Greater Gotham is just one of the blogs I am involved in. The other is Fabulous Foodie. Today I thought I’d bring together and this is the result - not so much a guide to the food of New York as a guide to online guides (with a few specifics thrown in). So sit back, grab your classic gotham coffee and wander along with us.
New York Magazine’s Best of New York Food is always worth reading (and keeping for future reference) but the real, daily stop at NYM for food lovers is Grub Street, their food blog.
Time Out New York helpfully provides the New York Cheap Eats Pyramid as part of it’s annual Cheap Eats issue. After all, one must pay rent but that doesn’t mean one doesn’t want to go out and enjoy what the city has to offer. But it’s not all cheap over at Time Out. The Restaurants and Bars section of their site offers not only a wealth of listings but “refer to again and again” content like their Eat Out Awards, their “only online” additional information and foodie gift buying tips.
There are, of course, the usual guides to the Grub of Gotham. Typical of that breed is the Food Network’s A Tasty Travel Insider’s Guide to New York which if uninspired, is at least well organized. I prefer my guides with a bit more originality and personality of their own.
Speaking of originality and personality: Eater. From the folks that brought us Curbed. There are a few Eaters now - San Fran and La - but this is the original. Not only does it cover who and what is happening in the Gotham Grub scene but it rounds up what everyone else is saying about it. That’s helpful not only for those who want to follow the crowd but those who want to avoid them. Two guesses as to which category yours humbly falls into.
Also brimming with personality and opinion are NYC Nosh, Restaurant Girl and Savory New York. Savory is eating up tons of my time lately. Why Savory, in particular? Because it’s a wiki (one of my favorite things) and a video guide to New York City restaurants scene and if there’s one thing I like better than reading about it, it’s watching it.
Slow Food New York City has a directory of eateries, bars, food markets and shops that have earned the Slow Food Snail of Approval. If you ascribe to the Slow Food philosophy or even just think they might be on to something, pick your night out from this list and you won’t be sorry. If you don’t want to wait to “walk it off” then you’ll want to try out Foods of New York, food tasting walking tours of New York. Don’t feel like leaving the house after all? Surf on over to Menu Pages, the ultimate directory of NYC restaurants menus. 4000! Read them online or print them out.
If you want a side order of history with your meal, you could go to Fraunces Tavern but while no doubt interesting to some, is not the first place I think of for a fun meal. Instead, stop by Katz’s Deli, Lombardi’s or Old Town Bar. All three have been dishing out the goods for over 100 years and there’s a tasty reason they are still around. If you’ve still jonesing for more history, Forgotten NY (a favorite website of mine in the general sense) also has some culinary offerings worth looking at in their New York’s Oldest Bars and NYC’s Classic Diners sections.
And that brings us to the end of today’s tour. I hope you’ve enjoyed it. I know I have but now I really must go get lunch. I’m STARVING! Next time we take a virtual tour, it’s gonna be a tour of the food itself. So, come hungry.
One of the most exciting things happening in Manhattan this summer is the creation of more pedestrian promenades. Some are temporary and some are permanent but all are a welcome addition, as far as I am concerned.
And - more long-term joy for those of us who consider walking the city one of the great joys in life - starting on August 15th, Broadway between 42nd to 35th Streets will be opened as a bike path and pedestrian plaza featuring chairs, tables, benches, umbrellas and planters. The bike lane and plaza areas will be set off from the street and each other by a coat of small-grained gravel mixed with epoxy onto the pedestrian areas. Is it a perfect plan? No. Only a crazy person would put the plaza areas between the cars and the bikes (shall we start calculating now how many bike/pedestrian collisions will occur as people try to get from the sidewalk to the plaza?). And honestly, how relaxing can it be to sit under an umbrella (assuming it hasn’t been stolen or vandalized within days) within a foot or two of some of the worst traffic in the city? Not very. But the idea is a good one. A solid one and should be encouraged as something to spawn other similar areas.
And please - don’t whinge about the traffic. Cars are NOT king in New York and I can’t believe the number of people who have been carrying on like this is the end of the world. Hey, we all know driving in the city is a hassle and guess what? This isn’t going to make it any better. Have you considered the train?
