For the last two days, I have been off having an adventure in the Big City. I know, I know. Posts have been posting because I had some weird desire to write them before I left, which is both sick and sad but also true. For two whole days, I've had no internet access. It's awonder my head didn't explode. I briefly considered paying a whopping $4 to get ten minutes of computer time -- I didn't bring my laptop with me because you just never know if you'll find free Wifi -- but realized I didn't care all that much.
Anyway. The adventure, which wasn't so much an adventurous adventure on a grand scale but really more of a meeting in the City onto which I tacked some mini-fun. So, really, not an adventure at all. I can see that I've built it up too much.
Because I am cruel, the Hub was left behind with the offspring. The Pie Goddess came with me, because, while I can enjoy solo travel, it is also nice to have someone to gush about the wonderfulness of the hotel shower with.
In terms of what we did -- let me start with two, maybe three, recommendations.
First -- because of a great deal on Hotwire, we stayed at the Hotel Intercontinental, which is now my favorite hotel ever. The staff could not be nicer. The rooms could not be quieter or more thoughtfully laid out. The bathrooms, while a bit on the tiny side, have truly awesome showers. And the location rocks and is only a half block from Grand Central.
Second -- because Oneonta is short on really good Asian restaurants, the Pie G. and I went to Pooket, which was recommended by the uber-nice Concierge at the hotel. I had the Pad Siew, which was bliss. She had something in red curry sauce. Also on the table were a Pooket Punch and a Pinapple Martini, which tasted like really yummy and highly flammable cough syrup and also feature a floating globule of pinapple. (It was quite good, despite the description. The PP was OK. It did make me realize that I don't really drink anymore and now have to relearn how to pace myself.) Also, Pooket would be inexpensive anywhere in the U.S. but is moreso in New York.
Third -- down the block from Pooket is the Buttercup Bake Shop, from which we carried out cupcakes, which we both had for breakfast, being too stuffed to even think about eating post-Pooket. OMG. While the cake itself was eh, the frosting was nirvana, a perfect balance of butter and sugar. I may have to get the cookbook just to know how to make that frosting.
The Pie G. and I split up during the business portion of my trip and I had lunch with my editor in a great seafood place overlooking the skating rink at Rock Center, which was full of orchids because of the orchid show. But during the short time I had free and that I didn't spend stuffing my face, I got to hook up with old friends. I also managed to not go to the best yarn and fabric shop ever (I'm told this. I haven't actually been, natch) because there is always so much to do that I can't manage to even do 1 percent of it.
Usually, when I go to NYC, I'm fairly ready to leave after three days because of the crowds and the traffic and the noise. This trip, however, was much too short, frankly. I think I could have hung out for a week or more, as long as my wallet could hold out and the gorgeous spring weather remained. Ah, well.