Visiting NYC Part 2
Chelsea Square as seen from the High Line, an abandoned elevated railroad track which has been converted to a beautiful public space rich with gardens, eating venues, artwork and relaxing spots to escape above a crowded and bustling city.
I talk about spending time in different neighborhoods of a big city and concentrating efforts in one spot, especially if you are pressed for time, so you eventually stitch together a feel for a city as a whole. Today we are in NYC again and I am going to Chelsea/Meatpacking District. The original plan was Brooklyn, starting with walking over the Brooklyn Bridge, but the weather report calls for lightning storms, so walking over a large bridge that spans a major riverway sounds like a bad idea. Gonna keep it in Manhattan. First stop is Chelsea Market.
Chelsea Market is home to a world-class food hall, boutique shops, office space and none other than the Food Network Studios in the former National Biscuit Company (Nabisco) factory where the Oreo Cookie was invented in 1912.
We went to Chelsea Market a few years ago for dinner, but did not spend a lot of time looking around, and let's face it, things change, so let's see what's up today! There is such a variety of eating establishments and unique stores, it's hard to describe, so I will let the photos tell the story.
Endless shops and a drool-worthy food emporium at Chelsea Market! A can’t miss stop for anyone visiting NYC who loves to eat! Total visual feast as well.
After browsing around, I, too, need to eat, and happen to find Corkbuzz, a swanky wine bar/small plates bistro with a dinner menu which is limited but hits all the right notes. They have three locations and a very impressive collection of wines. My choice for lunch today is a trio of crostini with 1. ricotta and fig balsamic, 2. apple, goat cheese and honey, and 3. eggplant pesto puree, paired with a glass of Ruinart champagne. The perfect amount of food for a light lunch! Time to move on.
Corkbuzz at Chelsea Market has a contemporary interior, a killer wine menu plus plenty of light fare (plus entree-sized items,) to make for a fantastic lunch or dinner.
My next destination is the Whitney Museum of Art, but then I see this small little sign pointing me to the High Line, a (relatively) new public space in New York that has been on my short list of places to go. The weather is holding out so far, and it is literally RIGHT HERE! So why not walk through a garden over a city? Let's do it!! It spans from 10th Ave to the Javits Center on 34th, so prepare for a lot of photos!
My walk along the High Line reveals naturalistic gardens through old train tracks, food vendors, scattered artwork and some pretty funky architecture. 1.5 miles each way, with views of the city neighborhoods, NYC skyline and the Hudson River. You will also pass Hudson Yards, a new and controversial development with upscale shops and that crazy honeycomb-style observation deck.
Once I stroll the High Line each way, I am committed to getting to the Whitney Museum of American Art. Except a huge rain and thunderstorm comes through, and many of us hunker down for a good hour until the storm passes. There are a few good shelters on the High Line, so we all chit-chat and look at the storm coming in over the Hudson River and heading out. Once it's reduced to a mild sprinkle, I leave the High Line and head to the Whitney. By the time I get there, it is 4:45pm, it closes in 30 minutes, and I am too cheap to pay the entrance fee. So I guess it is wine-o-clock. Time to head to the Whitney's restaurant for a quick glass of wine before I get back across town for dinner. Here are some pix of the entrance, lobby, gift shop and restaurant. By all accounts, the restaurant is VERY good, but I have reservations somewhere else. Scroll through and enjoy.
Some interior shots of the museum I have been trying to visit for two years but it never seems to work out.. Is it the bar? I don’t think so. It’s the weather.
After a nice glass of wine and some intense people-watching and eavesdropping (artsy and literary types, whom I love), it's time to head back to the hotel to meet up with the husband and have a nice dinner together. I've chosen Ai Fiori, a sister property of the place I really wanted to go, Marea. I made dinner reservations for Bob and a business group there months ago and they raved about it! They do not have an opening until 8:00pm and I get too hungry for dinner at 8 (there is a reference here for you youngsters). It does not matter. All of the restaurants owned by the Altamarea Group are stellar, many have Michelin stars, if you care about that.
Ai Fiori is a spectacular restaurant on the second floor of the Langham Hotel in NYC.
We head to the Langham Hotel and it is pretty cool, please check their website out (link provided). Once seated, we are served an amuse bouche, I don't even remember what it was (it's the green thing), but it was delicious, as one would expect. We must have pasta here, so I do a tortellini en brodo, while Bob picks a pasta in a pomodoro sauce with a dab of homemade ricotta. Both are sublime. For our main course, I choose a veal chop with grilled veggies and a romesco sauce, while Bob does a duck with a vegetable slaw. Dessert is a Mousse di Mandorla - almond coffee mousse, oat cake, coffee granita. As good as it looks!
We head back to the hotel and it is time for bed. Great day, jam-packed with things to do and see! Headed out early in the morning. Thanks for following Ann, I appreciate it and hope you get to try out some of my suggestions!