NYC 8 Days museums, meals, shows and walking around
Jan 22nd, 2023, 07:51 PM
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Dfrost thank you!
Happy travlr that's a great tip to see the views. I like to explore roof sculpture gardens and other museum spaces during warmer weather or longer summer evenings.
Tdudette indeed cherries have stones. I bit into a chocolate cherry that I bought in a Brussels shop and it had a stone in it! Who covers cherries with the stone still in it? This shop was a very unpleasant experience, so it totally tracked. It was a treat to savor, so luckily I bit into it very slowly, or I could have damaged a tooth!
That was incidentally the 2004 trip that prompted me to join the Fodors Forums to find resources & get guidance for a return trip to Paris to expand my 2003 explorations, to visit Giverny, Brussels and Bruges.
On leaving the Whitney, I went to put on a headband to cover my ears on the walk to catch the bus. It's a nice sort of rust color alpaca that I bought 2 years ago at the lake co-op's holiday market. I've lost it. I went back to the cafe, no luck. On the bus chatting with my new museum staff friend Mimi, I realized it must be at the bottom of my backpack. I got home and emptied it, and there it was. Hooray. It clashes with my red car coat, but almost perfectly matches my Italian wool scarf.
Ada, Alex Katz' wife and frequent model.
Ada
These are the type of tiger lilies I grew up with in Vermont, with the curled petals with black spots. So this painting made me smile ear to ear.
Back to Sunday evening. I sit on the low wall outside the Guggenheim along with others putting on hats and gloves, on their phones or making plans. I have a text and an email telling me tonight's performance of A Strange Loop has been canceled due to illness.
I had stopped adding shows to my trip and so had no reason to be checking on shows. It turns out the show has been closed since Thursday, so this was the 4th consecutive night and it was closing permanently on Jan. 15. And it was one of 3 Broadway shows with illness cancellations. I had a ticket for something the following night, so that was that. I tried to find out if it reopened. I was really looking forward to it, a Pulitzer prize winner, about feeling like an outsider, the inner-dialog of self-doubt and pep talks. I am crushed. If I could have seen it Monday, I would have abandoned my ticket to Six.
The food truck had packed up, so I crossed 5th and walked down a few blocks to a bus stop, standing right under the street light. It was dark and there were unlit exits from the Park. Lots of dogwalkers though. I asked the bus driver a question, and went to pay, and he said "it's on me". Was it my silver hair? There was only one other person on the bus, but more people got on in the next 2 stops.
I was feeling disappointed and also mad at myself for starting the day so late that I ran out of time for the Gugg permanent collection because of my plan to be out for a late night for the show and dinner and drinks after. I thought I'd drown my sorrows with a trip to Venchi, the Italy-based gelato shop. Walking there, I came upon a pizza place, a man in his 60's +/- about to enter. I asked him if he'd been here before, if it was good. He said very good. Following him to the counter, it was clear he was a regular.
I ordered a plain slice($3), a sausage slice($4) and a large fountain drink with ice ($2.50). I couldn't believe I'd been here 6 days and hadn't had pizza yet.There were two ladies seated behind me having full dinners, so I asked what they were having and noted it...maybe for tomorrow! It was some of the best pizza I'd ever had- just how I like mine, thin crisp crust, not oily, not too much tomato sauce, and just the right amount of cheese. Just right.
If I had discovered them earlier, I may have been there most days! I don't regret my other meals though. But it wasn't just the meal. This was clearly a well liked neighborhood spot. I sat, ate slowly, absorbed the conversations and people seated around me, enjoying their local pizza place. I watched delivery services come in to pick up pies and orders, banter with the men behind the counter. I thought I should have ordered a dinner so I could sit longer, but what I wanted was pizza, and I was sated after the 2 slices.
Francesco's
Gelato.
Venchi shop.
Venchi chocolate selection.
I took a left out of the shop and found Venchi a few doors down. I told the guy behind the counter I'd never been there before and asked if I could try a few. I ruled out what I thought would be my first choice tiramisu because it had cookie bits in it, which I don't like. I chose cappuccino and caramel butter in a cup ($8.95). I sat in the shop and had my ice cream.
