We have a dinner arrangement at 18:45 with three guys who play Soccer for Hakoah New York and who tracked down Michael Evans. Ron is a marketing manager for El Al North America, David works for a Hedge Fund and Marat (Turkish and yes you don't have to be Jewish to play for Hakoah in New York) works for UBS. We meet at the Olympia Pita restaurant Glatt Kosher. The meal was fine but Mediterranean food isn't my thing. Very nice guys and it was remarkable how much Ron knew about Australian sport, soccer, politics and culture. All in all very entertaining. After dinner back to the hotel. I am quite exhausted having walked a minimum of 10kms and been on my feet all day and it shows as.......
Thursday morning and I shock myself at waking up 09:45. I ready myself and head to Macy's where I have to return a faulty suitcase which the manufacturer would not return without a receipt. Who keeps a receipt for a suitcase? Anyway the manager of the Macy's store where I bought the case arranged for me to return it in new York. I head up to Columbus Circle where I have arranged to meet Daniel Grynberg's good friend James Hookes for lunch with Mike Evans. Very interesting lunch at Bouchon Cafe discussing job markets, economies and everything else business. He is the CEO of three Mac Bank Infrastructure Funds so was very stimulating.
I then headed back to the hotel while Mike went to meet Liza and Ollie who had been ice skating most of the day to that point.
Back to Manhattan on the 18:00 shuttle to meet the Evans gang for Nobu dinner. There are three in New York and we chose the 57th Street location. The usual sensational fare Miso Cod, Lobster Tacos, a new dish home made silk tofu with scallops, mushroom salad, cucumber sesame salad, crispy salmon skin hand rolls and more. All up to the usual 10/10 standard for me and the Evans' loved it as well. Down to Macys which is open till 23:00 to pick up some things the Evanses wanted and then back to the hotel for me.
Friday morning up at 08:45 showered and dressed and off to drop my luggage at my new hotel, the Shoreham on 55th between 5th and 6th Ave. Quite a good find. The rooms, although compact but not small are beautifully appointed and extremely functional. Usual shit the hotel (owned by the same person as the limousine company) tells me the limo will cost $10-$15 to Manhattan and the driver says $25 - I refused and paid $15 but hate this sort of situation.
Then off to Chambers Street to meet Evans gang this time with Greg Sirtis, his girlfriend and son Jonah (Carol/Barry Pryer's grandson) where we looked at Wall Street before taking a return trip on the Staten Island ferry. The weather has been truly magnificent so far while I have been here ranging from 8 to 10 degrees with no wind or rain after Tuesday Night. While on the Ferry two 'bockers' ask are we Jewish and
we say yes and they ask if they can put Tefillin on u. Mike and I as one say "no no we have already laid Tefillin today but (pointing to Greg Sirtis) he hasn't". They gave him a hard time for a few minutes before moving on. They were very respectful and actually quite sweet.
I head back to to the Shoreham to get my room, unpack and then head to Zabar's to meet Evans/Sirtis for afternoon nosh. I had never been to Zabar's before. It is a truly amazing experience. First we had blintzes and other Jewish fare but the supermarket was awesome. While we were there a very under dressed and bedraggles looking Philip Seymour-Hoffman shuffled in bought some food and sat there eating it facing
the corner. Selection, quality and variety in the supermarket - it simply had everything. Without selling everyday groceries but being a totally devoted full service delicatessen. http://www.zabars.com/
We then part ways as I head back to my hotel where I eat some Lobster Bisque and raspberries I bought from Wholefoods on the way.
Spending time with the Evans Gang was great. I am very fond of all three of them and we seemed (to me anyway) to very compatible travel partners.
Very excited about Daniel Michelin 3 Star tomorrow night and New Years Eve in Times Square if I can take the crowds. Some bridge friends invited me for their NYE party but I really do want to try and make a go of Times Square so I passed.
If not only 8-10 blocks back to the hotel. Was a bit disappointed with Atelier when they phoned to confirm my booking and say that I should be on time for my 22:15 booking as the kitchen orders close at 22:30 and the restaurant closes at midnight. I was tempted to cancel but a phone call an hour later that they have found a spot at 20:30 - and am I looking forward to that.
My problem du jour is that I leave New York next Tuesday but have no plane or hotel booking or destination. I am thinking London then Miami or Las Vegas Cancun and Miami or well I guess I will figure it out. My plans have been thrown around because my very good friends in Phoenix are having marital problems and even though I have been providing them both with phone counseling and trying to help going there figures to
be a bad scene. So my planned week in Phoenix has gone pffft.
Sure I have missed out lots of things like discovering Godiva Salted Caramel Chocolate ($2.97 Century 21, $3.99 Duane Read and $4.99 Morton Williams Puhlease)
Love and sincere best wishes for a Happy and Healthy 2012 and even a touch of Prosperity
XD
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