NYC Day Fifteen 11th October 2012

Last day Thursday

Finished packing and left our bags at reception for the day, flight was not until 9.20pm from Newark, EWR. Got the train uptown to 125th Street Station to Harlem. We just had a walk up and down 125th Street, saw the Apollo Theater, had a look in some shop windows and looked at the architecture, I could not settle as it was the last day and I was getting anxious about the travelling, decided to go for a meal at The Spotted Pig in the village, I had seen their Roquefort burger and Shoestring fries on a television programme and had been wanting to try this. 

We got on the subway to 14th Street and walked down Hudson Street and along W11th Street, in the distance I could see a small line and was thinking we had no chance again and trying to work out where to go next, what I had not realized was they opened at 12pm and it had just turned 12! we got in and seated straight away and the meal was everything I thought it would be, drool!

 

After dinner we headed back to the subway and to W72nd Street, I finally got to go rowing in Central Park! And we saw loads of turtles basking in the Sun, it was a lovely close to the holiday.

The end was near, we got the subway one last time, back to Herald Square to the hotel, sat in Herald Square with a drink for a last half an hour, we probably could have had another hour or two doing something but I could not relax and was getting very anxious about getting to the Airport and all that kind of stuff, it may have been easier had we just been reversing the journey we had at the beginning but we were leaving from a different Airport and I am a worrier. Suitcases retrieved we headed for Penn Station, first thing was to find the right entrance for the NJ transit trains which as luck would have it I had passed on the way out earlier in the holiday so knew where it was, it was under the Madison Square Garden entrance, between the Eagles.

We got a ticket to EWR Newark Airport, $12.50 each, and waited in a very hot space for the platform announcement, there were escalators thank goodness as our suitcases were heavy!

It was a quick ride to EWR then on the Airtrain to Terminal B, found baggage drop ok, I knew I was too early but was glad it went so smoothly. A bit of panic because things are done differently here and I could not find security on any maps, it seems you wait for a gate number and then security is on the way there, they do it the other way round at Heathrow. Then we were sat in the departure lounge waiting for the flight and it was all over, a fantastic holiday and I was a little tearful, was glad to get home to see my cats though, want to come back now!

New foods I tried from my list: Rugelach, Black and White cookie, Pastrami, Corned Beef ( different from ours), Pork dumplings, Egg Cream, Bagels, Chinatown Custard Tarts, Cheesecake, Pickles, Bialy, Knish, Bubble tea, Gyro, New York Pizza Slice, Pretzels, Canoli, Halvah, Red Velvet Cupcake, Pancakes, Gyro, a Russian pastry and lots more, I went to weigh in at my Slimming world group today and have gained 12lb eeeeek!, it was worth it though.

The Subway was fantastic and had no problems working it out, between the map in my guidebook and the embark app it was great and I miss having a subway stop near my front door!

Most people were friendly and helpful, was offered help on the subway when I was seen checking my guide book map when we changed plans last minute.

Before I went I was worried that my excessive research may have spoilt it for me, this could not be more wrong, the research helped so much and you cannot do too much.

NYC Day Fourteen Wednesday 10th October 2012

Day 14 Wednesday last full day

Got up early and headed to Grand Central Terminal, got a round trip to Tarrytown on the Metro North line for $18 each, the train was already there so we waited on it unitl it left, it follwed the Hudson River all the way up so the scenery was beautiful, I had made sure we sat on the correct side of the train for the views, Tarrytown was a pretty little town, I loved the houses with the big deep porches, we walked up Main street and along North Broadway towards Sleepy Hollow, stopped at the Phillisburg Manor gift shop to use the rest rooms and bought a headless horseman Christmas Tree ornament. We had a walk around the Cemetery and then walked back to Main Street, Tarrytown to Main Street Pizza, had garlic knots and a lovely freshly made pizza between us, then got the train back to Grand Central.

Tonight we had tickets to see Ben Harper Acoustic at Carnegie Hall so we walked back from Grand Central to the hotel to freshen up, then got the subway B train to 7th Avenue nr 57th street, I wanted to walk from the venue to Central Park so I knew roughly the distance back, then we could relax and sit near Grand Army Plaza and the pond listening to some buskers until time for the concert, Carl bought me a lovely Carnegie Hall silk scarf. Ben Harper was sublime but there was zero leg room in the balcony seats we had, don't know if other levels have better leg room but it was very claustrophobic, we got our seats last minute on StubHub so could not choose an aisle seat, I thought it would be fine but the lack of leg room between rows was a struggle. There was no interval for a stretch of legs either, we stayed for two and a half hours and then left, no idea what time it finished. Walked back to the hotel via Carnegie Deli for some Cheesecake for dessert, wow, it was nicer than Juniors but they were both nice. Last thing before bed was to completedthe online check in for our flights on the Computer in the hotels lobby and printed off our boarding passes for tomorrow.

