Uptown. Downtown. All Around Town...MaiTaiTom's NYC 2015
Dec 26th, 2015, 10:58 AM
#1
Original Poster
Uptown. Downtown. All Around Town...MaiTaiTom's NYC 2015
Just what you need...another NYC report. You can click on my web link for the same verbiage (but it also includes photos).
http://travelswithmaitaitom.com/chapter-one-nyc-here-we-come/
It seems every autumn, Tracy and I talk about going back to New York City. This year, we decided to take advantage of a good airline fare and a reasonable (for NYC) hotel rate. We spent four nights the week before Thanksgiving in the Big Apple, and, as always, had a tremendous time. There are so many cities around the world that I have come to love and appreciate, but nothing, in my opinion, compares to the excitement of New York City. Someday, I might even figure out the subway system!
CHAPTER ONE: NYC…Here We Come!
Ever since we returned from our 2011 trip to New York City, Tracy and I had been yearning to return to one of our favorite places in the world. When we received an alert that Virgin America had an affordable airfare, we jumped on it. Our same hotel from 2011 (Chelsea Pines Inn) had availability for our dates the week before Thanksgiving, so it was off for another adventure in the Big Apple. After taking out a mortgage on our house and selling our pets (ok, we wouldn’t really do that) in order to pay for NYC dinners (and $21 martinis), Tracy and I were ready to roll. New York City…here we come!
DAY ONE: The Curse Of Paris 2014, Where’s Tracy’s Suitcase, This Bag Seems Extremely Cold, Damn Yankees, The Bruce Wayne Martini, Tracy And I Visit A Strip House, Is That Bacon Or A Steak, Esma Rocks, That’s Why The Lady Is A Tramp, Half Baked and The Color Purple
Waking up at 3:30 a.m. wasn’t quite as hard, because we just pretended we were already on NYC time, so we pretended it was really 6:30.
The “Curse of Paris 2014,” a trip where I coughed for 12 hours straight on the way home from Paris potentially infecting dozens of Tahiti-bound passengers, reared its ugly head again. This time, however, it was the woman sitting next to Tracy on our Virgin American flight who looked and sounded like she should be in the infectious care unit of a hospital, however she was well enough not to require oxygen. Fortunately, the flight seemed to go by quickly.
Arriving at JFK before 4 p.m., we were excited to get a quick getaway and hopefully not get caught in the really terrible rush hour traffic. My bag appeared on the carousel within seconds, so things were looking up. About 25 minutes later, things were definitely not looking up, as Tracy and I stood there virtually by ourselves. The carousel went round and round, and bag after bag was picked up. Suddenly there were none. Realizing this could be a problem, we went into the Virgin office to try and figure out how a bag could be lost on a non-stop flight, but it seemed it was in “Luggage Hell.”
As Tracy stood in the office, I kept my eye on the empty carousel until Tracy texted me…”It seems my bag is lost.” I walked into the office and as we chatted with the Virgin rep, a man came in holding Tracy’s suitcase. When I asked where it had been, the guy said, “It was on the carousel all the time.” Apparently, we had America’s only invisible suitcase.
However, after grabbing her suitcase, I noticed the bag was colder than the vodka bottle I keep in our freezer. The only thing missing were icicles. I believe the handler had frostbitten fingers. It was obvious that the suitcase had not been on the carrousel but sitting on the tarmac, however channeling my inner “EuroTom” persona (aka non-angry), we merrily went on our way.
It was now past 5 p.m., and after about a half-hour wait in the taxi line, we took the one-hour-plus drive to our hotel, the Chelsea Pines Inn (317 West 14th Street). This is the same hotel we had stayed at in 2011, and we were impressed enough with that visit to make it our home for the next four nights.
There’s no elevator, but they brought our bags (one much colder than the other) to our third-floor room, which is fortunate since I have a partially torn rotator cuff, and Tracy’s back was still recuperating from a recent back injury. Like many NYC hotels, the room is not spacious (some of the rooms would be considered quirky in their layout), but it was clean, the bed was comfortable and the shower was terrific (my most important criteria for a good stay). This hotel isn’t ranked #2 in NYC on Trip Advisor for nothing. Plus, the staff at Chelsea Pines Inn is very helpful answering any questions you might have.
If you’re a movie buff, you’ll love the Chelsea Pines Inn. Each room highlights a movie star and have movie posters on the walls. Last time we were in the Sherry North room. This time we stayed in the Tab Hunter Room.
The posters (among others) included one of my all-time favorite movies, “Damn Yankees,” and a great guilty pleasure flick, “Ride The Wild Surf.” Cue Jan & Dean.
I told Tracy we had to take a quick shower, because I was going to take her to a Strip House, one without naked women (sort of). We decided to walk the 15 minutes to the restaurant, and we arrived about 20 minutes early. Virtually across the street from the Strip House is the Gotham Bar & Grill (12 East 12th Street). On this Tuesday night a little before 8 p.m., the restaurant was jammed. Tracy suggested we have a, “Welcome to New York City martini.” I told you I married well.
We plopped down at the bar and ordered a Tomtini (citrus vodka and a splash of triple sec…up with a twist). When I got the bill, I realized that Tracy would have to dip into her 401K for this trip ($41 and change). Since we were sitting at the Gotham Bar & Grill, Tracy quipped, “I don’t believe Bruce Wayne cold afford to drink here.” Holy Expensive Vodka Batman!
We walked across the street for our 8:30 reservations at The Strip House (13 East 12th Street). I had desperately wanted to visit an authentic NYC steakhouse to satisfy my inner carnivore, and this place had been recommended by member of the Fodor’s Board who lives in NYC (thanks IMDoneHere).
Walking inside, this is exactly what I had envisioned a NYC steak house should be like. It was dark, and the room was red…very red. As we waited for our table (this place was also packed), Tracy and I sipped on a $17 house Manhattan (we split this one…we had to save money for subway passes tomorrow morning… not to mention my retirement).
We were eventually led to our table, which was situated side-by-side other tables (foreshadowing alert).
On the walls are pictures of Opera/Torch singers and strippers. It had a burlesque-house feel…and that was a good thing. Even the coasters were cool.
We were introduced to our server, Esma, a woman who sounded like she could have been from either the Czech Republic or Poland. We all hit it off immediately, and we bantered for the entire evening (damn, I love New York).
Before our appetizers arrived, a basket of pretzel breadsticks and hot rolls topped with onions arrived.
