Chelsea Market & Whitney Museum in NYC Before Long Island

 

I woke up in my room at the Hyatt Place Chelsea. It was my first full day in New York City, and I had a lot planned.

 

I began by finishing the massive chocolate cake from the previous night’s dinner at Hav & Mar. I then got dressed and ready to go to Chelsea Market.

 

When I first started planning my trip, Like A Local Tours* had approached me about taking one of their tours. The Chelsea one caught my eye and the idea of staying in this emerging neighborhood came about.

 

It was rainy so I didn’t want to ride my scooter down to the Chelsea Market. It was nice to be somewhere where there were accessible rides available. I took a Lyft and arrived before my cousin, Marissa.

 

The Like A Local Chelsea Market +Highlands + Yards Food & History Tour* had just started when I arrived. The group was in front of Fat Witch Bakery and the leader, Chris, got me one of the delicious brownies they were eating.

 

That was just the beginning. We continued with a selection of food throughout the Chelsea Market. Among them were unique flavors from Doughnutery, such as Chai Me To The Moon, Pumpkin Pie  Brulee and Paris Time (Lavender, Vanilla & Pistachio); Pasties de Nata (Pastel de nata is a Portuguese egg custard tart pastry, optionally dusted with cinnamon); Takumi Carnitas; and Zach & Zoey Honey (I took home some of the wildflower).

 

Tables and chairs were set up between shops and restaurants, encouraging people to gather with friends, even if they had decided to sample from various places. There were a few places I couldn’t get to because of stairs, but most of it was easy to ride my scooter through.

 

We continued sampling across the street at Market 57, after Chris filled us in on some of the history of the area. In this area of Hudson Yards, we had the James Beard Ultimate Experience and a look at Little Island through the large windows. It was still cloudy so the views of the Hudson River were not as scenic as they could be.

 

From there we headed through the Meat Packing District with more of a history lesson of the area as we passed landmarks, including Diane Von Fürstenberg’s apartment. We were also able to get a look at some of the Highlands. That was to be the next part of the tour, but we were running a bit late for our next stop, so we bid the group goodbye as they headed up there.

 

Marissa and I went to the Whitney Museum of  American Art. I had never been there before, and I was excited to go. The museum was very accessible, and I was able to wheel all over without any problems.

 

The art was all on the modern side of American art. I especially enjoyed the collections of New Yorker Edward Hopper, to which they had they largest selection in the world, and Georgia O’Keefe. The Whitney was getting ready for a collaboration they were doing with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

 

Marissa went back with me to the hotel, where we said goodbye. We would meet up again in few days at the TWA Hotel at JFK Airport. In the meantime, I had arranged to take NYC Wheelchair Transportation to Long Island, where I had spent most of my life before moving to the Midwest.

 

I was spending a few days in Westbury at the Viana Hotel & Spa, visiting with friends and family. I had discovered the hotel online, while searching for something convenient. I had not previously heard of the property. It belongs to the Wyndham family.

 

I loved the property from the moment I walked in, with an open lobby, and my extremely large, accessible room. Then, I became even more impressed when I had dinner at the Marco Polo restaurant. The potstickers were great and presented beautifully. The Korean BBQ Pork Ribs, which were slow roasted in a Korean glaze, were fork tender and tasty.

 

It looked like I was really going to enjoy my stay at Viana Hotel.

 

*To receive a 10% off a Like A Local Tour, click here and enter FROST10 at checkout.

 

I was hosted on this trip by ILoveNY, but opinions are my own.

Arriving in New York for Fun, Family, Friends & Food

 

I am a New Yorker, who didn’t move to the Midwest until my late 40s. I have never regretted the decision. It’s much more affordable here and I prefer the lifestyle. After years of living near the ocean, I’m also more than happy to enjoy beautiful Great Lakes, with no hurricanes, sharks, jellyfish, or Nor’easters. 

What I do miss a lot about New York is family and friends. It’s also nice to check out what there is to offer in the big city and my former home of Long Island. I decided to arrange a trip that would encompass all of this: time with loved ones and discovering some of New York I didn’t know before. For the latter, I worked with the ILoveNY team to create an itinerary.

The trip did not start off well. American Airlines cancelled my flight from Champaign to Chicago. I didn’t want to delay the trip a day so I had someone take me to Chicago so I could still catch my flight to LaGuardia. Unfortunately, he was late picking me up and I missed my flight!

