I wasn't planning to visit the 9/11 Memorial, it just happened.  I've been to the Ground Zero site a few times through the years, and no matter when I visit, I still feel that ache in my stomach imagining the horror of being one of those lost.  We were walking through SoHo when Devin asked if we would be interested in trying to get tickets.  Cell phones make all kinds of possibilities happen on the spot, this one included.  So, we walked downtown and arrived timely to retrieve our tickets and all of a sudden, we were there.  This visit was very different in that everything looked very different.  The demolition is over, the clean-up is over, the planning is over, the building is in full swing.  It purposely memorializes the spots where the two towers stood by not building upward, but by using two water exhibits that flow downward.  Around each one is a wall with all the names of those lost, each perfectly spaced and very legible.  The new buildings are near, but in their "own" space.  There is lots going on, but subtly.  The crowd is reverent, there is no pushing or loudness.  The Visitor Center is under construction and various landscaping is taking shape.  I think the design successfully meshes the tragedy with hope.  There is a collection box at the exit,  I am hoping everyone who visits will give.  It's the least we can do.

Want to feel like a kid again?  Go to The Scholastic Store in SoHo.  When I travel with school teacher Lynn, I always get exposed to the educational world for children.  This store screams fun, fun, fun!  There is lots to see and do, including reading inside the bus pictured or celebrating your birthday upstairs with your friends.  If you have a child with you in New York, this store should be added to your list of stops.



THE SCHOLASTIC STORE
557 Broadway
(Between Prince & Spring Streets)
SoHo, NY  10012
PH: 212-343-6166

Shopping is fun, but it is especially a treat when in SoHo.  I love checking out all the stores - designer and otherwise.  Devin took Lynn and I to a store that was new to us.  It was British based "AllSaints".   Women's clothing and accessories were on the street level, while the men's were downstairs (pictured).  Lynn browsed and then found a comfy chair in the women's shoe section, offering compliments to shoppers trying on shoes.  Devin and I went downstairs to shop sales that might interest him.  We found the salesperson very helpful without being pushy.  Eventually we departed with bags in hand, even though I realized that as much as I loved this store's sense of style, they are not inexpensive!  But I reminded myself that I was in AllSaints, in SoHo, in New York City, and then I was fine.


ALLSAINTS
512 Broadway
SoHo, NY  10012
PH: 646-862-1832

Do you find eyewear expensive?  If so, you may be interested in this post.  While in SoHo, we went to a Warby Parker showroom so Devin could try on some frames.  It's a company that charges $95 per pair instead of several hundred dollars.  "Warby Parker was founded with a rebellious spirit and a lofty objective: to create boutique-quality, classically crafted eyewear at a revolutionary price".  When you purchase a pair, another pair is distributed to someone in need worldwide.  Glasses are ordered online, but it's great if you can visit a showroom to sample them in the mirror.  There are nine showrooms nationally.  Devin tried on several pair as we took his picture in each before making his decision at home and ordering online, using his prescription.  As a person who only takes off my glasses to sleep, I found this concept and process very intriguing.

Price of prescription glasses

WARBY PARKER
295 Lafayette Street
Suite 501 (Puck Bldg)
SoHo, NY
PH: 888-492-7297

A Sunday in New York is not Sunday - without Brunch.  New Yorkers take their brunches very seriously, and I like that.  It is so much fun to relax with your friends/loved ones over good food in a place that makes this time so special.  Last Sunday, Lynn and Devin and I had such an experience.   We met at Hundred Acres in Soho for a wonderful brunch.  We were seated in the middle room (photo) and in no time were sipping perfect mimosas.  First, we started by sharing sticky pecan corn muffins. Amazing!   I loved my soft scrambled eggs with asparagus, gruyere cheese, scallions, creme fraiche and cornbread.  They both ordered the "chilaquiles", crispy corn tortillas with red chili sauce, two fried eggs, pickle salad and cilantro.  The food was wonderful, the service attentive, the ambiance enjoyable.  We all left happy knowing we had once again found a  restaurant that legitimizes Sunday Brunch in New York.


HUNDRED ACRES
38 MacDougal Street
New York, NY  10012
PH: 212-475-7500

 

Where NY is concerned, if there's one place that everyone can identify, it's Times Square.  One of my favorite places from which to observe this landmark, is the Broadway Lounge in the Marriott Marquis Hotel.  It's on the eighth floor and the room where the window tables are located,  slightly overhangs the front of the building for a better view.  The menu is casual, but the food is excellent and service is great.  The picture above right, shows the central elevator for those who prefer a rooftop view during dinner.  Whether you choose to eat on the roof or on the eighth floor, the hustle bustle of Times Square won't disappoint you.

