The Witchery

Edinburgh Castle 1

New York City, Part 5

It was Friday and our last full day in Manhattan before heading back home. We had a fairly long list of things we wanted to do including seeing the Statue of Liberty, the Strawberry Fields John Lennon Memorial in Central Park, the Dakota and walk along the High Line.

We started out by walking across town to the top of the High Line. For those unaware of what the High Line is, it’s an old elevated set of train tracks that have recently been converted into a gorgeous park and path. You can get on and off at a number of different spots along the 1.5 miles of the park.

It’s a really unique and sustainable idea that I loved the idea of before even seeing it. I loved it even more after taking an hour stroll along it. It was packed with people walking both ways and experiencing the many different views and plants seen along the track.

Once we reached the end we walked a few blocks through Chelsea to get to Grimaldi’s Pizza… and talk about delicious ‘za. And while it is a sit-down restaurant, they move fairly quickly, so we were in and out in little time.

We then headed down toward Staten Island to get a look at the Statue of Liberty. We decided against taking the fairy across to the island, instead opting to stay on Manhattan for a couple of photo ops. We walked around the beautiful Battery Park where we saw a fun street show and sat under the shade of some trees to rest up a little.

We then made our way all the way back up to 72nd Street to see the Dakota (where John Lennon lived before being murdered there) and his memorial across the street in Central Park called Strawberry Fields. It was moving to see both the Dakota and Strawberry Fields.

On our way back to the hotel we walked through Grand Central Station during rush hour which was a really interesting experience. The place is a zoo with people moving very quickly and not wanting to stop.

Finally we ended up at the Manhattan Center in the Grand Ballroom to take in a fierce comedy show from the likes of Duncan Trussell, Joey ‘Coco’ Diaz and Joe Rogan. All were absolutely hilarious and each of them killed in their own unique ways. Rogan was a special treat, staying out and performing for a full two hours.

To top it all off, the three of them stayed after the show to meet and take photographs with anybody who stayed. They were all super kind and genuinely grateful for the support.

Other Photos:

New York City, Part 4

We walked up to Bar Americain, Bobby Flay’s (of Top Chef fame) restaurant, for a celebratory dinner. We had a reservation for 8:15 and were getting hungry by the time we got there. We lucked out and were seated on the upper level overlooking the big open restaurant.

There was a warm, social feel to it and we ordered some wine and a small pizza to start. Both Sammie and I were craving steak and so filet mignons it was–medium rare. We sided them with some mixed veggies, potatoes and the best garlic asparagus I’ve ever had.

After enjoying the food as slowly and as much as possible, we hailed a cab and headed back to the hotel. By this time it was close to 11 and after the long day we had we were just excited to get some sleep. Of course when we turned on the TV the New York Rangers were underway in what would turn out to be a triple-overtime game so we had to stay up and watch that come to a close.

—    —    —

The next morning I got up and showered before Sam. We were both still feeling full from the previous evening but once we got up and moved around a little bit we felt more energized. We started our day off with some Starbucks before heading for a subway to Brooklyn.

When we arrived we started wandering around the cute neighbourhood of Williamsburg and stopped in for lunch at Crif Dogs. It had been suggested by a cousin as somewhere to check out but we weren’t entirely sure what to expect. What we got, though, were delicious bacon-wrapped hot dogs with cheese and ketchup accompanied by some tasty waffle fries.

Following that pleasant experience we headed for Bedford Ave. which is the main street of Williamsburg. It turned out to be exactly what we wanted so close to the big city–a quiet, yet happening community where people walk dogs and smile at one another.

We headed down to the waterfront where we took in a stunning view of the Manhattan skyline. We watched ferries and boats putter along the East River and birds fly about in the breezy air.

We found our way to a little coffee shop and bar called Cafe Colette (Sammie’s mom’s name) and felt obligated to try it out. We snagged a little table in the tight space where we combined our love for beer and scones. And while the waitress giggled at the combination of the two, we were more than satisfied. We settled up and headed on back for Manhattan.

Sammie wanted to do a little more shopping and I reluctantly followed. We had seen a lot of Brooklyn and thought SoHo would now be a nice place to check out. Apart from the potential shopping, we had heard really nice things about just walking around–so that’s what we did.

On our stroll we peaked our heads into a few ritzy shops as well as some more reasonable places. Sammie found a nice outfit that she bought and it felt like a really productive evening.

We grabbed a few beers on our way back to the hotel and looked forward to what we would do with our last full day in the city. We got a little drunk while figuring out what last things we were going to be able check out before heading home.

New York City, Part 3

Powerful Day 3. We awoke to dark skies and rain. Admittedly, it was a little tough to wake up, but we rejected the urge to sleep in and waste the morning. We started the day off by checking out Red Rocket Tattoo, where Sammie had ideas of getting her first tattoo. We had both been entertaining the idea for a while, but  she was determined to get her design done while on this trip.

Everyone at Red Rocket Tattoo was extremely kind. And even though Sammie hadn’t booked any appointment ahead of time, she was able to get it right there and then. It didn’t take too long–the whole process took maximum 1 hour–before we paid up and were on our way.

