaGuardia was very light and we arrived at the airport in about 25 minutes. As we stepped through the doors we could not believe our eyes, the line for security was the longest I had seen in a very long time. I think we stood in that line longer than it took us to get to the airport! But we had plenty of time before our flight and then it finally dawned on us that the crowds at the airport were due to spring break travelers. We boarded the plane and had a smooth flight home.
We had a terrific weekend and can’t wait for our next adventure!
We woke up to another chilly day, but the sun was on our side! We stopped for a quick cup of coffee and then jumped on the subway and headed downtown to SoHo for brunch at L’Ecole at 462 Broadway (www.frenchculinary.com/lecole). This is The French Culinary Institute’s restaurant. On a trip last year to NYC we stumbled upon this restaurant when we went to the Pearl River Store, when we walked across the street to check out the menu the people coming out of the restaurant were saying how great the brunch was, so this trip we figured a Saturday brunch was a good idea. Plus the $19.75 brunch menu price was very enticing!
Since we arrived in the neighborhood about 30 minutes before our 11:30am reservation we walked across the street to browse through Pearl River. The last time we were at this store we weren’t overly impressed, but hey, we needed to kill 30 minutes, so in we went. I’m really glad we did because I found the most adorable little wooden dolls for my nieces. There is a little slot in the bottom of the doll where I can write a fortune/wish or happy thought and I just couldn’t resist!
After my purchase was complete is was just before 11:30am and across we went to L’Ecole. The dining room is light, bright and very comfortable. The service was very attentive, but not hovering. For the brunch menu we could choose one appetizer and one entrée. I had the shrimp and grits, which were creamy and delicious; mom had a beautiful seasonal salad. I choose to have an omelet with mushrooms and goat cheese, mom had the croquet madam. All the food was very good but the best part of the whole meal was the homemade lavender and thai basil soda…so light and refreshing.
When we were finished with lunch it was a quick walk to the subway and then back uptown to the theater district for show #1 of the day. The matinee performance we saw was Lend Me A Tenor with Tony Shalhoub, Anthony LaPaglia and Justin Bartha. With a cast like this we thought it couldn’t get much better until we found out Stanley Tucci was the director and this was his Broadway directorial debut! I have to mention here, years ago when this show was on Broadway my dad LOVED it, it was one of his favorite shows, so when mom and I heard they were reviving it and Tony Shalhoub (who my dad also LOVED) was starring, it was a done deal…we had to get tickets.
I am so glad we saw this show. We had excellent balcony seats and the theater was packed full. The acting in this show was great…I had no idea Anthony LaPaglia could sing so well. This was a fast-paced show with actors coming in and out of hotel, bathroom, and bedroom doors. Tony Shalhoub was not only funny, but his ability for physical comedy was terrific. And I cannot leave out Justin Bartha, who before this performance I had never heard of, but apparently he was in the movie the Hangover…watch for this young man…he was great.
The show ended just after 4pm and since we were so close to the Marriott Marquis we decided a glass of wine in the Broadway Lounge in the hotel lobby, overlooking Broadway was just how we needed to spend our time before our 6pm reservation at…5 Napkin Burger…yes, we had a reservation for a burger joint…but believe me, that was the some of the best advice I got on Fodors about this place!
Just before 6pm we walked to 5 Napkin Burger at 9th Avenue & 45th Street (www.5NapkinBurger.com). I had found this place mentioned on a Fodors thread and by the way everyone spoke about the burgers here I thought…wow, we need to try this place and it would be perfect for a fairly quick meal before an 8pm performance.
As we got closer to the restaurant I could see the line forming out the front door! I walked in to the hostess station and told them I had a 6pm reservation, without missing a beat, we were immediately shown to a table…it really pays to make a reservation, especially for a busy Saturday night, but our waiter said it was pretty much busy all the time. And if you still don’t believe me about how crowded the place was, they were standing 4 deep at the bar!
I had the original burger which had melted gruyere cheese, and sautéed onions on a soft bun, it can with what I can only describe as a trough of French fries. Mom had the lamb burger with tomato, cucumbers and I think it was feta cheese. We decided to splurge and get a stack of onion rings…honestly the onion rings were better (crispier and crunchier) than the fries! Mom had a Brooklyn Pilsner and I had a sparkling white wine from Chile. We were pretty stuffed, so we ended the meal with a coffee and an espresso. The total bill came to about $65.
