Just got back from a great weekend in NYC with my wife. There are a few things that came to mind, in no particular order:
[ul]
[li]The bartender at the Mulberry St. bar on Saturday 11/6 afternoon was just flat out gorgeous![/li][li]If you go to the Chelsea Brewing Company, get the Chelsea Cream Stout with a little bit of Kaluha in it. Ask Nicki, she’ll hook it up. And avoid the Pumpkin Ale. It was OK and all, but this one wasn’t one of their best.[/li][li]Are festivals that take up several blocks common? There was a festival on 6th or 7th Ave that had about 5 blocks closed off. It seemed quite odd to see.[/li][li]Watching the crowds gather for the finish of the marathon was very cool. We have a marathon in Scranton, so I’ve seen finish line crowds before, but the build up for the handicapped finish, with signs, banners, etc. was very nice to see.[/li][li]NYCs Finest are extremely helpful when approached properly, and when they are not otherwise engaged.[/li][li]If you are going to the city and planning on walking around for hours, DO NOT wear workboots and wool socks for that purpose. Fortunately, I had a half gallon of the aforementioned Cream Stout to take the edge off the blisters.[/li][/ul]
I have never really enjoyed the street festivals. They seem to be nothing more than a place for people who enjoy walking incredibly slowly, wasting money on cheap crap, and eating funnel cake.
I was afraid you would be waiting for me with bats and clubs.
My wife and I were there for our annual “Anniversary Vacation”. We’ve gone the last 3 years, around the weekend closest to 10/30, stay in Jersey, grab a train into the City, do touristy stuff on Saturday, and she shops on Sunday. Usually on Sunday, her folks meet us, the women go to Conway’s, Macy’s, etc, and I’ll either continue to roam or hang out with her dad and brother at a bar somewhere watching football.
This year, we weren’t sure if they were all coming in Sunday, just her mom, or none of them. We didn’t find out until Saturday morning that none of them were, so that left me to hold the proverbial purse on Sunday. Otherwise, it would have been cool to see NYC from a native perspective.
