On our last day in New York City, we’d planned to go a few places but after the past few days of going nonstop, we ended up getting around a bit later than either of us had really anticipated. The alarm went off, and then we slept more, and then we felt a bit guilty, but slept again! Soon a few hours had gone by, and after agreeing we couldn’t waste the whole day… we headed for Grand Central Station just a few blocks from the hotel.
It’s funny how things are different in memories than they are in person, I visited Grand Central Station the last time I was in New York, and with construction going on in front that mostly blocks the view we were nearly upon it before I noticed. Crowds of people flowed in a stream around us to their trains as we meandered up to the doors that I’m convinced are still the same today as the day the station was built(wooden, heavy… sturdy-feeling. I wouldn’t change it for the world.). With all of the construction outside however, I think the majesty the building’s exterior commands was lost for the time being to the open maw of dirt and surrounding safety gear that block the casual glance as the station upgrades. The inside, though, is just as beautiful as ever. We walked inside, and down to the lobby to take some pictures before heading back out again in search of coffee. It was a quick stop, but a necessary one for Jen, with her interest in trains, and for me with the books I read and the interest in New York in general that I have also (Grand Central played a very large part in the culmination of the trilogy beginning with the book “The Passage”, which I recently read, and loved). I had looked up a coffee shop I thought we might enjoy nearby last night, and we headed toward it straightaway, both in need of our fix.
Grand Central Station – A little blurry, but everyone was running somewhere!
Taylor St. Baristas is an unassuming sort of coffee shop. In the door and up a few steps, the casual passerby would see a coffee shop with a few baked good to choose from. Ask, however, and you’ll be informed that they have an eating area upstairs that is fully staffed for breakfast and lunch. We had what was closest to a real “breakfast” that I’ve had this trip. I enjoyed a feta cheese omelet along with coffee and Jen ate a croissant that I’m pretty sure came from somewhere just shy of heaven. It was amazing, I wish my eggs had been nearly as good! We lamented that this was our last day in New York, but with plans at Tavern on the Green for lunch to round out the wedding celebrations and catch up fully with Rachel and Sara, we were very glad to have the time. As we wrapped up our morning coffee stop, Jen mentioned we were near the New York Public Library again, and soon we were on our way to one of my favorite places in the world (New York has a few of these for me… best museum, best Nutcracker performance, and definitely best Library… at least so far).
The entrance halls at NYPL
The New York Public Library (NYPL), once past the lions mentioned in an earlier post, is a vast building of many floors and big blocks of marble. Inlaid with wooden expanses that feel somehow light by comparison, lettered and layered with gold, the rooms feel both warm, and yet somehow imposing. Something about walking around the reading rooms in such a space compels a sort of reverie that would be broken by even the slightest noise… and thus even bustling with people the library remains almost silent save for the occasional cough or sneeze. Looking back at my pictures, I’m beginning to wonder if there wasn’t something on the lens of my phone that day… all the pictures are blurry! This was one of my favorite shots though, for the quote alone, and I’m glad that one came through.
If I ever end up living in New York, and you can’t find me… look here. I’ll be here.
We walked around the library a bit more, taking in all the rooms, and then had only a few minutes to catch a cab before our lunch date with friends (did I mention we woke up LATE?). I told Jen we had yet to make my ritual of wandering Bryant Park, and she humored me by letting me take her behind the library for a quick walk. I showed her the way around, talked about why I liked it and how I thought a trip to The City just wasn’t the same without some people watching time in this particular park. Nearly out of time at this point however, we decided to catch a cab at the far side of the park and head straight for lunch in Central Park.
I wish I had pictures (Jen or maybe Rachel, help me out here!), but Tavern On The Green was amazing. We sat outside, the sun coming down directly on Jen while the rest of us huddled under patio umbrellas, enjoyed sangria, and ate. There was amazing flat bread, and I’m pretty sure I had the chicken but also had enough sangria that I’m not exactly sure on that point. We had good laughs, talked about the trials and tribulations of living in Denver back when we were roommates, and the new trials and tribulations of living in New York (free showers/water-features for roommates in their apartment, they tell us, depending on if the upstairs neighbor is running a clothes washer into the sink or not) these days. We talked and laughed, enjoying each others company and interests ranging from work to pets to new hobbies, I can’t imagine a better way to spend an afternoon!
Eventually, the time came to part ways, and Jen and I went on another walk around the city without really worrying about a direction. We headed out of the park and oddly ended up wandering into the Upper West Side. We meandered here and there, and found a bar to enjoy a few drinks before deciding neither of us was really in the mood for it yet. We walked some more, ending up closer to the middle of the city again, and picked yet another spot to stop for beverages. For the most part, we’d seen what we came to see at this point. Given how close we were to the center of the city, though, I suggested we head back to the hotel (for what specific reason, other than maybe a nap, I’ve forgotten at this point!), and we ended up walking down Fifth Avenue. We saw all of the classic New York storefronts on Fifth Avenue, though since it wasn’t in the Christmas season they weren’t nearly as impressive as I’ve known them to be in the past. We walked through a few stores and stopped by a chocolate store specifically just to grab the free samples. Eventually we came to St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and went in to sit and reflect briefly. I’ve been both to this cathedral before and to much larger ones in Europe when I was younger, but they never stop to awe me when I enter them. It’s not something you see everyday, and the care and love that went into each cathedral is unique and noticeable. St. Patrick’s is no exception, and soon we continued on our way back to the hotel for a nap (I think).
Later on in the day, I still had a few good recommendations on my restaurant list and it was time for dinner by this point. Catching an Uber, we were whisked away into Little Italy where we were planning on going to The Original Vincent’s. It’s on Mott street, and with that in mind it had to be good! From the garlic bread to the chicken parmesan, I was not at all disappointed (the sauce was even spicy, just as they had promised!). Rather than grab dessert there, though, we took some time to walk through Little Italy, enjoying the restaurants and more-intimate feel of the streets. Patios spilled out onto the sidewalk here and there, and people were roving the streets singing songs and playing music for money. There was no shortage of cannolis either, and after a bit more walking we were debating picking a place when we also remembered we must be right near Chinatown. We again set off to meander this way and that, finally walking about a mile or so away from Little Italy only to find that given the time of night (nearing 9:00 PM) most of the shops were closed or closing. We decided to turn back… for one last New York cannoli.
One of the entrances into Little Italy
Rounding out the trip, we had one last dessert at a restaurant I didn’t catch the name of, and ate one more cannoli and one more glass of sangria for me. We talked about the next day, parting ways, and trips to the airport. By that time, it had started to sprinkle off and on, and this would continue all through the night and into the next morning. We took Uber back to the hotel, slept soundly, and the next morning parted ways in a light drizzle, Jen to JFK and me heading to La Guardia. We were both thinking about what awaited us back home immediately… and our upcoming trip to round out the Continents, all seven, for both of us in Australia in only a few short weeks.