After dinner we walked to show #2 of the day, the 8pm performance of Promises, Promises. This was the first performance of review performances; I believe the “official” opening date is in mid-April. This show stars Sean Hayes (of Will & Grace fame…”Just Jack”) and Kristin Chenowith.
All I can say is WOW…Sean Hayes was absolutely incredible…he seemed to be tailor made for his part. And he can sing! Of course Kristin Chenoweth was amazing, that woman can sing! It was such a fun show to watch. This was a completely sold out performance and I could feel the buzz in the audience. I give high marks to this show, but I have to admit Lend Me a Tenor was still my favorite!
After the performance we jumped in a taxi and arrived back at the hotel withing 15 minutes.
Day 4: Sunday, March 28th
Today was our departure day, and we had an afternoon flight home, so we got up and walked down Lexington Avenue to Penelope (www.penelopenyc.com) for breakfast. I had heard mixed reviews about this small neighborhood restaurant, but I figured it would have more character than the local Starbucks.
We were seated right away, but others that came in right after us had a bit of a wait. The food was ok. I had the Abuelo Sandwich which was fried egg, cheese and ham on focaccia bread, it was tasty. Mom had scrambled eggs with cheese and asparagus, which were a bit overcooked. The reasonable price made up for the mediocre meal. We paid the bill ($25) and walked back to the hotel, got our bags ready and waited for the Carmel car to pick us up.
Being a Sunday the traffic from the city to LaGuardia was very light and we arrived at the airport in about 25 minutes. As we stepped through the doors we could not believe our eyes, the line for security was the longest I had seen in a very long time. I think we stood in that line longer than it took us to get to the airport! But we had plenty of time before our flight and then it finally dawned on us that the crowds at the airport were due to spring break travelers. We boarded the plane and had a smooth flight home.
We had a terrific weekend and can’t wait for our next adventure!
Mar 31st, 2010, 07:39 PM
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Anna...
My honest opinion is that you won't go wrong with either show...I really enjoyed both! If you don't already know, check Broadwaybox.com and Playbill.com for discount tickets. We were able to get discount tickets for both shows, but they were preview performances, so I wouldn't be surprised if prices go up after the official opening nights based on the audience feed-back I saw at the performances I went to.
My honest opinion is that you won't go wrong with either show...I really enjoyed both! If you don't already know, check Broadwaybox.com and Playbill.com for discount tickets. We were able to get discount tickets for both shows, but they were preview performances, so I wouldn't be surprised if prices go up after the official opening nights based on the audience feed-back I saw at the performances I went to.
Mar 31st, 2010, 07:52 PM
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LCI, I am so happy I stumbled upon your thread! And I move fast! Right after reading your review, surfed right onto Broadwaybox.com (read about it on another thread) and bought two tickets to Lend Me a Tenor for $165 total. This was billed as a discount price. So, this is for a Friday night and I will likely buy Promises, Promises for a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Hopefully, there will be discounted tickets.
Apr 1st, 2010, 02:48 AM
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Great report, LCI! I agree with the comment someone made on FB, I'm not a foodie but you make me want to be one! I'm not surprised to hear Sean Hayes can sing as he would on occassion break into song on Will & Grace, just love him as an actor. I'm impressed with all you did in three days. Glad you and Momarama enjoyed a great trip!
Apr 1st, 2010, 05:08 AM
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anna...
I hope you enjoy Lend Me a Tenor as much as we did. The price you paid sounds about the same as we paid.
AnnMarie...
I guess I never really considered myself a foodie, since I'm not much of a cook, but I like to say that I'm a very appreciative eater! ;-) You're right about Sean Hayes now that I think back, there were quite a few times I remember Will & Grace episodes where he would burst into song...he just brings a smile to my face!
I hope you enjoy Lend Me a Tenor as much as we did. The price you paid sounds about the same as we paid.
AnnMarie...
I guess I never really considered myself a foodie, since I'm not much of a cook, but I like to say that I'm a very appreciative eater! ;-) You're right about Sean Hayes now that I think back, there were quite a few times I remember Will & Grace episodes where he would burst into song...he just brings a smile to my face!
Apr 1st, 2010, 05:41 AM
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Great trip report -- so fun to read your experiences, and it gives me great ideas for next time. I really, really wanted to see "Promises, Promises," but the timing didn't work for us this trip. Gives us a great reason to go back again soon!
