New York City never gets Old! A long "Christmasy" weekend.
Dec 21st, 2015, 09:11 AM
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New York City never gets Old! A long "Christmasy" weekend.
This time of year, we are usually preparing for Paris. After the blowout trip to the Amalfi Coast in September, the funds for a week plus in Paris just weren't there. I hate to whine because that trip was incredible but after returning home we both admitted we would really miss Paris this year. Sure, it will be great to be home for Christmas and our prime rib dinner. The dogs will have a proper visit from Santa. We have a house that really dresses up well for Christmas but we both felt a little pang for a Christmas trip. We discussed it one night and decided to cash in Delta miles for flights and Hilton points for a hotel. The rest we can manage but we both wanted a little Christmas trip to look forward to. So, the pre-Christmas trip to NYC was born. After the Paris terrorist attacks, we really hated that we wouldn't be going there this year and hope no one we know thinks we didn't go because of the terrorism. To the contrary, we wouldn't have hesitated for a second.
Enjoy our little report on NYC. It isn't Paris but NYC is fabulous in its own way and Christmas time is a great time to visit. As always, we didn't get it all done or seen but that just means we will have to go back. I never get tired of NYC!
Easy flight, but awful traffic into Manhattan to hotel. It was very rainy and unseasonably warm the day we arrived. We got upgraded to a higher floor and a room had an Empire State Bldg view AND that was ready when we arrived just before noon. The desk staff directed us to the correct subway station and we headed down to our first food target, Katz’s Deli. The goal was matzo ball soup and ther famous in house made pastrami.
Hilton Fashion District
125 West 26th St
We went right there after leaving the subway station (shocking for us) and were amazed that the big line we saw was to pay on the way out. I suddenly thought that we should have picked up some cash before coming here but we asked and found out credit cards are accepted. We were sent to a cutter, who sliced of a few strips of pastrami for us to sample while he finished carving the meat for the sandwich. Now, I though I ordered the matzo ball soup with the sandwich but we didn’t quite understand that there are 3 counters for ordering different things and we couldn’t understand the cutter very well (but we do understand pastrami). Chaz went to another line to get an order of latkes and I looked for a place to sit. It was pretty packed. We paid the proper attention to the "When Harry met Sally" sign but we didn't have what she had and the pastrami is as legendary as Sally’s “act”. I nibbled on a wonderfully salty and garlicky pickle while I waited for Chaz to make his way over with the latkes. It was about all I could do not to dig into that sandwich. We didn't understand how it worked so we ended up without our matzo ball soup but the pastrami is unreal....yeah, it’s a bit messy huge sandwich. We chatted with a father and daughter next to us as she tried to explain what Bergdorf Goodman is to him. Chaz overheard and said" heaven", which is dead on, IMO. We polished off the pastrami and latkes and we're glad the line to pay had diminished greatly while we were there. Although, cash is up front, credit cards pay in the back and they write everything down on these tickets they give you when you enter. You dare not lose one and are expected to return all tickets when leaving. Chaz couldn't resist asking the " enforcer" up front what happens if you lose your ticket. He had to smile and pointed us to a sign that says you have to pay a lost ticket fee, if you lose yours (which you are told when you walk in and are handed your ticket). It's kind of a goofy, archaic system but the food is worth it. We left saying “one for one”....first meal lived up to our expectations. I doubt anyone does pastrami that well. They make their own and always hand carve (no slicing machines). We will have to go back another day to get that matzo ball soup.
Katz's Deli
205 East Houston St
As we headed out of Katz' I nearly put out a kid's eye popping my umbrella open. Oops. Dodged a bullet on that!
It was pretty miserable out so we decided to head to Soho to shop for a shirt for Chaz. Somehow, even though I am the one who flew in on a redeye the morning before we left, had a client appointment that afternoon and a company Christmas party that night, Chaz is the one who forgot most of what he needed, most importantly, a shirt to wear under his sport coat. We took the subway up to Soho and made our way to Hugo Boss and somehow ran into a guy that waited on Chaz 2-3 years ago that remembered him. Small world. New shirt in shopping bag, we ventured on to Burberry. We passed Balthazar and would have popped in there for a glass of Champs, but everyone else had the same idea and the bar was packed.
Burberry happened to have a great down jacket on sale that fit me and Chaz is always telling me I need a jacket like that. He is a total jacket junkie....I can't even begin to tell you how many he has but suffice it to say that he is covered for every possible weather situation. He ended up buying a hat and we also met a guy that worked in the Atlanta store and knows our usual sales person in the Atlanta store. Yep, small world. They were also nice enough to give us a ton of water to sip on while shopping. The travel, pickles and pastrami were catching up with me and I felt like I needed an IV.
I know the signs of an oncoming nap. We did have a few bags and I agreed to return to the hotel (slightly under protest) for a break. A nap for Chaz, more water for me, a little Christmas music via iPad and decided to head out for the night.
Here is one area where Paris subway wins over NYC....I love that you can enter in most Metro stations (believe RER is different), and get to the right platform once you get inside the station. Not in NYC and it took a while to find the right entrance for the direction we needed to go. The Paris Metro is also better marked outside, IMO.
Once we finally found it, and we passed one of my favorite buildings anywhere, The Flatiron Building, we had one of those interesting, entertaining moments. A guy with some of the longest dreads I have even seen got on and was singing the words to and also vocally performing all the guitar parts to "Come Together" while en route. This is another time when I know I can't look at Chaz and was glad to exit so I could laugh out loud!! The guy was not particularly talented but has no inhibitions....good for him. We were entertained although I am not sure he knew we there and probably not his goal to entertain us. Freebie!
The rain was staring to slow down but it was still so warm...not feeling Christmasey at all. We didn't have a plan and didn't run across a bar to drop into, so we went on to Il Cantinori for pre-dinner wine. (SATC fans will remember Il Cantinori where Carrie is stood up by all her friends for her birthday party AND she has to pay for her own cake when it is delivered to the restaurant while she is waiting). This place hit the spot for us. Small, quaint, beautiful lighting, friendly staff and wonderful menu. We enjoyed some wine at the small bar and the manager asked if we would like to be seated a bit early...if we did we would get a better table. Sold. We got a table for 4 right in the center of the front dining area and settled in. A super Tuscan wine and some sort of soft, warm cheese covered in the best chunky marinara sauce I can think of. We shared a rolled pasta with cheese, spinach, prosciutto and Parmesan to start. Very different. I had a stuffed chicken with fontina cheese and prosciutto. Chaz had osso bucco. We ended with semifreddo in espresso...good but not great. Despite dessert being so so, we loved Il Cantinori and would go back. “Two for two” on this trip!
We ended the night at the hotel bar, after a stop at Crompton Ale house where I reviewed Carly Simon's book with Chaz. I also gave a little Elvis lesson when they played Suspicious Minds....an all time favorite Elvis song of mine and one that I remember when I was kid (growing up 2 miles behind Elvis' mansion "Graceland").
Il Cantinori
32 East 10th St.
Compton Ale House
129 W 26th St.
We slept good!
Day 2
We were glad to see the rain finally gone on Day 2! With the rain gone, the chilly weather had moved in. It felt more like Christmas.
The plan was to hit Doughnut Plant for breakfast and a morning carbohydrate coma.
This place is well known, with multiple location and it does not disappoint.
