Taking a Bite out of the Big Apple

Well, we made it round trip to New York City in just 5 days, and apparently missed the wettest weekend in California's recent history. The other coast had fabulous weather, perfect for all of the walking we did.

Here are some highlights of our trip--all of which we highly recommend to anyone planning a visit to New York.  Thanks to many of our friends who offered these suggestions to us as we were planning!

Sightseeing
At the suggestion of our good friend, and native New Yorker, Aggie Lathrop, we took the Gray Line Bus tour throughout Manhattan.  Although we stuck out as true tourists, it was the best way to see the city in just a few days.  We hopped off at the places that peaked our interest: SoHo, Greenwhich Village, Ground Zero, Battery Park (where we took a ferry to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty), Rockefeller Center, Times Square, and Central Park.  We skipped the tops of the tallest buildings - you know the Empire State Building and Top of the Rock - and instead enjoyed the view from Stephen's roof.  He is one of my oldest friends...he loves to be described this way.

Central Park is a must visit in this city.  To me it is like the eye of the storm - craziness all around it but inside you forget the hustle and bustle of the city streets. We enjoyed a nice stroll with Matt's friend from college, Joanna and her husband Andy. 

Dining

New York City is known for its food, and boy did we partake.  We wanted to sample the best of everything this city is famous for.  And if you do the same, don't try to count calories instead count the number of miles you walked that day and eat up!

Burgers: There's a little spot in the lobby of the Le Parker Meridien Hotel in midtown called "Burger Joint."  They serve a true no-frills burger, very refreshing. We got two recommendations on this one and didn't think we could pass it up

Milkshakes: Shake Shack near Times Square had the most amazing milkshakes and custard we've ever tasted.  Try the special black/white milkshake with peanut butter syrup.  Tastes like a Reese's PB cup (my absolute favorite).  We're also told they have pretty good In-N-Out style burgers and fun crimpy fries.

Bagels: We had a number of bagels. They're all about the same, but Ess-A-Bagel had the best bagels and lox sandwich (Matt is a smoked salmon lover).  Service is traditional New York--no smiles, just good food.

Small Bites: It's a tie between The Modern (midtown) and Ssam Bar (East Village), both recommendations from Stephen.  They feature unique cuisine on small plates so you can taste a lot without getting full, well not really, you still end up full.

Pizza: You can't go to New York without tasting a NY-Style pizza pie.  We ventured into Brooklyn to Grimaldi's Pizzaria (right under the Brooklyn Bridge).  They did a special half cheese / half cheeseless just for me! And yes - pizza is still delicious without the cheese. Instead of the subway we walked back over the Brooklyn bridge in the misty rain.  The Statue of Liberty was off in the haze and while it wasn't the prettiest day, it was still a pretty cool walk. Bonus: the walk back across the Bridge helped burn a few of those calories.

Chocolate: Max Brenner. Amazing. So themed - the attention to detail was great.  We had half of a chocolate pizza with marshmallow one one slice and peanut butter on the other. And of course - milk to drink.

Matt's Favorite: Mesa Grill.  Celebrity Chef Bobby Flay doesn't disappoint at his signature restaurant near Union Square. A little spendy, but well worth it (just like my Matthew).

Jenny's Favorite: Virgil's BBQ (Times Square). The chef traveled all over the US tasting different smoking techniques for their ribs, chicken, and beef.  I'd say they pretty much hit the jackpot--some of the best pork ribs I've tried (except for yours Mom!).  I just love some good old fashioned down home cookin.  Thanks to Andrew G. for this recommendation.

Shows
What would a trip to New York be without a little Broadway?  We saw three shows in 5 days, each one a little different from the other.

STOMP: This one is an off-Broadway performance in a little theatre near the East Village.  The entire show features music-making using the most unconventional instruments: pots, pans, trash cans, inner tubes, pipes, and buckets.  No vocals--just music.  So unique and so much fun to watch.

Jersey Boys: The story of Franky Valli and the Four Seasons.  We didn't realize how many hit songs were originally performed by those guys, and the cast does an incredible job of recreating the great sounds from the 60s.  Unfortunately, the language was a little strong.  If they clean it up, it would be a great family show.

The Phantom of the Opera: There's a reason it's the longest-playing musical in Broadway history.  A truly memorable story, beautifully designed stage and costumes, and voices that knocked our socks off.  We still have those songs running through our minds.  Matt hummed the score the entire subway ride back to our hotel. I love him!

Well, that about sums up our babymoon/anniversary trip to New York.  We couldn't imagine it being any more perfect and loved our time together as a family of 2 (+1).