New York State of Mind

Ok, so it's lunch time in New York City, so the possibilities are endless. If you are really hungry, but don't want a sit down meal, there are hundreds of little delis or hot dog stands that are quick and delicious (notice I did not say cheap) If you are dressed up and in the mood for something chic and trendy, but good, my favorite place is Serafina's on the upper East Side. It looks like the restaurant that Charlotte spotted Big in near the end of the Sex and the City movie, but it's not. The food is delicious, but it is usually crowded and loud. If you are a people-watcher, this is a great place. You see a lot of well-dressed businessmen and women, plus the upper East Side moms-who-lunch-and dress-really-well.
If you are in the mood for Mexican, which I always am, go to Centrico on West Broadway. The adult food is fresh and delicious, and they have great chicken fingers for the kiddies if you can't talk them into a quesadilla. Speaking of the kiddies, if you are revolving a day around one of them for a birthday or whatever, Sweetiepie's in Central Park South is the perfect choice. I was reminded about it in Gwynneth Paltrow's blog this week. The decor is bright and kid-friendly, with balloons on the chairs. There are terrific pancakes for breakfast, or better yet, drop in mid-afternoon for a huge ice cream sundae.
Dinner can be a million choices. I haven't tried Nobu's yet...you have to have a reservation...but it is supposedly terrific and also celebrity-ridden if that excites you. If you didn't go Italian at lunch, go to Carmine's in Mid-town. This is just the most fun place to eat. Busy, loud, tons of food...and again, the occasional celebrity thrown in. Another Italian alternative, though more conservative and formal, is Patsy's in the theater district. Every Broadway "star" has eaten here. The waiters are Italian and serious, but charming. The food is authentic and good.
After dinner, or after the Broadway show, you have to go to Serendipity's. Marilyn Monroe and Jackie O were both frequenters of this cozy and kitchey dessert place. The frozen hot chocolate is to die for, and yes, it is the same one that was shown in the movie of the same name (Serendipity...a great movie with John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale).
Even if you don't think you will like the ballet, you should go to the Lincoln Center and see the New York Ballet one time. They are so fabulous, and even if you fall asleep, at least you got to see the beautiful Lincoln Center. My little reminder e-mail says that they are doing Romeo and Juliet and A Mid-Summer Night's Dream this summer...

The next morning, you wake up and take a cab down to Soho. Don't bother to go early...none of the shops open before 10:00. But once you are there, just go up and down Houston street and hit every store. L'Occitane for cosmetics, Anthropolgie (I Love this store) for clothes and accessories and books and "stuff", Vivienne Tam..cool,cool, cool clothes, Jonathan Adler for home decor...and it goes on and on and on...hit Rocco's for lunch if you haven't yet O.D.'d on Italian. It is small and quaint and quiet...with a good view of the street.

The afternoon has to be spent on the Red Bus tour seeing the Statue of Liberty, Statten Island, Wall Street (while it is still there), and then places like Little Italy or Chinatown if you have time.

Of course it goes without saying that if it is the holiday season, you have to go to see the big tree and the ice-skating rink down at Rockefeller Center. While you are there, you can see all of the morning shows in progress if that thrills you. You can also stand outside the David Letterman show and spy on the stars, maybe grab an autograph. I might have done this once or twice.

Unless you are there for a week, (and I never am), your time is probably up. And we haven't even discussed so many other great stops...so this just means we will be back again soon.

So until next week, when we hop an Air France flight to Paris...