Wow, time has flown by and since my last post I’ve been to NYC and back. It was only a three day trip but ”we packed it in with a crowbar!” Lucky for me, I had two great tour guides at my side.
So, this is part one of a three part series. Since this is a lengthy journal entry some of you that don’t know me may be thinking…”there is no way I’m reading all of this!” And that’s cool. So, I’ve created a short summary of links to sights we visited. Enjoy!
Day One: Summary
Bouchon Bakery for lunch
McNulty’s Tea & Coffee
The Highline Park
Times Square
FELA on Broadway
Bar Centrale
Day One: Long Version
View from the rooftop balcony at our hotel
E and I flew from St. Louis to LaGuardia last Thursday and arrived in the city around lunchtime. We checked into the hotel which has a great view of Central Park and enjoyed a nice lunch across the street at Bouchon bakery (a Thomas Keller joint). It was simple but delicious! After lunch we hit the subway and stopped by McNulty’s Tea & Coffee in the west village. It’s been around since 1895 providing unique blends of tea and coffee but another reason from seeking this place out was that my partner-in-crime also shares the same last name. From the West Village we headed northwest to the Meat Packing District which is the starting point of The Highline.
Images taken while walking The Highline
The Highline was once an elevated train line that has been converted into a walking garden. Straddling the Highline is The Standard Hotel which was completed in 2008 but looks like its been around since the 50’s. Designed by Polshek Partnership its a beautiful piece of modern architecture.
Street Art by Invader. Found in Chelsea.
From the Highline we walked through Chelsea were I came across some street art by the french artist appropriately name Invader. He has installed mini mosaics, like the one above, all over the world. Many of his pieces have been destroyed or stolen. My husband first saw his work when we were visiting family in Newcastle, England back in 2007. That’s how I recognized this little gem!
I swear I wasn’t drunk at the time that I took this shot but with all the people, noise and signs, I felt drunk!
We continued on through Times Square which was very overwhelming even in the daytime. I’m not a fan of huge crowded areas but it was great to see how much pedestrial space there is. The Red Stairs are an interesting way to hide the TKTS kiosk even if you can’t get anywhere near them!
Once we made our way through Times Square we headed back to our hotel with just enough time to clean up for our first night on the town. We met up with John, a friend of E’s, who lives in the city and headed to the theater district to see FELA. We weren’t allowed to take pictures inside the theater but it was a fantastic production about the Nigerian musical genus Fela Kuti. I didn’t know anything about Fela before seeing it but once it was over I wanted to hear everything he ever made!
After FELA we headed to an unmarked place called Bar Centrale. Only in New York would a place want to discourage visitors! Anyway, the food was very tasty and their wine list was impressive but not over-priced. It was a small, quiet place and a great way to unwind!
Tomorrow, its onto day two of the trip. That’s all for now!












