48 Hours in the Big Apple: Part Two
By Daniel Graham
Waking up, I spent a few seconds trying to piece together where I am at.
That’s right, spare mattress in a spare room in New York. I can hear Raquel talking to James (my other cousin that lives in New York) on the phone.
Despite only sleeping for a few hours, I woke up excited for another full day of exploring before catching a 6 a.m. flight the following morning. Today, James is meeting up with us for drinks, food and exploring near Chelsea Market
My girlfriend, LeAnn, and I got ready quickly and made our way to Miss Bagel once more to try the bagels that caught our attention the day before. This time, I opted for the Middle eastern bagel – a bagel sandwich with labneh cheese, harissa ketchup, hash brown, two eggs and feta cheese - while LeAnn grabbed the green morning bagel – one with their house-made pesto, sundried tomatoes, feta cheese, arugula, grilled onions and 2 fried eggs. We also grabbed a bag of their plain and everything bagels to bring back home to family.
When we got back, James had made it to Raquel’s apartment and we caught up over breakfast before heading out for our first stop.
12:00pm – Hudson Yard and Chelsea Market
It was only 30 minutes on the A line before we made it to the Hudson yard where we found the Vessel – a large bronze structure that patrons are allowed to walk around – and the high line – an elevated walkway that begins in the Hudson Yard and stretches all the way down to the meatpacking district.
Photo by Daniel Graham: The Vessel at Hudson Yard.
Despite the 80% humidity, the weather was excellent as we made our way down the High Line, spotting various art installations (such as a giant pigeon statue) surrounded by gorgeous plant life that could only be compared to a botanic garden. We walked for a half hour before we found ourselves at Chelsea Market and subsequently lost ourselves in the stalls of custom-made jewelry, clothing and art.
Lobster Place – Chelsea Market
After perusing the stalls, we found ourselves in search of food. Specifically, something quick that would not break the bank. This is how we found ourselves at the counter of Lobster Place looking at a thin paper menu. I tapped the tiny pencil they gave us against the menu as I mulled over which oysters would satisfy my desire to try a little bit of everything. Their menu changes with the seasons but they make ordering easy with a small chart measuring saltiness vs. sweetness and size.
LeAnn and I settled on a half-dozen oysters that had me wishing we bought a dozen more. For the price we paid (only $14) it was a bargain that’ll be on my list of must-haves when I return to the city.
Stepping outside of the market and we found ourselves in a different kind of market. Because it was Saturday, the farmer’s market was in Chelsea. It almost made me wish we had not eaten because everything looked delicious. From German bratwursts to Venezuelan arepas, to juices with no definitive origin, everything caught my eye and we wandered to find an authentic New York slice of pizza.
2:00pm – Mama’s TOO! 323-325 Bleecker St.
We would have missed Mama’s TOO if not for the massive line coming out the front door -- a quick look at the menu and we knew we had to stop there. After about 15 minutes, I was able to order my “house pie a la vodka” which came with pepperoni, pecorino infused ricotta, basil and extra virgin olive oil. LeAnn grabbed the house pie with aged mozarella, fresh tomato sauce, extra virgin olive oil, parmigiano-reggiano and basil. The size of the slices alone made up for the wait and we subsequently inhaled our food right outside the establishment. I have had New York style pizzas before, but being able to say I got one from the source is something I will be able to check off my bucket list.
Photo by Daniel Graham: Pizza counter at Mama's TOO!
3:00pm - Washington Square Park
With pizza and oysters occupying our stomachs, Raquel led us to Washington Square Park. If she had not mentioned it, I would have never recognized the central fountain as the location for the iconic intro of "Friends" due to how many people were there that afternoon. We surprisingly found a bench that gave us an ample view of the park so we could people-watch, plotting our next move – happy hour.
Photo by Daniel Graham: Washington Square Park's fountain.
4:00pm -Mono+Mono 116 E 4th St.
