Category Archives: 2) Frequent Destinations

September 25, 2012 · 8:16 pm

Unabashed tourists – the Circle Line and Hotel Carlyle in NYC

Interior of Bemelmans Bar in New York City

Sometimes, you just have to be a tourist and so we were on a spectacular late summer/early fall day last Sunday in New York City. Three friends and I took the 2.5 hour lower Manhattan Circle Line cruise and it was magical, with fantastic views of Battery Park, the former World Trade Center area with the 9/11 memorial and the still-rising Freedom Tower/One World Trade Center, Wall Street, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island – we all thoroughly enjoyed, even the New Yorker among us. (Next time I hope to take another boat ride I read about recently in the NYTimes that it offered by the New York Society of Architects.)

Later that day, we ate an okay french meal at Le Monde on Broadway near 108th and met an old friend for drinks at, of all places, the Old New York  bar at The Carlyle Hotel on the Upper East Side (complete with a glamorpuss cabaret singer…not Judy Collins, alas, who I gather was singing nearby at the famous Cafe Carlyle…where Woody Allen plays his clarinet in a jazz band on Monday nights…pricey cover charge: $135) I didn’t realize until later that the charming Art Deco bar (photo above) is named after  Ludwig Bemelmans,  creator of the classic Madeline kids books.

I forgot to mention a good place for coffee and a light breakfast I went to with another friend on Columbus Ave. near 72nd Street – Arte Around the Corner (with stick to your ribs croissants) and a good diner for a late Monday morning breakfast (The Manchaster Diner on Broadway near 108th.)

1 WTC rendering.jpg
One World Trade Center design as of May 2012.

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September 25, 2012 · 2:06 am

Taking the bus to Laguardia – and nabbing an earlier flight home in Minneapolis

I paid $2.25 (the price of a bus ride) to get to Laguardia airport this afternoon which is much better than a $40 cab ride – not as fast of course, but not as long as I feared. It took me an hour – from the time I picked up the M60 bus at 106th and Broadway to my arrival at Laguardia’s Terminal C – and frankly seemed faster than the express bus I rode into the city (for $12.50).

I had a three hour layover in Minneapolis so of course my arrival and departing gates were minutes away from each other (as opposed to my outbound flight when I had 37 minutes to get from one end of the airport to the other.) Noticing that there was an earlier flight to Des Moines (at 7:15 vs. 9:30 p.m.) I went to the gate for the earlier flight to see if I could get on. There was room but Delta wanted to charge me $50 (which United wasn’t going to do when I tried to do the same thing a week ago in Boston). So I said no thanks but then the Delta person saw that my 9:30 flight was overbooked so she waived the $50 fee. So here I am home – although my bag won’t arrive until 11 p.m. So I guess it pays to ask and stand your ground….at least sometimes!

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September 23, 2012 · 10:55 pm

Lower east side NYC – tenement museum, Dudley’s, economy candy, pok pok

My friend C.  Is opening  an art gallery on the lower east side of NYC  so we went to get a sneak peek. great old former industrial space, with exposed brick walls and lots of light and wonderful selection of art work (more on the William Holman gallery in a later post) we went on the Irish outsider tour at the tenement museum. I liked the tour I took several years ago there where we got a look at all the floors /cultures in the building, (Jewish , German catholic, etc) but it was interesting to get a more in depth look the Irish . We had a drink next door at a hipster place called Dudley’s, walked around the lower east side dropping in at Economy candy, Russ and daughters, katz’s deli, pok pok (which was more of a hole in the wall than expected but seems worth a try.)

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September 23, 2012 · 2:20 am

Exploring park slope by stroller

I fit right in during my Park Slope visit yesterday  because I was pushing a stroller. Some might even have mistaken me for a mother since this is the kind of place where 50 something mothers are not unheard of. My four month old niece was in the stroller and once I got over my apprehension about handling the stroller (which is a bit different than the ones I had with my kids 20 years ago) we had a grand time. We sTrollered around prospect park on a gorgeous afternoon and sat on a bench at the edge of a green lawn and people watched. Then we walked along 7th avenue window shopping. All the while it was a smile fest, my niece and I i smiling at each other. (except when she slept.) bliss. We stopped at a bagel shop near union street, where I had some good apple cider and rugelah. Earlier I ate an excellent lunch at Miriam’s  on fifth with my brother. A israeli-inspired place …the scrambled eggs on some sort of crispy slightly sweet fry bread served with fiery Harissa was delicious. Went to a good resale shop near y, spotted a tv actor (Derrick from”smash”), got carry out from a middle eastern place called zeitoin,  and  sadly said goodbye for now.