They were delicious…except for the roll I dropped on the floor. Tracy ordered a Beet salad (her favorite) with horseradish crème fraîche to start, but it was my appetizer that defied reality (and heart disease).
I ordered what I thought would just be a normal Bacon/Arugula salad with Russian dressing. When it arrived, I thought they had accidentally brought my steak. The bacon looked like pieces of beef. If my Jenny Craig rep was dead, she would have turned over in her grave. The dish was spectacular. My cardiologist was informed just in case.
Speaking of healthy dining, for dinner I ordered the 12-ounce filet with Béarnaise Sauce (50 bucks for the steak…$2 for the sauce…defibrillator no extra charge…pun intended). The filet pretty much melted in my mouth, and the steak rested in my stomach until the beginning of Hanukkah a few weeks later.
Tracy’s smoked beef short rib ravioli with mushroom sauce and mushroom au jus poured over it was good, but she thought it was a tad “too smoky.” She did bear to eat it, however.
We were undecided over the black truffle spinach or spicy creamed corn with pancetta for our side dish (oh, the decisions one has to make on vacation). We finally decided on the spinach after much conversation, however Esma was nice enough to bring us both dishes, but only charged us for one (what’s a few extra few hundred calories among friends). The spinach was quite rich, and the creamed corn joined the “Wow” dish category.
As I stated, the tables are situated very close to one another, and it wasn’t hard for us to figure out that the old geezer at the next table (he was probably five years older than me) was having an affair with his younger female companion. I think Esma liked us so much because this woman next to us was fairly (no make that, “really”) obnoxious. She never (and I mean never) stopped yapping in her incredibly shrill voice, including ordering all his food. We knew he must be married, because he wasn’t listening to her at all.
Although Tracy is not really in favor of guys cheating on their wives, she actually hoped the woman would go to the bathroom so she would have the opportunity to tell him (in her best Monty Python and The Holy Grail voice), “Run awaaaaay!”
Unlike the Cary Grant movie, this seemed to be “An Affair To Forget.” I could hear Sinatra singing, “The Lady Is A Tramp.” In any case…guys…be careful what you wish for.
Meanwhile, Esma and our busboy, the very affable Gus, were getting on famously with us, and although I had already loosened my belt, they double-teamed us and talked us into a Baked Alaska (it was not a difficult sell). While we waited for flaming dessert, another server took me next door and downstairs to see a different part of the restaurant, complete with another bar.
Tracy said the woman’s restroom was pretty cool, too. I took her word (and her photo) for it.
Esma told us (but I could not confirm) that the Strip House owner’s son played the piano in the movie “Big” with Tom Hanks and the late Robert Loggia. If so, this restaurant has both Heart…and Soul.
The Baked Alaska dessert (nearly the size of Alaska) definitely flamed brightly…
…the fire department was put on alert and we could only eat about half of the Baked Alaska as we were completely stuffed.
We bid adieu to Esma and Gus, and on a gorgeous NYC night took a stroll down Fifth Avenue for a bit until we caught sight of the Empire State Building…its lights shining purple. It was either to honor World Prematurity Day or Oprah was starring in a new movie.
t felt great to be back in New York. I love the vibe, the enthusiasm and above all, the friendliness I always equate with this city. We walked back to the Chelsea Pines Inn. However, before settling in for the night, we did feel a slight twinge of sadness.
The last time we visited, the house cat (the inimitable Charlie Chaplin) actually spent one of the nights with us (a long catnap). A few months ago, Charlie passed away (photo above).
Tomorrow, we’d head out from the city to a museum that was #1 on my list of places to visit on this journey. We’d also call on a little known Saint and a house where such historical figures as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr hung out, and follow that up checking out some bones and stuffed animals. I would also make my first (of many) subway errors.
Next: DAY TWO – Breakfast Buffet, Take The ‘A’ Train, A Gorgeous Walk, Cloistered, Hunting For Unicorns, Autumn Leaves Will Fall, Turning Over A New Leaf, Finding A Little Known Saint, A Museum In Need Of Restoration, Aaron Burr Slept Here, One Way Or Another, Dem Bones, “No Dum-Dum Here,” Best Museum Gift Shop, Stayin’ Alive At Dinner & Learning A Valuable Subway Lesson
http://travelswithmaitaitom.com/chapter-one-nyc-here-we-come/
It seems every autumn, Tracy and I talk about going back to New York City. This year, we decided to take advantage of a good airline fare and a reasonable (for NYC) hotel rate. We spent four nights the week before Thanksgiving in the Big Apple, and, as always, had a tremendous time. There are so many cities around the world that I have come to love and appreciate, but nothing, in my opinion, compares to the excitement of New York City. Someday, I might even figure out the subway system!
CHAPTER ONE: NYC…Here We Come!
Ever since we returned from our 2011 trip to New York City, Tracy and I had been yearning to return to one of our favorite places in the world. When we received an alert that Virgin America had an affordable airfare, we jumped on it. Our same hotel from 2011 (Chelsea Pines Inn) had availability for our dates the week before Thanksgiving, so it was off for another adventure in the Big Apple. After taking out a mortgage on our house and selling our pets (ok, we wouldn’t really do that) in order to pay for NYC dinners (and $21 martinis), Tracy and I were ready to roll. New York City…here we come!
DAY ONE: The Curse Of Paris 2014, Where’s Tracy’s Suitcase, This Bag Seems Extremely Cold, Damn Yankees, The Bruce Wayne Martini, Tracy And I Visit A Strip House, Is That Bacon Or A Steak, Esma Rocks, That’s Why The Lady Is A Tramp, Half Baked and The Color Purple
Waking up at 3:30 a.m. wasn’t quite as hard, because we just pretended we were already on NYC time, so we pretended it was really 6:30.
The “Curse of Paris 2014,” a trip where I coughed for 12 hours straight on the way home from Paris potentially infecting dozens of Tahiti-bound passengers, reared its ugly head again. This time, however, it was the woman sitting next to Tracy on our Virgin American flight who looked and sounded like she should be in the infectious care unit of a hospital, however she was well enough not to require oxygen. Fortunately, the flight seemed to go by quickly.
Arriving at JFK before 4 p.m., we were excited to get a quick getaway and hopefully not get caught in the really terrible rush hour traffic. My bag appeared on the carousel within seconds, so things were looking up. About 25 minutes later, things were definitely not looking up, as Tracy and I stood there virtually by ourselves. The carousel went round and round, and bag after bag was picked up. Suddenly there were none. Realizing this could be a problem, we went into the Virgin office to try and figure out how a bag could be lost on a non-stop flight, but it seemed it was in “Luggage Hell.”