This was made worse by the fact that it was my very first trip alone in a wheelchair. I was unable to go anywhere without hoping someone would come by and hear me call. I managed to accomplish that for one trip to the nearby Starbucks for food, and another to the bathroom. After five hours sitting at the gate, I finally was able to get on the plane.

Things were hectic on the other end too. My scooter had been damaged on my previous trip by the airlines. It had not been fixed yet, so they were renting one for me.( My new power chair hadn’t come in yet.)

The scooter that they had waiting at LGA baggage claim was not what we discussed, and it wasn’t easy getting in my cousin Marissa’s van, but she was a trooper and managed to do it.

We were off to Manhattan, aka the most famous borough in New York City. I had decided to check out the Chelsea neighborhood on this trip. I had never been and had a few offers in the area that sounded perfect.

My home for the night was Hyatt Place Chelsea. Marissa dropped me off so she could run some family errands, and I could get some rest.

The Chelsea area is around the Hudson River and is known for its waterfront eateries and walkways, and the Chelsea Market (on my schedule for day two). The hotel was near where I wanted to be and had a spacious accessible room ready for me, with a view that included the Empire State Building.

Although the Hyatt Place Chelsea has a rooftop restaurant, I was invited to a special dinner. Marissa and I were going to Hav & Mar, a Marcus Samuelsson eatery with a James Beard nominated chef.

I soon found out that what the New York tourism group told me was true, there were plenty of options to get around the city in a wheelchair. I used my app for a Lyft and a van with a ramp was there within 10 minutes. The cost was comparable to any other car service ride, about $15.

From my description, you might think Hav & Mar was pretentious, but it definitely is not. It’s modern and friendly, with an open kitchen. Executive Chef Fariyal Abdullahi greeted me and made sure to note my seafood allergy and Marissa’s gluten intolerance.

 

It’s hard to define the food at Hav & Mar. The menu is predominantly seafood, and there are a lot of Mediterranean dishes, there are also hints of other cultures, such as an Indian curry, and a French crème brulee. The only thing in common was that they were all delicious!

 

We wanted to sample as much as possible and, since most items are small plates, it worked out well. I had the cornbread, sweet and savory, with tomato jam and humus , vegetable curry and rice, and a chocolate cake that was so large I had more than enough for breakfast the next day.

Marissa went all out with the fish theme, starting with a spinach salad and continuing with oysters, scallops, a whole grilled fish, and the crème brulee.

 

I can say this was one of the best restaurants I’ve been to, and I’ve certainly had my share around the world. I was disappointed Chef Abdullahi didn’t win the James Beard Award, but she did truly seem to appreciate the nomination.

We easily caught another accessible Lyft back to the Hyatt Place, where Marissa left me for the night. I had been up since four in the morning and was ready for some sleep. I quickly drifted off with the New York City Skyline in the background.

I was hosted on this trip by ILoveNY, but opinions are my own.

Viewing NYC from the Palace to the Bulldog

I did a major change in scenery when I headed from Florida to New York City.  I had a lot to get in and decided to stay in Manhattan for a few days for the first time ever. There was no quick in and out this trip. I was going to explore, taste and visit my way around the Big Apple.

There’s almost nothing better than a greeting of fruit, snacks and refreshments after a long day of traveling, but I found the something better next to my bed at the New York Palace. I have traveled to many hotels around the world, from comfortable to luxury.

This one stumped me with something I have never seen before. It was so simple, just a little remote control on my night table that controlled the room lights and temperature.  Without getting out of bed during the night I could turn up the air conditioning, the heat, or turn either off. One of these days I will make a list of my favorite hotel room amenities and this will be toward the top!

The temperature control helped me get a good night’s sleep and I was in for another surprise when I opened my drapes. There right in front of me was St. Patrick’s Cathedral! Regardless of your religion (or if you have one at all), the sight of this beautiful, historical building is something worth seeing. I took some time to luxuriate in my large bathtub before heading downstairs to meet my pal David Kenas.

David and I have known each other for many years as we both covered a lot of the same players at the U.S. Open. He’s known as a tennis photographer, but what many don’t know is that he’s also a part owner in Bulldog Gin. We’d been talking for a while about getting together for a tasting and we were finally able to arrange it.

