The rest of this blog isn't going to be as much a blow by blow of my entire NYC trip, but really just a highlight of the places that I visited. I have been to NYC before and done a good number of the big touristy things, so I decided to make this trip more about checking out the different neighborhoods and restaurants-really feeling like a local. It paid off, because I was mistaken for a local a number of times and this MADE ME SO HAPPY!
What I ended up getting for the price that I could play around with was a private bed with a window (yes, I had to pay extra for a window) in the Bowery House. The Bowery House and subsequent area is incredibly laden with history and for this reason, I was still very interested to check out the place and stay here for three nights. Below is their explanation of the history of the actual building that is the Bowery House:
"Our loft-style property, 220 Bowery, originally opened as The Prince Hotel in 1927. In the 1940's the hotel was reconfigured to serve as the temporary lodging for soldiers returning home from World War II. All floors of The Prince Hotel were rebuilt with single room cabins that were just large enough for a bed and storage of essential items. The bathrooms were made communal so that the hotel operators could maximize its occupancy and house as many soldiers as possible.
With its prime location and easy access to vices such as gambling, prostitution and saloons - some of the soldiers never left and decided to make the majority of the 200 cabins their long-term homes. It was in these single rooms that many of the Bowery’s most eccentric characters lived for decades adding to the lore and drama of New York’s former skid row.
At The Bowery House, we have decided to preserve and restore every detail of the remarkable 1940’s cabin craftsmanship and in turn provide unique, authentic and historic accommodations to travelers from around the world. Part museum and part hotel, we hope you enjoy not only the neighborhood but also the living history that is The Bowery House."
I should have read this in a bit more detail, because I was still shocked and honestly giggling with ridiculousness at the accommodations. The narrowest hallways ever, each private "room" was the size of a closet-just big enough for a bed and a nightstand, and because people were shorter back in the day, the beds are short too! But here's the kicker, and I tried to capture it in the pictures below: each "private" room, wasn't all that private, as exhibited by the garden-style criss-cross gates across the top of each of the rooms. Yup, this means that you could hear everyone else on the entire floor. Basically, it was one big sleepover with about 25 (minimum) other people. So really, this was a step down from a hostel :) Oh well, it was an interesting experience, and honestly the area is super cool and an easy walk to many of the destinations on my list!
On Thursday night after I was done at the conference I had intended to finally see the New York Public Library, but alas on Thursdays it closes at 6 not 8, like the other weeknights. This has happened to me once before...you'd think I'd have learned by now. Oh well, I had a number of places on my list for food, but I wasn't really feeling some of them, so instead I decided to first drop off for a cool one at Heartland Brewery. I know this is a chain, and their beer is very mediocre-BUT I'm glad I dropped in. Since I wasn't really sure what to eat and asking locals is always a good idea, I asked the bartender for some place further South in Manhattan them we are at, (which included near where I'm staying), and I wanted a restaurant that wasn't typical fare as in pub food, American, Italian, Chinese, Mexican. He wrote me a great list of places that I am intending to keep for further trips, but I settled on an Austrian restaurant that was an easy walk from my hotel. More on that in a bit. After Heartland Brewery, I did have another beer stop on my list of best beer bars, Cannibal.
Cannibal was pretty hopping this early on a Thursday night, but that was okay because it was just me and I didn't need to sit down or eat, I just wanted to try one of the many beers (heavy on the Belgian emphasis) and be on my way. Immediately walking into this place, I loved it. First off, this place doubles as a bar/restaurant AND a beer distributor-as in they have coolers in the front full of many awesome, unique, and rare beers that can be purchased to take with you-just like your run-of-the-mill liquor store. Pretty cool! But first I decided I'd grab a beer there. I don't remember what I ended up getting (something local I'm sure), but it was pretty cool. I awkwardly stood by the coolers with a number of others because the one down-side is that it's pretty small. There really is no way to stand near the bar because there just isn't room. I think the main problem of that night was that there was a big party in the backroom (which from where I looked could have been a beer garden?). The food that is heavy on the meat and fancy too, so this would be a nice place to go out for some unique brews as well as good (not vegetarian) food. Of course, I had to buy a beer to take back to the Bowery, because why not? And especially after I saw that they had Bruges Zot. This was a beer I had at the first brewery I ever visited (and around the time I first started to get into beer), in Bruges, Belgium. For nostalgic reasons (and because it's good), I took the beer back to the hotel, drank it on the rooftop (a cool part of this quirky hostel), and then realized that I was a bit more than tipsy. Whoops, time to get some food! This is where the Austrian Restaurant that the bartender recommended to me came into play: Cafe Katja. As soon as I walked into this place, I knew I would like it. It just had that vibe that told you the food and drink were great! And it was :) I didn't have anything more to drink (because I'm smart), but I did have the Austrian Meatballs with a side of spaetzle and it was the PERFECT thing to eat, and very delicious. I'm hoping it would have been just as delicious had I not been so ravenous, but who knows? For now, I'm going to tell you that it was awesome, and I would check it out!
