East Coast Bucket List #5

i couldn't leave the east coast without visiting my beloved city of new york!!! a quick weekend trip up to revisit my old stomping grounds and to see some of my dearest friends.

a 7am amtrak ride with an unexpected treat! (and also #16 on my east coast bucket list). tarts from goll's bakery in havre de grace! my parents were dear enough to send them with me for my breakfast on the ride north. i do love traveling by train. so much less hassle than flying.....

priority #1 was having a legitimate new york pizza! this thin crust beauty was from carmine's in brooklyn. three scant blocks from my old apartment in williamsburg it is still one of the best pizza's i've had! fresh basil, ripe tomatoes, a gorgeous crisp crust. and of course.....copious amounts of fresh mozzarella!

ah fortunato's.......the must-visit bakery of my old neighborhood.

no visit to brooklyn is complete without a cappuccino and cannoli at fortunato's! to assuage my guilt at having eaten a pizza AND cannoli i actually walked back to my hotel. from williamsburg, brooklyn to murray hill, manhattan is about a 4 miles jaunt. but it was a gorgeous day and i was happy to soak in the city sights! and the view from the williamsburg bridge really is worth it.

 some quick iconic architecture shots.

i miss skyscrapers!

so the very trendy thing to do in new york during the summer is to find a roof top bar. and they are plentiful in hell's kitchen! i met some friend's at cantina rooftop for the view and a pre-dinner cocktail. and the people watching....always the people watching. a lot of bachelorette parties from the jersey side of the river out tonight!

for dinner we strolled a few blocks down to gotham market. a lovely indoor mecca for any variety of food one could crave!  anything from charcuterie to ice cream, all tastebuds can find something here.

i opted for a lobster/kale/potato chip roll from a sushi stand. a really lovely combination of textures and flavors!

a gorgeous sunset over the intrepid sea, air and space museum! a quick cab ride later and my friends and i were at a comedy improv club in chelsea.

somewhere in this whirlwind there was a trip to central park where i walked ALL of the park. from 60th to 110th street and back. so no guilt when my weekend ended with "fromos". frozen mimosas. such a delightful brunch treat!

i'll really miss being in such proximity to this wonderful city. but i look forward to future visits!