A review of data and statistics reveals July to be the hottest and wettest month of the year and here in New York, July seems determined to live up to its reputation. Still, it’s a great time to be in New York because there’s a lot going to that will get your mind off the heat and the humidity.
The Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks (start time approx. 9pm) are the keystone Fourth of July event. You can catch a great viewing spot along the FDR (which is shut to vehicular traffic starting at 7pm), South Street Seaport or Liberty State Park.
July 7: The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942) — An acerbic radio commentator drops in one night for dinner and stays all winter. Written by the Epstein brothers (who penned the crackling dialogue in Casablanca), the cast of this farce includes Bette Davis, Anne Sheridan and Jimmy Durante.
July 14: Fail-Safe (1964) — As the stalwart President, Henry Fonda faces a dilemma: due to computer error, a U.S. bomber is en route to Moscow to drop an atomic bomb. This tense cold war drama, directed by Sidney Lumet, also features Walter Matthau and Larry Hagman.
July 21: Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) — The great screwball comedy, directed by Frank Capra, stars Cary Grant as a strait-laced young man who comes to the realization that his sweet old aunts have a nasty hobby. Raymond Massey and Peter Lorre lend hilarious support as two befuddled baddies.
July 28: The Apartment (1960) — In Billy Wilder’s cynical-but-sweet romantic comedy, Jack Lemmon tries to get ahead by loaning out his apartment to the bosses for a little “ring-a-ding-ding”. That is, until the place is used to entertain the woman of his affections, played adorably by Shirley MacLaine.
The park lawn opens at 5:00pm for blankets and picnicking and the films begin at dusk (typically between 8pm and 9pm).
Of course, July also means Restaurant Week Summer 2008 (which I mentioned as part of the Summer Fun Series). But July is a great food month overall in Gotham. To get you started on your mid-year culinary quest across the city, Ed Levine (of Serious Eats) compiled a list of 10 things you must eat this summer. Of course that list, which appeared in the Daily News, is just a small sample of the great stuff you can find on Serious Eats New York, where all the best food sites are trawled for the best tips and pointers. Also found in The Daily News was a quick hits guide to the best street food in New York. When did the Daily News become one of my ‘go to’ food places. I’m not complaining, mind you. Just feeling pleasantly confused
If you want to take a more hands on approach to food this month, why not check out the Whole Foods Market Bowery Culinary Center. Lots of classes, lectures and author appearance. You can sharpen up your knife skills, take a master class in chocolate or take a culinary trip around the world all in one evening.
Whatever your plans are - don’t forget that New York in July is only hot and humid but hoppin’ and happenin’ as well!
it’s been a busy time in Gotham but I admit that the Summer stories grabbing a goodly portion of the headlines - waterfalls, budgets, and baseball - are not what have caught my attention.
Oh I admit that the waterfalls as an idea intrigued when they were first proposed. I looked forward to them - and they still, as an idea, have been the thing that caught my attention - but in reality, during the day, the falls aren’t exactly all that and a bag of chips. At night they are lovely, exciting and ethereal at the same time. Night does that. Daytime is different. It’s like - well, have you ever eaten at the Water Club? It’s that kind of difference. At the Water Club, the view at night out the windows is magnificent. Lights move slowly past, their reflections sparkling and dancing on the waters as it parts, ebbs and flows. “Another glass of wine? Of course - isn’t the night magical? Let’s order coffee as well. I can’t bear for the night to end.” During the day? It’s more like, “Gosh, look at the traffic on the FDR. Getting home is gonna be a bitch? Is that a garbage barge?”
See? Time of day is the key here - and the key to enjoying the waterfalls. As for the others - there’s almost no reason for me to pay attention to the fact that a budget deal was brokered. Not that the budget isn’t important. It is. But there is always a budget being considered or passed or amended or being shot to hell. And baseball? Listen, no offense but baseball is a subject on which I am ‘meh’ at the best of times. Yes, I get it, I get it - local baseball teams slugging it out is special this time. Both teams are playing their last seasons in their respective stadiums. ‘Fans on the street’ are celebrating their teams and their team history and while ‘The Powers That Be’ don’t mind as such, they don’t seem to care either - as they don’t have to waste time doing the same. They are too busy pricing the average joe out and ignoring him in favor of big ticket corporates. Go team!
