Monday, April 20, 2009

Back in Tampa from NYC

Work took me to Somerset, NJ last week, then I decided to make a weekend out of one of my favorite cities, NYC. Staying at my companies apartment along 1st Avenue near 14th Street was very convenient, and its nice to feel like a resident in Manhattan when your just visiting. Some highlights included Vamos mexican for a few Happy Hour Coronas and some Chips and Salsa outside along 1st Avenue..then a trip up to Hell's Kitchen neighborhood for Sushi at Bamboo52, and some bar hopping to Barrage, The Ritz, 9th Avenue Saloon before heading back down to the East Village at finishing the first night along 2nd Avenue entertainment venues.

Friday, after a nice sleep-in, had some of the best bagels with Lox and Cream Cheese at Ess-a-Bagel along 1st Avenue near 20th...then we hit Midtown area went up to "Top of the Rock" at Rockefeller Plaza, for an amazing 75 sotry view of the city, it was sucha clear day, and warm you could see practically forever. Central Park was next to take advantage of the great day, LOTS of people playing hookie today on NYC first warm day of the year...a few NY hot dogs, and a great stroll around the park. The evening took us to Legends along 33rd Street at 5th Ave to meet some friends, then walked over to Chelsea neighborhood for eats at Ate Ave along 8th Ave near 19th Streets. It was another great night so we walked along 14th street back to the East Village, passing through Union Sqaure.

Saturday, an early breakfast of NY style egg sandwich's on a roll, and we rented some bikes to spend the next 4 hours biking around the island of Manhatten. There is a Greenway that allows uninterrupted biking along the entire island..we started on the East side along the East River, passing under the Williamsburg, Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges, along Southstreet Seaport, Battery Park, and then up along side the Hudson River....everything was in full bloom for spring time, many many NY's out and about to take advantage of another great day...we made it to 100th Street, before heading back, and veering over to the Brooklyn Bridge on the way back, a perfect spot for some of the best views of the Manhatten Skyline from the Brooklyn Bridge over the East River. After returning the bikes and cleaning up a bit, we met some other friends for Brunch at Gemma in the Bowery Hotel down in the East Village...lots of outdoor seating along Bowery Street, perfect for people watching and enjoying NY....food was great too!! The a walk over to my friends place in the Lower East Side, to enjoy some wines on the rooftop of their apt building...and then we headed to the West Village to meet up with others...Duplex, Pieces, Marie Crisis piano bar, there was ALOT of entertainment this Saturday night....and we ended the night back in the East Village at quite a few more establishments.

The LIRR got us back to the plane in time to leave NYC from Long Island...and back to reality...

Leaving for Los Angeles on Friday morning, a buddy is moving back to Tampa, and I will be driving cross country with him....a looong drive with stops in Utah, Denver, St. Louis along the way...

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