Here is what we sampled:
Gingerbread-cake doughnut
Coconut creme- square, yeast filled doughnut
Cashew Orange Blossom- a doughseed, which is a small filled variety
They were all excellent. Superior quality to anything like Dunkin Donuts and top notch texture, with interesting flavors that taste natural and not like chemicals. “Three for three” on food!
They also have the coolest bathroom I ever saw for a single stall! It is entirely tiled with small square mirrored tiles...stylish and it's at a doughnut shop. I made Chaz go in to see it.
Doughnut Plant
220 W 23rd St.
We had to go to Starbucks afterwards (and in NYC there is one every other block, along with Chipotle and Pret a Manger) and then on to catch an uptown bound train to visit The Museum of Metropolitan art. Somehow, we had never been before. We found the correct station faster than we had the night before and we were on the way.
As we do on EVERY trip, we went the wrong direction upon exiting the train but eventually figured it out and got to The Met a few minutes after 10am. We did not have a plan for The Met as we often do not. We had not pre-purchased tickets but that turned out fine. I had to open my purse for the security on the way in but no metal detectors or X-ray machines.
We used the self service ticket kiosks to pay and we were on our way. I couldn't figure out why people were waiting in a ticket line, when there were several kiosks to use.
This is an incredible museum and exceeded our expectations. We saw lots of Egyptian mummies, sarcophagi, stones with hieroglyphs...very extensive collection and interesting to see. We were amazed by the Temple of Dendur area with a water feature...huge and really impressive!
The Costume Institute had an exhibit on Jacqueline de Ribes. I had never heard of her but she is one of those amazingly chic and stylish society women that you would kill for a look into her closet. So you can do that at The Met! I just wish you could borrow from the closet. The exhibit had amazing pieces of her own design and several from other designers such as Dior, Jean Paul Gaultier, Roberto Cavalli and others (including a piece or two from Banana Republic and other regular merchandisers). This woman wears lots of bright color and she really is stunning.
My favorites were a mink trimmed and lined embroidered coat, a Cavalli headband with snake adornment and some amazing custom ball costumes. Total glamor all the way. She was named to the International Best Dressed list in the 1960s and has managed to stay on it, according to the signage in the exhibit and I can see why.
We also enjoyed seeing "The Burghers of Calais" by Rodin. We saw this sculpture in Paris last year and when I saw it from across the room, I instantly remembered it. There is a great story behind it about a group of leading citizens who turned themselves over to the English king to stop the siege on Calais, whose people were starving, and the original sculpture is in front of the town hall in Calais today.
My number one draw in the art world is the Impressionists. We made our past the large angel covered Christmas tree and up one floor to that gallery. We gazed on the Van Gogh self portrait, several Monet water Lilly paintings and more. A few Renoir, Degas, and Manet....it's a wonderful collection. But we needed a break and sat down for a diet coke (the first of the day for me) & espresso for Chaz at the little cafe area in the American Wing.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 Fifth Ave.
We were ready for a change of scenery and admit we didn't scratch the surface of the Met but will return. We took a cab down Fifth Ave to see all the posh hotels and shops on the way to our afternoon tea at the Baccarat hotel. Boy, did we see POSH. The Pierre, The Plaza, Cartier, Ferragamo, Bergdorf Goodman, Bulgari, Harry Winston, DeBeers, Tiffany and Saks with their The Winter Palace windows and more. So, that shirt Chaz bought was too tight and we still had to shop for him. We headed for Saks as it gave us lots of options in one place. The windows are all white, crystal and are called “The Winter Palace”. Inside the first floor cosmetics area is dripping with snowy looking pine branches and it looks beautiful. We cracked up at two teens passing through, and in that “teenager” voice, one stated "Saks is so gross, so gross". We thought it was hilarious. We scoped out the Veuve Clicquot
Champagne bar (sadly no time to stop in), we got a new shirt and then I had to drool over some Graf diamonds on display and the security guard was not amused when I touched the glass case while pointing out the necklace to Chaz.
Since St Patrick's was right there, we decided to stop in. A service was starting there as we arrived. We did have to open our bags as we walked in but no line. The church exterior is nice and clean thanks to the recent St Francis visit. We found the Chapel for St Bernard and lit our customary candle for a friend. We always do this in Paris, Rome and NYC.
One of the things I was excited to do was afternoon tea at Baccarat. We have a few Baccarat things that we love and I came to the hotel a few months ago for a glass of Champs while on business. The hotel is stylish and gorgeous so I wanted Chaz to see it. Afternoon tea seemed like a good way to enjoy the hotel. This was my first tea service anywhere but I really was looking forward to Champagne more than tea. Is that wrong?
We were seated by the windows which are prisms and offer a look outside – but a little bit like a kaleidoscope. We chose the Ruinart Rose champagne. For tea, I got Milky Blue and Chaz got Earl Grey, his favorite. We had a huge assortment of desserts and small sandwiches. The best was a
Pineapple Napoleon for me and salmon with trout roe for Chaz. There were also caviar blini, scones (warm with Devonshire cream), sacher torte, baby brioche with lobster, lemon cheesecake, cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches and more.
This was a great people-watching site. We had our eye on a gentlemen Chaz is pretty sure was one of the Fugees, a French couple, a group speaking Italian and as always, the magical spell was broken by two kiddies. They're were all over the furniture and floor while Daddy was on the phone and Mom didn't seem to be bothered by the playground activity, etc...Fortunately, someone came and they all left. Sorry, this is just not a kids place. Last, there was an odd couple next to us who seemed like some sort of business partners. She spent considerable time reading a contract to him for receiving a donor kidney through Mount Sinai (ya never know what you will overhear) and trying to convince him that the transplant was a good thing. (I know that is not something you want to be in a position to need after working for a year for a transplant program).
The tea was good, the Champagne better. The service was great and the salon at Baccarat is really exceptional. We did have a second glass of Champs before heading back to our hotel. Is anyone surprised? It was a light lunch but perfect. We had dinner reservations at Keen's Steakhouse and I knew we would be starving by the time that rolled around.
Baccarat
28 W 53rd
We cleaned up, Chaz took a nap and we headed back out. It was now quite chilly out and the "Hot Hands" I packed were perfect to have in my pockets. We wanted to start catching more Christmas related stuff, so we walked up 6th to catch the Macy's Herald Square windows. These were "Peanuts" themed and there were lots of people out but it was not awfully crowded. There were also some of the most animated and contemporary Salvation Army bell ringers at this location. They sing, dance, play mucus, etc....it is entertaining and I feel sure they bring in good money!
Next, we visited the market at Bryant Park. We watched the skaters at the ice rink (some poor woman had fallen on the ice and was really hurt....not what she envisioned, I am sure). Nice little area.
Next, Fifth Avenue and Lord and Taylor. These are windows that are just right. Lots of whit lights out front and mostly geared for adults but with things kids will like. Really pretty all the way around and I liked these windows better than all of them. Classic, nothing over the top....lovely.
Dinner would be at Keen's Steakhouse. The bar was packed and no room to sit or stand. We were seated early since we had nowhere to go in the bar and our table was ready!
Keen's has been around forever. It's old school and we liked it. Pipes cover the ceiling and cocktails were in order. I got a Jack Daniels and Ginger ale. Chaz, a Sazerac. Next, we split the tomato/onion salad with Stilton. Excellent. We both love blue cheese.
Chaz went for the house specialty, which is a huge mutton chop. I went with the NY strip and we decided sharing French fries sounded good. All of it was terrific. I hated leaving any fries...cooked perfectly, crispy outside...fluffy inside. Not frozen fries, perfectly salted and you don!t need or want ketchup on these. Our waiter was also really good.
