Monday, May 17, 2010

NYC Part Dos: West Village Festival, Amazing Indian Grub, Secret Bar Crawl and SMALL World

Hope you’re not bored with my NY trip yet! :) Thanks for your sweet comments – here’s my second and final post about NY!! And BTW - I forgot to tell you something COOL! Tyson had hooked up his upstairs neighbor/co-worker before by letting him use his place when he was out of town. So, you guessed it, we were in his neighbor’s place (i.e. our own bed, bathroom, etc.) all weekend! Don’t get me wrong, I love some Tyson and obvi it would have been FINE, but a private bath is like OMG godsent. Anywho, backing up to Saturday

We got up around 10, split the leftover half of my gyro from the night before, and headed out for coffee and a diet pepsi! When we were leaving the coffee shop we bumped into Tyson’s friend Micah from the night before! So funny! She told us that there was a festival down the block, so we walked over and low and behold – Austin, who had noticed the “beer truck and big flag” the day before, was right – a festival was starting and we were the first ones there! AMAZING! We were there for the welcome, the star spangled banner and were able to visit the booths and talk with the designers, artists, etc. before it got all crowded – I officially fell in love with the West Village.

Smoothie stop!

Me walking through - love the big flag! We got lots of video.

cheeseballs

Loved all of the puppers around!


And to think this place was on the same block as Tyson’s apartment – WOW! We walked around, bought some happies for our family, saw the building at Barrow/Grove that was shown in Friends when they show the outside of Monica's building, visited 75 1/2 Bedford Street (NY's narrowest house where Carey Grant and others stayed!), bought two pillows for our home and had a FABULOUS TIME.

Early on at the festival
The first of many bands of the day - this one was SO cute! Amazing clarinet player!
We walked around a bit and had to take a picture at Bleeker Street Pizza since I practically lived off of it while there!
Austie at the festival
Me in front of where they shoot the outside of Monica's apartment from Friends

We split a lemonade and then Tyson came to meet us around 4 for Indian food at Karahi! We each got a lunch special, served with Nan and my favorite – basmati rice! I got the Murg Shahi Korma, chicken in mild sauces and almond gravy. Austin got the Murg Moiley, chicken in coconut milk/curry spices. We absolutely loved it – fantastic!

Loved how it was nestled in between the buildings!

Yay - Tyson finally stopped working to join us!

Me leaving the Indian place - Austin was taking pics of me while I was filming!

It got c. r. o. w. d. e. d.

After lunch I went back to the apartment, had a cookie, and read/took a nap. Meanwhile Austin and Tyson got a GREAT 4-person table at the festival, Mark met up with them and they began having a few drinkies. Around 8 I met up with them, had some wine and a slice of pizza (Bleeker Street again!).

Can you believe this is the same area?! It got so packed and no one wanted to leave!

Then the four of us met up with Tys’s friend Paige at McSorley’s Old Ale House. Very cool – the city’s oldest bar! (i.e. 1854). We had a few beers (they give you two at a time!

Me and Austin at McSorley's
See what I mean - each "beer" is two little mugs, usually "a light and a dark." It's like the capital of double-fisting. Mark had fun pretending to taint them all.
Austie outside on a barrel - where else would he sit?


After the bar, we were off to Please Don’t Tell. Basically it’s a small hotdog spot, but if you use the phone booth it takes you to a speakeasy bar. However, there were 5 of us and they had no room, so we left to hit up another secret bar - Backroom. This one was really cool… like there was NO WAY to know this bar was there. Then you realize the guys standing at the top of the stairs are bouncers. You show them your I.D., walk down the stairs, walk about 30 - 50 feet through a hallway, up more stairs and you’re in this HUGE speakeasy bar that serves its drinks in coffee mugs with saucers. Nice!

Me and Austin in Backroom - not that you can tell as I look naked and we could be anywhere! LOL


The music was good and I loved the décor! It was just a little too packed for my taste – I wanted a chair! LOL We stayed there for a while, and then headed over to Grandma’s Basement – really cool – decorated like all 70’s with wood paneling and polyester – pretty funny!

Mark, me, Austin, Paige and Tys at Grandma's Baement

It was just WAYYYYY too crowded. We had a beer and then called it a night, getting in a cab, hitting up Bleeker Pizza (again!) and then going back to the house! I ended up at 2,412 calories, 256 carbs, 67 fat grams and 57 protein grams. Here’s what I ate.

Sunday we slept in until 11, packed/showered and headed over to another really cute deli for brunch. I had a roasted tomato, salami and mozzarella flatbread. I split it with Austin – fab! We walked around, hit up American Apparel and some other small shops and then I hear, “Kelly… Kelly!” It’s Katja! (the girl I met in Punta Cana from Germany!) She is on a double decker tour bus – I kid you not – and she happened to be at a stop sign at the intersection by us! We stood by her and chatted for a bit (i.e. yelling at each other) – then her light turned green and she was off! It’s officially a small world after all! Before we knew it it was 1 p.m., time to say good bye! We left and I was so sad to go – what a great visit! We headed to the airport, had a slice of pizza, boarded the plane, I finished a book (book review tomorrow!) and then got home to our little Reuben! Reunion – yay! We unpacked, ran laundry and got ready for the next day – me back at work and Austin’s first day at the new job- WOO! Whirlwind! I ended up at 1,232 calories, 117 carbs, 47 fat grams and 58 protein grams. Here’s what I ate.

