Visiting NYC Part 1
Yeah, NYC is all that. Gleaming new buildings with a glimpse of the Empire State building steeple in the background, as seen from the High Line, an old elevated train track converted into a public space with gardens, art and restaurants two stories over the city. And it’s free. A blend of the old and the new. More on the High Line in the next post.
We've got an impromtu trip to New York City and I am always down for that, so we leave tomorrow. Bob has meetings and as usual, I do not. The weather is looking sketchy, and though I really want to go to Brooklyn, I am keeping my options open. No shortage of things to do in New York, for sure. We take the train out of Boston, which skirts the ocean through Rhode Island and Connecticut and then right into the heart of the city, so I just stare out the window and daydream for a few hours while Bob answers e-mails, calls people, etc. He's a busy guy.
We are staying at the Four Seasons in mid-town and I know our hotel choices are boring, but he needs to conduct meetings, etc. I've tried to get him to boutique hotels with mixed results. I am not really in charge of hotels, but I also am not complaining! We arrive in town around 6 or so, and after checking in, we have a dinner reservation and I am hungry. Fresco by Scotto. Let's have some pasta.
Fresco by Scotto has been an institution in NYC for over 25 years, which says a lot.
I did not pick the restaurant, but I am pretty happy with the choice! If you check their web site, and if you ever watch the Today Show, you will recognize this family. They are on the show a lot. We score a table in the window and Bob's business partner, Dean (he is Italian), starts ordering things. They are yummy. Please see images of the restaurant and our delicious dinner below.
Beautiful interior shots of Fresco by Scotto, and well as some mouth-watering food shots, too!
We start off with a grilled vegetable antipasto as well as a meat and cheese antipasto, some potato and zucchini chips, olives, white bean dip and house-baked bread plus some Italian red wine, which almost could have been enough, but no, we go for more. For the "secondi", I choose the house-made pappardelle with duck and wild mushroom ragu, some ravioli graces the table, there is yet another pasta dish, and Bob goes for a rack of lamb. It is all quite delicious and boy are we full! Since no-one is hungry for dessert, I order some gelato, biscotti and tawny porto, and Dean gets his usual Ferno Branca, a digestive that tastes like mouthwash, but he loves it.
And now a little on the Four Seasons Hotel. It is located right in the middle of the city, a 6 minute walk from Central Park and all kinds of shopping, for those who like to shop (not me!). It is decidedly Art Deco, and was designed by I.M. Pei, the renowned late architect. Their on-site restaurant, The Garden, looks a lot like, well, a garden, with manicured trees filling the space. There is a swanky bar callled TyBar, which glows up at night. So many dining options in the city, though. They're keeping it simple.
We're calling it a night, as I have many plans for tomorrow. Still worried about the weather, not sure if I'll make it to Brooklyn or not. Tune in tomorrow to find out, and thanks for following Ann!