I’m back from New York, where I had a fantastic time with a few girlfriends—Jill S., Jill Y., and Tracy, another group of friends I have made through the publishing industry. We’ve all known each other since the early 1990s we were the only young women working as reps in the upper midwest, in a very male-dominant segment of publishing.
In addition to enjoying each other's company, we have supported each other as professional contacts, and fourteen years later, we're still friends.
Three of us have milestone birthdays this year and decided to celebrate together by taking a trip. Someone suggested New York City in November (our birthdays are in October, November, and December). Everyone agreed it was a fantastic idea. And, who can say no to NYC?
I love NYC—the architecture (the Flatiron and Chrysler buildings, the Guggenheim, all of 5th Avenue), the steel and concrete tunnels formed by building and streets, the neighborhoods (Soho, East and West Villages, Upper East Side, Lower East Side) and boroughs (Brooklyn), the local businesses, the restaurants (fancy or quick, all good), street food (slices of pizza, pretzels, hot dogs), the subway, the crowds, bike messengers (lunatics), the precious green spaces, the traffic, Brooklyn and Queens accents. There is so much crammed into Manhattan and outlying areas. Everywhere you look, there's something worth looking at.
Here are some highlights of our trip:
The Jills and I were on the same flight (Tracy had arrived a day earlier). In a wonderful coincidence, Jill S. and I were seated across the aisle from each other—and I still managed to read half my novella. Upon landing, we shared a cab into the city, found our hotel, and met up with Tracy. Pete’s Tavern, a watering hole since 1864 (O. Henry drank here), was in our neighborhood so we walked over for a drink and a nibble before calling it a night. (Also in the neighborhood, Casa Mono—Mario Batali’s tapas restaurant and a Rosicrucian office).
Day One
South Street Seaport to buy reduced-price theater tickets at a TKTS booth. Tracy and Jill S. volunteered to appear on TLC’s 10 Years Younger, which is filming on the ped mall at SSS (stay tuned—shows start airing in January '08). Katz’s Deli for pastrami on rye, coleslaw, and a pickle platter (sours, half sours, and green tomatoes), washed down with a Dr. Brown’s black cherry soda. The Guggenheim for the architecture, the permanent collection, and the Richard Prince exhibit, Spiritual America. The Red Cat for dinner (cocktail: campari and soda; starter: pumpkin and cornbread panzanella with parmesan, arugula and pomegranate vinaigrette; main: grilled double cut pork chop with wilted romaine, dates, feta, gigantes [giant Greek butter beans] and pumpkin seed pesto; side: light tempura of green beans with sweet hot mustard; wine: Benegas 2005 malbec). Spring Awakening, the 2007 Tony award-winner for best musical—with music by Duncan Sheik—at the Eugene O’Neill.
Day Two
Sex and the City bus tour with stops at Magnolia Bakery for cupcakes with piles of amazingly sweet buttercream frosting; John’s for pizza; shopping in the West Village; Raoul’s in Soho for dinner (cocktail: negroni; starter: pate maison with baby spinach, walnuts, and olives; main: cassoulet with confit duck, garlic saucisson, lamb, and tarbais beans; dessert: warm chocolate cake with hazelnut ice cream and salted caramel, profiterole with ice cream and chocolate sauce, and a plate of little cookies).
Day Three
Brunch at Prune (starter: merveilles, a type of beignets; main: soft-scrambled eggs, smoked bacon, potatoes rosti, and English muffins; side: housemade lamb sausage). Shopping at ABC Home, Fishs Eddy, and the Strand. Airport and flight home, where I sat next to a chatty woman whose daughter just purchased the home on St. Clair and Woodlawn, two blocks from us (the daughter and her husband have little boys the same age as Simon and Winston).
No comments:
Post a Comment