MARRIOTT BROADWAY LOUNGE
Marriott Marquis
8th floor
Times Square, NY
PH: 800-228-9290

Washington Square is a gathering place frequented by street performers and artists and everyone who enjoys their company.  There is also no shortage of students since the NYU campus sits nearby.  This arch was built around 1890 to replace a wooden one which commemorated the centennial of Washington's inauguration.   A fountain like the one in the beginning of the FRIENDS show, collects lots of barefoot waders.  A fun place for free spirits.


WASHINGTON SQUARE
Fifth Avenue
Manhattan, NY  10012
PH: 212-387-7676

Otto (pronounced with a long O) is a fun place to visit.  The bar area is nice and roomy and bustling.  Very appropriate since the restaurant is designed like an Italian train station.  This establishment used to be a popular restaurant called One Fifth (the address), where I was fortunate to have dined in the eighties.  It is now owned by famous chef Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich.  The Italian fare is excellent and inexpensive.  There are a zillion wine choices by the bottle, but plenty by the glass.  Devin, Christopher, Lynn and I all ordered different things and sampled it all from the middle of our table.  We started with a bruschetta and a salad, followed by three different pizzas and a home made ravioli.  Dinner was fun, fun, fun with everybody eating and drinking and happy to be a part of it all.  This restaurant is so popular right now that you need to make your reservation a month ahead and they won't accept any requests beyond that time.  Even though we had pizza left to take home, we sampled one dessert.  We ordered the Otto Banana Tartufo which is banana gelato, chocolate brownie, carmelized white chocolate, and spiced peanuts.  We were hoping it would be a good choice - and it was!


OTTO
1  Fifth Avenue
New York, NY  10003
PH: 212-995-9559

Every now and then I try to throw a new experience into the mix.  Last weekend it was a personal essay writing class.  I attended an intensive one day class by Gotham Writers' Workshop, given at Hunter College West at Lexington Avenue and 68th Street.  Lynn did the same except that her class was about writing children's books.  We were a little skeptical about sitting in class on a Saturday from 11am to 6pm, but once inside, we found our classes intriguing.  Hopefully sometime in the future you will be reading something published by one of us!


GOTHAM WRITERS' WORKSHOP
555 Eighth Aveune,  Ste 1402
New York, NY  10018
PH: 212-974-8377

Lynn is a Justin Timberlake fan so it was apropos that Devin and Christopher suggested we meet them at Southern Hospitality for dinner.  JT and two others own this restaurant that serves amazingly good comfort food.  My pulled pork platter was excellent!  I told myself I was being good by not ordering a bready sandwich which made it much easier to love the mac 'n cheese and the corn bread!!  A very down-home yum!


SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY
645  Ninth Avenue at 45th St
Hells Kitchen, NY  10036
PH:  212-265-1000

Whenever I feel the need to leave the cement for some "green", I usually end up in Central Park.  This time Devin suggested we take Otto for a walk in Riverside Park.  It's a narrow public park along Manhattan's Upper West Side at the Hudson River. Operated and maintained by the NYC Dept of Parks and Recreation, there are lots of options for leisure.  (I'm pretty sure this is the park in the movie "You've Got Mail" where Tom Hanks met Meg Ryan at the end)   Pictured is a pier where you can take out a kayak on Sunday in exchange for leaving your ID until you return.  How great is that?  There are enclosed dog parks for small and larger dogs, there is a promenade for walking, skating, and biking,  there is a marina, there is a field for games, and there was a restaurant that I definitely want to visit in the future.  It's called the Boat Basin,  near W. 79th Street within the park.  I'm sure there were other things to see and do, but tomorrow's another day.  

RIVERSIDE PARK

Upper West Side

Manhattan, NY

Lynn and I were ready for a few days away and were in a New York state of mind.  We couldn't wait to get there and jump in with both feet!  We checked in our hotel and called Devin to meet us for a late lunch.  It was perfect timing since he was able to join us for the afternoon.  We decided to eat in the area so we wouldn't lose any time.  Devin chose the Market Cafe.  It was new for all of us but he always walks by and notices how busy they are and thought we should try it since the lunch crowd was back to work.  We grabbed the window table in time to watch a quick thunderstorm blow through while we enjoyed our visit.  It's a small restaurant (hence the cafe), but the food was anything but.  Our choices were delicious and very filling and the service was terrific and friendly.  Our weekend was off to a great start!