As Tracy stood in the office, I kept my eye on the empty carousel until Tracy texted me…”It seems my bag is lost.” I walked into the office and as we chatted with the Virgin rep, a man came in holding Tracy’s suitcase. When I asked where it had been, the guy said, “It was on the carousel all the time.” Apparently, we had America’s only invisible suitcase.
However, after grabbing her suitcase, I noticed the bag was colder than the vodka bottle I keep in our freezer. The only thing missing were icicles. I believe the handler had frostbitten fingers. It was obvious that the suitcase had not been on the carrousel but sitting on the tarmac, however channeling my inner “EuroTom” persona (aka non-angry), we merrily went on our way.
It was now past 5 p.m., and after about a half-hour wait in the taxi line, we took the one-hour-plus drive to our hotel, the Chelsea Pines Inn (317 West 14th Street). This is the same hotel we had stayed at in 2011, and we were impressed enough with that visit to make it our home for the next four nights.
There’s no elevator, but they brought our bags (one much colder than the other) to our third-floor room, which is fortunate since I have a partially torn rotator cuff, and Tracy’s back was still recuperating from a recent back injury. Like many NYC hotels, the room is not spacious (some of the rooms would be considered quirky in their layout), but it was clean, the bed was comfortable and the shower was terrific (my most important criteria for a good stay). This hotel isn’t ranked #2 in NYC on Trip Advisor for nothing. Plus, the staff at Chelsea Pines Inn is very helpful answering any questions you might have.
If you’re a movie buff, you’ll love the Chelsea Pines Inn. Each room highlights a movie star and have movie posters on the walls. Last time we were in the Sherry North room. This time we stayed in the Tab Hunter Room.
The posters (among others) included one of my all-time favorite movies, “Damn Yankees,” and a great guilty pleasure flick, “Ride The Wild Surf.” Cue Jan & Dean.
I told Tracy we had to take a quick shower, because I was going to take her to a Strip House, one without naked women (sort of). We decided to walk the 15 minutes to the restaurant, and we arrived about 20 minutes early. Virtually across the street from the Strip House is the Gotham Bar & Grill (12 East 12th Street). On this Tuesday night a little before 8 p.m., the restaurant was jammed. Tracy suggested we have a, “Welcome to New York City martini.” I told you I married well.
We plopped down at the bar and ordered a Tomtini (citrus vodka and a splash of triple sec…up with a twist). When I got the bill, I realized that Tracy would have to dip into her 401K for this trip ($41 and change). Since we were sitting at the Gotham Bar & Grill, Tracy quipped, “I don’t believe Bruce Wayne cold afford to drink here.” Holy Expensive Vodka Batman!
We walked across the street for our 8:30 reservations at The Strip House (13 East 12th Street). I had desperately wanted to visit an authentic NYC steakhouse to satisfy my inner carnivore, and this place had been recommended by member of the Fodor’s Board who lives in NYC (thanks IMDoneHere).
Walking inside, this is exactly what I had envisioned a NYC steak house should be like. It was dark, and the room was red…very red. As we waited for our table (this place was also packed), Tracy and I sipped on a $17 house Manhattan (we split this one…we had to save money for subway passes tomorrow morning… not to mention my retirement).
We were eventually led to our table, which was situated side-by-side other tables (foreshadowing alert).
On the walls are pictures of Opera/Torch singers and strippers. It had a burlesque-house feel…and that was a good thing. Even the coasters were cool.
We were introduced to our server, Esma, a woman who sounded like she could have been from either the Czech Republic or Poland. We all hit it off immediately, and we bantered for the entire evening (damn, I love New York).
Before our appetizers arrived, a basket of pretzel breadsticks and hot rolls topped with onions arrived.
They were delicious…except for the roll I dropped on the floor. Tracy ordered a Beet salad (her favorite) with horseradish crème fraîche to start, but it was my appetizer that defied reality (and heart disease).
I ordered what I thought would just be a normal Bacon/Arugula salad with Russian dressing. When it arrived, I thought they had accidentally brought my steak. The bacon looked like pieces of beef. If my Jenny Craig rep was dead, she would have turned over in her grave. The dish was spectacular. My cardiologist was informed just in case.
Speaking of healthy dining, for dinner I ordered the 12-ounce filet with Béarnaise Sauce (50 bucks for the steak…$2 for the sauce…defibrillator no extra charge…pun intended). The filet pretty much melted in my mouth, and the steak rested in my stomach until the beginning of Hanukkah a few weeks later.
Tracy’s smoked beef short rib ravioli with mushroom sauce and mushroom au jus poured over it was good, but she thought it was a tad “too smoky.” She did bear to eat it, however.
We were undecided over the black truffle spinach or spicy creamed corn with pancetta for our side dish (oh, the decisions one has to make on vacation). We finally decided on the spinach after much conversation, however Esma was nice enough to bring us both dishes, but only charged us for one (what’s a few extra few hundred calories among friends). The spinach was quite rich, and the creamed corn joined the “Wow” dish category.
As I stated, the tables are situated very close to one another, and it wasn’t hard for us to figure out that the old geezer at the next table (he was probably five years older than me) was having an affair with his younger female companion. I think Esma liked us so much because this woman next to us was fairly (no make that, “really”) obnoxious. She never (and I mean never) stopped yapping in her incredibly shrill voice, including ordering all his food. We knew he must be married, because he wasn’t listening to her at all.
Although Tracy is not really in favor of guys cheating on their wives, she actually hoped the woman would go to the bathroom so she would have the opportunity to tell him (in her best Monty Python and The Holy Grail voice), “Run awaaaaay!”
Unlike the Cary Grant movie, this seemed to be “An Affair To Forget.” I could hear Sinatra singing, “The Lady Is A Tramp.” In any case…guys…be careful what you wish for.
Meanwhile, Esma and our busboy, the very affable Gus, were getting on famously with us, and although I had already loosened my belt, they double-teamed us and talked us into a Baked Alaska (it was not a difficult sell). While we waited for flaming dessert, another server took me next door and downstairs to see a different part of the restaurant, complete with another bar.
Tracy said the woman’s restroom was pretty cool, too. I took her word (and her photo) for it.
Esma told us (but I could not confirm) that the Strip House owner’s son played the piano in the movie “Big” with Tom Hanks and the late Robert Loggia. If so, this restaurant has both Heart…and Soul.