But the Summer stories I am excited about are
Summer Streets No-Car Zones coming in August and which, according the New York Times, “. . . will run north-south along Centre Street, Lafayette Street, Fourth Avenue and Park Avenue to 72nd Street. The southern half of 72nd Street from Park Avenue to Fifth Avenue will also be shut to vehicles, to link to Central Park. ” I can’t tell you how excited I am about this. I am a walker by habit as well as necessity and the longer the walk, the better as far as I am concerned. The comments on the Times article were overwhelmingly positive (oh there are always gripers) but some made excellent points about keeping the street vendors from taking over. This is not - after all - intended to be a street fair. Oh and to whoever it was that thought Manhattan was flat? Dude. There’s a reason Lenox Hill is called Lenox Hill. Flat? Not hardly.
Summer Restaurant Week starts July 21 and runs through August 1 (not valid on weekends). With a choice of 235 eateries and both lunch and dinner offerings to choose from, two weeks may not seem like nearly long enough. But it’s all you have so start planning now. There is a city of three-course, prix-fixe meals - lunch for $24.07 and dinner for $35 - awaiting you! (Oh and that reminds me - you know how I mentioned the Water Club earlier? Well, they have a $24.00 pre-fixe lunch and offer a $39.50 pre-fixe dinner every evening 5:00 pm till closing all year long so if you miss SRW this time around, you can still go and have a fabulous and very special meal for a great price.. On a clear, bright day even the tug boats shine.
Shakespeare in the Park - well, Hair anyway. OK- Hamlet was vile. But I admit to loathing the play as a rule anyway so I have only myself to blame for that lost chunk of my life. Never mind that. The rest of the day was fab. Beautiful weather, congenial neighbors in line (note to self - buy folding chair) and a drink lakeside afterwards. Who cares what happens to the Dopey Dane? Let him go back to Wittenburg if he’s such a pill! Bring on Hair! Lots of folks must be saying the same ’cause they’ve extended to run before the show even opened.
With so much going on this summer - this as well as the other stuff I’ve been covering in my NYC Summer Fun Series - it’s a wonder I have time to do any real work at all. And yet, real work beckons so I leave you all to your planning for now. Back soon with my promised Westchester report
I’m off to Westchester this morning and it’s suddenly occurred to me that I’ve not really covered much of Westchester here. Now, you might say - “that’s ok, this is Greater Gotham and that’s not Gotham. That’s Westchester.”
Strictly speaking, you are correct but what about the “Greater” part? What about “out and about in the city and beyond?” Well, Westchester is beyond, isn’t it? (In more ways than one).
So, as soon as I get back from my jaunt to the environs beyond, I shall regale you with many of the wild and wonderful things to be found up Westchester way.
White Plains - a city that anywhere else in the country would be a major metropolis to be reckoned with but which had the bad luck to be located next door to New York and has become the world’s largest urban addendum.
Chappaqua - sure it’s where the Clintons live (well, where they bought a house) but it’s also home to - in my opinion - the quickest Starbucks ever.
Pleasantville - which is, in fact, extremely pleasant.
Bronxville - which looks less like reality and more like a move set. And, for those interested in criminal history, center of the Tylenol scare of the 80s
Yonkers - yes, Yonkers, Famous in song and story (well, in Hello Dolly anyway). Home the Yonkers Raceway and - oh, wait. Did they take the raceway down? I better make sure my memories sync with reality on the ground.
And that’s just lower Westchester. Upper Westchester is a whole different kettle of fish. The Westchester County Tourism office - who knew? - looks like something I shall have to take a closer look at - if only because they have a section on agritourism. I miss the old says when we used to call that “Pick Your Own Apples.”
I may also point out some of my personal Westchester history along the way. I was - after all - born in Westchester (New Rochelle), went to college in Westchester (Sarah Lawrence College) and even when I lived in a different state all together came “this close” to attending a HS called Westchester. I did not. I went to Memorial but the fact remains that “Westchester” seems to have followed me around so the least I can do it pay some attention to it.