Lovely, smooth and creamy. I didn't care at all for the square of very bitter chocolate they put on top and didn't eat it, though I like dark chocolate. thought I would come by tomorrow, my last night, and try a fruit flavour and buy a few gift items. I walked back and enjoyed looking around. I stopped at a different fruit stand and got 2 bananas at 25 cents each for the next 2 mornings.
Because I've been so bad about getting up and out for breakfast or stopping for lunch. I stopped at the falafel food truck at Lincoln Place and ordered gyro lamb meat over salad instead of rice, and a falafel sandwich with tzaziki. Unfortunately, he chopped up the falafel balls to heat them, messy, and I discovered the sauce tasted more like mayo. He also gave me hot sauce that I said not to, luckily it was on the side because it was atomic. I got home, put them in the frig and to unwind, I packed my suitcase leaving out only what is needed for the next two days, looked at my photos, and read 2 of the Scholastic essays.
I had discovered a YouTube channel called Cinema Therapy that I'd been enjoying. It's two men who were college roommates, and now one is a therapist and one is a filmmaker and the analyze movies in segments under 30 minutes. It's fun and I listen to an episode streaming on my phone as I drift off to sleep.
Monday January 9 last full day and night.
7:00 a.m.
I had planned out a trip to Chinatown. I wanted to walk around the area, stop in at a few galleries, maybe a museum, and see the area nearby, and of course go into some shops and markets and pick up my favorite treats, stop for a nice lunch.
I knew it was a risk to leave it to the last day, but that was the best fit. As I stood at the sink to wash my face and brush my hair, I could feel how tender my right foot was already.
I had half the falafel ($7.50) on a beautiful pita for breakfast and a banana and a few big glasses of water.
The falafel.
I knew this would be my last day for the pool. I asked at the front desk last night. Once you check out by 11:00 a.m., you no longer have any access to the facilities, including the pool. You could store your luggage until 7:00 p.m.
So at 9:00 I headed to the pool for an hour and then had a steam and sauna. I got to the room, took a shower, and dressed for the day.
Lamb gyro salad($7.50)
A street scene. Two men having a theatre discussion. A few feet further is the bus stop where I'll catch the bus to Port Authority tomorrow. I did a little gentle walking.
More tomorrow.
Happy travlr that's a great tip to see the views. I like to explore roof sculpture gardens and other museum spaces during warmer weather or longer summer evenings.
Tdudette indeed cherries have stones. I bit into a chocolate cherry that I bought in a Brussels shop and it had a stone in it! Who covers cherries with the stone still in it? This shop was a very unpleasant experience, so it totally tracked. It was a treat to savor, so luckily I bit into it very slowly, or I could have damaged a tooth!
That was incidentally the 2004 trip that prompted me to join the Fodors Forums to find resources & get guidance for a return trip to Paris to expand my 2003 explorations, to visit Giverny, Brussels and Bruges.
On leaving the Whitney, I went to put on a headband to cover my ears on the walk to catch the bus. It's a nice sort of rust color alpaca that I bought 2 years ago at the lake co-op's holiday market. I've lost it. I went back to the cafe, no luck. On the bus chatting with my new museum staff friend Mimi, I realized it must be at the bottom of my backpack. I got home and emptied it, and there it was. Hooray. It clashes with my red car coat, but almost perfectly matches my Italian wool scarf.
Ada, Alex Katz' wife and frequent model.
Ada
These are the type of tiger lilies I grew up with in Vermont, with the curled petals with black spots. So this painting made me smile ear to ear.
Back to Sunday evening. I sit on the low wall outside the Guggenheim along with others putting on hats and gloves, on their phones or making plans. I have a text and an email telling me tonight's performance of A Strange Loop has been canceled due to illness.
