Day 5: New York

Day 5: New York

Quote of the day:

"Hating the Yankees isn't part of my act. It is one of those exquisite times when life and art are in perfect conjunction." - White Sox Owner Bill Veeck

Weather: Overcast, clear, cool, blue skies, overcast, temps into the high 60s dipping into the 50s

Pics: Fitness Center, Apollo Theatre and New Amsterdam News near Aloft, around the High Line Park, near Ground Zero (Sullivan Street Bakery) and near the 9/11 Memorial (this area is never referred to as Ground Zero), new Yankee Stadium, THB in old Yankee Stadium tee

9 hours of sleep help THB feel human again. Extra minutes on the elliptical, coffee and NYT from Starbucks and a free muffin and banana from Aloft. Aloft has a deal where if you skip the room being tidied up, you get $5/day to use at their little mini-buffet.

This morning THB and LHB tour the High Line Park (second time in a few months for THB), still the best new urban park in years. We detour to Gagosian Gallery for large Avedon “murals” – very impressive. Mosey over to Company (Co.) for lunch (again): mushroom and jalapeno and dill pizza, artichoke salad without the capers this time, pizza bianco (THB has this rising to the top of the list for appetizers), “ginger ale”, $50.

Back to the High Line, and since we are headed that way we decide, why not, let’s just go visit the Sullivan Street Bakery (again, and again, and again….why not!). Load up for breakfast tomorrow, the airplane trip tomorrow, and maybe something for the rest of the week, too; $20. And, since the baked goods are for tomorrow, we duck into Je and Jo for a cup of something like ice cream. THB is not too fond, LHB likes hers, $8.

THB and LHB go in different directions, LHB uptown and THB heads downtown to the 9/11 Memorial. As Yogi sez, it is so crowded, nobody goes there anymore. THB gets his free visitor pass for a 3:30 entrance (at 2pm), figures he’ll go stand in line and see if he can get in early. Well, since the line, when it can be seen in semi-entirety (THB is not sure how much he’s looking at, it’s too crowded), THB decides it is something to be done on another day. Earlier. Maybe when it is raining. Or snowing. Or a blizzard.

The overview from the outside: several very tall buildings are in the process of going up, there’s construction all over the place in between those buildings, there are no good vantage points to see the (sunken) fountains right now, the whole area (4 huge square blocks?) is surrounded by tarps on tall fencing.

Back to rest up, recharge all equipment for the flight tomorrow, and head to Yankee Stadium. It is exactly like the old one from the seats to the field, bigger concession areas, no t-shirts of the new park (why would they since it is just the same as the old one). Italian sausage ($8) and Stella Artois on draft ($12....there are NO small beers!). Game is over early, Rays play horrible in the field, get only 4 hits at bat, and Andy “the ageless one related to Roger Clemens” Pettitte strikes out 10 in a stellar pitching performance. The Yanks do not hit well with runners in scoring position; they get a big one when Russell Martin hits a grand slam, otherwise they do nothing with runners in scoring position.

Easy ride back on the D metro (though the crowd on the platform was reminiscent of Beijing), only a few stops away from the stadium.