TRAVELOGUES--The domestic adventures of M. Anne Tran

New York.  September 2005
Victor's 25th birthday in the NYC.

• Fine Dining.  Although we tried our hand at two of NYC's well-regarded establishments (Babbo and Eleven Madison), I found the food to be too heavy my taste--although I suspect that the preparations are more appropriate for the cold, East Coast weather.  Babbo made use of ingredients such as wild boar and squid ink in its pastas, which reminds me of Oliveto back in Berkeley--it was very good on the whole.  Eleven Madison, on the other hand, was overrated.
• Ethnic Dining.  If I could do it all over again, I would have spent more time exploring the various culinary enclaves found throughout the city.  Our two day stint of the city led us to some of its more well-traversed establishments.  Amongst them were: Katz Delicatessen, Joe's Shanghai, and Lombardi's in Harlem.  I don't think I've had a pastrami sandwich or siu long bao that could compare with those at Katz and Joe's, respectively.  Lombardi's was quite a walk and although the thin-crust pizza was very good, it falls behind its more sophisticated California counterparts.
• Accommodations.  After searching without luck for a well-located, within budget bed-and-breakfast, I was able to contact a woman named Ella Pawlak who lived on St. Marks in Greenwich village.  We stayed in her guest bedroom for $50 a night.  She was gracious and the living space was well-kept.  She lives at 116 St. Marks Pl.# 5m, New York, NY 10009 and can be emailed at elzibie@aol.com.  I also have her cell phone number stored away.
• I decided that Victor was too old to be living the hostel lifestyle, but the next time I go, I will definitely check out the Carlton Arms.  I believe that where you stay is as much a part of your vacation as what you do.  This hostel echoes my affinity for themed hotels with its five floors of rooms oozing with murals and artistic interpretation.
• Empire State Building.  Pre-purchasing tickets allowed us to save a lot of time.  My strategy of buying tickets for the last time slot worked out fairly well, since there seemed to be fewer people to ruin the view.  Additionally, since it was particularly windy due to Hurricane Ivan, we found that we were among the few people willing to brave the cold.  So my tip is to buy tickets early and go before a storm.
• Madison Square Garden.  The behind-the-scenes tour cued us into neat trivia tidbits such as the basketball courts are laid out over the hockey ice rink.  Apparently, this is common knowledge.  Not worth the money if you're not a basketball fan.  However, you can justify the expense if you mistakenly think that your boyfriend is.
• Rent. I still don't get the hype.  The entire play is performed in song, which is perfectly acceptable if you can manage to follow the lyrics--a task that was particularly challenging for that rendition of Rent.  I find the plot of the play to be thematically empty--which may or may not be the intention of the play.  I find it to be a cliche attempt to portray the emptiness of modernism.  At any rate, you're much better off buying the last-minute standby tickets for other Broadway plays such as The Producers or The Lion King.  I hear the process is fairly simple and that although you may be sitting in the orchestra section, it's a steal compared to the $250 everyone else is paying. 
• Tenement Tours.  HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!  This was my favorite activity while I was in New York.  The buildings have been well-preserved and bring you back in time to the immigrant experience.  It is particularly vivid if you've read or seen the movie "Angela's Ashes."   
• Scavenger Hunts.  HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!  Watson's Adventures offers a variety of scavenger hunts that can turn your visits of museums/neighborhoods/etc. into more interactive experiences.  Vic and I breezed through the Natural History Museum (which had some really cool exhibits) deciphering riddles and looking for the next clue.  It was pretty hard and we didn't get to explore the museum in depth, but we were running on a tight schedule anyway.
• Other Resources: New York Magazine 
• Next Time:  I don't follow NY restaurants all too much, but I suggest you attempt to make reservations at Thomas Keller's Per Se, which would made for a good introduction to French Laundry and a good alternative in case you never manage to get reservations in Napa. NY also has its share of the world's top 50 restaurants as designated by UK Restaurant Magazine.  A good guide will be indispensable.  People tend to eat later in New York and reservations will be essential.  You can make restaurant reservations online using OpenTable. 

Orlando, Florida.  August 2004.