We then headed down to the financial district of Manhattan. We started by getting off the subway at Canal Street, thinking that shopping of some kind would be good there. Perhaps our expectations were higher than they should have been, but that I wouldn’t go back.

Next we headed down to City Hall, the Brooklyn Bridge and then finally the World Trade Center Memorial. All three were stunning in their own ways. We didn’t see much of City Hall, but the park there was lush and green. Although it was raining it still felt nice to be outside.

The Brooklyn Bridge was really cool. We walked half way across, but stopped there because we were going to be doing a day of Brooklyn the following day.

We finally made our way to the World Trade Center Memorial. First of all, just to get into it you have to go through airport security–we had to remove belts, shoes, jackets–which was unexpected, perhaps foolishly. Secondly, talk about powerful. To try and explain the feeling would be wrong, but what I will write is that I think it’s an important place to see and check out should you be in the NYC area.

The Memorial is both beautiful and saddening simultaneously. It truly amazed me to be standing there, looking at the individual names of those who had tragically died. Next to the Memorial now stands the construction of the new tower, so tall that it disappeared into the foggy sky.

After being so seriously humbled we made our way back to the subway where we headed for the hotel. Our feet we hurting and soaked and we needed to shower before a big dinner. We had reservations at Bar Americain set for 8:15.

New York City, Part 2

Despite the constant noise in the city, sleeping in New York is easy. After a day full of walking and with burning legs, the last thing you focus on are the honking horns, sirens and general buzzing.

After a busy first day, Sammie and I awoke–excited to see more of the city we had only caught a glimpse of the day before. We started our day as authentically as possible by waiting in a long line for a couple of Starbucks coffees. We then continued on up Fifth Avenue toward The Rockefeller Center and surrounding areas. We passed the beautiful stores and boutiques that would be even more exciting if we had fat wallets and were looking to spend.

All of the walking early in the day without eating anything substantial for breakfast meant that a big lunch was going to be necessary. We decided to randomly wander into a place near Rockefeller called Bill’s Bar & Burgers. And while the waitress was a little dopey, the food was certainly delicious. Below is Sammie’s Mozzarella Chicken Sandwich with Roasted Red Pepper.

We then ventured on up to the south end of Central Park when we explored a little on our before getting a cliche ride through the lower part of the park on a horse and carriage. We had a beautiful horse, Rudy, pull us through the serene and magical world within the bustling metropolis.

We wanted to go to the Top of the Rock and overlook the city from serious heights but the overcast skies put a hold on that plan. Luckily they wouldn’t even sell us tickets, suggesting we come back when things cleared up. Unfortunately that never happened.

We instead finished our evening with a yummy meal and drinks at the Heartland Brewery, which is located under the Empire State Building and across from our cozy hotel. We couldn’t have planned to finish it off in a nicer or better way. Afterward it was time to go back to our room to rest our tired legs and prepare to explore a whole new area the next morning.

New York City, Part 1

Our flight was scheduled to leave at 12:10 out of Pearson Airport, so Sammie and I got up around 8:30. I left packing until the morning, so between showering, eating some breakfast and finishing a load of laundry, I delayed us leaving by a few minutes.

When we arrived at the airport, the line to check our bags in was long and slow, but we finally got through and immigration, customs and security were all a breeze. We finally made sure to grab some Tim Hortons before we waiting by our gate.

Next thing you know, we are we landing in beautiful Newark, New Jersey. Our bags were some of the first ones off the plane and we hopped a couple trains into the big city. The train brought us to New York Penn Station, where we rose to street level to see Madison Square Garden above us, crawling with people and cabs. We successfully hailed a cab and he took us to our hotel a few blocks away.

Check-in at the hotel was easy, and we squeezed our way through the narrow hallways and into our room. It was modestly sized, as expected, but very nice. We dropped our bags, I changed my shirt and we were off to explore the city before game 2 of the second round of the NHL playoffs between the New York Rangers and Washington Capitals.

We stumbled into beautiful Bryant Park situated behind the New York Public Library. I had only ever heard the name Bryant Park but had never seen pictures or known any details. But it was a beautiful little oasis type of place right in the middle of things. It was this little green block with tall trees surrounded by much taller buildings.

We then continued on walking and finally made our way quickly through Times Square (where we will return with a little more time) and down toward MSG. We could feel the buzz in the city. Workers, business men and women and die hard fans were all talking about the Rangers, wearing coats, jerseys and/or hats. The closer we got, the louder that buzz got. It was an incredible feeling I’ve been dreaming of having for 8 years. And while the buzz wasn’t for my favourite team, it still felt incredibly powerful to be a part of.

We went in the historic Madison Square Garden early. We soaked it all in, looking at the banners and eating Cracker Jacks. When the game started, MSG became deafening. The verbal abuse Ovechkin received was like little else I had previously witnessed.

The game was really exciting, despite the Rangers falling 3-2. We slowly exited the building, single file down about 12 sets of stairs with the other 17,000 who were in attendance. Re-entering the fresh air of New York City, we walked the few blocks we had driven in the cab earlier in the day, and arrived at our hotel. It was time for a good night sleep after a long, but great first day.