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September 21, 2012 · 2:39 pm

Delta, Eric Kayser, AG kitchen in NYC

I was not optimistic about making my connecting flight from the start yesterday because I had only a 37 minute connection in Detroit and sure enough I almost missed it. At 9:45 I was stuck in the plane in the rain on the runway in Detroit  thinking there is no way I will make my 10 am flight to NYC. I was in the last row of the plane and I had to collect my luggage on the jet bridge before getting the next flight. And my arrival gate was on the opposite end of  the airport. I had also called delta twice and was told the NYC flight was leaving on time. But I had to give it a shot. So when we finally got to the gate I leapt out of my seat and made it about to mid plane. Then I quickly spotted my luggage among the bags piled on the jet bridge (one  advantage of having a shocking pink bag) and I ran. And ran from gate c30. By the time I got to gate a27 the plane was boarding. I had to bend down with my hands on my knees and catch my breath. And I developed a cough. But I got on that damn plane. Moral of the story: it’s worth trying. But would have been nice if delta could have told me the flight was delayed 25 min.

At laguardia I ended up taking the airport bus to grand central. Never done before and it did take longer than a taxi but price was right – $12.50 plus tip for driver and it was comfortable.

I went to lunch with my aunt S. at a lively French boulangerie on third ave in the 70’s. The place was packed at 2 p.m. Good salads, sandwiches, pastries. Later I met my friend m at AG  Kitchen  on columbus and 73rd. Fun place with latin-influenced comfort food – roast chicken, smashed potatoes, guacamole, lobster spinach balls. Gorgeous weather and great time to be in NYC.

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September 7, 2012 · 2:35 pm

My recent travel story in the Minneapolis Star Tribune – The High Trestle Trail in Iowa

I forgot to mention that a story of mine about riding bikes on central Iowa’s The High Trestle Trail at night ran a few weeks ago in The (Minneapolis) Star Tribune – for more details see: http://www.startribune.com/printarticle/?id=165756086

Night riding on The High Trestle Trail in central Iowa

Fresh air, exercise and an art bridge

  • Article by: BETSY RUBINER
  • Special to the Star Tribune
  • August 13, 2012 – 2:41 PM

The other night, I did something new and possibly stupid: I rode my bike on an unlit trail through rural Iowa. It was dark, except for the dim beam from the cheap flashlight I jury-rigged to my handlebars and the occasional flickering light of passing bikes. It was quiet, except for the periodic rustling, croaks and calls of who-knows-what. It was spooky.

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August 18, 2012 · 5:34 pm

The Slurping Turtle in chicago, Oasis in Iowa City, Splash in Des Moines

Outside The Slurping Turtle on Hubbard Street in Chicago

I met my sister and her daughters at a new place in the River North area (I think) of Chicago called The Slurping Turtle, cute place with good Japanese-influenced food run by a celeb chef (he’s on Top Chef Masters, we were told.) The best dish was the Tori Ramen a egg noodle soup with a poached egg, chicken, Chinese broccoli  and pea pods. Also some good gyoza appetizers (potstickers) and duck fat fried chicken. On the drive home, I  picked up my daughter in Iowa City and we went to one of her favorite places that I’d somehow never been to – Oasis, a middle eastern restaurant where I had a humdinger of a pita sandwich with perfectly cooked and seasoned chunks of lamb, felafel, chunks of cucumber and tomato, hummus. Excellent. Last night we did the $25 restaurant week dinner at Splash with four other friends. We were told the portions were slightly smaller for the discounted meal – which I thought was a bit stingy – but when the dishes arrived they were certainly big enough for me. The highlight was the key lime cheese cake and a chocolate dessert that was some of a round cake with a soft chocolatey center.  And now I must stop eating for awhile….

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August 8, 2012 · 7:02 pm

fro-yo coming to Des Moines’ Ingersoll Avenue; lululemon to East Village

Lululemon Athletica logo.svg

Be careful what you wish for. I’ve long wanted a frozen yogurt place on Des Moines’ Ingersoll Avenue and now comes word that two are about to open, within blocks of each other: Orange Leaf next to Gusto Pizza; Menchie’s a block or so west. I guess this is good. I’ll be looking for the Greek stuff!

