Bill boasted that there was a better deli than Mason and I should investigate and he was not kidding. It was called Essen and it was unbelievable.
These few pictures only feature a small part of what they offered. They had at least four full hot buffets and as many cold bars with a wide assortment of breakfast foods. Eggs were prepared in a variety of ways (poached, scrambled, scrambled with veggies, scrambled with meat, egg whites only…) and the list went on to include French toast, pancakes, sausage and more.
Then there was the oatmeal bar where the porridge was prepared with all different kinds of milk and with water. They didn’t skimp on the toppings either. Fresh fruit, nuts, seeds and raisins were just the beginning.
Mason picked out an assortment of fresh fruit, a pancake and a piece of French toast and I picked up fresh fruit and my favorite Greek yogurt.
Oh, and there was fresh juice too. Mason noticed a small error there but we won’t hold it against them.
After breakfast, we headed up Fifth Avenue toward Central Park stopping along the way for interesting sights like the New York Public Library.
Our niece who got married is Taylor Ann. The tale of how she came to get her name was told at the wedding. Her paternal grandmother’s surname was Taylor. Before our Taylor was born, it was not known if she was to be a boy or girl. Her mother’s brother suggested the name Taylor because it would work whether she was a boy or a girl. Her mother thought, “If I honor her paternal grandmother, I ought to honor my mother too.” She chose Ann as her middle name. However, anyone who has ever met a grandmother from Queens can understand how the name Taylor Ann did not elicit the positive response Taylor’s mother was hoping for. Instead her mother asked why her name was not Ann Taylor. Taylor’s mother, who has always been quick, retorted, “I work for JC Penney. I can’t have a daughter named Ann Taylor.” Touché.
Mason captured Trump Tower.
We swapped accessories in front of the Plaza Hotel and then we walked to Central Park South.
I surprised Mason with a carriage ride. The driver took us through Central Park and pointed out sights inside the park and on the perimeter.
At the end, Mason fed the horse and we headed downtown.
We don’t see food carts like this where I live now but I loved seeing them on many corners.
Mason now knows how to get to Carnegie Hall.
They were just cleaning up from the Summer Concert Series as we made the final turn at Rockefeller Plaza
and landed back at Nintendo NYC.
My knitting and I were right at home.
I asked an employee at Nintendo for a recommendation for nearby pizza and he suggested Radio City Pizza. It was not a large space at all but they had plenty of pies to choose from.
Yum! It was pizza just as I remembered it. We ate upstairs and then made our way across town for our Circle Line tour.
The tour boat left at pier 83 next to the Intrepid. We noticed a US Coast Guard helicopter on deck. Our tour lasted a little more than three hours and took us entirely around the island of Manhattan. Here are some of the sights…
Mason’s back is to Governor’s Island where Bill was stationed.
This is where the ferry pulls in for Governor’s Island.
It was really windy of the bow of the boat but Mason was happiest in this location watching the water.
I love the Brooklyn Bridge from any angle.
Yankee Stadium is as impressive from the water as it is from the stands.
When we disembarked from the boat, we bussed across town to Times Square. It was abuzz with people and street acts.
Mason watched these comedic acrobats with rapt attention.
Heading north on the subway, we landed at 79th and Broadway so I could visit a yarn store but first, I introduced Mason to Zabar’s, an iconic gourmet grocery store.
Mason patiently waited while I browsed and made my purchases.
Dinner was at Island Burgers & Shakes. Our meal included sliders for Mason and a Tuscan salad for me. The combination of mixed greens, fresh mozzarella, mushrooms, onions, roasted peppers, olives, artichoke hearts, tomato, and parmigiana reggiano was amazing!
The only thing missing from the day was dessert which Mason insisted had to be a double dipped ice cream cone from an ice cream truck. There were none to be found near the restaurant but just before we descended the subway stairs, Mason spotted one. We sat on the steps of a church on 79th and Broadway until he finished it and then hopped on the subway back to our hotel via Bryant Park. People were playing chess, checkers and other games, there was live music and loads of folks having a cocktail, dessert or cup of coffee. The perimeter of the park is lined with tables, chairs and park benches which people have adopted to support the park. We took a moment to search for one Bill had heard of that was named for one of his favorite people.
Matthew Scudder is a character in a book series by Lawrence Block and Bill has read all of Larry’s books. We must have poked around 20 benches in all. What a find for Bill!
The last stop of the day was Muji, a store I just became aware of before arriving in NYC. I would not have made a special effort to visit but it happened to be located around the corner from our hotel. Muji is Japanese based and comparable to Ikea. The good news, bad news is that I don’t live near one. It had fun stuff I could put to use if I lived nearby. Apparently there is an online option if I get desperate.
After our full day, we retired for the night and I got busy packing our bags for our departure in the afternoon tomorrow.
Great trip….and yummy!