The Baked Alaska dessert (nearly the size of Alaska) definitely flamed brightly…
…the fire department was put on alert and we could only eat about half of the Baked Alaska as we were completely stuffed.
We bid adieu to Esma and Gus, and on a gorgeous NYC night took a stroll down Fifth Avenue for a bit until we caught sight of the Empire State Building…its lights shining purple. It was either to honor World Prematurity Day or Oprah was starring in a new movie.
t felt great to be back in New York. I love the vibe, the enthusiasm and above all, the friendliness I always equate with this city. We walked back to the Chelsea Pines Inn. However, before settling in for the night, we did feel a slight twinge of sadness.
The last time we visited, the house cat (the inimitable Charlie Chaplin) actually spent one of the nights with us (a long catnap). A few months ago, Charlie passed away (photo above).
Tomorrow, we’d head out from the city to a museum that was #1 on my list of places to visit on this journey. We’d also call on a little known Saint and a house where such historical figures as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr hung out, and follow that up checking out some bones and stuffed animals. I would also make my first (of many) subway errors.
Next: DAY TWO – Breakfast Buffet, Take The ‘A’ Train, A Gorgeous Walk, Cloistered, Hunting For Unicorns, Autumn Leaves Will Fall, Turning Over A New Leaf, Finding A Little Known Saint, A Museum In Need Of Restoration, Aaron Burr Slept Here, One Way Or Another, Dem Bones, “No Dum-Dum Here,” Best Museum Gift Shop, Stayin’ Alive At Dinner & Learning A Valuable Subway Lesson
Dec 26th, 2015, 08:16 PM
#11
Original Poster
"The birthday dinner scene in the movie BIG was filmed there."
ellenem...Maybe that's what Esma was talking about with the piano (Tracy did have something written down about a piano and birthday...my memory was impaired.) It was a large Manhattan with mind-altering bourbon that I drank
Gwendolynn, we just have a little Panasonic DMC 2525 that takes some really nice outdoor shots, but the indoor shots are hit and miss (especially in a darker room). Many of the indoor shots that we use that are decent are just off Tracy's iPhone. That's why we kidnap Kim and Mary on some of our trips...he has a better camera.
ellenem...Maybe that's what Esma was talking about with the piano (Tracy did have something written down about a piano and birthday...my memory was impaired.) It was a large Manhattan with mind-altering bourbon that I drank
Gwendolynn, we just have a little Panasonic DMC 2525 that takes some really nice outdoor shots, but the indoor shots are hit and miss (especially in a darker room). Many of the indoor shots that we use that are decent are just off Tracy's iPhone. That's why we kidnap Kim and Mary on some of our trips...he has a better camera.
Dec 27th, 2015, 04:38 PM
#13
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Great report on your trip to NYC, especially enhanced by the accompanying pix on your website. We, too, feel that you can't beat the excitement of the Big Apple.
We enjoyed your detailed account of The Strip House. Loved the "table talk" you described so well. Felt like we had been there before. We had to cancel our reservations at another location of The Strip House on our last evening as we had had too hearty a brunch! We'll have to catch it on our next visit to NYC.
Looking forward to your Chapter 2!
We enjoyed your detailed account of The Strip House. Loved the "table talk" you described so well. Felt like we had been there before. We had to cancel our reservations at another location of The Strip House on our last evening as we had had too hearty a brunch! We'll have to catch it on our next visit to NYC.
Looking forward to your Chapter 2!
Dec 28th, 2015, 06:03 AM
#15
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Waiting patiently for more... always love your reports and photos!
( I just went back into the archives for your Rose Bowl report and photos! This is my year to go! Thanks for all of the great information!)
( I just went back into the archives for your Rose Bowl report and photos! This is my year to go!
Thanks for all of the great information!)
Dec 29th, 2015, 02:01 PM
#17
Original Poster
Wow…what a day we had on our first full day in NYC! We started with a subway ride out to the Cloisters complete with a gorgeous autumn walk (pictures tell the beautiful story) through Fort Tryon Park. Do not miss the Cloisters when in NYC!! Nearby, we visited a little known saint for a few minutes. It was then a short subway ride to the home where the Continental Army’s first big victory was planned and many of our Founding Fathers had a dinner party. A dueling vice-president even lived here for a short while. We ended up looking at dinosaurs and attempting to find Teddy Roosevelt. (click link for story with photos...and even I could take good photos on a day like this...although Tracy's are better).
http://travelswithmaitaitom.com/20950-2/
Chapter Two: History Comes Alive In NYC
Day Two – Breakfast Buffet, Take The ‘A’ Train, A Gorgeous Walk, Cloistered, Hunting For Unicorns, Autumn Leaves Will Fall, Turning Over A New Leaf, Finding A Little Known Saint, A Museum In Need Of Restoration, Aaron Burr Slept Here, One Way Or Another, Dem Bones, “No Dum-Dum Here,” Best Museum Gift Shop, Stayin’ Alive At Dinner & Learning A Valuable Subway Lesson
There is nothing like autumn in New York City. It was a sunny, crisp morning (photo below is from our hotel’s back patio), and after downing some sweet rolls and coffee at the Chelsea Pines Inn (while watching the raid at St. Denis in Paris on TV), we were off on our first adventure…the Cloisters.
Our subway station was about a 30-second walk from the hotel (another great advantage of staying here) and although we really only had about 76 hours until we departed the city, we decided the Weekly Subway pass would pay for itself with our usual hectic schedule…and it did!
Since I am machine-impaired, the very friendly and helpful (which describes most New Yorkers I’ve met on our trips here) gentleman at the window got us our passes (I think it was two bucks more because we were getting new cards and not refilling old ones, or perhaps because we didn’t use the machine…either way, the total was $31).
We were also armed with a terrific subway app that Fodorite Lori had emailed me about (New York Subway MTA Map and Route Planner by mxData Limited). What could possibly go wrong (foreshadowing alert)?
Hopping on the A-Train, we started humming a little Duke Ellington and within a half hour got off at the station near Fort Tryon Park. Then it was a brisk and beautiful walk to the Cloisters.
Some people had mentioned that Fort Tryon Park would not be very lovely in November…how wrong they were. The park, gifted to the city in 1917 by John D. Rockefeller, was nothing less than gorgeous.
