Field Trip - NYC

We left single digits Thursday morning in NH and barely got out of them when we got to NYC (this is Bryant Park) - and this is what the ocean looked like down the street from our house as we took off to go pick up my son Heath and daughter-in-law Emma to join us.  

This was to be a very bitter cold jaunt in the City - we were bundled up for two days in double gloves, scarves, hats, boots, and heavy coats, and except for my hubby Dan, we were all still a bit cold as we covered our chosen areas on foot.  But it was so fun!  When we arrived, we checked in our hotel at 60 E 55th in mid-town and then went to Chopt for lunch salads.  Delicious.  We then walked to several landmarks in the area, stopped at Magnolia's Bakery where we split one double chocolate cupcake four ways and ate it at Bryant Park.  We went in to the New York Public Libray (the gorgeous building with no books and the fabulous lavender painted hall ways), St. Paul's Cathedral where we heard some organ practice, The Rockefeller Center, Grand Central Station, places we could go in to to warm up a bit at times.  Just walking around and looking at shops too and chatting.  For dinner we went to Two Darbar Grille for really excellent Indian Food.  So much spice, so aromatic, even floral at times and a bit of heat in the curries.  Then we took a cab downtown to the Orpheum Theatre and saw Stomp.  This is a group of eight very excellent dancers who stomp, clap and play percussion and beat on things you might find in your garage or basement.  It was so wonderful and funny too.  We all loved it and I highly recommend the show if any of you are going to NYC.

Dan and I traded hats for a while - mine kept sliding upward because of my fat scarf so he  kindly wore mine with the big ball on top (my daughter Gabe made this for me for Christmas and I love it).

The Stomp Stage

The next day Friday, still very cold, we set out for a long, brisk walk to my favorite, Amy's Bread.  I just had to introduce my kids to Amy's.  One thing about Dan and me; we don't eat in or around the corner from where we are staying  - every meal is a travel destination in itself so we don't care where it's located; most of the time it's a great way to get our exercise and see new neighborhoods and streets as we make our way to a restaurant/bakery.  I point this out because I know Heath and Emma wondered why they had to walk so many blocks and turn so many corners just to eat breakfast - but it was worth it!

The hot chocolate arrives! 

 After breakfast, we split ways - Heath and Emma were headed to more mid town walking, Times Square, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Central Park, Levain Bakery (I made them promise me they would find it and try a cookie or two), up and down Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues, etc.  We would then meet at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Temple and Meetinghouse across the street from the Lincoln Center at 5:30 pm.  Dan and I were headed to thoroughly explore Greenwich Village, East Village, and a bit of Soho.  And perhaps the 9/11 Memorial if we had time.  So he and I walked a few blocks and caught the subway to Washington Square.  It was so cold that we decided to go in to a little cafe and map out our route by stops from my list to better utilize our time.  And to thaw out my feet and have a beverage.

Dad did the mapping

As I read him all the stops/destinations on my list.  I love being the what-to-do planner and Dan is a great navigator.

 

We started at Washington Square Park, went to the Washington Mews (we need to see that again in summer), NYU campus buildings (what a great neighborhood to attend college!),  We stopped at this adorable book store below.  I could have stayed there for hours.  The way book stores should all be and used to be.  So cozy.  Then to the Bigelow Apothecary - I could have stayed in there for hours too - beauty items you don't see in your average drugstore or department store.  We also tried to find a gallery called the White Columns.  When we did find it, it was gone, closed.  Bummer.  

We ate here for lunch - The Spotted Pig - it's in the East Village at 314 W 11th St off of Greenwich near Hudson St.  It is such a charming place, kind of funky, with a very original and unusual menu.  The interior is packed with pictures, mirrors, plates, plants and pigs, hundreds of pigs.  

 I had an amazing apple salad.  It was described as an apple salad with arugula so I was picturing a bowl of arugula with apples in it and the other ingredients but it was truly an apple salad and after the hot chocolate and pastries I had eaten for breakfast, I was glad it was light.  An apple chopped with a few walnut halves, a few arugula leaves, pecorino cheese shavings, parsley, and a fantastic vinaigrette.  I plan on trying to make this at home if I can just get the vinaigrette right - that's the key.  Highly recommend this.  Dan had a couple slices of sourdough toast with a schmear of shredded pork with what looked like a layer of lard/bacon fat you mix it with, mustard and pickles.  Very interesting.

 And then we are walking down a delightful little street in Greenwich village and this board caught our eye - now if someone claims to have the best chocolate chip cookie in a city, we can't just not check it out to see.  So we bought one hot out of the oven and each took a bite.  Pretty good.  But the test is how it tastes  when it is cold so we wrapped it up for later testing.  Sweet Corner Bakeshop.  Really cute inside too with many tempting pastries.

One of dozens of really sweet streets we wandered through.  I pretended we lived there and we discussed what this would look like.  

We are approaching Milk and Cookies - one of the spots on our list.  One with some rave reviews on trip advisor.  

We bought two cookies - they were so mediocre and very bland - we threw them away.  Don't bother.

On Bleeker St, we found two of our destinations right next door to each other - Murray's Cheese and another Amy's Bakery.  Murray's is a cheese lover's paradise.  They also have hard to find gourmet food items too.  I bought a pound of french made butter that I wanted to buy when I was in France last month but couldn't bring  home.  Now I have it!  

We went in to this Amy's and bought a loaf of her much recommended semolina raisin fennel bread and her pink frosted butter cake and devils food cake - one slice of each to share with Heath and Emma for dessert tonight.  I've been wanting to try the pink cake for a long time.  

There are little parks like this all over the neighborhoods we walked through Friday - I want to see them in bloom, especially the Thomas Jefferson Market Garden (I didn't take a picture of it).  

 After we left Greenwich Village, we went to Soho to seek out a place called Le Labo; it's a perfume lab with a line of about 15 scents that you can't buy in stores, you have either go online where they make your selection to order  or go in to this lab store and they make it right there in front of you.  I had become acquainted with their scents while staying in a hotel in San Francisco and had been hoping to eventually visit their lab store.  Le Labo is a company born in Grasse France but carried out in NYC.  I had a bottle of Bergamotte 22 made.  It was fun to watch the chemist make the scent and the assistant label it for me.  Dan sat it a comfy chair and make a business call while I made my selection.

The assistant 

Dan in his comfy chair

The chemist

The Lab - Le Labo

The new World Trade Center 

One of The Memorial Twin Reflecting Pools at Ground Zero.  So lovely.

After we met up with Heath and Emma, we ate at The Smith located on Broadway a block from the Lincoln Center - another place I will highly recommend.  We all raved about our meal choices and the place was absolutely packed - I'm glad we had a reservation.  Afterwards we did some walking to look at the lights.  Back at our hotel, we brought our our bakery purchases and passed the desserts around where we all took bites of each.  We didn't finish them all so there is still pink cake in our refrigerator to eat tomorrow after church!

Columbus Circle

Heath and Emma's bag of Levin Bakery bread to take home to NH - yay!

Breakfast this morning Saturday at Maison Kayser (Paris' Eric Kayser's NYC bakery).  I didn't have the eggs or oatmeal,; I had two delectable pastries and hot chocolate).  

Heath and Emma's bag of Eric Kayser bread to take home to NH

Some of the goodies

 Our take home bag - a seeded baguette, a chocolate pain de mie, a raspberry financier, six choquettes, and three cookies.  Now they are all in the freezer to keep fresh until consumption.

Maison Kayser - you have to go there! 

Heath and Emma have fallen asleep on the drive  home.  We walked them to exhaustion.  Hee!