It’s almost criminal to call this Part 2 of my Love, Love, Love impressions. Part 1 can be found here Perry’s #LLL Impressions So Far, Part I, and if you read the comments, it’s evident that I broke my promise of more to come soon. Jeez! It’s been over a month since I returned from New York. I’ve posted a few thoughts about my trip ( see links below), but I haven’t given much detail – for one, I haven’t mentioned the play at all.
But, first things first, in my post The Joys of October, when the trip to New York was about 6 weeks away, I posted what amounted to a bucket list of the things I wanted to do and see (and eat) while in New York. It almost all happened.
Left my luggage with the doorman and walked straight away to La Traviata, one of my favorite Upper West Side Pizza Places.
Went to Laura Pels Theater to see Love, Love, Love two nights in a row. ( Pic from the second night, (A-5)
Curtain Call, Love, Love, Love, October 27, 2016
Also on my list, was a New York bagel. Had quite a few, including one or two from the dozen I bought on my last day, to bring back for friends in Mexico.
After 4 days in the city, went out to East Hampton. We didn’t go to Palm, but this was even better. Had my lobster, comfy, at home, preceded by a big bowl of great Manhattan clam chowder and accompanied by my brother’s special and best baked potato in the world. His secret is basically the secret to most Jewish cooking: overcooking it (in a toaster oven. Crunchy, crunch skin.) Could not finish that two pound lady. Brother got the extra claw, but I sucked and teased every bit of meat and juice out of the small claws. No roe, just some tomalley.
While in East Hampton, I took the opportunity to mail in my absentee ballot and send some Love, Love, Love Playbills ( and keychains) to fan friends in California, Italy and Australia who couldn’t make the trip.
Alas, the only Peconic Bay scallops available were frozen from last season ( they would have been delicious anyway, but I passed on them, and instead, had a delectable fine dining experience including local sea scallops over sun choke puree and something green at the Hampton’s hot spot, Nick and Toni’s. I paid homage to the restaurant’s Italian flavor with an appetizer of Vitello Tonnato, (Not my photo)
On the one hand East Hampton was very relaxing because we don’t ever do much. My SIL and I went shopping in the village. Except for the style of architecture, one might as well be on Rodeo Drive or Madison Avenue.
On the other hand, with the Comey announcement of further investigations into Hillary Clinton’s emails, the World Series and my angst about getting to see Episode of 3 of Berlin Station in real time, a lot was going on. ( Brother relented and we tried to use his Time Warner account, but in the end, Berlin Station worked for me on the laptop with just the EPIX free trial. The whole TimeWarner plan, my brother signing up for EPIX on his TWC account in NY, and watching away from home in EH didn’t work at all – not every show is available on your device when you’re away from home – they don’t tell you that, do they?)
Mother Nature wasn’t that cooperative about displaying her fabulous fall foliage, but I did manage to catch a few trees with color while in East Hampton, and then later in Central Park with fan friends Guylty and Linda60. (Hoping one or both will email me some of their shots)
Lily Pond Lane, East Hampton, N.Y.
East Hollow Road, East Hampton, N.Y.
A walk on the beach was also on my to-see list. It was chilly but calm. Just had to see the Atlantic. That’s actually Europe beyond the horizon
Georgica Beach, East Hampton, N.Y.
As for seeing friends and family – things could not have worked out better. I could not believe how everything fell into place. I managed to spend time with everyone I wanted to see. Friends and family were super cooperative in fitting themselves into my schedule, and still I had plenty of free time to be on my own ( a little more about that later.) Excuse the typos, but here are edited versions of the calendar I sent out to those I was meeting.
I’ve edited it slightly ( still some typos) to include a few meetings that were squeezed in. Almost everything, in terms of meeting friends and family worked out. It’t hard to tell, but on Sunday, November 6, that was a dinner at a well known soul food restaurant in Harlem. My plan of staying in or very far west on Marathon Sunday, and choosing a spot straight north to meet a friend for dinner, didn’t work out. Not only did I have to go out on Sunday – I had to get myself to the East Side to take care of an emergency, just about when the medium fast runners finished up, and then back to the west side to get up to Harlem. I was smack in the middle of just what I’d hoped to avoid, but in the end, I didn’t really mind. I got to eavesdrop on some runners on the cross-town bus, all wrapped tightly in their thermal blankets.
So, what did I fail to check off my bucket list? Would you believe – NO PASTRAMI! I had a few opportunities for pastrami at a Jewish or Jewish style deli – most notably on Marathon Sunday when I was walking my way up from 72nd street to 86th to catch the cross-town bus. I passed my old local deli, Artie’s, and I knew this was the last opportunity for pastrami ( I also passed on it in East Hampton and in Brooklyn) – but I just couldn’t face a 1/2 lb of meat, knowing that I would only eat a quarter of it, and with no opportunity to take the left-overs home and also knowing that I would be having a heavy dinner in a few hours, thinking I’d have fried chicken or ribs at Melbas , which, it turns out, doesn’t have ribs. Melba’s sure has changed. I don’t know what me laugh more: the fact that I was the only Caucasian in the restaurant, or the fact that my date and I were the only patrons who were over 35, or so it looked. The place was jammed with young people – and at every table, at least one person was sporting a Marathon medal. We had to give up on much conversation and settle for joining in the party. It could’ve been worse.
So, next up. A little more about my New York Experience, and yes, that play I was supposed to be writing about. Now, I have an hour to ready and battle with Sling TV and my frustration over Berlin Station.
Armitage Agonistes 
This is a really wonderful list (and made me hungry for vitello tonnato). It’s wonderful when all the stars and friends align like this. You also got me to go out for a bagel after reading this. There may be a future in food blogging for you.
So do you still feel about Manhattan the way you did when you left? Can you go home again?
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To be answered later. But, for me, home is where I live. Home is where my bed is.
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The vitello tonnato was scrumptious. I was motivated to order it because one of the friends I spent time with had recently spent 6 weeks in Northern Italy near the Swiss border, where this dish is from, and she said she learned to make it – so that was the inspiration. But, I have a feeling that she bought the veal already sliced, and made the sauce. Could be wrong, but that veal was very thinly sliced. Almost like carpaccio.
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Gorgeous sights on your list and good food! Although I have never had lobster before. How do you even tackle that? Glad you were able to see those you wanted to as well. Best of all worlds, by the sound of it.
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You start by ripping the claws off. The nutcrackers/lobstercrackers and a mallet can be helpful, Plus small lobster picks. Then you turn it over and unfold the tail and dig into the body meat. You pull off the small claws and suck the meat out – you can also break them to get every bit of it. You leave the claws for last, because in case you can’t finish, they’re great for lobster salad the next day. You attack the claws with the nutcracker, and if you do it just right, you can pull out the meat in one piece with the sea food fork. It is not uncommon to suffer minor wounds, though.
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