On the way to the Cloisters, we wandered through the Heather Garden, taking a slight detour to take in the views of the Hudson River and George Washington Bridge, and over to the Linden Terrace. We met some volunteers weeding the gardens who told us there were more than 500 varieties of perennials and shrubs in this park (“Bring me a Shrubbery!”).
This was a picture-perfect blue-sky morning. The leaves on the trees were aflame with color. “So this is what autumn looks like,” these two Southern Californians thought.
In about 15 minutes we were at the Cloisters, a place that it seems even many New Yorkers (in our conversations with locals over the next few days) haven’t ever visited. Well, they don’t know what they’re missing.
The Cloisters is a jewel of a museum. The “suggested” entry price is $25, and although we knew we didn’t have to pay that, I don’t mind throwing a bone to a place like this (it also gets you same day admission to the Met if you’d like).
The Cloisters opened its doors in 1938. The building incorporates pieces from five medieval French cloisters and other monastic sites located throughout southern France (including the Saint-Michel-de-Cuxa, Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, Bonnefont-en-Comminges, Trie-en-Bigorre, and Froville).
It contains approximately 5,000 works of art from Medieval Europe (we didn’t see them all), particularly from the 12th through the 15th centuries. Rockefeller was also instrumental in this endeavor (he purchased the land) and even donated works of art from his own collection…including the Unicorn Tapestries. We were told to go there first, because that room would be closing early that day.
The Hunt Of The Unicorn, as these Flemish tapestries are also known, are a series of seven tapestries. They date from the late 1400s and early 1500s, and show a bunch of hunters pursuing a unicorn. They were restored late in the 20th century.
Sadly at the end, they kill the poor guy, which is why today you’ll see:
“green alligators and long-necked geese; some humpty-backed camels and some chimpanzees… some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you’re born, You’re never gonna see no unicorns.” At least the squirrel lived!
The entire museum is laid out brilliantly. The Fuentidueña Chapel Gallery (above), a 12th-century apse from San Martin Fuentidueña in Spain, was our first stop. In one of the rooms we saw a Palmesel (a palm donkey with Jesus riding on it). In ancient times, bishops or priests would haul this out every Palm Sunday in a parade. It dates from the 15th century.
This Merode Room also contained other religious artifacts…
…including the Annunciation Triptych (Merode Altarpiece) by Robert Campin of the Netherlands (circa 1430).
Other stops along the way (not necessarily in order) included The Gothic Chapel with some magnificent stained glass windows from the 15th-century Carmelite foundation at Boppard am Rhein.
In the chapel, we paid a visit to the Double Tomb of Don Àlvar Rodrigo de Cabrera, Count of Urgell and His Wife Cecília of Foix, along with some other dead people in medieval tombs.
The lady below (on the left) is presumed by many to be Margaret of Gloucester (I think), wife of Robert II who was Baron of Neubourg. And then there’s Crusader Jean d’Alluye (right), lying with a lion guarding his feet. Next to him are his sword in its scabbard.
Not to be forgotten (below) is the Tomb Of Ermengol X (Count of Urgell).
The stained glass window above the Gothic Chapel is called called Theodosius Arrives at Ephesus.
In the Treasury, we found The Cloisters Cross (12th century) and the Reliquary Arm (from 1230) giving the peace sign (love those 13th century hippies).
The Pontaut Chapter House Gallery was a daily meeting spot for monks and/or nuns. The Cistercian abbey of Notre-Dame at Pontaut was a Benedictine monastery founded in 1115.
Romanesque Hall leads to the Langon Chapel; its architectural elements are from the 12th-century church of Notre-Dame-du-Bourg at Langon, near Bordeaux.
The Saint-Guilhem Cloister is from the monastery of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert near Montpellier, a city we plan to visit next autumn.
We walked to the inner Cuxa Cloister Garden, which re-creates fragments of the 12th-century Benedictine monastery of Saint-Michel-de-Cuxa in Southwest France.
For our final breath of fresh air we visited the West Terrace with its Hudson River views.
I read that the Cloisters’ is positioned at the highest elevation in Manhattan. We started to feel the weather turn a bit. Autumn was coming on. Exiting the Cloisters, we headed down a stone staircase and went in search of lunch.
But first, we got lost as we hiked along a different part of Fort Tryon Park. If you’re going to get lost, this was as beautiful a spot as any.
The sky had turned overcast, fall was in the air and beautiful leaves made for a terrific stroll. It took a little extra time, but we finally found the restaurant where we wanted to grab a bite, the New Leaf, located in a cute stone house below the Heather Garden.
Giant pumpkins! The window seat added to the ambiance. I started with a bowl of chicken soup, and Tracy talked me into splitting a “New Leaf Burger” and fries (I could have downed it myself). Thankfully, the vat of pickles was put on the side. The burger paired well with a Kelso Pilsner.
We took our time walking through Fort Tryon Park, but after exiting we passed the subway station and walked down the street a block or so where I could catch a glimpse of a little known saint…The St. Frances Cabrini Shrine.
Frances Cabrini was born in a small Italian village in 1850. She had poor health as a child, and because of that she was not allowed to join a religious order until the age of 24. She came to New York City in 1889 and received permission from the Archbishop of New York to found an orphanage. Cabrini became an American citizen in 1909, and by the time of her death she had established 67 of these orphanages where she organized catechism and education classes for Italian immigrants.
She died in 1917, but her body was exhumed in 1931 so they could take her head to Rome. She also has an arm in Chicago (the woman gets around). The rest of her body is enshrined under glass in the altar of the shrine that we visited.
Cabrini was canonized in 1947, making her the first U.S. citizen to be canonized by the Roman Catholic Church.
She is the Patron Saint Of Immigrants, meaning that Donald Trump will certainly not get her vote. We walked around this modern church for about 20 minutes, but then it was back on the subway…
…(to 163rd St-Amsterdam Ave) on our way to Manhattan’s oldest house and only remaining Colonial residence…a place where some of the most famous founding fathers hung out for a bit. We would wander its rooms and learn a little history lesson.
The construction of the Morris-Jumel Mansion began 250 years ago, and in 1776 George Washington utilized the home owned by Colonel Roger Morris (a British military officer and Executive Council of the Province of New York) as his temporary headquarters (while Morris was back in England) for a little more than a month. It’s from this house that General Washington planned the first victory of the Continental Army; The Battle of Harlem Heights. The home fell into British hands during the war.
After the war, in 1790, there was quite the dinner party. Had you been in attendance, you’d have been joined by President George Washington and his cabinet members including Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, James Madison and Henry Knox.