Leaving Washington Square Park, we found ourselves in the Bowery looking for a place to kill time while waiting for James’ girlfriend, Alanna, before we walked to dinner. It was as if we stumbled on the happy hour sign poking out in front of Mono+Mono that offered shrimp cocktails and drinks. We quickly grabbed seats outside to enjoy the good weather and settled in with our pitcher of sangria when the shrimp was brought out. The green apple and rice wine sangria paired with the jumbo shrimp was very refreshing and did its job of holding us over until our early dinner. Once Alanna joined us, we finished our drinks and food and left for a real meal elsewhere.
5:15pm – Katz’s Delicatessen 205 E Houston St.
It was finally time for us to eat at our most sought-after location on this tour. Katz’s Deli has cemented itself as a New York Classic since its establishment in 1888. Appearing in movies like "When Harry met Sally" and tv shows like Anthony Bourdain’s "No Reservations" (Bourdain famously lauded Katz whenever he got the chance), my imagination ran wild with the thought of the first bite into their famous pastrami on rye.
Despite the chaotic appearance of the store’s interior, the lines were surprisingly well-maintained and moving quickly. The deli artists handed patrons samples of their meats to aid in their decision making and made work of the large chunks of meat they pulled out of their boilers.
I would have been appalled at the price of $28 for a single pastrami sandwich if I had not seen the size or was unfamiliar with the notoriety of Katz. LeAnn and I decided to share a sandwich and when I walked up to the counter, I asked for a sample of both the pastrami and the rib-eye. We watched our artist cut slivers of meat as if he had been doing it his whole life and reveled in the tenderness of it all. Both the rib-eye and the pastrami fall apart in your mouth and you’re left wondering how you went your whole life without experiencing this.
Photo by Daniel Graham: Pastrami on rye accompanied by pickle spears.
My only regret is that I finished my food as I was left wanting another full sandwich to myself. Regulars and tourists become one as the lines that divide them become invisible in the steam of the boilers and the crumbs of rye.
6:30pm – Bar Valentina 85 Orchard St.
The night was still young, so our party made our way to the lower east side where we found blocks and blocks of bars, all bustling with life. Alanna led us to Bar Valentina, a somewhat unassuming bar from the outside that quickly turns into one with a moody atmosphere and excellent drinks.
The prices here were consistent with most bars in LA ($16-$18 for cocktails, $7-$10 for beers) but the atmosphere and service made up for it. The first drink I tried was called “the stalk” and it came with mezcal, celery soda, ginger and lime. It proved to be extremely refreshing given the lack of water I had throughout the day but it was their drink “the hot one” that ultimately stole the show with its tequila, grapefruit cordial, lime and Thai chili.
Photo by Daniel Graham: The hot one (left) and mint mojito (right).
9:00pm – Bad Luck Bar 492 Nostrand Ave., Brooklyn
After saying our goodbye’s to James and Alanna, Raquel took my girlfriend and I back to Bedstuy where she told us where we should stop for a drink before calling it wraps on New York. Bad Luck Bar is only a few minutes around the corner from Raquel’s apartment so LeAnn and I took a short stroll to find ourselves a cheap drink and some alone time. The bar was doused in red light and loud music when we arrived but we were able to find a table for two in the corner.
The bartender was extremely welcoming and immediately handed us a menu as the evening rush started to fill in. I settled on an old fashioned to wind down as LeAnn and I recounted the last 48 hours.
Photo by Daniel Graham: Interior of Bad Luck Bar as viewed from our table.
It was absurd that we would be waking up in 5 hours to hop on a flight back home. What was more absurd is that just 2 days prior, we were on a flight leaving home. Did we miss a few landmarks? Sure. Do I want to return for a longer stay? Most definitely. What this trip taught me is that with a little bit of planning and lot of determination, it is more than possible to take yourself to the other side of the country for the weekend and still make it back by Sunday afternoon.