NYC - THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS

 Debauchery…is a behavior that is excessively indulgent, decadent, or morally loose.  It commonly refers to wild partying characterized by heavy drinking, promiscuity, or drug use…Merriam Webster

A week in the city, here we are.  Vince and I, filling our days with new experiences, tours, theater, hot bars, superb dining, speakeasy and jazz music interest and dance clubs with a view.   Ubers galore.  Surprises each day planned by the “NYC event guy,” my very own husband for 40+ years.  I can’t wait for tomorrow.  No, this time is NOT debaucherie, well, maybe just a little, the part about indulgent and decadent.  Grateful for our NYC adventures.

Starting with a glass of Moet and beautiful pink roses, we enjoyed some relaxation in our comfortable apartment while watching some Roland Garros tennis.  Off we go, to our first stop of the evening.  La Grande Boucherie, for a cocktail at the bar. This French galleria style bar/restaurant was fully booked on a Monday evening in early June, had a noise level that was notable with a young, business crowd hob nobbing with colleagues and for some, sitting solo at the bar, meeting strangers, and looking for love.  This European feel cafe reminded me of the Gallerie in Paris or Milan.  Nothing to NOT like about that!

Did you know there is a 6 ½ Avenue near Rockefeller Plaza in NYC?

Yup, between 6^th & 7^th Avenue, a crosswalk titled 6 ½ Avenue.

Dinner was at Scalinatella (Italian - translation - little steps.)  Steps down to a basement Italian classic restaurant with a long line-up of specials, authentic food with dishes finished in the center of the restaurant, while the patrons sip their Barolo’s, and enjoy the zucchini tasting and seafood salad with endive welcoming each table.  This is the sister restaurant to Il Postino, another favorite of ours, always with sightings of frequent celebrity diners, to mention a few; George and Amal Clooney, Howard Stern, Jimmy Fallon and the Obama family, swarmed by their security personnel.  I enjoyed a delicious gamberoni al forno entrée (shrimp baked in a lemon, wine sauce) and Vince, loves his pasta; he had fusilli with eggplant in a light tomato sauce (pasta alla norma).  A light dinner in a friendly atmosphere with an embracing staff; a great choice for dinner to begin our NYC week.

Two places in one night is never enough for Vince.  Off to the West side, Hells Kitchen area, to a very cool and interesting establishment, only to enter with a reservation.  Bathtub Gin, a Prohibition-inspired speakeasy, has a modern twist and a feel that anything goes.  A menu of many kinds of gin and tonics, only using Fever Tree tonic, and a full cocktail menu of martinis, bourbons, vintage drinks served alongside small bites satisfying all tastes and flavors.  We shared an espresso martini and enjoyed the soft jazz three-piece band, while we people watched the young couples getting to know each other, groups of friends gathering to catch-up and singles, sitting at the bar, checking out others, all looking for the same thing, or maybe not.  Our evening was a great start to an exciting week in our favorite city on Earth.

Day two, was a pleasant mixture of NYC experiences.  Took a ride down the escalators in the new and improved Grand Central Station, which has the feel and look of a major European city train station, like in Switzerland or Germany.  Clean, modern, spacious and traveler friendly, I couldn’t look down while we descended 14 floors below street level, to where the LIRR trains arrive and depart.  Not my cup of tea!   No benches to be seen, not to encourage the homeless to spend the night, instead few single seats sparsely situated.  Grand Central stands as a NYC landmark, offering a blend of history, architectural details, dining, and diverse shopping. “Meet me at the clock” in the main concourse is perched atop the info booth, a clock that is valued at over 20 million dollars.

Our next stop was The Baccarat Hotel for High Tea, now we’re talking!  We strolled the Baccarat gift shop, held a special edition champagne glass valued at $8,000 per glass.  So beautiful.  We enjoyed The Prince of Wales tea service with an assortment of savories, delicious scones (my favorite part) and assorted sweets.  A beautiful room and experience, reminded me of our time spent living in London, decadent for sure.

NYC Theater district is electric, exciting, crowded and hosts the finest live talent on stage.  Circle in the Square, is a different sort of theater, more modern in style and housed below, in a large corporate office building on Broadway and 50^th Street.  “Just in Time”, a Bobby Darin Las Vegas style show and the Copacabana nightclub art deco set was fabulous.  The cast was excellent, Jeremy Jordan as Bobby Darin was amazing, powerful voice and multi-talented.  Appearances of two women in Darin’s real-life story were Connie Francis and Sandra Dee.  Of course, Mac the Knife was a big hit before intermission, with the full cast on stage and audience participation.  The show ended with a stand-up only finale, dancing in the aisles and applause for a show that brought nostalgia to the audience.  Wow, a complicated Bobby Darin life story, presented in a lively dance and song performance that left everyone smiling all night long.

Wednesday was a simple day.  Time for a manicure and pedicure for me, and “Prime at 70” joined.  Vince’s metrosexual side always shows up.  We enjoyed a delicious dinner at our Italian club on 69^th Street off Central Park.  The Columbus Citizens Foundation has a new executive chef, Lynn, for this past year.  The difference in the quality, taste and presentation of the food is notable.  Excellent evening, always good to see Romeo, our friendly maître d’.  We needed to get back to our apartment to watch the NY Knicks 1^st game of the NBA finals against the San Antonio Spurs.  Vince thought we would watch the first quarter in one of the bars on 3^rd Avenue, around our corner, but the line was 50 people deep to get in.  The excitement in the city for the amazing Knicks basketball team was buzzing everywhere you looked.  Crowds of friends rushing to watch parties, loyal fans outside the garden watching the game on a big screen, and the Empire State Building lit up in blue and orange, along with other skyline buildings imitating and following the colors. 