Orli, who sends me many cool “heads up” messages, sent one I simply MUST share immediately. Tuesday - in preparation for the Wednesday Season 2 premiere - there is a Shear Genius event in Times Square. He says:
They are giving out free professional blowouts on Military Island (7th Ave. btwn 43rd and 44th St.) in Times Square on Tuesday 6/24 @12 noon. The cast of the show will be on hand to provide free hair styling - host Jaclyn Smith will also be there, and you’ll be able to pick up a Nexxus gift bag too.
Discoveries of note today: the perfect time for breakfast at the Carnegie Deli? 9 am on Saturday.
Why? Because not only is there no line outside but there’s hardly anyone inside. My friend and I were gobsmacked. Pleased not to have to wait in the line o’ myth and legend, mind you. It is, after all, summer - a season we both agreed we would happily vote off the island. But gobsmacked all the same. It really didn’t start filling up until we were leaving.
The most shocking part of the whole outing was watching a family of four walk in, with Dad carrying a tray of Dunkin Donuts coffee. We assumed they must be lost or looking for a restroom. No! They asked for a table! They walked into the Carnegie with coffee from not only somewhere else but from Dunkin Donuts and proceeded to sit down to eat. The LOOKS they got from the staff! Lord, oh lord. Had they been grapes, they would have shriveled to raisins. But - the customer is always right even when they are deeply, tragically and outstandingly wrong. The staff served them - an air of pity (tinged slightly with disapproval) in their eyes.
Gosh, what a lot of initials. But in the SMS/TXT world, one goes with the flow. But what do all those letters mean? Well, it’s like this - the New York Times called for questions about mass transit this week and not surprisingly, there were quite a lot of questions pouring in within minutes. At a glance, I’d say most of these questions have occurred to most of us at one time or another (probably more than once and even more probably when stuck in a subway tunnel for ages and not knowing why). And now, the questions are being answered by Gene Russianoff, staff lawyer for the Straphangers Campaign.
Now anyone who reads this blog knows that I have issues with traffic in the city. I have issues with the transit system as well because frankly in a city like this - of its size and importance - we should not be suffering a transit system that goes to pieces in the rain. Re the importance of NYC - I’m not be local or arrogant here. NYC is important economically, culturally and symbolically on a global scale. If you wish to argue this point, fine but you’re wasting your time because love it or hate it, you know it’s true. If the city is to maintain that place - and I assume the city power brokers, government and other movers/shakers want that - then they better do something about the fact that it’s becoming increasingly difficult to get from one place to another in a reasonable amount of time.
Now, normally in my traffic rants, this would be the place where I state “Two Words: Congestion Charge” but I get all sorts of flack for it. From people who believe that their right to drive in from parts unknown trumps the greater good or the folks who misguidedly believe that such a charge puts a burden on the wrong people. OK, flack folks - I won’t say it this time. I will say this instead. If you don’t want a congestion charge, fine. What do YOU propose to do about the problem?
But I digress. The questions about mass transit are very interesting. The answers could be a tad more enlightening but that maybe due to a lawyerly caution in a public forum. I did think they picked a nice selection of questions (they couldn’t possibly have answered all of them or Mr. Russianoff would never have gotten anything else done this year) and there are more to come. Even more enlightening and entertaining have been the comments in response to the answers. Fascinating stuff.
what the hell is going on? Another crane collapse? This one was on East 91st Street off 1st Avenue. The last one - In March - was East 51st Street between 1st and 2nd. After that one, city building inspectors said they examined over 200 mobile cranes across the city and ended up shutting down about a quarter of them. Apparently not enough.
I gather that there had been a number of complaints called into 311 about the crane but no actual violations had been found.
I don’t know about the rest of you but I will think twice before walking anywhere NEAR a construction site along 1st Avenue. This is made especially awkward since I live off 1st Avenue and there is a construction site on the corner that I have to cut through (not around mind you - cut through) thanks to half-assed traffic cones and plastic barriers. If a building inspector ever came to that site, they either decided that the pedestrian traffic pattern created by the barriers wasn’t his/her problem or decided that those of us who walk the streets ‘buys our tickets and takes our chances.”
Summer grub in Gotham has many faces – greenmarkets, Summer Restaurant Week, sidewalk dining on crunchy summer salads and picnics. Hold on? Picnics? In the middle of the largest city in the country? You bet and here are some of the best spots to spread out that blanket and some of the yummiest chow to put into that wicker basket.