Hy-Vee Triathlon

Also surprised to see that Lululemon has set up shop in Des Moines’ East Village. Not sure if this is a good or bad sign. Good that a trendy athletic clothing chain is attracted to the neighborhood, which not long ago was a shopping wasteland. Not-so-good if chain stores start driving up rents and pushing out the independent shops that make the East Village distinctively charming. It does arrive just in time for the Hy-Vee Triathlon over Labor Day Weekend in downtown Des Moines.

Frozen Yogurt @ Orange leaf

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August 3, 2012 · 3:08 pm

West Des Moines: Olympic gymnastics hotspot thanks to Chow, Gabby, Shawn

We met Liang Chow and his wife about 10 – 15 years ago when our daughter took lessons at his then-fledgling gymnastics studio in West Des Moines.  Who knew that he would become a darling of the 2008 and now 2012 olympics but it couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. Who knows what really goes on between a coach and star pupil but I do know that I’d trust my kid’s fragile body and emotions with him if I had a budding gymnast on my hands. He always seemed a bit unknowable behind his omnipresent smile (a stereotype I know) but he also seemed very calm and kind and dedicated. Just what you want in a coach, I’d think. So happy for him – and his star pupils Gabby Douglas and, in 2008, Shawn Johnson (who I no doubt watched as a kid when I sat through my daughter’s gymnastics classes. She’s a year older than our daughter.) Happy too for my adopted city and state  to catch a little unlikely fame. Wonder who our next Iowa-trained gymnastics superstar will be? (A few contenders can be found on http://www.chowsgym.com.)

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August 1, 2012 · 7:04 pm

where to find the New York (food) classics in NYC

Katz’s on the Lower East Side, home to hand-sliced New York pastrami and hot dogs.

Talk about news we can use. Or I can use. The NYTimes has a story with suggestions on where in NYC (generally) to find the best New York classic foods – we’re talking pastrami, bagels, cheesecake, pizza et.al. I was pleased to see Russ and Daughters mentioned – and that my brother’s Park Slope neighborhood is best for bagels. (Also was intrigued by the suggestion in the story that H&H bagels may be reopening. Must investigate that.)

Here’s the list:

If all of this leaves you thirsty, forget bottled water labeled “New York.” Just turn on the tap and let it run cold. It really doesn’t get any better than that.

AQUAGRILL 210 Spring Street (Avenue of the Americas), (212) 274-0505. (Manhattan Clam chowder)

BAGEL HOLE 400 Seventh Avenue (12th Street), Brooklyn, (718) 788-4014. (mini-bagels sold at Russ and Daughters)

FAMOUS ROIO’S PIZZA 465 Avenue of the Americas (West 11th Street), (212) 243-2253.

JOHN’S OF BLEECKER STREET 278 Bleecker Street (Seventh Avenue), (212) 243-1680.

JUNIOR’S 386 Flatbush Avenue (Sterling Place), Brooklyn, (718) 852-5257. CHEESECAKE!

KATZ’S DELICATESSEN 205 East Houston Street (Ludlow Street), (212) 754-2246. HOTDOGS and PASTRAMI

KOSSAR’S BIALYS 367 Grand Street (Essex Street), (212) 473-4810.

NATHAN’S FAMOUS 1310 Surf Avenue (Stillwell Avenue), Brooklyn, (718) 946-2202.

PASTRAMI QUEEN 1125 Lexington Avenue (78th Street), (212) 734-1500.

ORWASHER’S BAKERY 308 East 78th Street, (212) 288-6569. (Rye bread – sold at Citarella and Dean and Deluca)

RANDAZZO’S CLAM BAR AND RESTAURANT 2017 Emmons Avenue (East 21st Street), Brooklyn, (718) 615-0010. CLAM CHOWDER (Manhattan style of course)

RUSS & DAUGHTERS 179 East Houston Street (Allen Street), (212) 475-4888.

ROCK HILL BAKEHOUSE 19 Exchange Street, Glens Falls, N.Y., (518) 615-0777. (Rye bread – sold at Union Square Greenmarket on Saturdays)

S & S CHEESECAKE 222 West 238th Street (Broadway), Bronx, (718) 549-3888. (sold at zabars and dean & deluca)

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