New York seems to alternate between madness and brilliance.
The madness part is easy to spot. Eight million residents and more than 50 million visitors each year make for congestion and queues, occasional frayed tempers and a colourful cast of characters ranging from drag queens to buskers to illicit street vendors. The heartbeat never slows down. A sale at Macys or the discount Broadway ticket booth in Times Square attracts boisterous, impatient crowds. The spider web of subway lines sometimes stop running on weekends without notice to visitors. And the drivers of the ubiquitous yellow-painted cabs often quiz you when you flag them down; if you’re not going far enough, they take off in pursuit of richer prey.
But the brilliance of the city overcomes the frustration. Cheap hotels around Times Square contrast with the world-class luxury accommodation around Madison or 5th Avenue. We stayed next to St. Patrick’s Cathedral at the New York Palace, formerly the Helmsley Palace run until 1992 by the infamous ‘Queen of Mean’, Leona Helmsley. Built around the 1880s Villard Mansion and now undergoing a $140 million renovation, the Palace, particularly its Tower rooms, offers a high level of service and stylish midtown comfort along with stunning views of the New York skyline. The spacious and luxurious executive and corner suites have marble and granite baths.
With about 20,000 restaurants in New York, we knew the city offered brilliant cuisine and we weren’t disappointed. Even hot dogs are just $1.00. On our first night we wanted a restaurant near Lincoln Center (everyone should get a chance to see a performance in the magnificent 3800 seat Metropolitan Opera House) so we chose Bar Boulud, Michelin Chef Daniel Boulud’s casual wine bar and bistro. Famous for its tantalizing charcuterie and award-winning head cheese, Bar Boulud’s level of cuisine and service was outstanding. Particularly decadent was a dessert called “Elixir” made with white chocolate, coffee and hazelnut.
Other eateries we particularly enjoyed were Uncle Jack’s Steak House (run by Restaurant Stakeout star, Willie Degel) with aged and beautifully seared beef along with superior Maryland crab cakes, Rue 57 for a fast and tasty lunch and Atrio, the main restaurant at the Conrad New York. The latter is in the Downtown area, close to the 9/11 Memorial, and provides excellent all-suite accommodation (and a stunning lobby) in the Battery Park section of Lower Manhattan.
The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel has been known for fine dining for decades and its Sunday Brunch is considered by many to be the best in the city. In historic Peacock Alley (connecting the old Waldorf and Astoria Hotels) the brunch is served around the magnificent art-deco lobby, filled with dark wood, table lamps and potted plants. But the centrepiece is a gilded three metre high, two ton clock, topped by a miniature Statue of Liberty, that was brought from the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. A glass of Champagne was followed by an apparently endless supply of lobster, caviar, smoked salmon (done six ways), meat carvings and imaginative sweets – a treat for the eye and palate. Chef de Cuisine Mark Schindler told us the newest culinary trend in New York is “foraging”, seeking fresh, local wild ingredients.
New York is becoming an increasingly popular cruise ship terminal and one line – Norwegian – has made its newest ship a Manhattan showpiece. The 146,000 ton, 4,000 passenger Norwegian Breakaway will be the largest ship ever to make New York its home base. Its hull is painted with a dramatic Statue of Liberty/New York skyline mural by pop icon Peter Max. The interior reflects the boldness and brashness of the Big Apple and includes a huge auditorium where full productions of the Broadway musical, Rock of Ages, will be staged. Another room, designed like a circus tent, features a Cirque du Soleil extravaganza. The famed Radio City Music Hall Rockettes are the godmothers of this new ship and will appear regularly for shows and even dance lessons.
Like New York itself, the cuisine on Norwegian Breakaway is brilliant and led by Iron Chef and Food Network star Geoffrey Zakarian. His first-ever restaurants at sea will feature seafood in the upscale (and extra cost) Ocean Blue as well as the Raw Bar and Ocean Blue on the Waterfront, part of several unique outdoor restaurants lining the promenade deck. Chef Zakarian will be on board for several New York-Bermuda sailings this season.
On the ship that pays homage to New York or in the middle of hectic Times Square, visitors to this dynamic city never fail to be impressed by the vibrancy, efficiency and endless options that turn initial madness into happy, long-term memories.
Photo Credits
All photos by John and Sandra Nowlan
Uncle Jack’s Steakhouse
New York Fireworks for Norwegian Breakaway
Brunch by the Waldorf Astoria Clock
Extraordinary dessert at Bar Boulud
Recent John and Sandra Nowlan Articles:
- Cuisine, Spa, Service. A World Class Resort in Mexico
- The Florida Keys and Key West – Unique Attractions, Fresh Fish, and Key Lime Pie
- Regent – The Ultra-Luxury Cruise Experience
- Fox Harb’r – Nova Scotia’s Five Star Resort. Not Just for Golf.
- Celebrity Beyond. Innovations in Cruising…and the Captain’s Cat
Steve says
As a former resident of the Big Apple, this article brought back some very tasty memories! New York City is a great place to take a frenetic week of fun and frivolity. Thank you for sharing yours!