Where to go?
In a city awash in parks, there is no shortage of green space available to set up your food, kick off your shoes and take in the slower pace of a summer afternoon.
Central Park is the obvious Manhattan choice - and for good reason. The Park is lovely. Almost where ever you turn, you will see a spot that beckons you to lay out a blanket and start dishing out paper plates full of finger foods. But a few specific suggestions if you have small children in your party - why not go where they can see (and climb, with supervision) on Belvedere’s Castle. Your picnic then becomes nutrition for the imagination as well as the body. Looking for a new view of Manhattan’s back garden? Go north of the reservoir. Few areas of the Park are as gorgeous as the Harlem Meer. Small fry plus? The Dana Discovery Center is right on the north shore of the Meer (Dutch for “lake” in case you were wondering)
Fort Tryon Park – if the Cloisters weren’t enough of a draw (and honestly, what more could one want?), this fantastic park in the Inwood in section of Manhattan offers not only a beautiful setting, gorgeous plantings, rolling lawns and a quiet not often found in the city but a dog run (complete with a gazebo for dog owners looking for a bit of shade and a sit down) and two playgrounds.
The Bronx is home to one of the most amazing outdoor spaces in the state (if not the country) and that is Wave Hill. Although picnicking isn’t allowed everywhere, it is allowed at the Glyndor Gallery Picnic Area so bring your basket and tuck in. Then stroll the gardens and galleries (Free Garden and Greenhouse Tours begin at the conservatory every Sunday, 2:15) or let the kids join in on the weekly art project.
If you are Brooklyn bound for your outdoor repast, try Prospect Park, Central Park’s slightly funkier, more laid-back but equally lovely cousin. You’ll find many of the same facilities and amenities here as you will in Central Park - a zoo and wildlife center, pedal boats, carousel, farmer’s market, tennis courts, skating rink, band shell – but not nearly as many tourists.
If you long for something with a little more bite than your average picnic fare but believe that throwing a barbecue is out of reach in Manhattan – think again! According to the NYC Parks and Recreation site, you need a permit to barbecue but you can grill to your heart’s content “at designated areas within the following parks: East River Park, St. Nicholas Park, Highbridge Park, Inwood Hill Park, Marcus Garvey Park, Riverside Park. Thomas Jefferson Park, Randall’s Island, and Wards Island.”
What to bring and where to get it
The Bought Picnic: When someone says “picnic foods – what comes to your mind? Potato and pasta salads? Fried Chicken and Sandwiches? Fruit and veggie sticks? Iced tea and lemonade? Yup, that’s what I think of as well. Still, the kitchen is not my natural habitat so I’m more likely to compile a ‘prepared foods’ shopping list than go get some ingredients and do the preparing myself. After all, these are the lazy days of summer – ‘lazy’ being the operative word.
So if you want as much fun with as little fuss as possible, head out to grab your picnic-ready grub (salads, cold chicken – roast, grilled or fried, salsa and chips and every bottled water you’ve ever heard of and some you haven’t) at places like Zabar’s, Grace’s Marketplace, Grand Central Food Hall, Chelsea Market, Eli’s Vinegar Factory, Gourmet Garage or Whole Foods. The last, with some advanced notice, will actually put together a customized basket for you – the ultimate in no fuss picnic planning).
The Built Picnic: Feel like making at least a minor contribution to the process and doing at list some assembly if not outright cooking? How industrious of you! Grab a few cheese selections, some crunchy breads, some fruit and carrot sticks, slinging it across your shoulder with a thermos of some spicy iced tea (try my favorite or experiment with your own) and a few bottles of water. Voila! You have ‘built” an outdoor feast of considerable deliciousness. All without turning on an oven or switching on the stove.
The key to the ‘built” picnic is the quality and choice of cheese as well as the freshness of the bread so turn to the experts at Murray’s Cheese Shop (if your in Manhattan) or Bedford Cheese Shop (in Brooklyn) for advice on what cheese hold up well to an afternoon out (no one wants brie running off the blanket into the grass) and which breads, pita chips or crackers are best suited to each. Some of the best bread advice in the city can be had at Eli’s Bread or Zabar’s but the best bread in city – and the advice that goes with it – is at The Sullivan Street Bakery
The Blow Out Picnic: Feeling your inner Donna Reed? Want to impress as well as feed your guests? Then start cooking, baby!