That pretty much ended my trip!! Tomorrow I’ll post a book review for Joanne Fluke’s Fudge Cupcake Murder – adorable! I’m not reading another Lucy Stone Mystery by Leslie Meier, Turkey Day Murder! These little murder mysteries are awesome!

What’s your favorite “small world” story? I LOVE small world stories – I’ll have to tell you another funny one from a few years back tomorrow!

Ever been to a “secret” bar?

23 comments:

Pining for Pinterest said...

I have never been to a secret bar! That does sound exciting though :) Loved all the pictures! Basmati rice is my favorite too!

Anonymous said...

your new york vacay sounds INCREDIBLE!!! Looks like you had a blast!! :)

Lisa (I'm an Okie) said...

my brother lives in NYC and I LOOOVE visiting him! Great city!

Sweet As Boys said...

What a TOAL small world! Crazy!

I have been to a "secret" bar in Chicago, but I can't remember what it was called, but it was too fun!

Love your NYC pics, amazing! Someday I hope to go...just need to make the time to do it. Welcome back :)

april said...

I love all these pictures! And I love the "naked" picture- too funny! I wouldn't have even noticed! LOL

Sunny said...

thanks for sharing all your pics! i love new york,it's such a beautiful city!!

Amanda@SenseiTalks said...

I love NYC! Trying to plan a trip there this summer. Looks like you guys are having a freaking blast up there! But I def never been to a secret bar...hmm sounds intriguing.

homecookedem said...

WOW!! What a fun trip!! I've always wanted to go to one of those "secret bars." Ahhh, this makes me really want to go to NYC, what a great place!! :)

Therese said...

I love secret bars!!! We went to this aweseom hukah bar that was in the back of a little dirty smoke shop. No joke you get up these grimey stairs, punch in a special code, and are transported into this awesome all white disco looking swanky bar. It was the coolest thing!

Love the PBRs :)

Lindsay said...

Sounds so awesome! Looks like a great trip :)

Tricia said...

looks like soo much fun!

Jenny said...

Monica's apartment!!!!!!!!!

Lee@In My Tummy said...

Too funny about Katja. I have a small world story - I was in Italy when I was like 22. I was in this line to get a hotel and I started talking to the girl in front of me who was my age. They only had 1 hotel room available so she offered to let my friend and I stay with her and her friend. So we realize that we're both from Maryland and then, don't ask me how, we realize that she used to babysit for my brother and sister!!!

Gabriela said...

I've wanted to go to Please Don't Tell for ages but have never gotten there!! That street festival looks like so much fun, looking at your pics is so funny because they're literally OUTSIDE of my old apartment building...crazy!! I'd say that qualifies for a small world story :)

Ahh I wish I'd remembered to tell you this before you left, but Gisele Bunchen's house is right on Barrow between Hudson and 7th- right nextdoor to the music school, if you remember walking past that on your way to Bleeker Street Pizza!

Tami said...

Sounds like a wonderful time. I want to go to NYC one day. I have been in upper New York but not the city.

I can't think of a small world story at this moment. I will have to get back to you on that.

Anonymous said...

looks like you got lots of shopping done; I need to head back to nyc for a bit. I love the fresh fruit next to the smoothie man.

small world stories are so fun. facebook scares me when my friends from two different areas post pictures together. trips me up!

Anonymous said...

Aww the friends' apartment building! I love that show!

The Blonde Duck said...

I'm posting the pimento cheese recipe Thursday--with low-fat mayo!

Anonymous said...

Love all your NYC posts and pix. I cannot believe how much fun you can pack into one little weekend!

I do have a small world story... I was working in an office building in Florida about 15 years after I graduated from high school in New Hampshire. I went into the cafeteria to order lunch, push my tray down the line to the cashier and lo and behold - it is a girl that I graduated from HS with. We just stared at each other for a few minutes before getting up the courage to say: "You look really familiar..." LOL!

Another small world story - my husband went on a golf trip to Scotland. He was on the first tee at St. Andrews getting ready to play when he heard someone calling his name. It was two old high school friends were there on a golf trip also. They were teeing off in the group behind my husband. WEIRD!

haute.teapot said...

Haha, definitely been to places that feel secret. Also, that is SO crazy you ran into each other, I love moments like that. My sister and I were out yesterday and we saw a friend that now lives in the Philippines from high school and he lives there full time, just in town for one more week and my sister lives in China full time and is just here for the summer. But your story is much better. So glad you enjoyed NY, I LOVE vacations!

Lisa (I'm an Okie) said...

my brother lives in NYC and I LOOOVE visiting him! Great city!

fitlizzio said...

your new york vacay sounds INCREDIBLE!!! Looks like you had a blast!! :)

Staci Dombroski said...

I have never been to a secret bar! That does sound exciting though :) Loved all the pictures! Basmati rice is my favorite too!