NYC – Day 1

Another NYC trip. This time we’re off to see the Patrice O’Neal benefit concert. This is our 3rd-4th time we’ve gone to this annual event and we still enjoy it. We got up early as we always do and hit the road at 8:30.

I usually try to get to Breezewood before we stop. That’s a good distance to go and then we get a bathroom break and a snack at Starbucks. This time we also discovered that they have a cookie butter bar. This thing was delicious. However, Maura’s apparently had ‘elder hair’. There were these tiny, little, white hairs sticking out of her’s so she didn’t get to eat it.

Once we got to NYC we were staying in Manhattan at the Riverside Hotel. Since we were arriving on a weekday we were going to be dealing with a parking situation but I didn’t realize how long it would be. We drove around the blocks for several hours looking for a parking space before we finally found one several blocks away.

After we checked in we had to make our dinner reservation in Brooklyn so we ordered an Über. The best option we had was an Über pool. These aren’t our favorites as you never know who you’re going to be riding with. This time we got a driver that was apparently booked for more passengers than he could take. He got into a disagreement with the lady that had made that reservation. It was a bit awkward.

We got over to Brooklyn in time to make our reservation at Maison Premier. I was ready for an Oyster stout and some good oysters.

From there we made our way to a new place for us, Barcade Brooklyn

This was a pretty cool place. Maura and I and a bunch of quarters beat Final Fight which was something I never did on an arcade machine as a kid. After another round of beers it was time to call it a night.

 

Brooklyn – Day 2

I woke up early and went to the hotel gym. No free weights of course. Just some dumbbells, machines and ellipticals. I did what I could with it. Then stopped in the lobby cafe to pick up some coffee. We weren’t in any real hurry this morning so we watched the snow and people out the window while we drank it.

We eventually ran out of coffee and then we decided to find some brunch. A few blocks from our hotel there are a number of restaurants. I found one that had a good reputation and rating. Myrtle and Gold was nicely lit spot on the corner of a building.

From there we made our way to the Brooklyn Flea. This time it was in an old bank. Unfortunately it was really warm winter day so with that many people in a confined space it was a bit too much for me. I didn’t buy anything but it’s always nice to see what’s around.

Maura found something she liked.

Of course a trip to Brooklyn would not be complete if we didn’t stop at the brewery.

After that we did some shopping. Maura went to Vera Meat where she bought this interesting necklace.

I stopped in the bookstore and was able to get the instruction book for my tarot cards I had bought a few years prior at the same store.

We had dinner reservations so we headed in that direction. Another staple of our Brooklyn trips is the delicious Maison Premiere. This is an interesting place with a New Orleans 1920’s atmosphere to it. We go there for the oysters.

From there it was back to the hotel and an end to our trip.