Greetings thrillseekers!
Morning Two of Dusty's excellent NY adventure has started well. Despite last night's prodigious eating and drinking and late-night finish, I'm feeling remarkably fresh and alert. Something about the vibe here doesn't let you wallow in a post-binge stupor for too long...
Anyhoo, it's 8am, Sunday 31 March and I'm sitting in my funky single Pod bed, ready to tap out my next update.
Day One (yesterday) started with a late breakfast of muesli (or 'granola' as they like to call it in the US) in Pod51's courtyard, admiring all the Beautiful People staying here. If you ever decide to stay at Pod51 (and I recommend it highly), be warned. This place, and its inhabitants, are so painfully hip they need an anti-inflammatory. I'm not sure I fit in, even with my stylish French gumboots 'n all...
Next stop, Top of the Rock, the observation deck of the Rockefeller Centre. The day was sunny, bright and crystal clear - perfect for the 360 degree views of the city. Even with my iPhone, I managed to take some great snaps. Not sure I feel like doing the same thing at the Empire State Building now...
Wandered through Saks, Fifth Avenue and got a taste of what a proper department store should look and feel like. Beautiful stock and attentive staff. The anti-Myer/David Jones...
Mooched around the city with Red K for a bit, then wandered up to the Guggenheim Museum for the Saturday evening special entry deal. Wow. It's smaller than I realised but the architecture still packs a punch - a great introduction to Frank Lloyd Wright's work ahead of the visit to Fallingwater next weekend. An exhibition of modern Japanese art (the Gutai movement) failed to light my fire, but the Picassos and Cezannes of the Thannhauser Collection were extraordinary.
After a quick hotel stop to freshen up and change out of my stylish French gumboots for something a little more formal, I met Red at Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle for a cocktail. Madeline's creator, Ludwig Bemelmans, painted the sweet mural that adorns the room. I would have loved to check it out more closely and take photos but the bar was full of nice rich people having a good time in their martinis and didn't need a tourist crawling over them to get a better look at the walls.
The Carlyle is a beautiful old-style, old-world luxury hotel (built in the 1930s) but the guests are shiny, newly minted coins... I got out of the cab and let a small Russian man with two strapping 'ladies' in hooker pumps, who might have been twins get in. Ewww... I'm not exaggerating when I say he came up to their waists. Think Tyrion Lannister proportions but with none of Peter D's charm, good looks or wit. Again, ewww.
Late dinner at Aquavit, a modern Scandinavian place in Midtown topped off an excellent day. Four courses of beautifully prepared and plated morsels (including a stunning rabbit) accompanied by Swedish pear cider. Fabbo. Not cheap, but an exquisite dining experience.
The plan to join Red in the Australian Bar to watch my beloved Maggies smack down the 'Roos live was scotched fairly quickly. I was exhausted and too full of good food and booze to stay up any longer. By the time I got back to my Pod it was officially - Time For Be-e-e-e-d.
Thanks to those of you who posted comments and replied off-line to my first update from NYC. More soon.
Go Pies!!!!!!!!!!!!
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