I had stopped adding shows to my trip and so had no reason to be checking on shows. It turns out the show has been closed since Thursday, so this was the 4th consecutive night and it was closing permanently on Jan. 15. And it was one of 3 Broadway shows with illness cancellations. I had a ticket for something the following night, so that was that. I tried to find out if it reopened. I was really looking forward to it, a Pulitzer prize winner, about feeling like an outsider, the inner-dialog of self-doubt and pep talks. I am crushed. If I could have seen it Monday, I would have abandoned my ticket to Six.
The food truck had packed up, so I crossed 5th and walked down a few blocks to a bus stop, standing right under the street light. It was dark and there were unlit exits from the Park. Lots of dogwalkers though. I asked the bus driver a question, and went to pay, and he said "it's on me". Was it my silver hair? There was only one other person on the bus, but more people got on in the next 2 stops.
I was feeling disappointed and also mad at myself for starting the day so late that I ran out of time for the Gugg permanent collection because of my plan to be out for a late night for the show and dinner and drinks after. I thought I'd drown my sorrows with a trip to Venchi, the Italy-based gelato shop. Walking there, I came upon a pizza place, a man in his 60's +/- about to enter. I asked him if he'd been here before, if it was good. He said very good. Following him to the counter, it was clear he was a regular.
I ordered a plain slice($3), a sausage slice($4) and a large fountain drink with ice ($2.50). I couldn't believe I'd been here 6 days and hadn't had pizza yet.There were two ladies seated behind me having full dinners, so I asked what they were having and noted it...maybe for tomorrow! It was some of the best pizza I'd ever had- just how I like mine, thin crisp crust, not oily, not too much tomato sauce, and just the right amount of cheese. Just right.
If I had discovered them earlier, I may have been there most days! I don't regret my other meals though. But it wasn't just the meal. This was clearly a well liked neighborhood spot. I sat, ate slowly, absorbed the conversations and people seated around me, enjoying their local pizza place. I watched delivery services come in to pick up pies and orders, banter with the men behind the counter. I thought I should have ordered a dinner so I could sit longer, but what I wanted was pizza, and I was sated after the 2 slices.
Francesco's
Gelato.
Venchi shop.
Venchi chocolate selection.
I took a left out of the shop and found Venchi a few doors down. I told the guy behind the counter I'd never been there before and asked if I could try a few. I ruled out what I thought would be my first choice tiramisu because it had cookie bits in it, which I don't like. I chose cappuccino and caramel butter in a cup ($8.95). I sat in the shop and had my ice cream.
Lovely, smooth and creamy. I didn't care at all for the square of very bitter chocolate they put on top and didn't eat it, though I like dark chocolate. thought I would come by tomorrow, my last night, and try a fruit flavour and buy a few gift items. I walked back and enjoyed looking around. I stopped at a different fruit stand and got 2 bananas at 25 cents each for the next 2 mornings.
Because I've been so bad about getting up and out for breakfast or stopping for lunch. I stopped at the falafel food truck at Lincoln Place and ordered gyro lamb meat over salad instead of rice, and a falafel sandwich with tzaziki. Unfortunately, he chopped up the falafel balls to heat them, messy, and I discovered the sauce tasted more like mayo. He also gave me hot sauce that I said not to, luckily it was on the side because it was atomic. I got home, put them in the frig and to unwind, I packed my suitcase leaving out only what is needed for the next two days, looked at my photos, and read 2 of the Scholastic essays.
I had discovered a YouTube channel called Cinema Therapy that I'd been enjoying. It's two men who were college roommates, and now one is a therapist and one is a filmmaker and the analyze movies in segments under 30 minutes. It's fun and I listen to an episode streaming on my phone as I drift off to sleep.
Monday January 9 last full day and night.
7:00 a.m.
I had planned out a trip to Chinatown. I wanted to walk around the area, stop in at a few galleries, maybe a museum, and see the area nearby, and of course go into some shops and markets and pick up my favorite treats, stop for a nice lunch.
I knew it was a risk to leave it to the last day, but that was the best fit. As I stood at the sink to wash my face and brush my hair, I could feel how tender my right foot was already.
