Starting off summer vacation with a trip to New York City is becoming something of a tradition for me. Two days was plenty of time to explore the city and see a few of the sights on my list. And of course, enjoy some delicious food while I was there!
Wednesday
I set off from home at 5:30AM on Wednesday, bound for Union Station in New Haven. From there, I took the Metro-North train into Grand Central station and walked a couple of blocks to my hotel to drop off my suitcase.
The Bernic – This was my second stay at the Bernic, one of Hilton’s Tapestry Collection hotels. I like the hotel because it’s only a couple of blocks away from Grand Central station and slightly away from the hustle and bustle of the main area of midtown Manhattan. I ended up in the same room I stayed in last year, which is long and narrow with a small step out balcony overlooking 47th Street. The hotel is tall and skinny, with just 6 rooms on each floor so it feels pretty small. As with my last visit, the staff were great and it was a very comfortable stay.
Angelina Bakery – My typical pre-theater stop is at Bibble and Sip, but I decided I needed to branch out and try some new foods on this visit. Angelina is an Italian bakery known for their bombolones (Italian doughnuts). I tried one with both Nutella and Chantilly cream inside, but immediately wished I had gone for the caramel Chantilly cream instead. I love Nutella, but an entire mouthful at once is a lot!
Kimberly Akimbo – Kimberly Akimbo is a Broadway show that wasn’t even on my radar until a couple of weeks ago, when it won a Tony Award for Best Musical, along with several other awards. I read the general premise of the story and also read that it wasn’t a particularly upbeat show, being about a girl with a rare disorder, similar to progeria, which causes her to age at 4-5 times the normal rate. I didn’t find the show to be depressing at all. The music was phenomenal, and the characters, especially the lead, all remained upbeat, even when faced with very challenging circumstances. My favorite song was the finale, “Great Adventure”, which says, “…so just enjoy the ride because no one gets a second time around”. Whether you’ve heard of Kimberly Akimbo or not, put it on your list of Broadway musicals to see. I highly recommend it!
La Lanterna di Vittorio – After the show, I walked 35 blocks south to dinner at La Lanterna di Vittorio in Greenwich Village. The restaurant can best be described as a combination of dinner restaurant, pizzeria, martini bar, and dessert cafe all rolled into one. I sat in the “garden” (really a greenhouse type room) at the back. 10 out of 10 for ambiance. La Lanterna is known for their lasagnes, and even serve lasagne “flights” that allow you to sample multiple flavors. I opted for the cacio e pepe lasagne and a creamy chocolate martini. I’m not normally a martini drinker, but there were easily 20 varieties on the menu so I felt it was only right to try one. Spoiler alert: I’m still not a martini fan. The lasagne was smothered in more cheese than you can imagine and just as rich as it sounds. I’m happy to say I couldn’t finish it all because it was so rich. I even skipped dessert in favor of enjoying some M&M’s from M&M World back in my room.
Washington Square Park – After dinner, I walked over to Washington Square park, home to benches, flowers, hoards of people, a fountain, and on Wednesday nights, a “salsa social”. Though I didn’t partake in the festivities, it was fun to watch both the salsa dancers and the people in the park.
Thursday
The weather forecast for Thursday was for steady rain all morning and showers in the afternoon. So I was pleasantly surprised to turn on the TV in the morning and see only passing showers ahead. Thursday was one of those days where I headed out and immediately knew it was going to be a good day. On the way to breakfast, I stumbled on Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, this quaint little tree lined area filled with hydrangea. It was a reminder that in a city of 8 million people, you can still find pockets of quiet and beauty.
The Smith – Until Thursday morning, I did not have a favorite breakfast spot in New York City. That changed the second I set foot in The Smith on 2nd Avenue, one of four outposts of this small restaurant chain in the city. I was immediately transported back to the many cafes I visited in Paris, as this restaurant had similar vibes. Hexagonal checkered floor tiles, dark wood accents, and a host who offered me the morning newspaper welcomed me as I stepped in. I ordered a mimosa (because… vacation!) and the eggs Benedict. In one of my most favorite (but rarely seen) breakfast traditions of all time, the meal started with an appetizer of a biscuit with salted maple butter that was to die for. The Benedict and potatoes were also good, but it’s the biscuit I can’t stop thinking about. Put it on your list if you’re ever in NYC! I know I’ll be back.
Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum – The Intrepid Museum was on my to-do list for this visit because the Circle Line cruise I took last summer departed from a neighboring pier and seeing the giant aircraft carrier intrigued me. I can’t say that it was my favorite experience, but I found some interesting things to explore while I was there. The highlight of the museum is being able to tour the flight and hangar decks of the USS Intrepid. Also included is a visit to the Space Shuttle Pavilion, which houses the Space Shuttle Enterprise, and the submarine USS Growler. I’m not as much of a military history buff as my dad is, but I’m glad I went to the museum.
Bibble and Sip – How could I actually visit New York City without paying a visit to my favorite coffee shop, Bibble and Sip? I indulged in a strawberry and lychee cream puff and iced vanilla caramel latte while I relaxed from all of my morning walking.
Museum of Modern Art – If you know me, you know I’m not really a big art museum person. But I had yet to visit MoMA and felt like I should fit it into my itinerary for this trip. I enjoyed wandering among the Monets, Picassos, and Van Goghs, but some of the art was a little too modern for my taste. Also, I found the online map (sadly, no paper versions) a little hard to follow and ended up just going through the rooms in numerical order on each floor.
Capizzi – I read some great reviews of this little Italian restaurant and was eager to try a pizza there. Capizzi is located next to the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel and just up the street from the Port Authority bus terminal. It doesn’t really fit in with its surroundings. Inside, there are maybe a dozen tables in the quaintest little setting. Another 10 out of 10 for ambiance. The pizza was good too – I ordered the prosciutto and arugula one. I was hoping for a Neapolitan pizza; this was more brick oven style. It was good and I’m glad I tried it, but Rubirosa and Ribalta are still my favorite pizzas in New York.
Friday
Liberty Bagels – I’ve been on a bit of a bagel kick at home recently, so why not try the real deal while in New York? I stopped at Liberty Bagels on 58th Street to pick up a ham, egg, and cheese on a plain bagel and headed off to enjoy my breakfast al fresco.
Central Park – There’s nothing I enjoy more during the warm weather months than a breakfast picnic. Since the skies were overcast but not rainy I took my bagel sandwich (and Starbucks) to Central Park and found a bench near The Pond to enjoy it. There were some people and dogs around, and birds of course, but (save for the nearby hum of city traffic) it was a relaxing place to enjoy my breakfast.
One thing I love doing is reading the inscriptions on memorial benches, and Central Park has no shortage of those. I read plenty as I wandered around after breakfast, but this one was my favorite:
I walked over to Belvedere plaza and Fountain after I finished my breakfast before heading back to my hotel and then back to New Haven. All in all, it was a good visit to the city and a good kick-off to summer vacation.
Traveling with Laura 