The Irish have been coming here for years...
I spent my St. Paddy's Day in the Big Apple. We happened to have a day off, so I decided to do what I've done just about every time I've had a free day in New York: explore. One of the great things about New York is that even if you hit the same place multiple times, there's always a chance you'll see something new. There's always something happening somewhere in this city.
Rob had recommended I get a Bistro Burger at the Corner Bistro in the Village, walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and ride the Staten Island Ferry (preferably at dusk). The first thing I did was hop on the subway and head for Manhattan. It was going on 2 p.m. and I hadn't eaten yet, so I decided to swing by the Corner Bistro for one of those famous burgers. I found the place with surprising ease.
When I walked in, there were a bunch of people all lined up. I wasn't sure if there was a list or what, so I walked past the line just to investigate. I found out there was just a line, so I went to the back to wait. Within 15 minutes I was at the front of the line, ready to sit down and order myself a Bistro Burger. I was standing in front of the handcrafted mahogany bar, which was jam-packed with patrons, when I noticed the guy at the bar right in front of me looked familiar. Could it be? I tried to get a good look at his reflection through the mirror that lined the wall behind the bar.
Holy crap, it is him. It's Jerry O'Connell.
A minute or two after I spotted Jerry, he wiped his mouth, stood up, put on his jacket and left. For those of you who don't know, Sliders was one of my favorite TV shows, and starred Jerry O'Connell. You may remember him as the fat kid from Stand By Me, or as the star of the 80s sci-fi series My Secret Identity. I thought about saying something to the guy as he brushed past me, but I decided not to bother him in his hometown on St. Patrick's Day. It was really cool seeing him though.
Since Jerry had left, and I was next in line, I stepped up to the bar and planted myself in the vacant stool. I brushed his chewed coffee stirrer to the side and ordered a Bistro Burger and fries. Within minutes, I was chowing down on eight ounces of ground beef, cheese, bacon and onions. And a bun. While not the best burger I've ever had, it seemed like one of the biggest. I ate my fries in true Corner Bistro fashion -- with a fork. All in all, a positive dining experience. I'd definitely eat there again.
From there I walked around the Village a little, and ended up on 11th Avenue, which took me to Hudson River Park. It's a cool little walkway area along some piers on the Hudson River. Pier 54 houses the Nomadic Museum, which caught my fancy, although I opted not to spend my money there. It looks like a cool place to visit one day, though, being a nomad of sorts myself. I'll have to check on the price of admission.
After walking in the park, I made my way to Times Square, which is usually where I go when I've run out of ideas but don't want to call it a day. I wanted to get a frozen yogurt from Tasti-D-Lite, and I thought they had a location near Times Square. Tasti-D-Lite is a great place if you're looking for a frozen dessert that's low fat -- all their yogurt is 98% fat-free, all-natural and Kosher. That considered, it's really pretty good. You Seinfeld fans may remember the fat-free yogurt episode, which was inspired by Tasti-D-Lite. I highly recommend a try if ever you're in the neighborhood. Anyway, I didn't find the Times Square location after walking around for a while, and I'm now convinced there isn't a location in Times Square. So I decided to walk around a little more, away from Times Square. Maybe I'd find a Tasti-D-Lite somewhere else.
Well, I didn't find the yogurt place, but I did happen upon the sound of marching drums as I walked down Madison Avenue. I followed the sound to a St. Patrick's Day parade in progress. I realized I seemed to be near the back of the parade, so I tried to walk towards the front of it and learned quickly that you can't get very far trying to do this in New York. The way the streets are blocked off from both vehicle and pedestrian traffic, it's nearly impossible to get anywhere faster than the parade does. So I finally settled into a spot next to an Irish couple. They were very enthusiastic, showing their support for each of the counties of Ireland as their representatives marched by. They did this with a thumbs-up and a shout of "Up [Insert County Name Here]!!!" At first I thought they were telling the other counties to shove it, but when the representatives responded in kind using their own county's name, I figured out it was a friendly gesture. I stood there for several minutes, enjoying the Irishness of it all, and the very non-Irish marching bands that were scattered throughout the procession. The highlight for me was the bagpipers.
Having searched unsuccessfully before for a Tasti-D Oasis, I needed to boost my blood sugar and rest my legs after having walked for such an extended period of time. So I slipped into a McDonald's for a large Coke.
After sitting in McDonald's for a while, I decided to head back to Ari's apartment in Brooklyn. The only problem was I didn't have keys, and didn't know if anyone would be there to let me in. I called Adam, and he was at Danny's Manhattan office doing some business. I tried calling Ari, but he didn't answer. I left a voicemail with him, and started walking around some more. I came upon Grand Central Station and decided to go inside, since it was out of the cold, and I might find a place to relax while I called Adam again. For those of you who have heard Grand Central Station used metaphorically, you have to actually visit the place -- at rush hour -- to get the full effect. Everybody was going everywhere at once. I didn't find a bench to relax on, as there are very few benches in New York City apart from its parks. So I ended up leaning against a balcony railing as I dialed Adam's number. It went straight to voicemail, so I left a message asking him to call me if/when he planned to head back to Brooklyn. I then tried to call my parents to tell them about my day in New York and just to catch up a little. They weren't home, so I had to leave a message (my mom called back later). While I was using my phone, I decided to send my friend Jessi a text message, as I sometimes do. I was hoping Adam or Ari would call me back, but neither did. So I did what anyone in my position would do. I hopped a subway to Bowling Green, where the Staten Island Ferry sets sail. Well, it doesn't actually set sail, since it doesn't use sails, but you know what I mean.
Dusk was approaching, and I knew I would be too late to follow Rob's recommendations to the letter. It had just grown fully dark when I stepped onto the ferry.
