Day 6: NY

Day 6:   New York

Weather: Great, even though started raining at around 9:15pm

QOTD1: Is there anything better than Mori Sushi?

QOTD2: And, he managed to get his hand inside the blouse as well

THB and DB visit the fitness center and amazingly, on Day 5, Oscar’s for breakfast. Well, was it worth wait? DB likes her scrambled eggs and THB has two blintzes, two mini-waffles, some plain yogurt and a few pieces of bacon. It’s okay, nothing that you would be desperate to eat. On other hand, the WT makes it up on the other end: when we return from dinner, the lobby of the hotel is closed off for an Indian wedding. Back around to our entrance on 50^th, thinking that the Waldorf must a) be missing a ballroom or b) sold their hotel to the highest bidder regardless of how many regular guests there are.

THB and DB decide to conserve energy and taxi to the part of the High Line they haven’t walked on this trip (or any, they’ve expanded the north end quite a bit). Bad idea: at 10:30 the island is in the throes of traffic gridlock. Just like the drive in on Sunday from the airport (THB means from LaGuardia, even though we landed at JFK), the cabbie heads east to go west and decides to take us 7 to 10 blocks further south too. An hour later, we’ve agreed to take the subway as much as possible. This ride was $35; it’s not the money, it’s the car sickness.

Finish up most of the High Line and start our gallery tour of Chelsea. See several promising works, including paintings by Viola Frey and some Japanese photographs we say 3 years ago.

 

We've been to her studio

And his!

Take a break for lunch at Company (Co.), another Jim Lahey spot, for pizza, salads, and Arnold Palmers, $70. Just two doors down, a Sullivan Street Bakery outlet for a chocolate cookie, $1.75.

 

Sibylle Peretti, work on glass

Viola Frey, work on paper

close-up 

Back to gallery visits, including Pace where they have more work by Lee Ufan. THB and DB figure out the obvious: THB is looking for more bright/colorful figurative work and DB is looking for more calm abstract work (in 2 and 3D).

Back to the hotel (on the subway!) and a chance for DB to get a manicure and pedicure. Only, the hotel is living up to its two star service rating: late, inefficient, and incompetent. While it is “free” it is still frustrating.

Dinner at Shuko, a highly touted Japanese restaurant with two chefs who trained under Masa (of Beverly Hills and Manhattan fame, both places THB and DB have eaten at). In the meantime, THB and DB have been eating at Mori Sushi in LA. Mori is all Japanese, every dish is Japanese, most of the fish is Japanese, the staff is all Japanese, and the food is tremendous.

THB needs to realize that not all upscale sushi restaurants are all Japanese. The kaiseki at Shuko is a mix of prepared dishes and sushi. The prepared dishes are semi-Japanese to not Japanese at all (e.g., lamb belly, lobster with bacon {nor kosher}, apple pie and ice cream). The food is very good, it is just not all Japanese. The chefs have gone Vegas (no surprise, they were in charge of opening Masa’s in Las Vegas). Lots of alcohol with the pairings: champagne, champagne with stout, three types of sake, whiskey, French whites and reds. And, THB and DB make it through the staff time-out.

As the meal starts off, the courses are coming fast and furious. So fast, we can’t keep up with the various alcohol pairings. We ask our waiter to slow things down. Slower. Finally, the word gets through. And then DB (facing into the restaurant, we don’t get seats at the sushi bar), announces we are the only diners. The staff has disappeared. The first seating is over. Except for us. Strange, no?

Then the restaurant starts to fill up again. A foursome sits down next us. We think they are on their 3^rd or 4^th course before their wine appears. It’s a race. Fortunately, we aren’t trying to win. When we leave, after 3 hours, DB spots one couple waiting by the entrance; our replacements kept on hold?

Grand total with tax and tip: $750. A very good meal. Not all-Japanese.

And, he managed to get his hand inside the blouse as well

Cab back to the hotel, $14 (it’s around 2 miles!).