The mutton chop was perfectly cooked and very juicy. Chaz really like it and I had a bite and also liked it (would have sworn I would hate this as I hate anything gamey and often don't like lamb). The chop is quite large and we caught the next table trying to figure out what it was. We struck up a conversation and they were all from Tennessee (my home state). We compared our NYC notes and gave them a review of Baccarat and our Keen's meal. Yep, batting perfect on food...”four for four”!
Keens
72 West 36th St.
Dessert was out of the question and I was still trying to get tons of water down. After dinner, we walked back to Grand Central Terminal to try to have a nightcap at The Campbell Apartment. Dang....closed for a private party! We were disappointed but decided that it was a sign it was time to turn in. We took Seventh back to see a little of Times Square....crazy and I would never stay in the area but somehow, it is worth seeing (remember "Spectackylar"?).
Back safe and sound in our room and ready for another day. It is going too fast!
More later....
Enjoy our little report on NYC. It isn't Paris but NYC is fabulous in its own way and Christmas time is a great time to visit. As always, we didn't get it all done or seen but that just means we will have to go back. I never get tired of NYC!
Easy flight, but awful traffic into Manhattan to hotel. It was very rainy and unseasonably warm the day we arrived. We got upgraded to a higher floor and a room had an Empire State Bldg view AND that was ready when we arrived just before noon. The desk staff directed us to the correct subway station and we headed down to our first food target, Katz’s Deli. The goal was matzo ball soup and ther famous in house made pastrami.
Hilton Fashion District
125 West 26th St
We went right there after leaving the subway station (shocking for us) and were amazed that the big line we saw was to pay on the way out. I suddenly thought that we should have picked up some cash before coming here but we asked and found out credit cards are accepted. We were sent to a cutter, who sliced of a few strips of pastrami for us to sample while he finished carving the meat for the sandwich. Now, I though I ordered the matzo ball soup with the sandwich but we didn’t quite understand that there are 3 counters for ordering different things and we couldn’t understand the cutter very well (but we do understand pastrami). Chaz went to another line to get an order of latkes and I looked for a place to sit. It was pretty packed. We paid the proper attention to the "When Harry met Sally" sign but we didn't have what she had and the pastrami is as legendary as Sally’s “act”. I nibbled on a wonderfully salty and garlicky pickle while I waited for Chaz to make his way over with the latkes. It was about all I could do not to dig into that sandwich. We didn't understand how it worked so we ended up without our matzo ball soup but the pastrami is unreal....yeah, it’s a bit messy huge sandwich. We chatted with a father and daughter next to us as she tried to explain what Bergdorf Goodman is to him. Chaz overheard and said" heaven", which is dead on, IMO. We polished off the pastrami and latkes and we're glad the line to pay had diminished greatly while we were there. Although, cash is up front, credit cards pay in the back and they write everything down on these tickets they give you when you enter. You dare not lose one and are expected to return all tickets when leaving. Chaz couldn't resist asking the " enforcer" up front what happens if you lose your ticket. He had to smile and pointed us to a sign that says you have to pay a lost ticket fee, if you lose yours (which you are told when you walk in and are handed your ticket). It's kind of a goofy, archaic system but the food is worth it. We left saying “one for one”....first meal lived up to our expectations. I doubt anyone does pastrami that well. They make their own and always hand carve (no slicing machines). We will have to go back another day to get that matzo ball soup.
Katz's Deli
205 East Houston St
As we headed out of Katz' I nearly put out a kid's eye popping my umbrella open. Oops. Dodged a bullet on that!
It was pretty miserable out so we decided to head to Soho to shop for a shirt for Chaz. Somehow, even though I am the one who flew in on a redeye the morning before we left, had a client appointment that afternoon and a company Christmas party that night, Chaz is the one who forgot most of what he needed, most importantly, a shirt to wear under his sport coat. We took the subway up to Soho and made our way to Hugo Boss and somehow ran into a guy that waited on Chaz 2-3 years ago that remembered him. Small world. New shirt in shopping bag, we ventured on to Burberry. We passed Balthazar and would have popped in there for a glass of Champs, but everyone else had the same idea and the bar was packed.
Burberry happened to have a great down jacket on sale that fit me and Chaz is always telling me I need a jacket like that. He is a total jacket junkie....I can't even begin to tell you how many he has but suffice it to say that he is covered for every possible weather situation. He ended up buying a hat and we also met a guy that worked in the Atlanta store and knows our usual sales person in the Atlanta store. Yep, small world. They were also nice enough to give us a ton of water to sip on while shopping. The travel, pickles and pastrami were catching up with me and I felt like I needed an IV.
I know the signs of an oncoming nap. We did have a few bags and I agreed to return to the hotel (slightly under protest) for a break. A nap for Chaz, more water for me, a little Christmas music via iPad and decided to head out for the night.
Here is one area where Paris subway wins over NYC....I love that you can enter in most Metro stations (believe RER is different), and get to the right platform once you get inside the station. Not in NYC and it took a while to find the right entrance for the direction we needed to go. The Paris Metro is also better marked outside, IMO.
Once we finally found it, and we passed one of my favorite buildings anywhere, The Flatiron Building, we had one of those interesting, entertaining moments. A guy with some of the longest dreads I have even seen got on and was singing the words to and also vocally performing all the guitar parts to "Come Together" while en route. This is another time when I know I can't look at Chaz and was glad to exit so I could laugh out loud!! The guy was not particularly talented but has no inhibitions....good for him. We were entertained although I am not sure he knew we there and probably not his goal to entertain us. Freebie!
The rain was staring to slow down but it was still so warm...not feeling Christmasey at all. We didn't have a plan and didn't run across a bar to drop into, so we went on to Il Cantinori for pre-dinner wine. (SATC fans will remember Il Cantinori where Carrie is stood up by all her friends for her birthday party AND she has to pay for her own cake when it is delivered to the restaurant while she is waiting). This place hit the spot for us. Small, quaint, beautiful lighting, friendly staff and wonderful menu. We enjoyed some wine at the small bar and the manager asked if we would like to be seated a bit early...if we did we would get a better table. Sold. We got a table for 4 right in the center of the front dining area and settled in. A super Tuscan wine and some sort of soft, warm cheese covered in the best chunky marinara sauce I can think of. We shared a rolled pasta with cheese, spinach, prosciutto and Parmesan to start. Very different. I had a stuffed chicken with fontina cheese and prosciutto. Chaz had osso bucco. We ended with semifreddo in espresso...good but not great. Despite dessert being so so, we loved Il Cantinori and would go back. “Two for two” on this trip!
We ended the night at the hotel bar, after a stop at Crompton Ale house where I reviewed Carly Simon's book with Chaz. I also gave a little Elvis lesson when they played Suspicious Minds....an all time favorite Elvis song of mine and one that I remember when I was kid (growing up 2 miles behind Elvis' mansion "Graceland").
Il Cantinori
32 East 10th St.
Compton Ale House
129 W 26th St.
We slept good!
Day 2
We were glad to see the rain finally gone on Day 2! With the rain gone, the chilly weather had moved in. It felt more like Christmas.
The plan was to hit Doughnut Plant for breakfast and a morning carbohydrate coma.
This place is well known, with multiple location and it does not disappoint.