As we pulled away, bound for Staten Island, I looked back at the city. I think it was then that I fully realized the architectural significance of the World Trade Center's absence. I tried to imagine what it would have looked like with the twin towers, not quite sure where to place them in the skyline. As we pulled away from Manhattan, I noticed the Statue of Liberty approaching in the distance. I looked forward to finally seeing her this close. Every other time I had only seen the statue was from the observation deck of the World Trade Center, and once or twice from the road coming into the city. I wondered if anyone had been on the ferry when David Copperfield made the Statue of Liberty disappear all those years ago, and what it looked like. Several minutes later, we arrived at Staten Island, where I would have to get off the boat and wait in line again for the return trip. I was a little hungry by this time, so I popped into the ferry's snack bar on the way back for a hot pretzel. Soon I was back in the city, on my way to Brooklyn. Adam had called me back while I was on my way to the ferry, and I knew he'd be there to let me in. As I walked from the subway station to Ari's apartment, I finally saw my oasis. I stopped into Tasti-D-Lite for a peanut butter shake. It wasn't as good as Sonic's version, but at 98% fat free, it wasn't too shabby. I arrived at Ari's apartment shortly thereafter, having experienced yet another full day in the Big Apple.
Rob had recommended I get a Bistro Burger at the Corner Bistro in the Village, walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and ride the Staten Island Ferry (preferably at dusk). The first thing I did was hop on the subway and head for Manhattan. It was going on 2 p.m. and I hadn't eaten yet, so I decided to swing by the Corner Bistro for one of those famous burgers. I found the place with surprising ease.
Holy crap, it is him. It's Jerry O'Connell.
Since Jerry had left, and I was next in line, I stepped up to the bar and planted myself in the vacant stool. I brushed his chewed coffee stirrer to the side and ordered a Bistro Burger and fries. Within minutes, I was chowing down on eight ounces of ground beef, cheese, bacon and onions. And a bun. While not the best burger I've ever had, it seemed like one of the biggest. I ate my fries in true Corner Bistro fashion -- with a fork. All in all, a positive dining experience. I'd definitely eat there again.
From there I walked around the Village a little, and ended up on 11th Avenue, which took me to Hudson River Park. It's a cool little walkway area along some piers on the Hudson River. Pier 54 houses the Nomadic Museum, which caught my fancy, although I opted not to spend my money there. It looks like a cool place to visit one day, though, being a nomad of sorts myself. I'll have to check on the price of admission.
After walking in the park, I made my way to Times Square, which is usually where I go when I've run out of ideas but don't want to call it a day. I wanted to get a frozen yogurt from Tasti-D-Lite, and I thought they had a location near Times Square. Tasti-D-Lite is a great place if you're looking for a frozen dessert that's low fat -- all their yogurt is 98% fat-free, all-natural and Kosher. That considered, it's really pretty good. You Seinfeld fans may remember the fat-free yogurt episode, which was inspired by Tasti-D-Lite. I highly recommend a try if ever you're in the neighborhood. Anyway, I didn't find the Times Square location after walking around for a while, and I'm now convinced there isn't a location in Times Square. So I decided to walk around a little more, away from Times Square. Maybe I'd find a Tasti-D-Lite somewhere else.
Well, I didn't find the yogurt place, but I did happen upon the sound of marching drums as I walked down Madison Avenue. I followed the sound to a St. Patrick's Day parade in progress. I realized I seemed to be near the back of the parade, so I tried to walk towards the front of it and learned quickly that you can't get very far trying to do this in New York. The way the streets are blocked off from both vehicle and pedestrian traffic, it's nearly impossible to get anywhere faster than the parade does. So I finally settled into a spot next to an Irish couple. They were very enthusiastic, showing their support for each of the counties of Ireland as their representatives marched by. They did this with a thumbs-up and a shout of "Up [Insert County Name Here]!!!" At first I thought they were telling the other counties to shove it, but when the representatives responded in kind using their own county's name, I figured out it was a friendly gesture. I stood there for several minutes, enjoying the Irishness of it all, and the very non-Irish marching bands that were scattered throughout the procession. The highlight for me was the bagpipers.
After sitting in McDonald's for a while, I decided to head back to Ari's apartment in Brooklyn. The only problem was I didn't have keys, and didn't know if anyone would be there to let me in. I called Adam, and he was at Danny's Manhattan office doing some business. I tried calling Ari, but he didn't answer. I left a voicemail with him, and started walking around some more. I came upon Grand Central Station and decided to go inside, since it was out of the cold, and I might find a place to relax while I called Adam again. For those of you who have heard Grand Central Station used metaphorically, you have to actually visit the place -- at rush hour -- to get the full effect. Everybody was going everywhere at once. I didn't find a bench to relax on, as there are very few benches in New York City apart from its parks. So I ended up leaning against a balcony railing as I dialed Adam's number. It went straight to voicemail, so I left a message asking him to call me if/when he planned to head back to Brooklyn. I then tried to call my parents to tell them about my day in New York and just to catch up a little. They weren't home, so I had to leave a message (my mom called back later). While I was using my phone, I decided to send my friend Jessi a text message, as I sometimes do. I was hoping Adam or Ari would call me back, but neither did. So I did what anyone in my position would do. I hopped a subway to Bowling Green, where the Staten Island Ferry sets sail. Well, it doesn't actually set sail, since it doesn't use sails, but you know what I mean.
Dusk was approaching, and I knew I would be too late to follow Rob's recommendations to the letter. It had just grown fully dark when I stepped onto the ferry.
In the stillness of the evening
When the sun has had its day
I heard your voice whispering
Come away now
New York
- U2, "New York"
posted by James | 9:53 PM
1 Comments:
You rock, man.
I've never been to New York. My first time will be in about 3 weeks. My sister almost persuaded me once to move there with her.
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