It was a cool day in Manhattan as we walked around trying to pick a place for lunch. Ironically, we ran into a Bulldog Gin truck along the way before settling into the lounge at Pop Burger. I ordered a gin and tonic then (which happens to be my favorite cocktail), but have since tasted Bulldog straight. While I usually go for the gins heavy in herb, I loved the smoothness of this one and I’m not alone. Wine Enthusiast Magazine gave this gin its highest ranking for the spirit.

Don’t expect the usual juniper jumping out at you when you’re sipping Bulldog. Instead, this London gin shifts the focus to dragon eye, a fruit related to lychee, and poppy. It comes through with a hint of spice rather than herb, and is easy sipping even on its own.

I had some free time to take a long walk back to the New York Palace before my daughter, Sam, met me. We decided to head down to Times Square to one of our favorite places. While many come to New York City in search of that five star restaurant, I was in search of comfort food and for me that’s a bowl of chicken noodle soup, some potato pancakes and a piece of chocolate marble cheesecake at Juniors. I have yet to find a place that does any of those better in my opinion.

We decided to head out for a drink and had some time to make it a relaxing one. We had never been to The View at the Marriott Marquis and I’m glad we decided to do it. We headed for a window seat at the top and enjoyed the view as the lounge rotated with our drinks. It was a Pear Ginger Cocktail for me and a Malibu Breeze for Sam before we called it a night and I got ready for a full day to come in Manhattan.

My First Taste of Colorado

I was lucky enough to time my New York visit with the Colorado Tourism Harvest event and it was quite a preview into my trip to come.

The event was held at The Little Owl venue down in the Village. It’s an interesting space that’s being used for pop-up dinners, with an open kitchen and plenty of room to mingle. I took my daughter, Sam, along and we spent some time mingling. I was excited to see Anna Watson, who was the lead on my trip to Champagne & Burgundy (she’s now working in the food industry and has a great blog, The Yellow Table).

I have to say that I was extremely impressed with the food and drinks at A Taste of Colorado Harvest event. There was no fish at all, so I was able to try everything. The food was prepared by Chef Justin Cucci (left), who oversees the food at the Denver restaurants Linger and Root Down. The menu was clever and fresh and consisted of passed oversized Hors d'oeuvre that highlighted what’s fresh in the state right now:

COLORADO CAPRESE

Fried Green Zebra Tomatoes with Charred Goat Mozzarella, Organic Golden Beet & Sunflower Pesto, Pea Shoots and Hibiscus Gastrique

ORGANIC CARROT THAI CURRY SOUP

Asian Pear Chutney, Cilantro

PEANUT BUTTER & JELLY CUPS

Justin’s Peanut Butter, Miso Butterscotch, Cabernet Jelly Whipped Cream

DENVER TOFU AND FERMENTED BLACK BEAN MISO GASTRIQUE

Slivered Ginger, Avocado, and Green Zebra Tomato Water, Watermelon Radish, Cinnamon Caps, Sesame Seeds

OLATHE CORN CAKES

Chia Seeds, Amaranth, Cornmeal, Ginger, Molasses, Cinnamon, Clove, Fava Beans, Cherry Tomatoes, Habanero Vin and Goat Cheese

PALISADE PEACH BRUSCHETTA

Palisade Peaches with Charred Pistachio-Fava Hummus, Feta, Micro Basil, Pueblo Piñon and Smoked Paprika

VIETNAMESE BANH MI CHAY TEA SANDWICHES

Homemade Sourdough Bread, Pickled Lemon Cucumber, Daikon, Carrots, Mint Watercress, Cilantro, Fresno, Sambal Cream Cheese, Aioli, Five Spice Bean Curd

LEOPOLD BROS. NEW YORK APPLE WHISKEY BBQ BISON TACOS

Olathe Corn and Roasted Pueblo Chile Avocado Lime Salsa

Refried Black Quinoa, Radish & Slaw

There really wasn’t anything I didn’t like, even the Denver Tofu and Black Bean Miso, though I don’t normally go for tofu or Miso. I’d have to say my favorites were the BBQ Bison Tacos, Peach Bruschetta and Olathe Corn Cakes. The Peanut Butter & Jelly Cups, inside a delicious dark chocolate shell, were the perfect dessert.

A bar featured Colorado cocktails, wine and spirits. While Sam did try (and like) Mama’s Little Yella Pils, I couldn’t get past the incredible featured cocktail, The White Peach Sgroppino, a unbelievable concoction created by mixologists Toby Cecchini (who was there to serve it).  It’s created with fresh, homemade peach sorbet, prosecco and peach vodka, topped with fresh peaches. Considering I am a big fan of the Bellini and this is even better.

