NYC

I was in NYC this week for a business meeting. I haven't been to the Big Apple in many, many years but it never seems to change. Here are some highlights of my brief time there.

Ate at Morimoto! I stayed my first night at The New Yorker Hotel, which was walkable to the restaurant. I had called ahead and asked if I could sit at the sushi bar, partly because I hate eating by myself at a real table, and partly because I knew I'd never get in at the last minute to the restaurant itself. So I sit down at the sushi bar and look to my right and THERE IS MORIMOTO himself, looking just like he does on Iron Chef. My jaw hit the floor and I had to resist the urge to call everyone I knew right then. Eventually, I saw that he was very personable and talking to other guests, so with some encouragement from my waiter, I stood up and shook his hand when he walked by me. He asked how everything was, and if the sushi chefs sitting right in front of me (two of which I recognized from TV) were doing a good job. What a thrill!

As an appetizer, I ordered some of my favorite spicy tuna rolls, and they were outstanding. By far the best sushi I have ever eaten. Then I ordered the black bean cod, which was also outstanding. All in all, a delicious and memorable experience! Oh and before I forget, I went to the bathroom before I left and the seats were heated. An unexpected and very nice feature.

Before I got in a cab, I went into the nearly-closing Chelsea Market, located apparently under where Food Network films. It was a cool indoor market that held all kinds of little shops and restaurants. And the stars from Food Network always shop there. Too bad I wasn't there during the day.

The rest of my trip wasn't nearly as eventful. I moved hotels and stayed at a Marriott right in Time Square/Broadway, which was really cool. They have closed off a street and made it more of a pedestrian area, so it was pretty crazy. One night I walked with my boss to the Apple store, and it was late, around 10, but you would have thought it was a weekend afternoon cause there were so many people around.

I walked by the famed Magnolia Bakery but it was too early in the morning for me to consider cupcakes, and I was leaving in about 1/2 hour so I couldn't get one to go. All in all a good trip, I just wish I'd had time to stay and see more sites or catch a show.