"Old Times"; More Rachmaninoff; Lower Manhattan

November 21 and 22 - another full weekend in NYC. Lots of cuisine extraordinaire, a Broadway play, Bryant Park holiday market, the NY Philharmonic, and a day with dear friends.

First stop on Saturday was Eataly, a piece of Italy in New York. This food paradise is a combination of market stalls and restaurants intended to totally indulge and pamper people who love and can afford fine food. This month truffles are in season and a pop up restaurant here will be serving a selection of truffle dishes. At La Pizza we smashed a bubbling, crispy pizza that arrived out of a colorful giant beehive shaped wood fired oven, and tasted just like the pizzas we loved in Italy. A dry but fruity white wine paired beautifully with it.
The weather was crisp as we sauntered up Broadway to our hotel in Times Square. "Old Times", a Harold Pinter play on Broadway, provided excellent mid afternoon entertainment. Clive Owen was one of the 3 actors. A compelling performance rendered the play far more arresting than it actually was. (It could easily have been painful with less skilled acting!)

We spent the early evening strolling through the Christmas market in Bryant Park. Even though I have a strong dislike for the holidays, the atmosphere was quite lovely. We were so impressed at the numerous vegan food vendors that we decided to have dinner at the park. We ate al fresco like the locals, braving the late November chill! A tasty seitan burger, Belgian fries, and a mushroom chickpea soup warmed us up. From our table we had a lovely view of the newly unveiled 7 Bryant Park skyscraper lit up in French flag colors.
At the David Geffen Hall on Saturday evening we were 4 rows from the stage. Daniil Trifonov, the 24 year old Russian pianist, sent us to music heaven with his rendition of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No 4, a piece rarely performed. We were also enthralled by the NY Phil's performance of Rachmaninoff's other less popular work, Symphony No 1. Earlier in the week, when I was preparing for this concert, I found the piece pretty inaccessible. It took me a while to appreciate it, and then I just fell in love with this symphony. It was really special to witness a live performance by one of the world's best orchestras, and be so close to the stage!

Our hotel room overlooked Times Square with its gigantic flashing screens and ridiculous crowds. Luckily, soundproofing and curtaining allowed us a peaceful sleep.
Sunday morning started with breakfast at Bouchon Bakery, at an outside table in late November (yes, it was brisk!), and we enjoyed it. English couples at tables on either side of us livened up the conversation.
Late morning we headed downtown to see our friends Lee and Lucy who live near City Hall. From the balcony of their 23rd floor apartment we had a great view of Frank Gehry's building, one of the tallest residential towers in the world. Terrific views of the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges from their living room window too.

What do locals do for lunch on Sunday? Dim Sum in Chinatown, an obvious choice for us, since it involved a 5 minute walk from their home. Two hours at a vegetarian restaurant on Mott Street gave us a chance to do a lot of catching up. Lee and Lucy are such energizing company and our conversations are always satisfyingly intellectual. The food was splendid too - dumplings filled with watercress, a plate of greens, a tofu stir-fry with lots of vegetables ...

Our afternoon stroll took us past all the noteworthy attractions of the Lower Manhattan area. Zuccotti Park, of 'Occupy Wall Street' fame; the Woolworth Building, and lobby for a glance at its mosaic ceiling. Trinity Church, Wall Street, Customs House then to Battery Park and the tip of Manhattan where the East and Hudson Rivers meet. Walking along the esplanade we had views of the Statue of Liberty. Then into the World Trade Center Winter Garden Atrium, awed at the plushness - palm trees, marble floors, an art installation.

Upstairs, we checked out the various fine food restaurants and gourmet market. Through the glass walls we had lovely views of the new buildings on the site of the old World Trade Center. A white tiled subterranean passage - like walking through a contemporary painting (reminded Daryl of an Escher painting) - brought us to the WTC Memorial buildings. The Observatory with its facade of triangles and reflective glass, dominated the skyline throughout our stroll.
Leaving the WTC area we entered TriBeCa, which had a quieter, neighborhood vibe. Lucy pointed out the cast iron buildings that the area is famous for. From Duane Street we continued past the Federal Courthouse and African Burial Ground before returning to their apartment.

What a joy to stroll through Lower Manhattan. To get a guided tour with wonderful friends is even more joyful. How lucky we are!