TheFitzyreport

Icecream

Posted on September 28, 2011 by TheFitzyreport

I am drawing a line in the sand! After splurging for the past few weeks on all sorts of fantastic treats, it is time to pause. There will be no more of the delicious strawberry icecream from Sundaes & Cones on East 10th Street. There will be no more of the excellent mango sorbet or outrageously good fig & balsamic icecream from Ciao Bella (downstairs) in Grand Central Station. And there will certainly not be any of the strange but superb salted caramel icecream from Kennebunkport in Maine. That is, until we can find another reason to drive the 300 miles to get there….

Posted in Food, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Andrea Bocelli

Posted on September 28, 2011 by TheFitzyreport

When I heard Andrea Bocelli was to perform in Central Park, I immediately thought of the amazing concert I missed years ago when Simon & Garfunkel sang to thousands of fans in the Park on a balmy summer evening. What an opportunity! This time I would be there under the stars with friends and a picnic and together we would soak up that magnificent voice. Unfortunately ‘soak’ was the operative word! Rain was forecast early in the day, but we were optimistic as we joined the queue around 3 pm that our raincoats and umbrellas would protect us from a passing shower. The good news was that being with Leanne & Gabby the guide dog, we received special access to the front area of the concert with chairs provided. The other news was that it started to rain about 4pm, the temperature dropped dramatically, and wintery conditions swept through the Park for most of the night. But in spite of the wind and rain, the police helicopters chopping through the emotional strings of ‘O Sole Mio’, and the confusion about what was actually happening on stage, we had a great time. There was Andrea of course, the NY Philharmonic, a parade of famous musical guests and best of all, the comraderie of the crowd. New Yorkers love Australians – one fellow spoke at length to us about his R&R in Townsville during the Vietnam War while another kept the umbrellas down in front. It was a memorable concert, if not for the reasons we expected, and the absolute highlight was when Tony Bennett joined Andrea on stage to sing ‘New York, New York’ – and we were there to hear it!

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Gramercy Tavern

Posted on September 13, 2011 by TheFitzyreport

My favourite restaurant lived up to it’s reputation ( and saved mine ) when we celebrated my friend Leanne’s 50th birthday last weekend. Gramercy Tavern has a seasonal earthy menu, with beautifully presented dishes and excellent service. We shared an Heirloom Tomato Salad with Pickled Cherries to begin ( extraordinary combination, but the rich tomato flavour with the slightly soured cherries was superb ) then I had the Summer Flounder with an almond pepper sauce. But the piece de resistance was the Smoked Kiebasa ( made on the premises ) with collard greens, spaetzle and beets. Outstanding! I caught this shot just in time….

Posted in Food, restaurants | 4 Comments

Blue Smoke

Posted on September 13, 2011 by TheFitzyreport

My ongoing quest to find the best way to barbecue ribs took a dramatic turn last week with the discovery of Blue Smoke on East 27th Street. Their sampler plate makes it easy to taste the variation in regional styles, but enticed by the fabulous smokey smells that greeted our arrival, we just ordered half racks of everything. The place is classic American country, with wooden booths and bar, and lots of friendly people. I went with my Australian visitors, including Gabby the Guide Dog, and we were welcomed like old friends. Gabby had 3 separate waiters come and offer her water, while we the people were treated to Kansas City Spareribs, Memphis baby Back Ribs and Texas Salt & Pepper Beef Ribs. Delicious! Thick, juicy and flavorsome. Best of all, you add your own sauce to taste, which made for a much more gourmet experience. The ribs were so good it was hard to get a decent shot before they disappeared – I guess I’ll have to go back and try again…..

Posted in Food, restaurants | 1 Comment

Trump Hotel

Posted on September 13, 2011 by TheFitzyreport

I didn’t ever think I would promote a Trump-associated property, but the location of this hotel on the southwest corner of Central Park with a foothold on Columbus Circle, would be perfect for some people. If mobility is a problem you are all set with a permanent cab rank on the Circle, the subway is just outside the door, the Time Warner building next door houses ( have-the-quiche ) Bouchon and Dizzy’s Jazz Club, and if you are tired of restaurants, Wholefoods supermarket is downstairs where you can buy quality fresh meals to take upstairs and eat in your luxurious bathtub. Some of the rooms have kitchens with full size ovens and gas tops, but don’t be fooled into thinking you might whip up a NY cheesecake while you’re here, because there are no pots and pans – it’s all for show. How terribly Trump!

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Eve of September 11

Posted on September 11, 2011 by TheFitzyreport

It is a perfectly still night with a full moon and a thoughtful hush over the city. The past few days have been intense with anticipation and preparation. But tonight people were drawn to the lights downtown – we joined them – and shared a spectacular sight…

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Group Hug

Posted on September 5, 2011 by TheFitzyreport

The name on the movie production signs lining the street didn’t seem to match the props being installed around Park and East 42nd. A huge crane lowered smashed cars and pieces of airplane fuselage onto the street on one side of the Park Avenue overpass, while on the other side a massive camera crew tried to capture a cafe scene despite throngs of Saturday tourists and a couple of curious Australians taking their own shots. When the camera finally spun around directly onto us and the crew started yelling at us to move, it was clear there were no group hugs on this set. As it turned out it was Robert Downey Junior’s new movie ‘ The Avengers ‘. And that’s the Marvel comic variety Avenger, not the fabulous Steed and Mrs Peel….

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Let them eat macaroons !

Posted on September 5, 2011 by TheFitzyreport

Laduree received a huge welcome to NYC when they recently opened their first US store on Madison Avenue. Macaroons have been quite the rage for some time, and judging by the length of the queue when we cycled past on Saturday, Laduree macaroons must be particularly delicious. There were at least 50 people waiting on the street to join the queue inside, but there were just as many people taking photographs of the queue, or of themselves in front of the shop. So the fun of it took over from the slightly crazy aspect of waiting an hour for a sublime sweet flown in freshly from Paris. Not that we waited – but of course we will go back ( they were sold out of coffee and framboise ) at least to show solidarity with the company mantra that declares ‘a weakness for sweets is a noble approach to everyday living ‘ …..

Posted in bakeries, Food | 2 Comments

Sunshine and sandcastles

Posted on September 1, 2011 by TheFitzyreport

With such a topsy turvy end to summer this year, it was a bonus to enjoy a glorious day for the last weekend of ‘Summer-streets’ in NYC. For the 4th year in a row, Park Avenue was closed to motor vehicles from 72nd street all the way to Brooklyn Bridge. Cyclists, joggers, roller-bladers & kids on skate boards enjoyed the freedom of riding in the middle of the road ( which Hurricane Irene offered as well, but without a similar courtesy to sandcastles… ) In front of City Hall just before we turned left onto the bridge the Summer program provided beach conditions – sand pits for children and sand piles for adults. There were even free lessons in sand building…. only in New York!

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All quiet on the Eastern front…

Posted on August 28, 2011 by TheFitzyreport

I was awake most of the night listening to the pouring rain and wondering when the wild winds would arrive. But Irene did not swing into town with tempest and destruction – not to mid Manhattan anyway – but instead she brought a calm misty morning and a very unique magical experience. The city was as empty as New York could be. Almost no cars, no buses, no noise. It was fantastic. When Sean & I rode up Madison Avenue around 9am we found a handful of curious people like us taking photographs of themselves in the middle of the road. Steam poured out of the manholes against which tourists posed looking uptown, looking downtown – it didn’t matter, there was no-one to run you over. Same thing on Fifth Avenue, people were out for the experience and the fun. If the City had just paid a gazillion dollars to close down the city, then we were going to make the most of it!