Monday, 9 March 2009
So good they named it twice
On previous trips to New York I would habitually compare everything to Chicago and mostly, nope always it came up second. This may explain why my most recent visit was probably my most favourite.
Work stuff was very positive, I had a great night with my Addick therapist, I saw some old friends and Julia Roberts (honestly, really), I ate well, which is of course always important and moreover I managed to stay awake throughout the whole 3-hour opera!
We arrived in the freezing cold snow (the photo is of Bryant Park right) but with each day the city got warmer, as did my feelings for it. We strolled the Upper West and East Sides for the first time and Central Park, alive with runners and cyclists, almost came close yesterday to a summer's day in Lincoln Park.
¶ 18:40 
On previous trips to New York I would habitually compare everything to Chicago and mostly, nope always it came up second. This may explain why my most recent visit was probably my most favourite.Work stuff was very positive, I had a great night with my Addick therapist, I saw some old friends and Julia Roberts (honestly, really), I ate well, which is of course always important and moreover I managed to stay awake throughout the whole 3-hour opera!
We arrived in the freezing cold snow (the photo is of Bryant Park right) but with each day the city got warmer, as did my feelings for it. We strolled the Upper West and East Sides for the first time and Central Park, alive with runners and cyclists, almost came close yesterday to a summer's day in Lincoln Park.
We found a wonderful place for brunch by the way on the Upper East Side called Barney Greengrass. The best, and only sturgeon and smoked salmon with scrambled eggs and onion I have ever tasted. And I became addicted to Le Pain Quotidien (there is a load in London).
Il Trovatore at the magnificent Met was, well long, but it was good, especially the Anvil Chorus. No sign of a r
ecession here as the place was packed to the rafters, 4,000 in both Friday and Saturday.
Oh and I know you've only read this far to find out about my dalliance with Julia Roberts. In the time it took to wonder what a host of photographers were doing standing outside The Ritz out walked Julia Roberts as if on a cloud, she stood for a minute whilst about 20 rat-looking paparazzi took her picture and I scrambled for my camera phone (it didn't come out) and then she got into a waiting car.
Il Trovatore at the magnificent Met was, well long, but it was good, especially the Anvil Chorus. No sign of a r
ecession here as the place was packed to the rafters, 4,000 in both Friday and Saturday.Oh and I know you've only read this far to find out about my dalliance with Julia Roberts. In the time it took to wonder what a host of photographers were doing standing outside The Ritz out walked Julia Roberts as if on a cloud, she stood for a minute whilst about 20 rat-looking paparazzi took her picture and I scrambled for my camera phone (it didn't come out) and then she got into a waiting car.
Jools as I now call her was very beautiful and takes her place in my top 3 alongside NBC's Amy Robach who I watched through the Today studio windows the next day. A voyeur and a fan of the Big Apple, who would have thought it?