NYC Day Thirteen Tuesday 9th October 2012

Day 13 Tuesday

Breakfast was at the Brooklyn Diner near Times Square, we had not yet had pancakes bacon and maple syrup and having seen this strange(to us) combination on films decided to give it a try, it came with whipped sweetened cream, jam, and butter so put it all on and it tasted yummy, a very sweet breakfast though, service was excellent, it was very pricey and I am sure we could have found the same thing cheaper elsewhere but we were on holiday and it was alovely treat. We then got the subway to Queens, got off at Main Street, Flushing explored Chinatown area for a bit.

 

Headed back to Manhattan and had a late meal at Hill Country BBQ, I had chicken, rib, beans and corn bread, Carl had a pulled pork sandwich, with beans and corn bread, service here was also very good, I love how places automotically bring out iced water, it was a nice rest and recharged my batteries a bit, on the way back to the hotel I finally managed to get some Crack Pie from the Madison Square Eats stall.

 

We were going to see War Horse that evening so went back to the hotel for a rest and to smarten up. Got on the subway, changed at Times Square to the 1 train to 66th Street, we were there a bit early but collected the tickets.The Show was superb. Afterwards we walked all the way down Broadway to Times Square then down Seventh Avenue, some pastries in a bakery window looked mouthwatering so we went in and got a couple, then back home to bed.

NYC Day Twelve Monday 8th October 2012

Day 12 Monday

Today we decided to get a picnic from Wholefoods at Columbus Circle and take it into Central Park, to see a bit of the park we had not seen yet. We found some pre-packed plastic containers with nice looking food combinations and some pick and mix cookies of all different flavours.

As we walked into the park, I tripped and fell over, I somehow landed on the paper bag full of our picnic from Wholefoods but it was all ok, the cookies were now in bits though, I had nasty cuts on both hands, bashed up knees, a fat lip, grazed nose and forehead, Carl said I went down flat :-) The people trying to sell pedicab and carriage rides and tours helped me up and helped get all the shopping together, I had to use my souvenir fold up bag as the wholefoods paper one had ripped. I was a bit shaken up but ok, we went to find a Pharmacy so I could get water, alcohol wipes and plasters (Bandaids), after first aid was sorted we ended up walking up Broadway, I got some rugelach from Zabars and looked in a Fairway supermarket where I got my Mum some gluten free Bisquick. We entered the park at 81st Street and walked towards the Belvedere Castle, had our picnic in the Shakespeare garden, we had pots of Anti pasti, mine had salami, cheese and some pickled nuts, Carl's had Grapes, Camembert and bread, followed this with broken cookies and rugelach washed down with diet coke!

After lunch we walked to the castle and saw the Turtles in the Turtle pond, climbed up the steps to the top and looked at the view of Central Park, went to the boating lake to try rowing but they closed rentals at 2pm that day, Carl was pleased as he thought I should not row anywhere after my fall.

Got on  the subway down to the Lower East Side again to buy some presents at Economy candy.

We arrived just at the same time as a tour and could not move in Economy Candy so went to Sugar Sweet Sunshine and got some cupcakes for later, I got banana and cream cheese flavour called Hollaback Girl and a choc peanut butter flavour called a Goodie Goodie for us to share back at the hotel, after this the sweet shop was quiet again so we made or purchases, then went to Il Laboratorio del Gelato, had two scoops each, Carl tried Cheddar Cheese flavour and Red Peppercorn flavour, I had Thai Chilli Chocolate and Green tea flavours. They were nice, the chilli one a bit hot, Carl said his were odd, he ate it all though.

After this I decided we should take a walk to build up an appetite for Katz's Deli, we walked to Tompkins Square Park, sat and watched the squirrels for a while, saw some black ones at last! Saw the Temperance Fountain and General Slocum Memorial and the Hare Krishna tree, walked slowly along St Marks Place to Cooper Union, looked in a shop called Trash and Vaudeville, walked back along East 7th Street past McSorleys Old Ale House and then down 1st Avenue back to Katz, enjoyed this walk and looking at all the buildings in the East Village.

Carl and I shared a Pastrami and Corned beef combo sandwich at Katz and it was so nice we wished we had time to come back again, I had an Egg Cream. went to line up at the drinks counter for the egg cream and got told off, ,how was I to know I was meant to line up at the grill counter for it, whoops again! Next was home to share the cupcakes for dessert, they did not survive the journey very well, they were half the price of Amy's but very little packaging, they tasted great though, then we walked over to Macy's and Carl bought me a few clothes including a gorgeous soft Cashmere cardigan, he had got himself a new jacket earlier in the holiday.