Here is what we sampled:
Gingerbread-cake doughnut
Coconut creme- square, yeast filled doughnut
Cashew Orange Blossom- a doughseed, which is a small filled variety
They were all excellent. Superior quality to anything like Dunkin Donuts and top notch texture, with interesting flavors that taste natural and not like chemicals. “Three for three” on food!
They also have the coolest bathroom I ever saw for a single stall! It is entirely tiled with small square mirrored tiles...stylish and it's at a doughnut shop. I made Chaz go in to see it.
Doughnut Plant
220 W 23rd St.
We had to go to Starbucks afterwards (and in NYC there is one every other block, along with Chipotle and Pret a Manger) and then on to catch an uptown bound train to visit The Museum of Metropolitan art. Somehow, we had never been before. We found the correct station faster than we had the night before and we were on the way.
As we do on EVERY trip, we went the wrong direction upon exiting the train but eventually figured it out and got to The Met a few minutes after 10am. We did not have a plan for The Met as we often do not. We had not pre-purchased tickets but that turned out fine. I had to open my purse for the security on the way in but no metal detectors or X-ray machines.
We used the self service ticket kiosks to pay and we were on our way. I couldn't figure out why people were waiting in a ticket line, when there were several kiosks to use.
This is an incredible museum and exceeded our expectations. We saw lots of Egyptian mummies, sarcophagi, stones with hieroglyphs...very extensive collection and interesting to see. We were amazed by the Temple of Dendur area with a water feature...huge and really impressive!
The Costume Institute had an exhibit on Jacqueline de Ribes. I had never heard of her but she is one of those amazingly chic and stylish society women that you would kill for a look into her closet. So you can do that at The Met! I just wish you could borrow from the closet. The exhibit had amazing pieces of her own design and several from other designers such as Dior, Jean Paul Gaultier, Roberto Cavalli and others (including a piece or two from Banana Republic and other regular merchandisers). This woman wears lots of bright color and she really is stunning.
My favorites were a mink trimmed and lined embroidered coat, a Cavalli headband with snake adornment and some amazing custom ball costumes. Total glamor all the way. She was named to the International Best Dressed list in the 1960s and has managed to stay on it, according to the signage in the exhibit and I can see why.
We also enjoyed seeing "The Burghers of Calais" by Rodin. We saw this sculpture in Paris last year and when I saw it from across the room, I instantly remembered it. There is a great story behind it about a group of leading citizens who turned themselves over to the English king to stop the siege on Calais, whose people were starving, and the original sculpture is in front of the town hall in Calais today.
My number one draw in the art world is the Impressionists. We made our past the large angel covered Christmas tree and up one floor to that gallery. We gazed on the Van Gogh self portrait, several Monet water Lilly paintings and more. A few Renoir, Degas, and Manet....it's a wonderful collection. But we needed a break and sat down for a diet coke (the first of the day for me) & espresso for Chaz at the little cafe area in the American Wing.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 Fifth Ave.
We were ready for a change of scenery and admit we didn't scratch the surface of the Met but will return. We took a cab down Fifth Ave to see all the posh hotels and shops on the way to our afternoon tea at the Baccarat hotel. Boy, did we see POSH. The Pierre, The Plaza, Cartier, Ferragamo, Bergdorf Goodman, Bulgari, Harry Winston, DeBeers, Tiffany and Saks with their The Winter Palace windows and more. So, that shirt Chaz bought was too tight and we still had to shop for him. We headed for Saks as it gave us lots of options in one place. The windows are all white, crystal and are called “The Winter Palace”. Inside the first floor cosmetics area is dripping with snowy looking pine branches and it looks beautiful. We cracked up at two teens passing through, and in that “teenager” voice, one stated "Saks is so gross, so gross". We thought it was hilarious. We scoped out the Veuve Clicquot
Champagne bar (sadly no time to stop in), we got a new shirt and then I had to drool over some Graf diamonds on display and the security guard was not amused when I touched the glass case while pointing out the necklace to Chaz.
Since St Patrick's was right there, we decided to stop in. A service was starting there as we arrived. We did have to open our bags as we walked in but no line. The church exterior is nice and clean thanks to the recent St Francis visit. We found the Chapel for St Bernard and lit our customary candle for a friend. We always do this in Paris, Rome and NYC.
One of the things I was excited to do was afternoon tea at Baccarat. We have a few Baccarat things that we love and I came to the hotel a few months ago for a glass of Champs while on business. The hotel is stylish and gorgeous so I wanted Chaz to see it. Afternoon tea seemed like a good way to enjoy the hotel. This was my first tea service anywhere but I really was looking forward to Champagne more than tea. Is that wrong?
We were seated by the windows which are prisms and offer a look outside – but a little bit like a kaleidoscope. We chose the Ruinart Rose champagne. For tea, I got Milky Blue and Chaz got Earl Grey, his favorite. We had a huge assortment of desserts and small sandwiches. The best was a
Pineapple Napoleon for me and salmon with trout roe for Chaz. There were also caviar blini, scones (warm with Devonshire cream), sacher torte, baby brioche with lobster, lemon cheesecake, cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches and more.
This was a great people-watching site. We had our eye on a gentlemen Chaz is pretty sure was one of the Fugees, a French couple, a group speaking Italian and as always, the magical spell was broken by two kiddies. They're were all over the furniture and floor while Daddy was on the phone and Mom didn't seem to be bothered by the playground activity, etc...Fortunately, someone came and they all left. Sorry, this is just not a kids place. Last, there was an odd couple next to us who seemed like some sort of business partners. She spent considerable time reading a contract to him for receiving a donor kidney through Mount Sinai (ya never know what you will overhear) and trying to convince him that the transplant was a good thing. (I know that is not something you want to be in a position to need after working for a year for a transplant program).
The tea was good, the Champagne better. The service was great and the salon at Baccarat is really exceptional. We did have a second glass of Champs before heading back to our hotel. Is anyone surprised? It was a light lunch but perfect. We had dinner reservations at Keen's Steakhouse and I knew we would be starving by the time that rolled around.
Baccarat
28 W 53rd
We cleaned up, Chaz took a nap and we headed back out. It was now quite chilly out and the "Hot Hands" I packed were perfect to have in my pockets. We wanted to start catching more Christmas related stuff, so we walked up 6th to catch the Macy's Herald Square windows. These were "Peanuts" themed and there were lots of people out but it was not awfully crowded. There were also some of the most animated and contemporary Salvation Army bell ringers at this location. They sing, dance, play mucus, etc....it is entertaining and I feel sure they bring in good money!
Next, we visited the market at Bryant Park. We watched the skaters at the ice rink (some poor woman had fallen on the ice and was really hurt....not what she envisioned, I am sure). Nice little area.
Next, Fifth Avenue and Lord and Taylor. These are windows that are just right. Lots of whit lights out front and mostly geared for adults but with things kids will like. Really pretty all the way around and I liked these windows better than all of them. Classic, nothing over the top....lovely.
Dinner would be at Keen's Steakhouse. The bar was packed and no room to sit or stand. We were seated early since we had nowhere to go in the bar and our table was ready!
Keen's has been around forever. It's old school and we liked it. Pipes cover the ceiling and cocktails were in order. I got a Jack Daniels and Ginger ale. Chaz, a Sazerac. Next, we split the tomato/onion salad with Stilton. Excellent. We both love blue cheese.
