Bryant Park in New York City

On July 5, 2022July 5, 2022 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn New York3 Comments

Although everyone knows about Central Park in Manhattan, another park worth visiting is Bryant Park. It is located between 5th and 6th avenues and 40th and 42nd streets. The park offers a variety of events throughout the year, as well as a stage where performances occur on a regular basis. It is another of the many areas within New York City where people can enjoy some green scenery and relax in the otherwise hectic city. It is quite popular for a variety of reasons, so expect there to be large crowds gathering in the park, even on weekdays.

In the park, there is a large fountain located by the stage that offers a definite sense of cooling on the hot and humid day that we visited. A favorite of families is the “Le Carrousel”, which is obviously a carrousel with whimsical animals bobbing up and down as they rotate around in a circle. For those wishing a refreshing drink or some food while sitting outside and enjoying the views of the park, there is the Bryant Park Cafe. If you are looking for more formal inside dining, there is also the Bryant Park Grill with a full-service menu.

Flowered Wall Outside of the Bryant Park Grill

People Relaxing and Eating at the Bryant Park Cafe

In addition to those items, there is an area to play ping pong, as well as other areas to play chess and checkers. The park is also adjacent to the New York Public Library. The statue of William Cullen Bryant, for whom the park is named, certainly has a prime location and cannot be missed when walking through the park. There is also a statue of Gertrude Stein in Bryant Park as well. With colorful flower beds, large shade trees, and an abundance of park benches, it is a great place to sit and relax for a while. Bryant Park might not be as famous or as large as Central Park, it is still a worthwhile place to visit when spending time in Manhattan.

New York City Library and Skyscrapers Behind the Park

The Trinity Place Bank Vault Restaurant and Bar in Lower Manhattan

On June 29, 2022June 29, 2022 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn New York5 Comments

As with everyplace that we visit, food is central to the overall experience. One of the more unique restaurants that we ate at while we were in New York City was the Trinity Place Bank Vault Restaurant and Bar, which is located near the Trinity Church in Lower Manhattan. The restaurant is literally built in the inside of what was once the largest and strongest bank vault in the world. It is a casual restaurant that serves Irish and American style food.

Sitting at the bar, you can watch people on the street above walking by as the restaurant is partially below street level. What makes the place unique are the huge vault doors that provide the entrance to the restaurant. After passing through the vault door, there are some the old, barred doors that served as additional security within the vault. We have been to many different restaurants and bars that have been converted from churches, banks, and other unique locations during our travels and always find them to be fascinating.

New York City with No Agenda

On August 25, 2020August 25, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn New YorkLeave a comment

Whenever we travel to a location that we’ve never been to before or one that has too many attractions to visit in a single trip, we make sure that we prioritize the places we want to see, but leave time for the unexpected. Several years ago we took a four day trip to New York City and we made the most of our time. We used to live on the east coast, so we’d been to New York City a couple of times, but just for day trips, in and out with a few hours in the city, so we were excited to spend several days and immerse ourselves into what the city has to offer. We had a few priorities while we were there, the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, the 9/11 Memorial Museum, seeing a Broadway show, and eating a New York style pizza. By the time our trip was over, we had an unbelievable time and have tremendous memories of the sites, the food, and the people we met.

We arrived in New York City on Saturday, July the 4^th, and obviously the city was abuzz with excitement for the fireworks.. Being from Colorado, the heat and humidity of New York was somewhat of an adjustment. As we arrived by taxi, a billboard taunted us with the Minus 5 Ice Bar, a bar where the tables, glasses, seats, and the walls were all made of ice. We dawned fur coats and gloves and a few drinks later we were ready to start exploring the city. We always like to take our first day and try to acclimate ourselves to our surroundings, so we made our way to the streets of midtown Manhattan and worked our way towards Rockefeller Center. After a couple of glasses of wine at the Rock Center Café Summer Garden and Bar, we saw Radio City Music Hall and then found a little restaurant for some food. By the time the lights of the city were burning bright, we made our way to Time Square for some pure tourist photo opportunities.

On the second day, we made sure that we hit some of the attractions that were important to us. Our first stop was at the Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center with amazing views of the city including a view over the roof of our hotel, which was just two blocks from Central Park. Even if you have a little bit of vertigo, seeing the city from these heights simply can’t be missed. After viewing the city in all of its glory, we went to Central Park to get some lunch. As is our typical practice, we asked several locals where we should go. We knew that Tavern on the Green was quite famous, but everyone we asked said to go to Loeb Boathouse on the lake, we were not disappointed. Gondolas and row boats in the lake, and a wonderful bar for wine while we waited for a table.

We’d gotten plenty of suggestions on where to get the best slice of pie in town and one place definitely stood out as far as recommendations. So, on our next full day in the city we grabbed a cab and headed towards lower Manhattan. When we arrived at the restaurant, mouths watering, the sign on the door at Arturos indicated that they didn’t open until 4:00 pm, our pizza experience was going to have to wait. These are the little surprises that make a trip that more enjoyable. After walking a few blocks heading towards the 9/11 Memorial, we came across a tiny Italian restaurant and stopped to check out the menu. The owner came out to greet us, full Italian accent, ingratiating smile, and we had to stay for lunch. We couldn’t have been more pleased, Peplino Restaurant was one of the most satisfying meals of our entire trip. Once our stomachs and souls were nurtured, we continued on to the 9/11 Memorial Museum. Words cannot describe how emotionally overwhelming it is to relive that horrific day through audio, video, and tactile content that truly moves the soul. Someday soon, we’ll talk specifically about that experience, but it is too much for a single post about New York City. Upon leaving the memorial museum, we were emotionally exhausted, but there was more of the city to be seen and we were determined to get our New York slice, so we headed north towards Arturos. Luckily we arrived just in time, this place definitely has a reputation for a reason and the place was packed with locals, always a good sign. We order a full pizza, knowing that it will likely be too much for us, but every bite was as delicious as the next, and for another few moments, we felt like locals sitting in our local watering hole. Our day wasn’t done yet, though. It was a long walk back to the hotel from Arturos (100 blocks), about half way, we were ready for a break and we were fortunate to find the Belgium Beer Café just in time for their happy hour. Oysters and Manhattans while we were in Manhattan seemed a must.

With one full day left in the city, we booked our Broadway show, “Finding Neverland”, and started out for a full day of enjoyment. This was the day to do the Empire State Building with more incredible views of the city and another stark reminder of the loss of the twin towers. After enjoying such an incredible view of the city, lunch was in order and we lucked out by finding another little restaurant where local’s way outnumbered any tourists. After an afternoon of roaming the streets of Hell’s Kitchen, we found an Irish restaurant with a good happy hour and excellent food called the Malloy’s Irish Pub and from there we were off to Broadway. The show was incredible, we laughed, we cried, we were thoroughly entertained.

Enjoying the View from the Empire State Building

All in all, it couldn’t have been a better trip. We weren’t on a schedule, rushing from attraction to attraction, but we saw incredible sights, met amazing people, and actually decompressed from our day to day lives and enjoyed a completely new environment. New York City is a truly special city and is definitely worthy of spending several days there in order to see everything it has to offer.