Later the house was bought by Frenchman Stephen Jumel and his wife, Eliza. After Stephen died in a “mysterious” carriage accident, Eliza, who now was one of the richest women in NYC, married the ex-vice president, Aaron Burr, who, of course, had killed Hamilton in that famous duel many years before…perhaps miffed because he wasn’t invited to that dinner party.
In any event, the marriage of Eliza (read about this woman…she was a little shady and might have hastened her husband’s death) and Aaron turned south (it seems old Aaron was only after her money all along), and they divorced, but you can still come visit many of the rooms here, including Burr’s bedchamber.
t is a home in some desperate need of restoration, and the dour docent was such a mumbler that we had no idea what the hell he was talking about. However, the home’s storied history makes it a worthwhile stop ($10), especially since it was on our way back from the Cloisters.
To and from the subway station, we walked by a row of wooden carriage houses called Sylvan Terrace. There are 20 wooden row houses located on this historic street that leads to the mansion.
Speaking of subways, I was due to make some mistakes, and they started here. First we took the subway one stop the wrong way. No big deal. We looked at a map and saw that we would pass right by the American Museum of Natural History…and pass it by we did. We were on the wrong line and passed the stop. Undaunted, we changed trains and made it back to the correct stop. We could tell by the welcoming gator (or crocodile…hey’ I’m a California boy…they’re both the same to me.
Stepping outside, we saw the giant statue of Teddy Roosevelt on a horse (he does sort of look like Robin Williams).
We got in line (with a few others) to purchase tickets, and we were all told to go to the other desk. None of us were happy. Then the other ticket desk didn’t want to sell tickets either, but finally relented (the guy in front of me with a disgruntled child led the way). The suggested price is $22, however for our inconvenience, we paid five bucks each and went in.
We entered this room just for the halibut. There was a docent fishing for compliments, but we moved on.
We very much enjoyed the museum…
…although I’m always a little sad that the stuffed animals there were hunted and killed for the displays, especially Bullwinkle’s cousins. I also love giraffes.
Of course, we hung out with the dinosaurs for a while…
…and made no bones about it.
It was then I became the consummate, idiotic tourist. I asked a pleasant docent inside whether there was actually a place where we could see the Teddy Roosevelt exhibit that was in “Night At The Museum.” It was obviously not the first time he had been asked this question.
He explained that many of things in the movie aren’t really there. “No, Teddy is not at the museum, and before you ask, neither is Dum-Dum.” “Well, who’s the dumb-dumb now?” I thought. In any event, I did have my photo taken next to a statue of The Hero Of San Juan Hill.
Before exiting the museum, we wandered through the gift store, which is probably one of the nicest gift stores at any museum we have visited (by the way, they did sell Dum-Dum ornaments in the gift shop, so now I felt a little less dumb-dumb). Fortunately, Tracy was too tired to take out her wallet, walked by the subway shark and traveled back to the hotel for a short nap.
About 7:15, Tracy and I hopped on the “L” for our dinner at Cacio e Pepe, 182 2nd Ave. It is a cute restaurant that was fairly uncrowded when we entered around 7:45.
Instead of a selection of Italian music, this restaurant was heavy into Abba and that great Italian group…The Bee Gees. Fortunately, we like both of those groups so it worked for us.
I really enjoyed my dishes at this restaurant, while Tracy said it was good, “but nothing to write home about.” That’s why I’m writing about it here. They had a small bar, but the waitress admitted she didn’t really know how to make a cocktail, so we ordered Prosecco to start. Then I savored a Montepulciano Red while Tracy tried a glass of Pinot Grigio.
My appetizer was an arugula salad with pear and Pecorino cheese that was quite tasty.
Since I was sitting at a restaurant called Cacio e Pepe, the main dish choice was pretty much a no-brainer (my specialty). The Tonnarelli pasta cacio e pepe is actually served out of a large round of pecorino cheese. It was delicious!
I also loved my dessert: Gianduia panna cotta with grapes, figs, cinnamon and red wine. The bill was our smallest of any dinner in NYC (cash or AMEX only, however).
By now we were fairly exhausted (we had walked about 12 miles), but there was one more subway faux pas to overcome before we could sleep. After tapping our cards to catch the subway, I realized we were headed in the opposite direction.
We exited, walked across the street, but when we tried to tap the card, it said, “Not so fast Mr. and Mrs. Stupid Tourist.” We couldn’t get in with the passes and would have to wait for 18 minutes before we could try to enter again. Time is money, so we bought two single tickets and headed home (this happened again with a better result two days later).
Our first full day in New York had garnered exactly what we had wanted; the chance to explore some places we had not seen on the last trip. Tomorrow would be the same. We’d start with a somber, yet fascinating, visit of the 9/11 Museum, then on to a surprisingly entertaining tour of what was once New York City’s tallest building, stop by another National Landmark Home and finish with a dinner straight out of Paris.
Of course, the day would also be fraught with subway adventures (and a near termination of our marriage) as WrongWayMaiTai took control.
Next: Day Three – 9/11 Revisited, Sobering Reminders, Washington Prayed Here, Five & Dime, Tallest Building In NYC (once upon a time), Bob The Tour Master, Cash Only, I Think You Go Uptown, Manhattan Borough’s First Landmark, Lafayette We Are Here, The 10-Minute Subway Ride That Took 90 Minutes, Soaked (and Nearly Divorced), Help I Need Somebody, Napoleon Complex and I Hope I’m That Energetic At 79
http://travelswithmaitaitom.com/20950-2/
Chapter Two: History Comes Alive In NYC
Day Two – Breakfast Buffet, Take The ‘A’ Train, A Gorgeous Walk, Cloistered, Hunting For Unicorns, Autumn Leaves Will Fall, Turning Over A New Leaf, Finding A Little Known Saint, A Museum In Need Of Restoration, Aaron Burr Slept Here, One Way Or Another, Dem Bones, “No Dum-Dum Here,” Best Museum Gift Shop, Stayin’ Alive At Dinner & Learning A Valuable Subway Lesson
There is nothing like autumn in New York City. It was a sunny, crisp morning (photo below is from our hotel’s back patio), and after downing some sweet rolls and coffee at the Chelsea Pines Inn (while watching the raid at St. Denis in Paris on TV), we were off on our first adventure…the Cloisters.
Our subway station was about a 30-second walk from the hotel (another great advantage of staying here) and although we really only had about 76 hours until we departed the city, we decided the Weekly Subway pass would pay for itself with our usual hectic schedule…and it did!