Chaz went for the house specialty, which is a huge mutton chop. I went with the NY strip and we decided sharing French fries sounded good. All of it was terrific. I hated leaving any fries...cooked perfectly, crispy outside...fluffy inside. Not frozen fries, perfectly salted and you don!t need or want ketchup on these. Our waiter was also really good.
The mutton chop was perfectly cooked and very juicy. Chaz really like it and I had a bite and also liked it (would have sworn I would hate this as I hate anything gamey and often don't like lamb). The chop is quite large and we caught the next table trying to figure out what it was. We struck up a conversation and they were all from Tennessee (my home state). We compared our NYC notes and gave them a review of Baccarat and our Keen's meal. Yep, batting perfect on food...”four for four”!
Keens
72 West 36th St.
Dessert was out of the question and I was still trying to get tons of water down. After dinner, we walked back to Grand Central Terminal to try to have a nightcap at The Campbell Apartment. Dang....closed for a private party! We were disappointed but decided that it was a sign it was time to turn in. We took Seventh back to see a little of Times Square....crazy and I would never stay in the area but somehow, it is worth seeing (remember "Spectackylar"?).
Back safe and sound in our room and ready for another day. It is going too fast!
More later....
Dec 21st, 2015, 09:31 AM
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Hi Denisea, sounds like you had a great time in NYC! It's difficult not to, right? Agree about the ease of Paris metro compared to NYC Subway. I was really interested in your experience at Baccarat, as we couldn't fit it in this trip. Next time!
I'll stay tuned for more!
I'll stay tuned for more!
Dec 21st, 2015, 12:52 PM
#3
Sounds like a fun beginning to your weekend
No comparison between Paris and NYC metros. I have yet to master the NYC metro, recently got on in the wrong direction in LES and ended in Brooklyn when we were going to the MoMA. Paris' is so easy to maneuver and is generally well signed.
No comparison between Paris and NYC metros. I have yet to master the NYC metro, recently got on in the wrong direction in LES and ended in Brooklyn when we were going to the MoMA. Paris' is so easy to maneuver and is generally well signed.
Dec 21st, 2015, 02:34 PM
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Day 3---
Chilly day but feels much more like Christmas! Glad I bought that new coat...just starting on the cost/wear that I use to justify some of the things I buy. before I know it, that Burberry jacket will be just a $1/wear and a bargain. See ow that works?
No Doughnut Plant today. We just decided a plain ol' neighborhood diner breakfast would be in order today. Malibu Diner (the name cracks me up) fit the bill. Malibu omelette for Chaz, Greek for me (and yuck, diet Pepsi). Solid food, nothing special. You know Starbucks is up next, so we hit yet another of the millions of Manhattan Starbucks.
We didn't have a plan for the AM. We had time to wander a bit before getting dressed to head to The Nutcracker at Lincoln Center for the 2pm performance.
We decided to run over to Chelsea Market and see what was up there. I also had the ulterior motive of wanting a Fat Witch brownie for later in the day. It's always fun to see what they have at Chelsea Market. I got that brownie, we enjoyed seeing all the little shops and wanted to check out the shops around the Meatpacking district. I love DVF and always want to check the windows there. It was really window being close to the water! We both forgot gloves but I was glad for those hand warmers I did remember to bring.
We saw the cutest little ice rink in front of The Standard, with a hot chocolate chalet out front. Adorable!
We sauntered into the Gansevoort but not much goin' on at 9am. It was cold and we needed a plan. Since we had skipped the 9/11 memorial our first day, I made an executive decision. We would grab a cab and head over there before heading back to the hotel.
This was our first visit to the memorial and I can't tell you how well done I think it is. I really love the way the water falls to the center and down. I like the black surface with all the victims names listed and also the which flight or location they were part of. I found it particularly sad to see all the names from the fire departments and other rescue/first responders.
I can remember being at Ground Zero and seeing the massive void left after the loss of the towers. It's good to see this tribute in that place. I couldn't have imagined anything better to be where the towers once stood and remember those who were lost. It's important not to forget and to honor their memory and that day.
I wanted to stop in at Brookfield Place, just across the street. We only had a few minutes and I wish I had known more about the layout. They also have an ice rink in the back and it's a very modern space with restaurants and shopping. I imagine that later in the day it was packed. I will have to visit another day. We took a cab back to clean up and change for The Nutcracker.
We finally found the right subway station in the right direction and headed uptown to Lincoln Center. We had a little time to kill before the performance (I like to be early and despise running late). I wanted to get some lunch as I did not want to be hungry during the ballet.
We tried PJ Clarke but it was packed and not a good bet on getting done before time to get to the theatre. I spotted Cafe Fiorello and we ran in there, hoping to sneak in. There was a short line when we got in the door. There were 3 seats at the end of the bar and the manager told us it first come, first served! What luck!
We took 2 seats and were so glad we got in. They have the most beautiful display of antipasti at the bar....gorgeous and it will make you hungry. Roasted cauliflower, olives, grilled baby leeks, artichokes, roasted peppers, roasted beets, zucchini parmigiana, grilled eggplant with pomegranate seeds and more...all of it looked so good. I kinda wanted to skip the ballet and just graze and drink wine.
We couldn't resist a glass of rose Prosecco. Chaz chose burrata ravioli for lunch. The ladies next to me had the most wonderful looking cheeseburger and I am not a dainty girl, no salad for me. I got the cheeseburger.
Lunch came out and Chaz' reminded me of Positano! My cheeseburger was on brioche and so juicy (made of ribeye) and served with polenta fries and spicy Calabrese "ketchup". Delicious and creative. Is this five for five, now? I would love to go back to Cafe Fiorello.
We paid and headed to Lincoln Center for The Nutcracker. We were pleased to find Ruinart Rose being served on the concourse. We decided not to get a photo with a Ballerina, although we had a free photo with our seats. We did pick up our free program that came with the tickets and those are always nice to have.
The sad thing is that you can't take your lovely glass of Champagne in the theatre (you can at The Fox in Atlanta), so we kinda had to "kill" it before heading to our seats. Oh well.
The theatre was smaller than I had expected and our seats were incredible. The performance was lovely. Atlanta stopped performing the Balanchine choreography several years ago and while the story is essentially the same, the costumes and some of the scenes have different names.
This performance was beautiful but Atlanta's costumes are more beautiful and striking. I am sure the dancers are better in NYC. Both productions are wonderful. I am proud of Atlanta's production and will see it in a few days. It will be fun to compare. I am glad we went in NYC for sure.
Next up....the windows at Bergdorf Goodman and Saks. A Tiffany Christmas, The King Cole Bar, Milos, The Rock Center tree and the Saks Fifth Avenue "show".
Chilly day but feels much more like Christmas! Glad I bought that new coat...just starting on the cost/wear that I use to justify some of the things I buy. before I know it, that Burberry jacket will be just a $1/wear and a bargain. See ow that works?
No Doughnut Plant today. We just decided a plain ol' neighborhood diner breakfast would be in order today. Malibu Diner (the name cracks me up) fit the bill. Malibu omelette for Chaz, Greek for me (and yuck, diet Pepsi). Solid food, nothing special. You know Starbucks is up next, so we hit yet another of the millions of Manhattan Starbucks.
We didn't have a plan for the AM. We had time to wander a bit before getting dressed to head to The Nutcracker at Lincoln Center for the 2pm performance.