MARKET  CAFE

496  Ninth Avenue

New York, NY  10018

PH: 212-967-3892

                                                                       

BIG DADDY'S,   New York

Yesterday, Bill and I took his granddaughters to New York for the day for their maiden voyage.  We had a great time!  We wanted to eat at a "kid friendly" restaurant which can be a challenge on Sunday Brunch Day in New York City.  Devin and Christopher suggested we meet them at Big Daddy's on the upper west side.  That was perfect since it gave us a subway ride opportunity from Times Square.  We loved the decor, the service from Q (or is it Cue?) was excellent, and the food was outstanding.  That is my lunch pictured above, the Garden Grinder, which was delicious and filling.  I love sweet potatoes and jumped at the chance to try them in this form.  We were all pleased with our choices and sorry that we weren't hungry enough to try one of their shakes or sundaes.  You don't need kids to enjoy this restaurant,  I will definitely return.  Usually, when I eat at family type restaurants, I keep my expectations in check, but lunch at Big Daddy's was off the chart!

BIG DADDY'S

2454 Broadway at 91st Street

New York, NY  10024

PH:  212-677-2004

Tonight was a wonderful night.  Zoa and I sat outside at Oregon Grille and toasted Amy's new babies, Maggie and Mollie.  They were born today and we felt compelled to "toast" these two new babies and welcome them into this world and our circle.  It was a beautiful night so we decided to eat outside.  A light breeze made a comfortable night even more comfortable.  The food is always excellent here and there's never any question as to what I want to eat.  The sliced steak with fries is amazing and I can never resist ordering it.  As always, it was delicious!  I recommend the outside patio to everyone.

The Oregon Grille

1201 Shawan Road

Hunt Valley, MD  21030

PH: 410-771-0505

I got back into being an Orioles fan about three years ago and am I glad!  The O's are doing great and I'm loving every minute of it (almost).  Last night I got to watch them in person at Camden Yards.  Vicki and Clare and I had a great time.  We were in the third row at third base waiting for that slide into third that never came.  The weather was perfect and even the Red Sox fans around us were decent. Winning helped too!

Every May is Emerald Isle time!  Six to eight couples rendezvous at Kathryn's (previously blogged) for dinner on a Wednesday night.  We then settle in at our hosts' duplex on the beach.  We stay and play as a group until Sunday when we all part to drive home.  We play golf on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  This year we went for breakfast on Friday together before our golf round.  YanaMama is a fun spot!  It's a trip back in time with a jukebox that plays 50's music.  The walls are covered with shots of Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, I Love Lucy, and more.  The room is not big, but they offer a great breakfast and plenty to see.  Their specialty is apple and banana fritters.  Very delicious and very filling!  We passed them around the table as a breakfast appetizer.  Now that's my kind of crowd!!


YANAMAMA
117 Front Street
Swansboro, NC  28584
PH: 910-326-9052

When I returned from Italy, Vicki was returning from Belize and Georgia was getting ready to go to Italy.  The three of us managed to squeeze in a fun dinner at a relatively new restaurant in Historic Fells Point in Baltimore City.  It was a night to share our experiences and plans and be together.  Thames Street Oyster House is on Thames Street (duh), a very popular street along Baltimore's waterfront in its Fells Point Neighborhood.  We met early which is recommended, because after 7pm  there is little parking available, and that includes weeknights.  Our dinners were wonderful.  They serve seafood and offer an a la carte raw bar.  There is seating downstairs in the bar area, upstairs, and in the outside back garden.  I think they will be very busy this summer, hopefully I will be part of the crowd!









THAMES STREET OYSTER HOUSE
1728 Thames Street
Fells Point, MD  21231
PH:  443-449-7726

               

Buongiorno!  This year I celebrated a "Big" birthday, one that ends in zero.  Whenever this happens, I celebrate the entire year.  I don't find that excessive since it only happens once every ten years.  My son joined me in celebrating and graciously treated me to a week in Italy, just the two of us.  We spent two nights in Venice, two in Florence, and two in Rome with stops in Tuscany, Assisi and Pisa.  What a great trip!  Everything was perfect!  I'd like to feature my favorite dinner at a restaurant we stumbled on  walking the streets of Florence. Trattoria  Armando.  We spoke no Italian, they spoke hardly any English, but the outcome was amazing.  The pasta melted in your mouth and the presentation made you feel like you were eating art.

By the way, that's not coffee in my mug, it's hot chocolate.  I heard that it would be super rich and it was.  Kinda like drinking a melted chocolate bar.  Amazing!

I feel like it's been forever since I've posted and blogspot's new format confirms this.  I'm a little slow, but no big deal.  My next few postings may not be in exact order, but hopefully close.  After all, how much could have occurred in the last three months or so??

QI, New York

Devin and I met for lunch at QI last week for the first time, it was wonderful. The modern Thai decor was as exciting as the food! The space is fairly large for a New York City establishment and the white design makes it feel even bigger. Our lunches were beautiful, wonderful, and reasonable. Service was great. I recommend it for lunch and hope to be going there in the future for dinner as well.

QI
675 8th Ave
Between 42nd and 43rd Sts.
New York, NY 10036
PH: 212-247-8991