Great game to watch, great game for the NY Knicks.  Jalen Brunson came on strong in the 4^th quarter as typical, Josh Hart made a difference with his rebounds and strength and Karl Anthony Towns was strong with his layups and defense.  Let’s Go Knicks!!!

 Our next morning started with a NYC landmark visit at 123 Lexington Avenue.  Kalustyan’s is a fine specialty food store featuring spices, sauces, nuts, seeds, dried fruits and sweets from all over the world.  A uniquely interesting collection of hundreds of jars and bags of international foods sold by the pound.  What makes this location more intriguing is the history of the building and the historical event which occurred here, which earned its claim as a NYC landmark.

On September 20,1881 at 2:15AM, Chester Alan Arthur took his oath of office as 21^st President of the United States, upon the death of President James A. Garfield, killed by a disgruntled office seeker.

Imagine, this was the home of the Vice President in that time.  Certainly, things have changed, politics has been transformed in so many ways.

We then walked to our local diner on 33^rd St. & Lexington Ave., which Vince frequents for a quick business breakfast or lunch.  Diners of the past were mostly owned and operated by the Greek population.  Today, you can notice that most diners and many delis, food stores and restaurants are run by Hispanics from many countries and close-by islands.  NYC has always been a melting pot of people seeking a better opportunity for work and a good life.  Different groups than what were previously occupied in our cities and towns have infiltrated NYC, and have brought to us their culture, language and hopes and dreams.  God Bless America!

 The Beekman Hotel, located in the Financial District (FIDI) is a historic landmark dating back to 1883, blending 19^th-century architecture with modern luxury.  Packed with the young,

working crowd, all unwinding from a stressful day with the stock market volatility, martinis, bourbons and Aperol Spritzes were poured constantly.  We enjoyed a trio mezze platter of red pepper dip, carmelized onion dip and baba ganush with fresh potato chips and crostini.

Sitting there while sipping our cocktails, we could envision famous literary figures like Ralph Waldo Emerson, Oliver Wendall Holmes, and Edgar Allen Poe lecturing.  The first U.S. performance of Shakespeare’s Hamlet occurred here in 1871.  Most notable for Vince and I, looking up, was the nine-story skylit atrium, cast-iron railings and pyramidal corner towers, a very beautiful architectural feature.

Next stop, The Standard Hotel, to their rooftop bar, Le Bain.  This hotel straddles the NYC high line, is located in the Meatpacking District, close to Chelsea Market and the Whitney Museum.  Le Bain offers vibrant nightlife with panoramic city and Hudson River views, a great spot to enjoy live DJ sounds while enjoying a sunset cocktail.  The crowd was eclectic, many vaping fans, who matched the atmosphere of the rooftop; a mixture of pool furniture, green turf seating, surrounding a small pool and the fragrance of the chlorine.  Another NYC experience, decadent NOT, interesting and eye-opening, YES!  This younger generation works hard and plays hard and do not want to miss out of being seen at the hot spots in town.

 Our last day in NYC, at least for now, began with a relaxing morning for me.  Finished cleaning out closets and kitchen cabinets and accumulated a few large bags of clothing, and household items to donate…always a good feeling!  We had a 4:00PM appointment at

One Vanderbilt, a newly built skyscraper, that rivals any distinctive tower in the NYC skyline, which brings back the vitality of Grand Central Station.  The Summit, the top floors of this spectacular construction, recalls the tradition of The Empire State Building and The Chrysler Building.  The experience Vince took us on was taking an elevator ride up 93 floors, where the views stretch the horizon, and the city reveals its awesome grandeur.  The total cost of the One Vanderbilt project was $320 billion, with $220 million dedicated to improving Grand Central Terminal.  An amazing feat, a nail-biting experience for me, but very happy Vince put this on the agenda for our week in the city.  Wow!

Dinner was in the same building, on the 55^th floor, The Centurion Lounge, an American Express Michelin star hopeful.  They have my vote!  A prix fixe menu of beautifully presented, unusual three courses, each being extremely tasty with different flavors than we are used to.  Indulgent, decadent for sure, we both enjoyed the experience, the atmosphere, the superb service and our various food choices and the plating artistry unique to each course.  Debaucherie for sure, once in a while, it’s OK, it’s special!

A tasting sample compliments of the chef                  

1^st course – tuna tataki

Entrée course – Duck w rhubarb sauce        Dessert – Cappuccino cream with bisciotti

View from our table of the Chrysler Building

Drove home, after a fine dinner and a fabulous NYC week, grazie mille Vincenzo.  Let’s do it again soon!

Back to Huntington Bay, Long Island, to watch with our JonPeter, the 2^nd game of the NBA finals, NY Knicks vs. San Antonio Spurs.  Another great game, very close at the end, and the Knicks pulled it off, with their usual frenetic and champion style.  Mikal Bridges made the difference, but this is a team that feeds off of each others strengths, and steps up when they need to.  An exciting time for NYC, particularly for Knicks fans, who have been waiting for this moment for 50 years.  Go New York, Go New York!!!