We decided to run over to Chelsea Market and see what was up there. I also had the ulterior motive of wanting a Fat Witch brownie for later in the day. It's always fun to see what they have at Chelsea Market. I got that brownie, we enjoyed seeing all the little shops and wanted to check out the shops around the Meatpacking district. I love DVF and always want to check the windows there. It was really window being close to the water! We both forgot gloves but I was glad for those hand warmers I did remember to bring.
We saw the cutest little ice rink in front of The Standard, with a hot chocolate chalet out front. Adorable!
We sauntered into the Gansevoort but not much goin' on at 9am. It was cold and we needed a plan. Since we had skipped the 9/11 memorial our first day, I made an executive decision. We would grab a cab and head over there before heading back to the hotel.
This was our first visit to the memorial and I can't tell you how well done I think it is. I really love the way the water falls to the center and down. I like the black surface with all the victims names listed and also the which flight or location they were part of. I found it particularly sad to see all the names from the fire departments and other rescue/first responders.
I can remember being at Ground Zero and seeing the massive void left after the loss of the towers. It's good to see this tribute in that place. I couldn't have imagined anything better to be where the towers once stood and remember those who were lost. It's important not to forget and to honor their memory and that day.
I wanted to stop in at Brookfield Place, just across the street. We only had a few minutes and I wish I had known more about the layout. They also have an ice rink in the back and it's a very modern space with restaurants and shopping. I imagine that later in the day it was packed. I will have to visit another day. We took a cab back to clean up and change for The Nutcracker.
We finally found the right subway station in the right direction and headed uptown to Lincoln Center. We had a little time to kill before the performance (I like to be early and despise running late). I wanted to get some lunch as I did not want to be hungry during the ballet.
We tried PJ Clarke but it was packed and not a good bet on getting done before time to get to the theatre. I spotted Cafe Fiorello and we ran in there, hoping to sneak in. There was a short line when we got in the door. There were 3 seats at the end of the bar and the manager told us it first come, first served! What luck!
We took 2 seats and were so glad we got in. They have the most beautiful display of antipasti at the bar....gorgeous and it will make you hungry. Roasted cauliflower, olives, grilled baby leeks, artichokes, roasted peppers, roasted beets, zucchini parmigiana, grilled eggplant with pomegranate seeds and more...all of it looked so good. I kinda wanted to skip the ballet and just graze and drink wine.
We couldn't resist a glass of rose Prosecco. Chaz chose burrata ravioli for lunch. The ladies next to me had the most wonderful looking cheeseburger and I am not a dainty girl, no salad for me. I got the cheeseburger.
Lunch came out and Chaz' reminded me of Positano! My cheeseburger was on brioche and so juicy (made of ribeye) and served with polenta fries and spicy Calabrese "ketchup". Delicious and creative. Is this five for five, now? I would love to go back to Cafe Fiorello.
We paid and headed to Lincoln Center for The Nutcracker. We were pleased to find Ruinart Rose being served on the concourse. We decided not to get a photo with a Ballerina, although we had a free photo with our seats. We did pick up our free program that came with the tickets and those are always nice to have.
The sad thing is that you can't take your lovely glass of Champagne in the theatre (you can at The Fox in Atlanta), so we kinda had to "kill" it before heading to our seats. Oh well.
The theatre was smaller than I had expected and our seats were incredible. The performance was lovely. Atlanta stopped performing the Balanchine choreography several years ago and while the story is essentially the same, the costumes and some of the scenes have different names.
This performance was beautiful but Atlanta's costumes are more beautiful and striking. I am sure the dancers are better in NYC. Both productions are wonderful. I am proud of Atlanta's production and will see it in a few days. It will be fun to compare. I am glad we went in NYC for sure.
Next up....the windows at Bergdorf Goodman and Saks. A Tiffany Christmas, The King Cole Bar, Milos, The Rock Center tree and the Saks Fifth Avenue "show".
Dec 21st, 2015, 06:48 PM
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Where was I? Beautiful music at The Nutcracker and on our way to Fifth Avenue for Christmas windows gawking. Ah, New York...just so much fun at Christmas. This trip flew by, but we have a few more hours to enjoy it all.
First up, the glitz and over the top windows at Bergdorf Goodman. I have been dying to see them since I saw the movie (?) "Scatter my Ashes at Bergdorfs". They did not disappoint...decadence and fantasy in store windows. Colorful and wild.
Next up the lights at Tiffany, Bulgari and Harry Winston. I really love the lights, I dropped a Tiffany hint a few weeks ago and Chaz didn't have to twist my arm to talk me into heading inside. This was the most crowded place we were in all weekend. The trees are beautifully decorated in silver and Tiffany blue. We got the story behind the HUGE yellow diamond on display and a watch that belonged to FDR. Tiffany has amazing customer service and everyone there was friendly, welcoming and upbeat. They know what they are doing.
I will digress and give my personal Tiffany plug. A few years ago I bought an inexpensive silver Atlas necklace while shopping with a friend in Atlanta. It was in a small bag that ended up missing not long after I bought it. I retraced my steps and asked store personnel and no one had seen it. I accepted that it was long gone. The next day, I hatched a little plan. I sent an email to the Atlanta store and titled it, "The Grinch that Stole my Tiffany Christmas". I explained what happened and asked if the necklace had been turned in by any chance. Within a few hours I got a call from Tiffany security. The gentleman said, "you know that necklace is gone don't yoy?" I said that I did. He then said, "you know we can't have anyone stealing your Tiffany Christmas. If you will come down to the store, we want to replace your necklace. " He gave me his name and told me to ask for him and my replacement would be waiting for me. I have sold a lot of Atlas necklaces for Tiffany since then and I still love mine and wear it all the time. I will never forget that story and it cost them virtually nothing but I always have good things to say about Tiffany!
Ok....back to Tiffany NYC 2015. We didn't want to wait for the elevator so we climbed to the third floor to look at silver jewelry and the lariat necklace I had my eye on. (Climbing stairs with a down jacket on is not a smart idea). Amazingly, it did not take long to get waited on. But some earring caught my eye! They looked good on. I asked to see the lariat but it did not stand up against the earrings. Merry Christmas to me! I saw a million more Atlas pieces I would love to have but was happy with my earrings. We caught the elevator down, looked at few huge diamonds and headed back onto Fifth.
We kinds couldn't resist the siren song of the St Regis and The King Cole Bar despite recent reports that it is always packed. We went anyway. It was packed. We still loved it. We muscled our way in and chose to stand rather than go on the wait list for a table. Chaz had an old fashioned and I had a glass of Rose. We chatted with a nice guy from DC who was on his own and I felt kinda bad that he was just by himself. I guess that is the Southerner in me so I struck up a conversation with him. He was interesting and well traveled and we compared some travel notes. He finished his drink and had friends to meet elsewhere, so we said goodbye.
Chaz was very excited that our next stop was Milos. No one loves grilled octopus more than he does and Milos is his favorite. We decided to change venues and have a glass of wine there. NYC is always great for people watching and we got a kick out of a woman at the bar with us who appeared to have spent considerable time in a tanning bed. We both are as pale as ghosts and while I enjoy when I do have a tan, I don't want that tan!
Milos is always packed but we got our table on time. I will say our waiter was not particular helpful that night. So much of what they do is based on fish being large enough for two and we are OK with that. He just wasn't that helpful with suggestions or seeking out what we like. I really wanted the salt crusted fish and he somehow discouraged us from that.
