What I need more than anything after a decent vacation is a few days off to recover. A successful vacation should be completely exhausting. Are you with me? Well try to keep up!
New York is a favorite destination of mine because it lends itself to this type of physical exertion, and it can be debilitating if you do it right. Here is an illustration of a successful day during my most recent holiday for your consideration.
You have to be up at the crack of dawn, and out and about before 7 to do this right.
The first destination should be Dominique Ansel Bakery for the elusive Cronut (croissant/doughnut mutation). I say elusive because I’ve never made it to the front of the line to try one. As their website states: “the line forms early as 1 hour prior to opening, and if you arrive prior to 7:00am on a week day, you have a great chance of getting a Cronut®. (Weekends tend to be busier.), and please, no more than 2 per person.” When they run out, they’re out. Good luck. Let me know if you get one. As I said, I didn’t, so let’s keep moving.
Now I’m really hungry so let’s get serious. We eat at a little cafe called The Frogs Crown which is quite good. I eat spinach pie for breakfast which would have made my yaya smile. We are now fueled with caffeine and have carbs to burn, so get up!
Next destination: A “walk” to Freedom Tower and the World Trade Center memorial. You have to keep your pace at a faster clip than that to keep up with me.
We walk through China town as we progress toward the WTC, and stop to purchase some hats, gloves and scarves from a street vender because we’re cold due to poor planning and poor circulation. I got the loot for $20. The woman assured me that she would have charged anyone else twice as much. (Thank you sparkling personality.) We are now toasty warm, so we continue.
We see Ladder 10, as we acquire our tickets, and progress through the lines. We have a beautiful aspect of the Freedom Tower itself and we continue toward the monument. The monument is a beautiful tribute to those who perished on 9/11. Our visit preceded the opening of the museum which I hear is wonderful, so add that to your agenda. I won’t bore you with my emotions at this time, but I will say that my teenagers were embarrassed. Let’s move on, shall we?
Now that I’m an emotional wreck, I want lunch. We stop at Gaia Italian Cafe on East Houston Street. It is a tiny four table place. The cook, waiter, and proprietor is a young Milanese woman with more energy than I could aspire to have. The food was as good as the experience. Charming. Let’s go!
Next we prepare for the Theater. William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Nights Dream” at the Brooklyn Theater for a New Audience, Directed by Julie Taymor (who directed “The Lion King”on Broadway) On this occasion we take the subway. I have seen many, many plays in my lifetime, but this was my unexpected favorite. Seriously. Hungry?
MasalaWala Indian food lower east side. Yum! I’m full, and . . . beat!
SUCCESS- and tomorrow is another day!
Reblogged this on A lot from Lydia and commented:
I’m taking today off in observation of 9/11. I thought this post which was originally published in March was fitting for today. I love New York. Peace.