The View Ahead

Sometimes work can beat you down so much that you just have to keep your eye on what's just around the corner for motivation.  I am in that mode right now....

Labor Day weekend we will be spending three nights in New York City.  I haven't been to NYC in about 2 years though I've been lucky enough to go at least 15 times or more since college.  Granted, most of those were work trips where I spent 99% of my time in a windowless conference room but it was still New York.  Poor Steve hasn't been since we did a weekend trip the year we got married (11 years ago), so he is super excited.  Here is the gist of our plans:

1.  Staying at the St. Regis in mid-town.  Yes, this is a splurge but I have always wanted to stay here, we got a good deal and we booked the cheapest room they have.   I will also say that the concierge there has been great at getting us dinner reservations to some places that are notoriously difficult to get into and they even managed to get us reservations for 7:30pm on Fri and Sat so I think that service alone has justified the room cost, which actually wasn't as bad as you might think.

St Regis with house Bentley out front

2.  Two Special Dinner Reservations.  Friday night is Gramercy Tavern and Saturday night is Blue Hill.  Blue Hill just won the James Beard award for best restaurant in New York this past year and is very small and intimate so I actually never thought we could get a reservation on a weekend.  Both restaurants do the whole "farm to table" concept so I can't wait to try them out!

Gramercy Tavern

Blue Hill

3.  Yankees Game!  Not a Yankees fan but I look forward to seeing Yankee Stadium and taking in a game.  We also plan to get down there a little early and try hitting one of the local Dominican or Jamaican restaurants near the stadium.

Whatever.  Go Orioles.

4.  Shopping in Soho.  My favorite shopping district in New York.  Tons of fun boutiques, Barney's last call and it's just a lovely neighborhood with a great vibe.  It's also within walking distance to Little Italy which is a great stop for lunch.

Too many stores, not enough time in Soho

5.  Dinner at Pellegrino's in Little Italy followed by the Mulberry Street Bar.  Neither one is a fancy place at all but I love Pellegrino's for dinner and then an ice cold Peroni at the Mulberry Street Bar.  Great people watching!

Pellegrino's

Mulberry Street Bar

What about you?  Any favorite spots in NYC?