The grilled octopus was good and we also asked for some olives to enjoy. The wine was Sancerre. We ended up with the traditional grilled fish, not sure what kind. It was good. This was our least favorite meal of the trip but it was very good. The bar was high and it was mostly the lack of attention by our server that bothered me. We ended up chatting with the couple next to us who heard us mention Lisbon and we talked about Portugal. Turns out they are from Pittsburgh, as is Chaz. They ended sharing some of the broth from their poached fish and man, it was tasty...a bit like a broth from a cioppino. Really good, we wished had gotten that!!
Well, the night was winding down and we had another stop to make. The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree and the Saks Fifth Avenue projection show.
It was crowded but not as bad as I had expected. The tree is just cool to see in person. We didn't get too far into the crowd there. Just seeing the tree was enough. I wanted to view all the windows at Saks, since we only saw a few the day before. We walked up as the projection on the facade was ending so we waited for it to start again. It is amazing how the accomplish this. The music this year was David Foster's "Carol of the Bells". Very nice!
We viewed all the Winter Palace windows at Saks. Very frosty, icy and cool with scenes from all over the world.
It was time to call it a night and bring our trip to a close (sigh). We had a fantastic time...it went by way too fast. New York doesn't have to live as a second place destination for us. We really do love it. You can get anything you want in NYC. The restaurants are wonderful, the shopping incredible, culture, check, unique neighborhoods, uh huh, good transportation, yep and hey, it's a two hour flight for us! Did we, do we miss Paris...yes. Is NYC anyone's consolation prize? No way! Christmas is a great time to visit...so much to see and we were glad to get cold weather while there!
Good to the last bite! time to go home.
Starbucks was first stop on our last day. We made one more trip to Doughnut Plant. This time, I got the Cranberry Orange dough seed and a gingerbread doughnut. Chaz went for my first day selections...coconut creme, cashew orange blossom dough seed and one. New selection, the coffee cake doughnut. All excellent. The coffee cake doughnut has some coffee in the doughnut. Interesting. Really this place has elevated the humble doughnut. I am gonna miss it but it is good we have nothing like this in Atlanta (I already need to drop some weight. Doughnuts do not help).
We headed back to the Hilton to pack and I somehow got everything in my suitcase! I do know how to pack a 22 inch roller board. We decided to head out early. Ya never know what JFK will be like. We did get behind an accident in traffic and pre check was slow but all went OK. The Sky Club at JFK is very nice and we relaxed while we waited. The other good thing about the Delta terminal at JFK....two Shake Shacks!
I have a rule that I do not get on a plane hungry. It was lunch time so we had one more "bad" meal. I love the hot dog with Shake Shack cheese sauce. So we both got one with some fries. Very good. We really had wonderful, no disappointment food this trip. Obviously, we don't diet on vacation--ever (which explains that 10 pounds I need to drop)!
We dodged a bullet with a problem with a door closing in the cargo hold on the plane. Fixed that quick, takeoff and once last view of the Manhattan skyline.
We always get a happy welcome from our Shelties when we get home! We always miss them and we might never go home, if it weren't for them!
It 's hard to choose winners as we really enjoyed everything on this trip. We were really happy with our choices of things to do and food!
Favorite store windows: I went old school for Lord & Taylor (BG was a close second)
Favorite drink: Ruinart rose at Baccarat
Favorite NYC food: pastrami at Katz's
Favorite surprise/ dining: Cafe Fiorello
Favorite surprise/culture: Jacqueline de Ribes exhibit at the Costume Institute
What we missed and /or next time:
Matzo ball soup at Katz's
Pizza
Ferrara's in Little Italy
The Campbell Apartment
9/11 Museum
Dinner at Cafe Fiorello
The Morgan Library
Chestnuts
We never get it all in on any trip. There are a million Broadway shows we have not seen. I still have not had a burger at JG Melon or a hotdog from Papaya King. I haven't had a drink at The Plaza or Bemelmens Bar at The Carlyle! Clearly, we will have to go back!
I will share links to photos when I get those done!
First up, the glitz and over the top windows at Bergdorf Goodman. I have been dying to see them since I saw the movie (?) "Scatter my Ashes at Bergdorfs". They did not disappoint...decadence and fantasy in store windows. Colorful and wild.
Next up the lights at Tiffany, Bulgari and Harry Winston. I really love the lights, I dropped a Tiffany hint a few weeks ago and Chaz didn't have to twist my arm to talk me into heading inside. This was the most crowded place we were in all weekend. The trees are beautifully decorated in silver and Tiffany blue. We got the story behind the HUGE yellow diamond on display and a watch that belonged to FDR. Tiffany has amazing customer service and everyone there was friendly, welcoming and upbeat. They know what they are doing.
I will digress and give my personal Tiffany plug. A few years ago I bought an inexpensive silver Atlas necklace while shopping with a friend in Atlanta. It was in a small bag that ended up missing not long after I bought it. I retraced my steps and asked store personnel and no one had seen it. I accepted that it was long gone. The next day, I hatched a little plan. I sent an email to the Atlanta store and titled it, "The Grinch that Stole my Tiffany Christmas". I explained what happened and asked if the necklace had been turned in by any chance. Within a few hours I got a call from Tiffany security. The gentleman said, "you know that necklace is gone don't yoy?" I said that I did. He then said, "you know we can't have anyone stealing your Tiffany Christmas. If you will come down to the store, we want to replace your necklace. " He gave me his name and told me to ask for him and my replacement would be waiting for me. I have sold a lot of Atlas necklaces for Tiffany since then and I still love mine and wear it all the time. I will never forget that story and it cost them virtually nothing but I always have good things to say about Tiffany!
Ok....back to Tiffany NYC 2015. We didn't want to wait for the elevator so we climbed to the third floor to look at silver jewelry and the lariat necklace I had my eye on. (Climbing stairs with a down jacket on is not a smart idea). Amazingly, it did not take long to get waited on. But some earring caught my eye! They looked good on. I asked to see the lariat but it did not stand up against the earrings. Merry Christmas to me! I saw a million more Atlas pieces I would love to have but was happy with my earrings. We caught the elevator down, looked at few huge diamonds and headed back onto Fifth.
We kinds couldn't resist the siren song of the St Regis and The King Cole Bar despite recent reports that it is always packed. We went anyway. It was packed. We still loved it. We muscled our way in and chose to stand rather than go on the wait list for a table. Chaz had an old fashioned and I had a glass of Rose. We chatted with a nice guy from DC who was on his own and I felt kinda bad that he was just by himself. I guess that is the Southerner in me so I struck up a conversation with him. He was interesting and well traveled and we compared some travel notes. He finished his drink and had friends to meet elsewhere, so we said goodbye.
Chaz was very excited that our next stop was Milos. No one loves grilled octopus more than he does and Milos is his favorite. We decided to change venues and have a glass of wine there. NYC is always great for people watching and we got a kick out of a woman at the bar with us who appeared to have spent considerable time in a tanning bed. We both are as pale as ghosts and while I enjoy when I do have a tan, I don't want that tan!
Milos is always packed but we got our table on time. I will say our waiter was not particular helpful that night. So much of what they do is based on fish being large enough for two and we are OK with that. He just wasn't that helpful with suggestions or seeking out what we like. I really wanted the salt crusted fish and he somehow discouraged us from that.
