coolwhippings

A lot in NYC to be gobsmacked by:  last weekend’s marathon was won by breaking records - 26.2 miles in 2h5m and a few seconds, watching two friends find their names engraved in a subway wall, red velvet walls at the Met Opera house having a 226 million annual operating budget, gilt ceilings and crystal chandeliers:

A hand-made American picture frame circa 1942 - 8x10 - for $12,000, too many Manhattans in Manhattan, the Japanese flag ship store Uniqlo, an 8' wide coffee shop, named Sugar, along the entire side of a building, Cattelan’s ‘All’ exhibit in the Guggenheim foyer:

A huge hole being re-constructed, concrete, steel, and a few fucking fantastic restaurants.

Mary’s Fish Camp in the West Village:  It seats about 25 people, about 9 at the curvy stainless bar overlooking the kitchen, and has a wait list of about 1.5 hours if you don’t get there when the doors open.  In true NYC style, the host, Jonathan, broke rules to get us in a bit earlier; I said we were flexible, would sit in 2s instead of a 4, I leaned in, spoke in earnest, and he obliged and said my name on his list was ‘Meredith’.  While we happily waited snugly by the front desk, he answered calls and inquiries, and told one grand asshole to get the fuck out of the restaurant.  He can choose his diners; the food is that good.  It is in demand and damned succulent.  We dined on conch, polenta with gruyere, scallops, Gobi shrimp with crispy-coated cauliflower with spicy bite - I guess anything on the menu is superb; the lobster roll has garnered repetitive, raving reviews.  Highly recommended.  Wait for 1.5 hours in a nearby bar if you have to; it’s very worth your while.

Fatty Crab on the Upper West Side:  They take reservations which is good for post-marathon planning.  The menu is made for sharing and the waiter was happy to recommend the itinerary for our eating feast.  We got started with crab salad and chicken satay, then the Nasi Lemak (chicken curry, coconut rice, otak otak, slow poached egg) which begs to be mixedup into a frenzied plate of goodness. 

Fatty duck followed.  One wouldn’t expect that ‘Fatty’ anything would be appealing, but it all was very delicious.  I didn’t see too many fatty people in Manhattan; I guess they live in excess in ventures other than food - maybe because there is a shit load to see and do and great places and neighbourhoods to walk around in NYC.

New York City - truly an excessive experience.