Having grown up in New York City, I’ve always been comfortable going back there for several days to enjoy the diversity and treasures of the Big Apple. One or two trips a year — just for food, wine, and friends — has been typical for the past 15 years. The pandemic stopped all that, much to my disappointment. Finally, this year I decided to make a short visit. I was able to find a great Airbnb apartment in the Gramercy area, on Park Avenue South. It was a perfect location as a base for the areas I wanted to explore.
Usually, I’d prefer to make the trip for 3 or 4 days, and could enjoy meals with a few close friends. This time I had only two days available (since I wanted to get back home for my grandson’s cello performance in the students’ string ensemble at his music school). Furthermore, my top two dining companions were not available; one was in Italy, and the other was recovering from surgery.
Nonetheless, it was a successful trip. Here are the main highlights:
- Union Square Greenmarket — excellent farmers’ market
- Eataly Vino — featuring a huge selection of Italian wines
- a Negroni at the bar in Gramercy Tavern, one of my favorite haunts
- an excellent dinner at Via Carota in the Village
- good lunch at Ci Siamo
- walked three miles a day
Artisan Products at the Greenmarket
Negroni at Gramercy Tavern
Via Carota
Ci Siamo
Buon Appetito!
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