Renewed in New York

Photos by H. Darr Beiser

New York in December

     Hey greater Washington area. What’s stopping you? Get over your disdain for buses and take the ultra comfortable express ride to that metropolis that doubles as an energy drink, New York City.

     It is old news by now, but I continue to marvel at the business model that is Vamoose. Hop on board in Bethesda and $30 and four hours later you will be in New York City. On the bus you can space out on your devices and enjoy the schadenfreude of watching those poor souls in their cars. 

Check-in at Ink 48

     Arriving at Penn Station we decided to walk briskly to Hell’s Kitchen, where we checked in to Ink 48, a hotel I raved about last summer (see September post). Despite a higher room rate than I got in August, it was just as wonderful in the winter. This is the old press building that has fabulously big rooms, tall ceilings and enormous windows with great city views.  The rooftop bar The Press Lounge was wrapped up and winterized but continued to deliver the essence of NYC glamour, and Frank Sinatra was still singing.

Coffee Bean Bag Pillows

     On our way to the 50^th Street subway we espied a sign for Rice ‘N’ Beans. And because we have always shared an inordinate fondness for the apostrophe-n construction we were drawn in. It was a small piece of Brazil, with a menu of Feijoada, black beans and yellow rice. The décor was very pleasing, burlap covered cushions, a big soccer net on the ceiling, and Samba music blaring. Perfect.

One World Trade Center

     Thus fortified we went to see the National September 11 Memorial. This took some fortification. The reflecting pools must be seen, no photographs or news broadcasts can capture them. You stand on the very footprint of each tower and stare down into one square acre of the largest manmade waterfall in North America. Water tumbling down from all sides, first into a broad space and then rushing inevitably to the middle where it disappears forever into a black hole of infinity. The symbolism of the endless falling is so powerful and tragic and mesmerizing. It is hard to stay and it is hard to pull away. The effect must be different for everyone. But it’s safe to say you won’t feel the same after being there. We had intended to go to the 9-11 Memorial Museum, but we were sated with sadness. We walked around the somehow-spared St. Paul’s Chapel, which had been transformed into a haven of help for firefighters and EMTs and the other rescue heroes of 9-11.

9-11 Memorial

     More Manhattan goodness for a raucous dinner at Hearth.  This was pure gourmet comfort food; grilled beef neck, rigatoni with pork ragu, rosemary, and ricotta, Spatchcock spring chicken and wildly good squash soup.

Issey Lip Shirt

     Next day some shopping therapy in Tribeca. My friends never miss a chance to visit the flagship store of Issey Miyake, a Japanese designer who essentially makes wearable art. Origami on hangers. I got a hot pink pleated shirt with bold blue lips which I will treasure forever.

Times Square

     From there to the madness that is Rockefeller Center the first day the Christmas tree is lit. Pushing through crowds of people who were there simply to stare and photograph the tree, we hit a bustling business lunch joint, Del Frisco’s Grille, noise level 8, essence of Manhattan level 10.   Men in fine suits, energy in the air, women in reindeer hats bellying up to the bar. In the shadow of the Time Life building which is vacating we chatted with our surviving print journalist friends.

     And ... the event that brought us—an opening at Agora Gallery, featuring the fine artwork of my friend Judy Zimbert. This brought out the vibrant artsy crowd. Girls in Army boots with black satin laces; berets and big glasses, the Euro cut. Fresh faced 20-somethings coming from their first-jobs with a determination to put just as much effort into their free time. 

     Dinner at Ovest Pizzoteca, noise level 10. It was a good place to practice elocution, using exaggerated diction in the off chance that someone would understand, if not hear me. Oh well, you can talk anytime but you can’t be at a restaurant in Chelsea where the bottles of wine and plates of delicious pasta come at you with tremendous speed, precision and order.

Barber Shop

     The next day we left at 7:30 a.m. and were in our kitchen in under four hours. We had done more in 48 hours in New York than we had in five days here. A compact, concentrated, cosmopolitan experience.

Early Morning Bus Ride Home