I had half the falafel ($7.50) on a beautiful pita for breakfast and a banana and a few big glasses of water.
The falafel.
I knew this would be my last day for the pool. I asked at the front desk last night. Once you check out by 11:00 a.m., you no longer have any access to the facilities, including the pool. You could store your luggage until 7:00 p.m.
So at 9:00 I headed to the pool for an hour and then had a steam and sauna. I got to the room, took a shower, and dressed for the day.
Lamb gyro salad($7.50)
A street scene. Two men having a theatre discussion. A few feet further is the bus stop where I'll catch the bus to Port Authority tomorrow. I did a little gentle walking.
More tomorrow.
Last edited by ninasdream; Jan 22nd, 2023 at 08:06 PM. Reason: Stupid predictive text!
Jan 26th, 2023, 08:03 PM
#23
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Tdudette Sadly, Chinatown and my old downtown neighborhood were scrapped due to the swollen and tender part of the sole of my right foot.
I walked across the street to Duane Reade to return the umbrella I bought that broke on the second use. (Why I always buy Totes). The guy at the register started asking me questions like he didn't believe me, even though I had receipts, tags and all. A manager said just return it, we can look at it later.
I walked across the street to Duane Reade to return the umbrella I bought that broke on the second use. (Why I always buy Totes). The guy at the register started asking me questions like he didn't believe me, even though I had receipts, tags and all. A manager said just return it, we can look at it later.
Last edited by ninasdream; Jan 26th, 2023 at 08:37 PM.
Jan 27th, 2023, 05:09 AM
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i'm sorry you couldn't do your planned walking trip around Chinatown. Visiting a city like New York is very frustrating when you can't do a lot of walking. My husband and I spent a week in NYC a few months before he had hip surgery, and the pain from walking and standing made exploring much harder.
It seems you managed to pack a lot into your trip, and I have enjoyed reading the report.
It seems you managed to pack a lot into your trip, and I have enjoyed reading the report.
Jan 27th, 2023, 08:01 AM
#27
Really enjoyed this report, thanks for sharing your time there. I grew up in NYC in the 60's (Queens actually, but went into the city often), but feel like I wouldn't know the place at all any more.
Sorry to hear about your foot issues, and that mayo-tasting falafel sauce sounds awful. But you made the most of it all. Nice report.
Sorry to hear about your foot issues, and that mayo-tasting falafel sauce sounds awful. But you made the most of it all. Nice report.
Jan 27th, 2023, 10:57 AM
#28
Enjoying your TR. I was there the week before and A Strange Loop didn't go that night either. I didn't receive any notifications so walked there and saw the commotion outside of the theater. One disappointed guest said it was the second time he had missed the show due to illness.
Saw Hugh and Sutton a few weeks before in December. Loved them both. My mom's friend was the original Marian and was so excited to see the show. We had tickets for October 2020 but... Covid.
We also returned to Venchi. Took a cab there on the way to Union Square Holiday Market. I suggested going in and my friend said "no" - until she recognized it as we were getting out of the cab. We enjoyed wonderful hot chocolates before heading out to shop.
We bundled up and had a great winter trip. Love reading to see what you did on your visit.
Saw Hugh and Sutton a few weeks before in December. Loved them both. My mom's friend was the original Marian and was so excited to see the show. We had tickets for October 2020 but... Covid.
We also returned to Venchi. Took a cab there on the way to Union Square Holiday Market. I suggested going in and my friend said "no" - until she recognized it as we were getting out of the cab. We enjoyed wonderful hot chocolates before heading out to shop.
We bundled up and had a great winter trip. Love reading to see what you did on your visit.
Jan 31st, 2023, 09:46 AM
#29
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Thank you for the beautiful trip report. Your photos of the High Line bring back memories of my last visit. I had not been to NYC in 20 years. I decided to walk the High Line first, going from the north end to the south. There is one point where it takes a little jog and between the buildings you can see the Statue of Liberty. It was so beautiful. I had lunch at Hector's Cafe. A very small, unassuming building. The food was wonderful.
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