It's been a good trip to New York so far, although I am slightly disappointed that most of this second week I've been sick in bed! It was bound to happen though- that's what happens when things slow down and you finally get a chance to relax, right?
Walking
The first week here was nice and mellow- lots of walking around and exploring. Jim and I are staying at an apartment in the Flat Iron district, on 23rd St and 5th Ave. It's fun because it's a different neighbourhood from where we usually stay (the East Village or Lower East Side). It's not as residential, but is within reasonable walking distance from almost everything. We explored Chelsea, Times Square, Hell's Kitchen, the West Village, Midtown...
It was exciting to finally check out the completed portion of the High Line in Chelsea. Jim and I were fortunate to get a sneak preview of the place about a year ago when it was still under contruction because we were considering it a potential farm dinner site. The High Line was once a raised railway running through the westside of Manhattan, but has now been turned into a beautiful walking park.
The High Line is restored with wild plants and grasses
that were growing there naturally prior to it's
redevlopment as a park
The walking path goes right through some of the buildings in the Meat Packing District, as the freight trains used to stop right at the buildings and unload their cargo
With the redevelopment process all of the railway steel was sandblasted to remove the lead paint that was originally on it
They've been doing a lot of work lately in NYC in terms of public spaces and pedestrian access. In May of this year they turned Times Square into a pedestrian mall. There are little tables and chairs set up along the street along with some vendors. I think it makes the space seem a lot less chaotic, which is nice. Herald Square (which is on 34th and Broadway) is also a pedestrian mall now.
Herald Square pedestrian mall
Times Square
Eating
We've taken it easy on the eating this first week too (read: no farm dinner restaurants where we end up gorging ourselves) and enjoyed Ippudo (a Japanese ramen noodle restaurant), Shang (Toronto chef Susur Lee's first US place) Craftbar (of the Tom Colicchio empire) and my favourite place, just around the corner from the apartment: Shaffer City Oyster Bar. Shaffer City has the best happy hour ever with half price glasses of wine and half price oysters from 4 pm to 8 pm everyday!
We also went to this sandwich place called Eisenberg's downstairs from our apartment, mostly because I was enticed by their sign.
My kind of people...
Seeing
Some of you know that many years ago, during my streak of working many random jobs, I was an usher for Cirque du Soleil's Alegria when it was in Vancouver for a month and a half one summer. Since then I've also seen Varekai, O and Zumanity. When I learned that Wintuk would be playing in New York while we were there I couldn't miss it. It's advertised as a holiday show for the whole family "about a boy's quest for snow." It was being held in the theatre at Madison Square Gardens which was exciting too since I've never been there before.
Wintuk was definitely entertaining, though a little more kid-oriented than I was expecting. The introduction to the show had all of the performers running around on skateboards, BMXs and roller skates doing tricks and going up and down the ramps on the set. Cool, just not very Cirque-like. The second half of the show featured more of the Cirque du Soleil elements that I would expect: the rings/contorsionism, aerial stramps and Russian bars. Overall a good show and worth the price (which was much cheaper than most Cirque shows). I saw the other day that Ovo is a new Cirque show coming to the Bay Area at the end of the year. I'll probably have to drag Jim to that one too so he gets a more authentic experience.
Jim and I had a business meeting with a guy who had his office on the 34th floor of the Novotel Hotel, just North of Times Square. There is a deck on the floor and we got to check out this amazing view.
Looking towards Times Square from the 34th floor
of the Novotel Hotel
Here a few other shots from roaming around the city:
I was walking along 34th St, saw the Macy's
and got this feeling that I recognized it.
Then I saw this window display and realized why!
Looking North on Broadway near 34th St
Busy streets and a beautiful sunset reflecting off the buildings
Another view of the Empire State Building
The 23rd St subway station has hat mosaics on the walls,
each hat being of a famous person
More subway art - these remind me of the Doozers from Fraggle Rock!
I'm hoping I get better this in the next day or so so I can actually enjoy our last weekend here!
