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There is never enough time to do all the things on my New York to-do list! It doesn’t matter if I stay two days or five days (or, I’m sure, 30 days), New York is so filled with sites and sights, restaurants, stores, museums, and parks, that I can never fit it all in. Thankfully it’s just a short flight (or a medium-length road trip) away from Toronto, so there will always be another time to visit.
1. Yarn Stores
Although I made it to String and Knitty City, there were several more yarn stores I wanted to visit. Lion Brand Yarn was closed the day I visited. My cousin told me that the staff hide a gnome in the store and if you find it, you get a discount on your purchase! I also want to go to Habu, a Japanese yarn store that specializes in unusual fibres such as stainless steel, paper, and copper. And, of course, Purl Soho is so beautiful I wouldn’t mind another trip there.
2. Metropolitan Museum of Art
Our dad seems to visit the Met every time we go to New York, and he’s a card-carrying member. I’ve only ever been when I walked through the museum to get to the roof-top bar, or when I visited the beautiful store. Art museums and galleries are not one of my main interests, and I always found that I preferred spend my time in the city outdoors in the sunshine, walking around the streets and parks. The one odd time it was cold and rainy, I visited the American Museum of Natural History, which is more up my alley. However, the New York Spring Spectacular at the Radio City Music Hall featured artifacts and exhibitions from the Met, and convinced me to add it to my to-do list for next time.
3. New York Public Library
Again, this site was featured in the New York Spring Spectacular. I never knew that the New York Public Library also houses a museum with historical items and even the original stuffed Winnie-the-Pooh.
Of course, the library also played a role in Ghostbusters, one of my favourite movies.
4. Pok Pok!
Obviously I have to go to Pok Pok, after obsessing over Andy Ricker’s cookbook for the past year and visiting as many Thai restaurants in Toronto as I could afford. I wanted to dine there during my April visit to New York, but somehow there was just no time.
5. Dim Sum in Flushing, Queens
The famous Chinatown in Manhattan is slowly disappearing as many of the Chinese are moving to the outer boroughs. Last month I watched an Anthony Bourdain episode where he eats dim sum in the large Chinatown in Flushing, Queens, and resolved to go there myself (after rounding up the family and going for our own dim sum meal in Toronto’s Chinatown).
6. Beecher’s Handmade Cheese
The original Beecher’s Handmade Cheese started selling artisinal cheese in Seattle, at Pike Place Market (another place I have yet to visit). Their New York location in the Flatiron District opened in 2008 alongside a cafe and restaurant. Beechers’ uses high quality milk from healthy cows free from antibiotics and bovine growth hormones to make over ten types of cheeses, including their signature Flagship. Tomiko and I walked by Beecher’s last summer and vowed we would be back. This time, I walked by only after I had already eaten lunch at the City Bakery and did not have the appetite to do the cheese justice. There is an upstairs cafe from which you can look onto the stainless steel vats where the cheese is actually being made while grabbing a quick bite, or you can dine on more substantial fare downstairs in the Cellar. I took a Cellar menu because all the items looked so delicious, each incorporating some type of cheese. I want to try their mac and cheeses, of which there are six varieties. The cannelloni, salads, and tarts also sounded tantalizing. I want to come back here with more people so we can order more options off the menu, including a cheese plate, naturally.
7. Eataly
Tomiko and I visited Eataly in Turin, Italy back in 2008, and we were in awe of the beautiful pastas, cheeses, and meats for sale. Unfortunately we were staying in a hostel without kitchen facilities, so we couldn’t take advantage of the beautiful raw ingredients or cook our own meals. And since we were still students and on a budget, we couldn’t justify eating at one of their many restaurant counters.
During this New York trip, I visited Eataly in the Flatiron District (conveniently located next to the Marimekko store!) and ogled the amazing cheeses, veggies, pastas and charcuterie, but didn’t stay for a meal. I’ve learned from past experience that no matter how much you want to embrace a whole wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano, DON’T! You’ll end up with super greasy arms and get weird looks from other patrons.
8. Ovenly in Brooklyn
Ovenly is the newest addition to my list, having just read about it in a recent David Lebovitz blog post. Numerous bakeries were on my list this time, and I will always need more to add! I also got their book from the library and love the interesting flavour combinations. I look forward to trying some in person!
9. The Brooklyn Kitchen
I’m not sure where I first heard of The Brooklyn Kitchen, but it’s now on my list. It is a kitchen store that sells kitchen utensils and gadgets and ingredients, hosts events, and runs classes.
10. Lots of other bakeries
During my April trip, I made it to quite a few bakeries, such as the City Bakery, Levain Bakery, and Momofuku Milk Bar. However, I have several more on my list, and each has a different specialty for which they are famous:
- Dominique Ansel Bakery – home of the cronut
- Two Little Red Hens
- Sullivan St Bakery – for various breads
- Baked – for brownies
So that’s my to-do list for the next time I visit my aunt in New York. Do you have any other suggestions?