After my preview of Colorado food and spirits, I am especially excited about my trip there at the end of the month. In the meantime, I’m off for a Midwest girls' getaway through Indianapolis, Cedar Falls Ohio and Chicago. Stay tuned for some great stories from the road…

Photos by Samantha Frost

The Day Travel – and Life – Changed

It’s hard to believe 10 years have passed since that horrible day. I was living on Long Island at that time in an area deeply touched by the effects of September 11, 2001. Many of my neighbors worked in Manhattan, some in and around the World Trade Center. I spent the day with one close friend whose husband worked in Tower Two. We waited for hours to hear from him and, though he did make it back unharmed, many in his office did not.

In addition to the people I knew who worked at the World Trade Center, there many New York City Firefighters who live on Long Island. I knew some of those who went into the building burning, collapsing building to help survivors, and search for others. There was one husband and wife who both worked at Ground Zero, not able to let their five children know where they were.

At the same time I worried about the adults I knew stuck in New York City, there were school children – one of which was mine – sitting in classrooms down the block. They didn’t know if their parents were alive (some were not) and what was happening to anyone outside of the school walls. Dismissal was early that day and cell phones would be allowed in the school after that, as students missed those final phone calls from their parents.

For many days, Long Island was isolated, as the bridges and tunnels were closed. The newscasts went on and on, showing the planes crash over and over. It got to the point where I was ashamed of being a journalist as there is a fine line between news and exploitation. No one was happier than me when the Mets started playing, the sitcoms were once again broadcast and we all did our best not to spend every moment thinking about what happened.

I saw the changes in the world almost immediately as I began to travel. Airport security took on a new meaning. First, my laptop came out and I could no longer carry water. Then soon the shoes came off and the scanners appeared. Travel – and life – changed completely.

As the days and years went on, I did my best to remember those lost and those who served us, but I hated the thought of this 10 year anniversary celebration.  Life has forever changed for all of us and while I still feel that ratings was the biggest motivation this week when playing 9/11 tributes, I did (tearfully) watch some of the speeches at the memorial and realized how many needed this. 

I don’t know that I will be able to bring myself to go down to the 911 Memorial, but I’m glad it’s there. What I do know, beyond all, that we have all learned how precious life is and how important it is to enjoy each day we can with our loved ones.

Aerial photo of 911 Memorial as of August, 2011 by Joe Woolhead, courtesy of 911Memorial Photos were not released to the press after so the families would be the first to see it.

Salon Millesime Completes the Carlton Experience in New York

When I was in New York City recently I had the pleasure of staying at The Carlton Hotel and visiting the new Salon Millesime.  It was a too short visit, but enough to make me want to come back.

I pulled up to
The Carlton and gave my name to the valet only to get the instant reply, “We’ve been waiting for you Ms. Frost.”  There’s no doubt that The Carlton is that kind of luxury, but it’s transitioned nicely into the 21^st century.  The lobby is has been transformed with a modern flare and the rooms are also contemporary, with the convenience of free high speed internet and the luxury of flat screen televisions and Molton Brown toiletries.  There’s a 24 hour fitness center on the premises so you don’t have to venture out to Madison Avenue unless you want to.

Salon Millesime is downstairs at The Carlton Hotel and it’s one of the most unusual spots to hit Manhattan in awhile.  The earth tones are warm and welcoming and the atmosphere seems to take you back to a neighborhood of long ago, when you could hear the local jazz player, listen to the piano and have a few quiet drinks with friends.  The menu was just getting started with small plates when I was there (Owner/Chef Laurent Manrique has now opened a seafood brasserie up the stairs), but there were more than enough unique and tasty choices to satisfy anyone.

All the food was great, as it should be when supervised by a Michelin Star chef.  Don’t miss the Pork Belly Lollipops,  Meatballs, Tuna Tartare and Flat Bread, but make sure you leave room for dessert.   The Pot De Crème with espresso and caramel was yummy and the Profiteroles with ice cream on the spot.  The drink menu is filled with whisky, cognac  and old standards, but be adventurous and try one of their specialties, like the signature Night & Day.

There is live entertainment at Salon Millesime nightly.  You can check their current schedule on the website.  As for
The Carlton, it may be New York City luxury, but they offer some great packages – especially for the holiday season.  Check them out next time you are in Manhattan.