Here’s the latest on my adventures in NYC. This will be a great week because I’m going home to TN for 10 days this Friday. I can’t wait to see Laura and the kids (ok, they’re all adults, but they’ll always be my kids, including Chris or maybe I should say “especially Chris”).
This past week was great. Jimmy and Kristen Bowers visited me for a few days from Alabama. Conor and his friend Caleb Pippenger were here the week before, so we’re getting good use of the apartment and I’m becoming an experienced tour guide. I love when people visit me here. For one thing, I just love company, but the other reason is I love showing family and friends the wonders of NYC. I have developed a sort of standard tour. We start off on the Upper West Side eating a great brunch on the sidewalk at The French Roast cafe, Jacob’s Pickles or Sarahbeths (my favorites, but there are hundreds of choices). I then put them on the “1” Subway and head all the way down to Battery Park to see Lower Manhattan. There are great views of the Statue of Liberty, the new Freedom tower and Wall Street. I love showing off Stone Street where you can grab a snack at the Dubliner (Conor’s favorite spot). It’s like going back in time. All of the buildings are from the 1700’s – 1800’s (most built after the 1835 fire). The cool thing is that it’s right in the middle of Wall Street surrounded by sky scrapers. We then jump back on the “1” and ride up to 23rd. This is where we head over to Chelsea and taste one of the best donuts on the planet at Donut Place. We then go over to see the Flatiron building and Madison Square Park. Then it’s either up to 34th to see Madison Square Garden and the Empire State building or up to 42nd to take in the lights of Time Square (everybody has to see it once even though it’s packed with tourists, and there are not many great restaurants there). From there, we’ll walk over to 50th and up to 5th Ave to see Radio City Music hall, Rockefeller Center (Skating rink and NBC) and top of the Rock. We then head north on 5th Ave to see all of the $$$$ shops like Saks, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., Prada, Bottega Veneta, Armani, Fendi, Versace, Tommy Hilfiger, Cartier, Omega, Chanel, BCBG Max Azria, Harry Winston, Salvatore Ferragamo, Nike, Escada, Swarovski, and on and on and on.  Then it’s over to the South East corner of Central Park. I like this area because you can see the Plaza hotel (Suite life of Zach and Cody, Home Alone 2 and many others) and FAO Schwartz toy store. This is also the location of my favorite entrance to Central park because there is a beautiful pond with a plethora of wild life. You’ll see ducks, turtles and fish just a few feet from the City streets. We walk past a really cool water fall and then in to the heart of the park where we pass an amusement park, ball fields, several ponds and fields, an old carousel and massive trees everywhere. You have to be careful to avoid all of the runners (my favorite place for long runs), bikers and horse drawn carriages in the park. After touring the park for a couple of hours, we head back to the UWS just in time for dinner. Celeste’s Italian restaurant is a great way to experience great NY Italian food in a quirky NY atmosphere (completely non-tourist). Then desert at Cafe Lalo where they filmed “You’ve got Mail”. Jessica loves the deserts there.
After this, we’ve walked about 10 miles, eaten about 10,000 calories and are exhausted so we had back to the apartment to relax or get ready for the night!
All of this, and all we’ve seen is a small part of the West half of Manhattan. The East side has a lot to offer too. You could spend a month in this City and not see half of all it has to offer. All of the museums, shows, parks, culture (Chinatown, Little Italy, etc) and restaurants not to mention the other Burroughs. So much to see and do.
I just wanted to give you a taste of the excitement of a NYC trip. So, if you come visit, come hungry and bring a great pair of walking shoes.

Well, it’s been too long since my last update on my adventures in NYC, so I thought I would try and bring you up to speed. Since I last wrote, I’ve experienced the most oppressive heat wave I’ve ever felt (including last year’s summer in TN where it was regularly over 105 degrees). When it gets over 95 in the City with high humidity, hell starts oozing up through the subway tunnels and grates in the street. With all of the pavement, concrete and buildings holding in the heat, the City becomes like a convection oven. Plus, everyone sweats profusely…including all 4 million people crammed into the subway cars (which are thankfully air conditioned). Waiting on a subway, in a suit, in oppressive heat and humidity makes me realize why everyone leaves the NYC for the Hamptons in the summer. The good news, it only lasted 8 days. Then weather like this week (high 70’s to low 80’s with low humidity) sets in and the world is suddenly transformed back into “amazing”.
Other things that have happened, I broke a tooth on some bacon and had to find a dentist….and get a crown. Thank God (literally) that healthcare in NYC is some of the finest in the world. I found a great dentist 1 block from the apartment which is wonderful.
Jessica Garmon, Christopher Garmon and Conor Hale all visited last week which was exactly what the doctor ordered (not the Dentist mentioned above, the Doctor in this case would be a metaphor). As I say every time I write, if Laura were here (only 5 months to go…yeah), life would be perfect. In lieu of her being here, the visits from the kids really gave me a boost. I love having company here, especially family. It not only reconnects me, but it also lets me play tour guide and see all the wonders of the City through their eyes.  Things like Central Park with the waterfalls, gardens, carousels, carriages never grow old. We also took in a game at Yankee stadium. I must say, I am turning into a Yankee fan. At one point in the game, 22% of the Yanks on the field were from the deep South (Alabama, South Carolina and Kentucky). They were playing Sweet Home Alabama, Sweet Southern Comfort and Country Music Jesus over the PA system between innings…in the Bronx! Really nice of them to make us feel so welcome. Conor and I (and his friend Pip) found a new favorite site of mine down in Lower Manhattan. Stone Street is like a time warp. The buildings are all from the 1700 – 1800’s and set right in the middle of wall street. There is an amazing pub there with great food called the Dubliner. This quickly became a favorite place for me and Conor.
Last week, I went to see “Peter and the Star Catcher” off Broadway. This reconfirmed how great the level of talent is in this City. What a great show. They’re about to go on tour, so if it comes to a city near you, go!
Let’s see, being the foodie that I am, I can’t write about the last two months without mentioning my culinary adventures. Other than the Dubliner, three other places have crept into my top twenty all time restaurant list: (1) Keen steak house – the food is off the hook good, but there is more coolness to this place than the food. It used to be a pipe/cigar lounge and its over 128 years old (new meaning to “aged” steaks). Because the pipes were all ceramic, the customers would leave them at the lounge and hang them from the ceiling. All of the pipes are still there…over 48,000. They have Teddy Roosevelt’s pipe, one from Babe Ruth and many other famous dead people. (2) Meli – Greek cuisine like I’ve never had before. (3) Ai Fiori – Italian place on Fifth Ave that was so good it made me want to slap my momma (not really mom, that’s just a saying…you know I would never slap you…hard anyway :)). Next on my to do list is to stop by Dominique Ansel’s bakery in SoHo to see what the fuss about the CroNut is all about. I’ll let you know. Summer is a great time to hit the restaurants on weekends because everyone is in the Hamptons!
Well, that’s enough for now. I’ll try to do better and write more. Until next time…stay cool!