Since I am machine-impaired, the very friendly and helpful (which describes most New Yorkers I’ve met on our trips here) gentleman at the window got us our passes (I think it was two bucks more because we were getting new cards and not refilling old ones, or perhaps because we didn’t use the machine…either way, the total was $31).
We were also armed with a terrific subway app that Fodorite Lori had emailed me about (New York Subway MTA Map and Route Planner by mxData Limited). What could possibly go wrong (foreshadowing alert)?
Hopping on the A-Train, we started humming a little Duke Ellington and within a half hour got off at the station near Fort Tryon Park. Then it was a brisk and beautiful walk to the Cloisters.
Some people had mentioned that Fort Tryon Park would not be very lovely in November…how wrong they were. The park, gifted to the city in 1917 by John D. Rockefeller, was nothing less than gorgeous.
On the way to the Cloisters, we wandered through the Heather Garden, taking a slight detour to take in the views of the Hudson River and George Washington Bridge, and over to the Linden Terrace. We met some volunteers weeding the gardens who told us there were more than 500 varieties of perennials and shrubs in this park (“Bring me a Shrubbery!”).
This was a picture-perfect blue-sky morning. The leaves on the trees were aflame with color. “So this is what autumn looks like,” these two Southern Californians thought.
In about 15 minutes we were at the Cloisters, a place that it seems even many New Yorkers (in our conversations with locals over the next few days) haven’t ever visited. Well, they don’t know what they’re missing.
The Cloisters is a jewel of a museum. The “suggested” entry price is $25, and although we knew we didn’t have to pay that, I don’t mind throwing a bone to a place like this (it also gets you same day admission to the Met if you’d like).
The Cloisters opened its doors in 1938. The building incorporates pieces from five medieval French cloisters and other monastic sites located throughout southern France (including the Saint-Michel-de-Cuxa, Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, Bonnefont-en-Comminges, Trie-en-Bigorre, and Froville).
It contains approximately 5,000 works of art from Medieval Europe (we didn’t see them all), particularly from the 12th through the 15th centuries. Rockefeller was also instrumental in this endeavor (he purchased the land) and even donated works of art from his own collection…including the Unicorn Tapestries. We were told to go there first, because that room would be closing early that day.
The Hunt Of The Unicorn, as these Flemish tapestries are also known, are a series of seven tapestries. They date from the late 1400s and early 1500s, and show a bunch of hunters pursuing a unicorn. They were restored late in the 20th century.
Sadly at the end, they kill the poor guy, which is why today you’ll see:
“green alligators and long-necked geese; some humpty-backed camels and some chimpanzees… some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you’re born, You’re never gonna see no unicorns.” At least the squirrel lived!
The entire museum is laid out brilliantly. The Fuentidueña Chapel Gallery (above), a 12th-century apse from San Martin Fuentidueña in Spain, was our first stop. In one of the rooms we saw a Palmesel (a palm donkey with Jesus riding on it). In ancient times, bishops or priests would haul this out every Palm Sunday in a parade. It dates from the 15th century.
This Merode Room also contained other religious artifacts…
…including the Annunciation Triptych (Merode Altarpiece) by Robert Campin of the Netherlands (circa 1430).
Other stops along the way (not necessarily in order) included The Gothic Chapel with some magnificent stained glass windows from the 15th-century Carmelite foundation at Boppard am Rhein.
In the chapel, we paid a visit to the Double Tomb of Don Àlvar Rodrigo de Cabrera, Count of Urgell and His Wife Cecília of Foix, along with some other dead people in medieval tombs.
The lady below (on the left) is presumed by many to be Margaret of Gloucester (I think), wife of Robert II who was Baron of Neubourg. And then there’s Crusader Jean d’Alluye (right), lying with a lion guarding his feet. Next to him are his sword in its scabbard.
Not to be forgotten (below) is the Tomb Of Ermengol X (Count of Urgell).
The stained glass window above the Gothic Chapel is called called Theodosius Arrives at Ephesus.
In the Treasury, we found The Cloisters Cross (12th century) and the Reliquary Arm (from 1230) giving the peace sign (love those 13th century hippies).
The Pontaut Chapter House Gallery was a daily meeting spot for monks and/or nuns. The Cistercian abbey of Notre-Dame at Pontaut was a Benedictine monastery founded in 1115.
Romanesque Hall leads to the Langon Chapel; its architectural elements are from the 12th-century church of Notre-Dame-du-Bourg at Langon, near Bordeaux.
The Saint-Guilhem Cloister is from the monastery of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert near Montpellier, a city we plan to visit next autumn.
We walked to the inner Cuxa Cloister Garden, which re-creates fragments of the 12th-century Benedictine monastery of Saint-Michel-de-Cuxa in Southwest France.
For our final breath of fresh air we visited the West Terrace with its Hudson River views.
I read that the Cloisters’ is positioned at the highest elevation in Manhattan. We started to feel the weather turn a bit. Autumn was coming on. Exiting the Cloisters, we headed down a stone staircase and went in search of lunch.
But first, we got lost as we hiked along a different part of Fort Tryon Park. If you’re going to get lost, this was as beautiful a spot as any.
The sky had turned overcast, fall was in the air and beautiful leaves made for a terrific stroll. It took a little extra time, but we finally found the restaurant where we wanted to grab a bite, the New Leaf, located in a cute stone house below the Heather Garden.
Giant pumpkins! The window seat added to the ambiance. I started with a bowl of chicken soup, and Tracy talked me into splitting a “New Leaf Burger” and fries (I could have downed it myself). Thankfully, the vat of pickles was put on the side. The burger paired well with a Kelso Pilsner.
We took our time walking through Fort Tryon Park, but after exiting we passed the subway station and walked down the street a block or so where I could catch a glimpse of a little known saint…The St. Frances Cabrini Shrine.
Frances Cabrini was born in a small Italian village in 1850. She had poor health as a child, and because of that she was not allowed to join a religious order until the age of 24. She came to New York City in 1889 and received permission from the Archbishop of New York to found an orphanage. Cabrini became an American citizen in 1909, and by the time of her death she had established 67 of these orphanages where she organized catechism and education classes for Italian immigrants.
She died in 1917, but her body was exhumed in 1931 so they could take her head to Rome. She also has an arm in Chicago (the woman gets around). The rest of her body is enshrined under glass in the altar of the shrine that we visited.