Chicken – whether roasted, fried or grilled - is always a good finger food choice for picnics and honestly, roasting chicken pieces is a lot of bang for the buck as well as an impressive pile of goodness for comparatively little effort. People can eat it with fingers, shred it into salad or wrap in a tortilla. It is truly a food with something for everyone.
Dessert? Sure, you could buy perfectly decent baked goods almost anywhere but since you have decided to get ‘hands on’ - what about a cobbler? No need to worry about neat or tidy slices. Hardly any ingredients and is far, far better warm or room temp than either hot or cold. And like the chicken – an impressive result for almost no hard core cooking.
And even though you have your chef hat on for this alfresco fiesta, there’s nothing wrong with rounding out your homemade goodies with store bought. Tortilla chips and pre-cut veggies sticks will carry your homemade salsa just as well as carrots you peeled and cut yourself. For that matter, make extra salsa or buy an extra container of store bought salsa. It will give the chips something to do, yes but it’s also a great way to garnish your chicken, sandwiches and wraps.
Speaking of which – bring some whole wheat wraps, sliced tomatoes and lettuce so that folks can wrap up your chicken salad and take their lunch for a stroll. Then bring plenty of water and two good sized thermoses – one with ice tea, one with lemonade – for your mobile beverage cart.
In my opinion – again, I mention the ‘lazy’ days of summer - the best way to do the homemade picnic is to find a group of like-minded friends and dole out cooking assignments. Even I can make at least one thing in my own kitchen without resorting to the store so I expect your friends can too.
Next in the NYC Summer Fun series: Greens and greenmarkets
With the coming of Memorial Day weekend, come the summer offerings across all five boroughs.
It goes without saying - but I shall say it anyway - that the boroughs are awash in street fairs from now until Labor Day. Personally, after the first two or three of the season, I’ve had my street fair fill. I can only buy so many pairs of socks, look through only so many CDs of musicians I’ve never heard of and eat only so much fried dough before my eyes, my ears and my taste buds demand a rest. But they can hardly be beat for people watching - the ultimate summer fun.
Other great people watching spots:
The corner of 59th and 5th. Yes, that plaza outside the Apple store. Grab an iced coffee, find a chair or piece of wall and settle in as wave after wave of young, old, rich, poor, native new yorkers, new yorkers for now and out of towners walk, run, ride and stroll by. It looks like a population study and sounds like the Tower of Babel. Great fun.
Front steps of the Met Museum. Not quite the plethora of types as the 59th and 5th crowd but just as interesting. You may even find there are street performers around so you get two shows for the price of one.
Any number of cafes and bistros. In days not long ago I would have said coffee house but I don’t want you to think I am implying that plopping oneself down at Starbucks will provide an afternoon’s entertainment. It might but I find the crowd in your average Starbucks to be rather a let down as a rule. If you want a coffee with your parade of public oddities, you can certainly find plenty of coffee places - especially in the Village - to accomodate you. But really first class people watching rarely happens at a chain store of any kind. Go independent.
For more ideas on where to see the worth seeing, check out People-Watching: Here’s Looking at You , from the New York Times. Admittedly written a couple of years ago but still very much on target with its recommendations. One of my favorites: the ultimate people-watching joy ride: taking a subway line from one end to the other. Can’t get enough? There’s the Best People Watching for 2007 from citysearch - a great way to check out the masses while also checking out the people watching venues that will be defending their titles in the 2008 update.
Next in the NYC Summer Fun series: Summer Grub, Picnics
I think I need an attitude adjustment. Well, no not me per se but the blog me. A blogitude adjustment.
You know, I don’t actually spend all my time grousing about traffic. You might be forgiven for thinking I do - since I do tend to rant about it with some frequency and at considerable length. Yes, it makes me slightly bonkers and it’s as inconvenient as hell but it is not, by any means, the beginning, middle or end of my relationship with New York.
There is much more to the place and far more to like or love about it than not. That is - after all - why I started this blog. So, after reading back through the last few months and seeing a bit too much cranky for my tastes, I decided to swear off the traffic rants for a while (the issue isn’t going away anyhow. It will be there to rant about another day) and focus on some fab, fun and maybe unexpected things about the city.
