11/13/15 Paris and NYC Weekend

We awoke to a dismal Saturday morning, after tragic bombings in Paris the night before. It was the first really chilly day of the season with the mercury hovering in the upper 40's.

I opened the blinds and looked out at the landscape of nearly bare trees. Not my favorite time of year!

A gloomy mood took possession, my thoughts on innocent victims of brutality all over the world.

Since we were heading into NYC for an evening classical concert at the David Geffen Hall, we looked into $25 rush tickets for the midday opera at the Met. We lucked out, snagging excellent seats for Tosca. Before the performance, the entire cast got on stage and sang La Marseillaise. We all stood up and using the lyrics provided, sang along. At the end there were cheers and shouts of "Vive la France." It was not a moment to be critical of the French National Anthem, or the policies of western leaders. It was a time to show solidarity, especially in New York, where a sense of vulnerability pervaded.
With Placido Domingo conducting, the opera was terrific. The famous arias from Tosca - "Viss d'arte" (I live for art, I live for love) by the soprano and E lucevan le stele (And the stars shone) by the tenor before his death were sung so beautifully. Heartbreaking. Appropriate for a day when a sombre mood prevailed in the city, and I'm sure around the world.

Dinner at Sapphire, a pretentious, overpriced Indian restaurant two blocks from Lincoln Center, was a disappointment with its bland fare. We were in the mood for spicy, robust flavors, which was why we chose an Indian restaurant!

The NY Philharmonic on the other hand, was spellbinding. Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto no. 2 and Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini warmed the depths of our souls.

We had front row seats, with a fantastic view of the passionate Russian pianist, 24 year old Daniil Trifonov.

We splurged on a room in a terrific midtown hotel near Rockefeller Center, to avoid a late night train ride back to Princeton. After a restful night's sleep, we marched over to Bouchon Bakery just across the street from us. It was a lovely fall day, 10 degrees warmer than the day before.

This Thomas Keller establishment must serve the best breakfast pastries in town. It goes without saying that the almond croissant and cranberry scone we had were exquisite. Through the window we watched people standing outside the NBC studios watching a live recording of The Today Show.
After a lazy morning around the Rockefeller Center we had lunch at Le Pain Quotidien. The place was packed and service was painfully slow. But we did enjoy very much the caramelized brussels sprouts soup and salad of farro, roasted squash, pecans, and other veggies.

We took a long stroll, first along Broadway, where a Christmas market was being set up. Then into Chelsea with its numerous fancy food places, and ended up in Greenwich Village. An attractive café lured us in for a coffee and almond tart. It was great to rest our weary feet and escape the city's bustle. Later, a wander around the haunts of the Beatniks, then Christopher and Bleeker Streets, ending in Washington Square gave us a good feel of this interesting neighborhood. So different to Midtown.

With the sun low in the sky we were ready to head to Penn Station for our train to peaceful Princeton.