Bryant Park Grille
25 West 40th Street | New York, NY 10018
http://www.arkrestaurants.com/bryant_park.html
An elegant and sophisticated restaurant, Bryant Park Grille is nestled behind the landmark New York City Public Library and has amazing ambiance that is perfect for a date night or a dinner out with friends. Our dining experience was over two hours long, partly due to how much we were enjoying our surroundings and our delightful server, and partly to how much we wanted to linger over the delicious food. Make sure you reserve plenty of time for dinner if you are eating here!
From lamb chops, to filet Mignon to lobster and plenty of vegetarian selections, Bryant Park Grille has a wide selection of offerings to make everyone happy. Although lamb has never been a favorite of Paige’s, she found that it was one of her favorite dishes at the Grille. Other dishes include Root Vegetable Ravioli, grilled semi-boneless Cornish game hen and jumbo lump crab cakes. Salads include the Baked Local Apple and Curly Frisee salad and the Mediterranean Charred Eggplant salad. Think of food you’ve enjoyed before cooked or prepared in a different and unique way that really brings out their flavor. Highly recommended for their atmosphere, service and wonderful food!
Museum of Modern Art
11 West 53 Street | New York, NY 10019 (212) 708-9400
www.MOMA.org
Whether you are highly interested in art or not, The Museum of Modern Art is a must-see for anyone who is visiting the New York City Area. Founded in 1929 as an educational institute, the Museum of Modern Art is dedicated to being the foremost museum of modern art in the world. MoMA is truly magnificent, from the structure itself (truly a feat of architecture and interior design as each section of the museum coordinates perfectly with what is displayed in it) to the amazing works of art housed in it. With a permanent collection that can always been seen at MoMA to exhibitions and educational programs that are presented during specific dates, you could visit this Museum innumerable times and always see something different.
If this is your first time visiting the Museum and you plan on trying to see it all in one day, you might want to think again. We were there for over four and a half hours and didn’t even get through half of it. If you do want to make a day of it, consider going for a few hours, then taking a break for a nice long lunch, and returning in the afternoon. Our advice, however, would be to split it up into a couple of days to give yourself time to absorb everything (and let your feet rest!).
Million Dollar Quartet
New World Stages | 340 West 50th Street
www.milliondollarquartetlive.com
Although we didn’t quite know what to expect when we got tickets to MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET (we had visions of something along the lines of The Three Tenors), we found that we enjoyed this show probably as much or more than anything we’ve seen in the past. MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET is a new smash-hit musical inspired by the famed recording session that brought together rock n’ roll icons Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins for the first and only time. The music features hits including “Blue Suede Shoes”, “Great Balls of Fire”, “Walk the Line” and “Hound Dog” and gives the audience background on each man’s career that is both informative and entertaining.
Our group involved a younger man as well as two ladies in their 60s and everyone enjoyed the show equally, so this is truly a show for anyone regardless of what era they grew up in or what types of shows they usually enjoy. The talent in this show is simply incredible, especially considering that they are playing icons of rock and roll and have to imitate for recognizable styles. We recommend this show to anyone who enjoys musicals or even just those who like to be entertained. We’re so happy we were able to catch this outstanding performance!
Sky Room
330 West 40th Street | New York, NY 10019
www.SkyroomNYC.com
Looking for one of the best views of Manhattan? Try out Sky Room, which boasts a 360 degree view of Manhattan and the Hudson River from the city’s highest rooftop lounge. Whether you are going to Sky Room for the night life (it has a club-like atmosphere later in the evening) or are going there for happy hour and appetizers like our group did, you will be impressed by the gorgeous surroundings. Sky Room has five distinct spaces: The Times Square Lounge, the Cube Balcony, the Private Salon, the North Terrace with its retractable roof and the South Terrace with its private cabanas. We would love to return to Sky Room in the summer months when you can go outside as it would be incredible to have a drink outdoors and drink in the view.
During happy hour, they have good drink specials and a good menu of appetizers that can easily serve as dinner. We got two appetizer plates that were more than enough to feed the five of us and included delicious calamari, unique mac and cheese and bacon bites, bruschetta, crab cakes and more. A great place for a drink and appetizer before hitting the town or a good destination to party the night away high above the city!
Rockefeller Center
30 Rockefeller Plaza | 50th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues
www.rockefellercenter.com
No trip to New York is complete without visiting Rockefeller Center! Whether you want to shop, ice skate or experience the unobstructed 360 degree views of the city from the Top of the Rock Observation Deck, Rockefeller Center is a landmark you shouldn’t miss. We loved being able to see the majesty of Central Park from the deck and were overwhelmed by how truly massive it is. We also enjoyed looking at the great works of art and architecture that comprise the center as well as looking at all the great shops! If you really want to get a great feel for Rockefeller, you should consider getting one of their guided tours that takes you through the Center’s most significant buildings, gardens and spaces. It may seem a bit ‘touristy’, but is well worth it!