Timi On A Trip

A diary about home and away

Last Meal and Testament

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Seared Yellowfin Tuna, Union Square Cafe
The day of my flight out of New York, I realized I hadn't really gone bookshopping yet. And I'd promised my host he'd get better tequila at home. And there was time for one more lunch. So all things considered, Union Square Cafe made sense, as it was next door to Barnes and Noble and a liquor store. Walking in near the end of lunch service, sitting near the end of the bar, I got to watch the staff at work. Just from eavesdropping on their end-of-shift conversation, one can tell there's a reason Union Square Cafe is the #1 Most Popular restaurant on Zagat. The young women who had just finished the lunch shift were planning a trip to a yoghurt kiosk a few blocks uptown, and were impressively rattling off the custom flavors they were planning to order. The barmen who were still on duty, on the other hand, were checking that the pecan pie had the proper amount of filling, and helping me choose the right liqueur to go with my (comped!) dessert. Getting a free banana cream pie is certainly a great way to leave New York. It's made extra special when the barman is trying to convince you to make space for dinner ;-). Unfortunately the car was waiting and my bags were packed, so 'twas not to be. Two hours later, I was in a car to the airport with - of all things - a Malaysian driver who lived in Singapore. As we crossed the Midtown Bridge, he pontificated away in that familiar sing-song accent about how different life was back home lah, and I knew I was on my way. I just didn't realize I'd leave New York behind quite so quickly.

Absinthe and Acrobats

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Acrobats Overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge
Absinthe is an acrobatic show set up at the Spiegeltent, all the way downtown at South Street Seaport. It's not easy to describe except as Cirque du Soleil for adults. Kids under 12 are not allowed. It's a very intimate theater (300 seats only), and there's a bar in the theatre, which means you're watching Rollerskating Elvis while sipping a vodka tonic (and leaning back if you're in the front row - not joking). This video will give you a better idea.  [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbfsVfpgG7A] And when you're done with Absinthe, there's time for sitting in hammocks (with more vodka tonics) on the boardwalk. And a dance floor. And bleachers for those who prefer to watch. More acrobats, of course. All against a backdrop of the Brooklyn Bridge. 
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One View of the Brooklyn Bridge (Photo Credit: Stephane Parcheminal)

Brunch

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Eggs Benedict at Sarabeth's
Friends adviced that I must "do Sunday brunch - it's a New York thing." And so I did, and decided it would be an injustice to limit the activity to Sundays. What's not to like about brunch? When the Eggs Ben are perfectly poached (like at Sarabeth's), the buttermilk pancakes fluffy, and the local grape soda (as at Bubby's) is just the drink to wake one up, the day can't have a better starting point. Not pictured: The buttermilk pancakes at Sarabeth's, because everyone blew past two orders before I could take photos. Other memorable brunch places: Cafe Orlin in the East Village, and Brasserie Les Halles downtown, which while disappointingly empty midmorning and played (of all things) Elton John tunes, the fangirl in me appreciated the attentive service and generous pots of French-pressed coffee.
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Local Grape Soda, Bubby's
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The stroller set brunches at Bubby's