The grilled octopus was good and we also asked for some olives to enjoy. The wine was Sancerre. We ended up with the traditional grilled fish, not sure what kind. It was good. This was our least favorite meal of the trip but it was very good. The bar was high and it was mostly the lack of attention by our server that bothered me. We ended up chatting with the couple next to us who heard us mention Lisbon and we talked about Portugal. Turns out they are from Pittsburgh, as is Chaz. They ended sharing some of the broth from their poached fish and man, it was tasty...a bit like a broth from a cioppino. Really good, we wished had gotten that!!
Well, the night was winding down and we had another stop to make. The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree and the Saks Fifth Avenue projection show.
It was crowded but not as bad as I had expected. The tree is just cool to see in person. We didn't get too far into the crowd there. Just seeing the tree was enough. I wanted to view all the windows at Saks, since we only saw a few the day before. We walked up as the projection on the facade was ending so we waited for it to start again. It is amazing how the accomplish this. The music this year was David Foster's "Carol of the Bells". Very nice!
We viewed all the Winter Palace windows at Saks. Very frosty, icy and cool with scenes from all over the world.
It was time to call it a night and bring our trip to a close (sigh). We had a fantastic time...it went by way too fast. New York doesn't have to live as a second place destination for us. We really do love it. You can get anything you want in NYC. The restaurants are wonderful, the shopping incredible, culture, check, unique neighborhoods, uh huh, good transportation, yep and hey, it's a two hour flight for us! Did we, do we miss Paris...yes. Is NYC anyone's consolation prize? No way! Christmas is a great time to visit...so much to see and we were glad to get cold weather while there!
Good to the last bite! time to go home.
Starbucks was first stop on our last day. We made one more trip to Doughnut Plant. This time, I got the Cranberry Orange dough seed and a gingerbread doughnut. Chaz went for my first day selections...coconut creme, cashew orange blossom dough seed and one. New selection, the coffee cake doughnut. All excellent. The coffee cake doughnut has some coffee in the doughnut. Interesting. Really this place has elevated the humble doughnut. I am gonna miss it but it is good we have nothing like this in Atlanta (I already need to drop some weight. Doughnuts do not help).
We headed back to the Hilton to pack and I somehow got everything in my suitcase! I do know how to pack a 22 inch roller board. We decided to head out early. Ya never know what JFK will be like. We did get behind an accident in traffic and pre check was slow but all went OK. The Sky Club at JFK is very nice and we relaxed while we waited. The other good thing about the Delta terminal at JFK....two Shake Shacks!
I have a rule that I do not get on a plane hungry. It was lunch time so we had one more "bad" meal. I love the hot dog with Shake Shack cheese sauce. So we both got one with some fries. Very good. We really had wonderful, no disappointment food this trip. Obviously, we don't diet on vacation--ever (which explains that 10 pounds I need to drop)!
We dodged a bullet with a problem with a door closing in the cargo hold on the plane. Fixed that quick, takeoff and once last view of the Manhattan skyline.
We always get a happy welcome from our Shelties when we get home! We always miss them and we might never go home, if it weren't for them!
It 's hard to choose winners as we really enjoyed everything on this trip. We were really happy with our choices of things to do and food!
Favorite store windows: I went old school for Lord & Taylor (BG was a close second)
Favorite drink: Ruinart rose at Baccarat
Favorite NYC food: pastrami at Katz's
Favorite surprise/ dining: Cafe Fiorello
Favorite surprise/culture: Jacqueline de Ribes exhibit at the Costume Institute
What we missed and /or next time:
Matzo ball soup at Katz's
Pizza
Ferrara's in Little Italy
The Campbell Apartment
9/11 Museum
Dinner at Cafe Fiorello
The Morgan Library
Chestnuts
We never get it all in on any trip. There are a million Broadway shows we have not seen. I still have not had a burger at JG Melon or a hotdog from Papaya King. I haven't had a drink at The Plaza or Bemelmens Bar at The Carlyle! Clearly, we will have to go back!
I will share links to photos when I get those done!
Dec 22nd, 2015, 01:16 PM
#12
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Denisea, really enjoyed following along on your trip to NYC. Your mention of Café Fiorello's makes me hungry just thinking about it. That's our "go to" place pre and sometimes post a performance at the Lincoln Center.
We, especially Tom, regretted not being able to fit in a visit to Katz's. But we'll be back.
Glad you had such a great time, and as you so aptly said at the end, one always leaves NYC with so many things for "Next Time".
We, especially Tom, regretted not being able to fit in a visit to Katz's. But we'll be back.
Glad you had such a great time, and as you so aptly said at the end, one always leaves NYC with so many things for "Next Time".
Dec 22nd, 2015, 02:52 PM
#13
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Amazingly we did not make it to Chanel! Not intentional but it didn't happen mostly because it's not on Fifth Avenue. We were steps away from the Soho store the first day, when I saw the "I need a nap look" on Chaz's face.
Dec 22nd, 2015, 06:26 PM
#14
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Denisea - i think you'd enjoy the shops on Madison Ave from the late 50s through the late 70s - up to the Carlyle. It's much less touristy than 5th Ave. You'll see the couture houses, Chanel, Dior plus Hermes, Prada, Chloe, Gucci, Cartier - you get the idea. Perfect for window, or whatever other kind of shopping you fancy. i say that as someone who loves stylish things but hates shopping! Funnily enough I have a small Bergdof's gift card which came with our hotel package the last time we came into NY. I didn't spend it then and I've had it in my bag for the last six weeks and I still haven't made it over there 
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Dec 22nd, 2015, 10:18 PM
#15
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The tradition for many New Yorkers is to eat Chinese food on Christmas Day. And now that has expanded to include Indian, Korean, Turkish, Ethopian, Thai, and Jewish Deli.
You will save a lot of money and have equally enjoyable day. December 26 is almost a normal day in NYC unless you are returning a gift,than he return lines are insane.
You will save a lot of money and have equally enjoyable day. December 26 is almost a normal day in NYC unless you are returning a gift,than he return lines are insane.
Dec 23rd, 2015, 06:22 PM
#18
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Photos:
Baccarat-
https://goo.gl/photos/cbUWdG6A95dGVnZq5
Food-
https://goo.gl/photos/72FGgvvaCFM4UcQe8
Macy's, Lord & Taylor windows
https://goo.gl/photos/dPTPLiogK8xrMo226
Chelsea Market, 9/11 Memorial
https://goo.gl/photos/FUgdeoNqHviNb8dG6
Bergdorf Goodman windows
https://goo.gl/photos/FEz87YQm14HpQif26
Saks
https://goo.gl/photos/8he71exgsNdcWr3r8
Baccarat-
https://goo.gl/photos/cbUWdG6A95dGVnZq5
Food-
https://goo.gl/photos/72FGgvvaCFM4UcQe8
Macy's, Lord & Taylor windows
https://goo.gl/photos/dPTPLiogK8xrMo226
Chelsea Market, 9/11 Memorial
https://goo.gl/photos/FUgdeoNqHviNb8dG6
Bergdorf Goodman windows
https://goo.gl/photos/FEz87YQm14HpQif26
Saks
https://goo.gl/photos/8he71exgsNdcWr3r8
Dec 23rd, 2015, 07:15 PM
#19
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Denisea - there's no way I'm going to Bergdorf's on Christmas Eve so the gift card is definitely waiting till the next trip . Perhaps I should plan the return trip before I leave the city!
Glad you enjoyed the trip, next time try Russ and Daughters for an updated deli experience.
. Perhaps I should plan the return trip before I leave the city!Glad you enjoyed the trip, next time try Russ and Daughters for an updated deli experience.