Cabrini was canonized in 1947, making her the first U.S. citizen to be canonized by the Roman Catholic Church.
She is the Patron Saint Of Immigrants, meaning that Donald Trump will certainly not get her vote. We walked around this modern church for about 20 minutes, but then it was back on the subway…
…(to 163rd St-Amsterdam Ave) on our way to Manhattan’s oldest house and only remaining Colonial residence…a place where some of the most famous founding fathers hung out for a bit. We would wander its rooms and learn a little history lesson.
The construction of the Morris-Jumel Mansion began 250 years ago, and in 1776 George Washington utilized the home owned by Colonel Roger Morris (a British military officer and Executive Council of the Province of New York) as his temporary headquarters (while Morris was back in England) for a little more than a month. It’s from this house that General Washington planned the first victory of the Continental Army; The Battle of Harlem Heights. The home fell into British hands during the war.
After the war, in 1790, there was quite the dinner party. Had you been in attendance, you’d have been joined by President George Washington and his cabinet members including Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, James Madison and Henry Knox.
Later the house was bought by Frenchman Stephen Jumel and his wife, Eliza. After Stephen died in a “mysterious” carriage accident, Eliza, who now was one of the richest women in NYC, married the ex-vice president, Aaron Burr, who, of course, had killed Hamilton in that famous duel many years before…perhaps miffed because he wasn’t invited to that dinner party.
In any event, the marriage of Eliza (read about this woman…she was a little shady and might have hastened her husband’s death) and Aaron turned south (it seems old Aaron was only after her money all along), and they divorced, but you can still come visit many of the rooms here, including Burr’s bedchamber.
t is a home in some desperate need of restoration, and the dour docent was such a mumbler that we had no idea what the hell he was talking about. However, the home’s storied history makes it a worthwhile stop ($10), especially since it was on our way back from the Cloisters.
To and from the subway station, we walked by a row of wooden carriage houses called Sylvan Terrace. There are 20 wooden row houses located on this historic street that leads to the mansion.
Speaking of subways, I was due to make some mistakes, and they started here. First we took the subway one stop the wrong way. No big deal. We looked at a map and saw that we would pass right by the American Museum of Natural History…and pass it by we did. We were on the wrong line and passed the stop. Undaunted, we changed trains and made it back to the correct stop. We could tell by the welcoming gator (or crocodile…hey’ I’m a California boy…they’re both the same to me.
Stepping outside, we saw the giant statue of Teddy Roosevelt on a horse (he does sort of look like Robin Williams).
We got in line (with a few others) to purchase tickets, and we were all told to go to the other desk. None of us were happy. Then the other ticket desk didn’t want to sell tickets either, but finally relented (the guy in front of me with a disgruntled child led the way). The suggested price is $22, however for our inconvenience, we paid five bucks each and went in.
We entered this room just for the halibut. There was a docent fishing for compliments, but we moved on.
We very much enjoyed the museum…
…although I’m always a little sad that the stuffed animals there were hunted and killed for the displays, especially Bullwinkle’s cousins. I also love giraffes.
Of course, we hung out with the dinosaurs for a while…
…and made no bones about it.
It was then I became the consummate, idiotic tourist. I asked a pleasant docent inside whether there was actually a place where we could see the Teddy Roosevelt exhibit that was in “Night At The Museum.” It was obviously not the first time he had been asked this question.
He explained that many of things in the movie aren’t really there. “No, Teddy is not at the museum, and before you ask, neither is Dum-Dum.” “Well, who’s the dumb-dumb now?” I thought. In any event, I did have my photo taken next to a statue of The Hero Of San Juan Hill.
Before exiting the museum, we wandered through the gift store, which is probably one of the nicest gift stores at any museum we have visited (by the way, they did sell Dum-Dum ornaments in the gift shop, so now I felt a little less dumb-dumb). Fortunately, Tracy was too tired to take out her wallet, walked by the subway shark and traveled back to the hotel for a short nap.
About 7:15, Tracy and I hopped on the “L” for our dinner at Cacio e Pepe, 182 2nd Ave. It is a cute restaurant that was fairly uncrowded when we entered around 7:45.
Instead of a selection of Italian music, this restaurant was heavy into Abba and that great Italian group…The Bee Gees. Fortunately, we like both of those groups so it worked for us.
I really enjoyed my dishes at this restaurant, while Tracy said it was good, “but nothing to write home about.” That’s why I’m writing about it here. They had a small bar, but the waitress admitted she didn’t really know how to make a cocktail, so we ordered Prosecco to start. Then I savored a Montepulciano Red while Tracy tried a glass of Pinot Grigio.
My appetizer was an arugula salad with pear and Pecorino cheese that was quite tasty.
Since I was sitting at a restaurant called Cacio e Pepe, the main dish choice was pretty much a no-brainer (my specialty). The Tonnarelli pasta cacio e pepe is actually served out of a large round of pecorino cheese. It was delicious!
I also loved my dessert: Gianduia panna cotta with grapes, figs, cinnamon and red wine. The bill was our smallest of any dinner in NYC (cash or AMEX only, however).
By now we were fairly exhausted (we had walked about 12 miles), but there was one more subway faux pas to overcome before we could sleep. After tapping our cards to catch the subway, I realized we were headed in the opposite direction.
We exited, walked across the street, but when we tried to tap the card, it said, “Not so fast Mr. and Mrs. Stupid Tourist.” We couldn’t get in with the passes and would have to wait for 18 minutes before we could try to enter again. Time is money, so we bought two single tickets and headed home (this happened again with a better result two days later).
Our first full day in New York had garnered exactly what we had wanted; the chance to explore some places we had not seen on the last trip. Tomorrow would be the same. We’d start with a somber, yet fascinating, visit of the 9/11 Museum, then on to a surprisingly entertaining tour of what was once New York City’s tallest building, stop by another National Landmark Home and finish with a dinner straight out of Paris.
Of course, the day would also be fraught with subway adventures (and a near termination of our marriage) as WrongWayMaiTai took control.
Next: Day Three – 9/11 Revisited, Sobering Reminders, Washington Prayed Here, Five & Dime, Tallest Building In NYC (once upon a time), Bob The Tour Master, Cash Only, I Think You Go Uptown, Manhattan Borough’s First Landmark, Lafayette We Are Here, The 10-Minute Subway Ride That Took 90 Minutes, Soaked (and Nearly Divorced), Help I Need Somebody, Napoleon Complex and I Hope I’m That Energetic At 79