On Friday morning on my way to BEA for the last day, I stopped at a "top" bagel shop in NYC that was not far from my hostel, called Black Seed Bagels. Here I got the smoked salmon, cream cheese, tomato, and capers bagel and it was yummy! So filling too. After BEA was over, I changed at the hotel and started to head over to the East Village where many of my "top things to do" were located. My main goal was to visit the speakeasy bar, Please Don't Tell (PDT). This is truly speakeasy in that the entrance is completely hidden away in a hot dog shop behind a phone booth. You must go into the phone booth and dial a number, then the hostess will come and tell you how long the wait is. Luckily for me, I got there plenty early-around 5:30 and I was just a party of one, so the wait was only about 45 minutes. Yes, I said ONLY 45 minutes. Many people wait HOURS for this place. It's small, but oh so worth it, as I would come to find out. In the meantime, they recommended I hit up a place just down the street that had a great beer list, Proletariat. I'm glad they recommended it, because it wasn't on my list, but I really liked it!
After my drink at Proletariat, I decided to take a short walk in Tompkins Square Park just so that I could play the song "Tompkins Square Park" by Mumford and Sons as I was actually walking through Tompkins Square Park. Cool, I know :) Finally, I was called for my reservation at PDT. They squeezed me in to a seat at the bar (it was quite crowded there, but I fit) right next to this gay man and his Aussie friend in their 40's. I intended to just grab one drink and head to a place to eat later, but instead I stayed for 3 drinks (one that was to die for because it had bacon-infused bourbon) and ate some tater tots (my FAVORITE) for supper at PDT. It was so worth it. I had a great time chatting with the people next to me and the drinks were superb! Absolutely fantastic experience, and I'd recommend it to anyone!
After the show, I decided to make one last stop at another great beer bar in the area, d.b.a. I was being all sorts of social on my night out on the town, and struck up a conversation with someone about what else but beer? :) Overall, a truly excellent solo outing in NYC's East Village!
Saturday was BookCon, and I enjoyed my time there seeing and listening to different author panels. Since I had dropped off my things in the morning at the my hostel in Brooklyn, New York Loft Hostel, I was free to head straight to Williamsburg for Smorgasburg. My old roommate had told me about Smorgasburg and I was so excited to attend. Think of all the best food trucks in NYC and then put them all together in one area in Brooklyn. That's Smorgasburg-SO much food from various different cuisines and it was all tasty! Highly recommended :) It's in Williamsburg on Saturdays and Brooklyn Bridge Park on Sundays. I met up with one of the gals, Shana, that I met at the hostel back in Austin a few months back and after Smorgasburg, we all went on a little rooftop crawl of Williamsburg/Greenpoint since it was such a gorgeous day.
Our first stop was Berry Park and they were hopping, or at least he rooftop part was. It was entirely too busy and took us no joke 20+ minutes to get served at the bar. We finally grabbed our strawberry daiquiris (which were very refreshing btw) and stood around enjoying the weather and chatting. Not sure how, but we were hungry again (maybe some of us only got snacks at Smorgasburg?) and so we stopped at a nondescript pizza place for a slice called Anna Maria Pizza (I think). OMG it was so good, and they had about 15 different kinds of pizza by the slice for cheap. Shana is definitely in the know about her neighborhood :) Next up, we met up with some more people at Northern Territory. This bar was much more chill (maybe a bit further out of the way) and we could get a drink right away. I got the Territory's Tea (on recommendation from Shana) it was a nectarine vodka and ice tea drink-perfect for sipping on a rooftop. This place also had a better view of Manhattan. Loving Brooklyn so far :)
We decided to take a little break as I needed to check-in to my hostel and change clothes. We separated and decided to meet back up at Radegast Hall and Biergarten. I love me some German bierhalls or biergartens and so this place was right up my alley. It was HUGE and very packed. We were just able to find small table (squeezed into next a poor couple on a date). I ordered a liter of beer because, hey, when in a German bierhall right? It was tasty and very much worth it. Afterwards, we all parted after a wonderful day of exploring the food and drink of Williamsburg/Greenpoint. Unfortunately, on the way home I stubbed my toe, made it bleed, and broke my sandal, so kind-of a crappy ending to an otherwise great day :)
On Sunday,I headed back into Williamsburg for brunch. I had a hard time picking where to go, but because Shana was so great with places the day before, I went with her suggestion which was Teddy's Bar and Grill. It was a good choice. I ordered the Huevos Rancheros and the ricotta breakfast fritters (with powdered sugar and praline sauce). The huevos were very tasty, but the ricotta breakfast fritters stole the show-delicious! Even though it was only just about noon, I decided it was 5 o'clock somewhere and headed to yet another one of the beer bars on my list, Dirck the Norsemen. Here I had a flight of Greenpoint Beer and Ale Company (which my guess is brewed at Dirck the Norseman) and I really enjoyed their beers. They had some very specialized or experimental brews which I am into as of late. Highly recommended. By the time I was done however, I was SO full of beer and food and yumminess that I couldn't go to my next stop (Brooklyn Brewery). Another time, then. Instead, I walked around a bit and came upon (in the same area where Smorgasburg was the day before) a little artisan/flea market!
Can't wait to return again soon, I love this city.