SFO777

Thanks CosmosHuman. Don't laugh, I suggested it although only in jest and after a few drinks. We loved our years in Cleveland raising a family but that time has passed. We'll settle for return in June for a Cavs game or October for the Tribe.

Thank you sgh and for the recommendation. We've decided that we like the vibe of the East Side and in particular the Upper East Side. We'll be back in a couple of weeks for another round and see how we feel and whether we can find something within the budget that feels right.

The Jean-Georges Nougatine version was amazing. Would highly recommend.

oneworld82

Great report. Why is Paris not practical?

Annalisa12

I do love the style of the Trump hotel suite.

Make sure you buy a place with a spare room. I'll be over as soon as you settle in. Mrs SFO and i can go handbag and shoe shopping. I'll even bring you some Tim Tams and pavlova.

SFO777

The rest of Sunday in New York


Back in the room, for our "free" FHR breakfast.











Down to the lobby and out the door, we met Chito, our Empire CLS driver for the day and headed out to explore the different neighborhoods on our list, and stop by a few open houses. First stop was a 10:30am appointment just up the street at 25 Central Park West. Nice art deco building.



But OK, this is a lttle small and unexciting.





Then to the Upper West Side. Nice feel, lots of neighborhood restaurants and bars.













Then across Central Park to the Upper East Side and then down to Midtown East...

















... and the Sutton Place enclave where we have an appointment tomorrow.













Then back up to E. 68th Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenue for an open house. OK, this is nice.







Then down to E. 51st Street and 1st Avenue. Nice building, good space and terrific city views.









And a lively, fun looking neighborhood.









Next we headed up to another open house that was advertised as Upper Carnegie Hill. Turned out to be about 12 blocks north in a neighborhood that I'll charitably describe as "scruffy". We passed on even stopping and turned back south on Fifth Avenue, then over to tony Park Avenue.











And down to 20th Street for an amazing late lunch at iconic Gramercy Tavern.



















Mrs. SFO777's poussin was incredible.



My pork was exquisite.





What an wonderful and very reasonable meal. In the face of the NYC $15 minimum wage, Gramercy has switched to a no tipping policy. Our prix fix lunch including 3 glasses of wine was only $124 including tax and service.







After lunch, we continued south to take a look at Greenwich, Tribecca and finally Battery Park City. Interesting but not our kind of neighborhoods. As Mrs. SFO777 opined, too many effing millenials. LOL.



Some gorgeous apartments at the Ritz-Carlton residences, but Battery Park City is just not a real neighborhood. Plus you can't walk any restaurants worth visiting.











Time to head back north to the hotel.









We relaxed for a few hours and then headed out for the short walk to Marea, one of the City's best Italian restaurants. And only a 3 minute walk.



Wonderful ambience, great service and exceptional food.

























By the time we left around 11:00pm, the bar scene had calmed down.

SFO777

We both have to agree. I'm all for it but while she loves Paris, Mrs. SFO777 just thinks Paris is too far away from the kids to be living. She'd be OK with a month or two, but we need a US base first.

LOL. Thanks Annalisa12. Will think about it.

SKYEG

Haha I went to SNA this weekend with the +1 motivated by your move to take a quick look at some potential places... Hoping I get my US VISA soon. Any sponsors?! Haha jokes.

I love NYC. But it is far too busy for me(and being only 26 years old lol). Visiting a few times a year is perfect but I can't justify(or afford) the type of place I want out there. I love to host and have small parties so space is a big deal for me.

Good luck SFO777 ! I'm sure with you and Mrs. SFO777 will make the best possible decision knowing that you guys have excellent taste in everything in life

CHSDOC

Truly, I like this report. As my wife and I are house hunting now, it's good to see what happens in other spots.

You just need an outrageously gay real estate agent and a loosely scripted "crisis" and you have the makings for a nice reality TV show.

Beltway2A

How was the service? Sounds like a win-win to me, although I hate having to calculate a "fair" tip after meals.

Great trip report so far, and good luck with the house hunting!

Fraser

Great report as always! Welcome to my city! I don't have quite the same budget as you but real estate dealings in NYC are generally a PITA. I had only a few weeks to move once my then other half accepted her new job in NY. Moving at short notice is not the way to do NYC renting/purchasing!

Interestingly the food on your JFK-LAX was the same as my evening LAX-JFK in F (4.30pm departure) from a few months ago.
AA Flagship First: LAX-JFK (w/pics)

You can see mine is a completely different presentation! Although a statistical sample of one I found the food in J on JFK-LAX to be better than LAX-JFK in F!
AA Business Class: JFK-LAX (w/pics)

Service is consistently superb there, I eat there every few months or so. All of Danny Meyer's restaurants have switched to no tipping policy last year.

SFO777

Thanks very much SKYEG. Good luck on your visa and a potential move to SoCal. Just a tad different from Alberta.

LOL. Thanks CHSDOC.

Thank you Beltway2A. Service was outstanding. Our server was explaining the background. She mentioned that her pay was down for a month or two, but now she is earning as much if not more than before. In lieu of tips, the entire staff (including kitchen) gets a cut of the revenue. She seemed happy out the change.

Thanks very much Fraser. I just shake my head at how different crews plate and serve meals and at the inconsistency of AA meal quality. Totally agree about Gramercy service. It was excellent. Will definitely have to try some of his other restos.

roadwarrier

Again, wonderful photos and such an enjoyable read.
Good luck with the house hunting. Having the same address for 18 years I get nightmares just thinking of packing up - never mind finding a place that I like. I may need to do that in the next year or so, and to another country as well to add to my nerves.

CappuccinoAddict

I love this report so much!!! As a born and bred New Yorker, I would love for you to live there! Gramercy Tavern is one of my absolute favorites as well, you're right that lunch is a fantastic deal there!

Haven't been to Marea yet but a friend was there last month and loved it.

Have you been to Del Posto? The pasta is mouth-wateringly divine. I very much encourage you to check that out on your next visit! Also great for a lunch visit and a nice walk on the High Line after, with a stop at the Blue Bottle kiosk for a New Orleans style iced coffee.

warreng24

Another neat SFO777 trip report. Thanks for sharing!

Parterre

SFO777 strikes me as someone for whom the Upper East Side would be a perfect fit. I'm sorry you were subjected to the realtor run-around about "Upper Carnegie Hill", which is just East Harlem; the actual Carnegie Hill is really a very quiet and pretty neighborhood with some beautiful houses on the side streets and an abundance of restaurants-- though not necessarily the Michelin-starred ones you so often frequent!

I have however eaten at Gramercy Tavern a few times, the last pretty recently, though I can't remember what I ate besides a pea soup and (a lot of) the bread. That said, it's nice to see the familiar through your distinct perspective.

Fraser

His first restaurant Union Square Cafe just reopened after having relocated. Getting excellent reviews. I stopped by shortly before he shut up shop at the original location and half bottles of Krug were $55 ^

He's the same guy behind Shake Shack.
http://www.ushgnyc.com/restaurants/