Pictures and details will be forthcoming, but here’s the quick rundown of our 48 hours in the Big City. Saturday, after getting picked up at the airport by a driver (swanky!), we arrived at our hotel, the Lucerne, in the Upper West Side. Very nice place. Small rooms (typical, I think), but very nice, and very quiet. Our room overlooked the corner the Amsterdam and 79th. From there, we reconnoitered the neighborhood, and eventually had lunch at EJ’s Luncheonette, a neighborhood dinner. Tasty sandwiches (the sheer number of eateries in the West Side, within five blocks of the hotel, is mind-boggling). From there, we toured Central Park, and walked down 5th Avenue to Times Square. We stopped in FAO Schwartz, but we were both overwhelmed by the number of people there. Nutty. Also, the Apple store in Rockefeller Center is very weird. So weird, in fact, I forgot to take a picture. Times Square was nutty. Far too many people. But hey, at least we saw it. From there, we took the subway back to the hotel, got cleaned up, and had a fine meal at Bettola, half a block away from the hotel. Very nice.

(At this point, it should be said that rumors of high food prices in New York are greatly exaggerated. At Bettola, we had very fine entrees, shared a bottle of wine, an appetizer, and dessert, and paid $100, including tip. The service was good, and at no point did we feel rushed. In fact, we had to remind the waitress to give us our check.)

Sunday morning started with breakfast next door at Nice Matin. From there, we went to the Guggenheim, which was very nice, and we wandered around the park for a bit afterwards. Lunch was at Planet Sushi (again, within a block of the hotel). Good fish, excellent prices. After a short nap, we took the train to Brooklyn to see an old friend. The train ride, thanks to various service changes, was an adventure, and took nearly two hours. Ironically, people were asking us for directions. I figured we looked completely clueless, but apparently not. After some conversation and food at their flat in Brooklyn (Carroll Heights, to be exact), we walked to a newly-opened tapas bar on Henry Street (the name escapes me). Again, very tasty and very affordable. From there, we walked to the Brooklyn Promenade, where we were treated to the best view of the city, illuminated as it was in the darkness of midnight. Our train ride back to the Upper West Side passed without incident.

On Monday, following another breakfast at Nice Matin, we made our way back to the airport, and shortly thereafter, returned home.

Posted on 14 August 2007