I hear by pledge that I will look on the bright side, report on the good, the amusing and fun with only a dash of annoyance (it wouldn’t be Gotham without it, after all). Thankfully I have timed this pledge perfectly because summer is when a lot of the stuff I love about New York starts up or hits its stride.
Street fairs and festivals. Shakespeare in the Park. Shorter lines for movies and restaurant as folks flee for the weekend. Fleeing for the weekend one’s self. Fireworks over the East River, Summer concert series - actually several series in various parts of town. Sidewalk dining. Though speaking for myself in re the last - I don’t see the appeal of that in Manhattan most of the time. The quieter blocks in the Village on nicer days. Maybe. But drinks in the gardens of certain bars and eateries are definitely on the to do list.
These are the things that I shall concentrate on for the next few months (along with my regular shopping and walks, history and food posts). The things make summer in the city one of my favorite times of year - the heat notwithstanding. And let’s face it - I grew up in Houston. NYC summer heat has a long way to go before it can ruin my summer mood.
Of course there are such buses running in the city right now - tour buses. But honestly — those extra long buses do cause back ups and gridlock in and of themselves - so if they were replaced with double decker buses even on a handful of regular MTA routes - it might help traffic in certain intersections.
Speaking of traffic - and aren’t I always? - I conducted an informal experiment the other week. Circumstances were such that for several days, I had appointments on 5th Avenue - all below 59th. Now, I don’t know when the last time you, dear readers, were on 5th Avenue on any given weekday - say, 11:00am-ish? But it’s not a pretty traffic picture. People (or maybe it’s just me) are always heard muttering under the breath, “God! I could walk faster than this.” At last I felt it was time to see if this was true.
Each of the four days in question, I would wait at the corner of 79th and 5th (figuring that 20 blocks should be sufficient for my test and still allow me to get to my appointments on time). I would start walking when a M1, M2, M3 or M4 bus pulled up (testing a different one each time).
The limiteds did get a head of me and eventually so did the M4 though not by much. I can state for the record though that in the middle of a weekday on 5th Avenue, due to traffic conditions, you can indeed walk it faster than the M3 bus.
For whatever reason this morning, I decided to take my camera along with me today when I went out to meet my friend Grace. Don’t know why. We were, after all, just going shopping and having lunch. Just a random decision. Thanks goodness I did. There we were - walking along when suddenly, we found ourselves in the middle of this year’s Dance Parade. Got some great pictures (see below) and this:
Yes, it’s a random ol’ life in Gotham. I can’t wait to see what happens tomorrow.
Greater Gotham is just one of the blogs I am involved in. The other is Fabulous Foodie. Today I thought I’d bring together and this is the result - not so much a guide to the food of New York as a guide to online guides (with a few specifics thrown in). So sit back, grab your classic gotham coffee and wander along with us.
If you want a side order of history with your meal, you could go to Fraunces Tavern but while no doubt interesting to some, is not the first place I think of for a fun meal. Instead, stop by Katz’s Deli, Lombardi’s or Old Town Bar. All three have been dishing out the goods for over 100 years and there’s a tasty reason they are still around. If you’ve still jonesing for more history, Forgotten NY (a favorite website of mine in the general sense) also has some culinary offerings worth looking at in their New York’s Oldest Bars and NYC’s Classic Diners sections.
A review of data and statistics reveals July to be the hottest and wettest month of the year and here in New York, July seems determined to live up to its reputation. Still, it’s a great time to be in New York because there’s a lot going to that will get your mind off the heat and the humidity.
Went to Shakespeare in the Park on Friday.
Gosh, what a lot of initials. But in the SMS/TXT world, one goes with the flow. But what do all those letters mean? Well, it’s like this - the New York Times 
If you are Brooklyn bound for your outdoor repast, try 
So if you want as much fun with as little fuss as possible, head out to grab your picnic-ready grub (salads, cold chicken – roast, grilled or fried, salsa and chips and every bottled water you’ve ever heard of and some you haven’t) at places like 
Other great people watching spots:
Just as they are phased out in London (Boris’ dreams notwithstanding), it would appear that the 
