Big Apple Life

A collection of posts on Life in the Big Apple along with interviews with foodie friends

Happy Hour at Martiny’s, Gramercy, NYC + the Career Accelerator Legacy Awards

Seems we all had the same idea: arrive at Martiny's before our 6 pm reservation to chat with some of the others. The door on this freezing night was locked and remained so until exactly 6 pm. We had read—and wanted to try—this place as Martiny's is currently ranked the 15th Best Bar in North America & 24th Best Bar in the World. Most of us ended up at Pete's Tavern around the corner for a drink before our reservation at Martiny's, which we headed back to at 6. Last time I had been at the three-story 1800 carriage house on 17, it was The House restaurant. Today, Martiny's is [...]

By |2026-05-10T11:09:06-04:00February 11th, 2026|Big Apple Life, Happy Hours, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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*** Happy Hour at David Burke’s Park Ave Kitchen, Midtown, NYC

A dozen of us met at David Burke's Park Ave Kitchen, midtown, for drinks and nibbles from their happy hour menu. This HH menu is one of those that can easily be dinner. I ordered the sliders, not noticing the word "stack,"  as I had dreamt of DB's bacon. On this menu, instead of his traditional hanging, bacon was offered only on the slider. I ordered and devoured about half of that $15 plate, which included three hefty, perfectly cooked mini-burgers on potato buns, stacked on a base of fries. Three of my fellow attendees happily helped devour it. Others tried his deviled eggs ($9 for three) and various rolls [...]

By |2026-02-04T11:07:14-05:00February 4th, 2026|Big Apple Life, Happy Hours, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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New Thai Restaurant Lalyn, Midtown, NYC

Earlier this year, a friend and I attended the fun opening of a new Thai restaurant on the edge of Koreatown. The food and drinks flowed; we met lots of fun folks who were enjoying the goodies, too. When invited back to sit as their guests and enjoy a fixed menu, we jumped at the chance to interact again with their friendly, attentive staff (who recognized us) and to sample some of what we'd enjoyed at the opening. We started with our favorite cocktail, the Ruan Juan ($21), made with gin, lemongrass, shochu, bergamot and dry vermouth, garnished with a Makrut lime, Don't miss their deep-fried balls filled with jumbo [...]

By |2026-01-30T14:41:10-05:00February 1st, 2026|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Daniel’s Le Pavillon for Prix Fixe Lunch, Midtown, NYC

We had a delayed birthday lunch as one Connecticut friend was recovering from an accident. Once she recovered, we booked Daniel Boulud's elegant 1-star Michelin restaurant, Le Pavillon, in the Summit building, right next to Grand Central Terminal, to make her commute easier. Le Pavillon, like many top-notch NYC restaurants, offers a prix fixe lunch, making it an affordable option to dine. The current everyday lunch prix fixe is $78 for two courses or $95 for three courses—always elegant, beautifully plated and first-rate service. Food is always good, being tasty, multi-component and technique-driven. While sipping our Drouhin-Vaudon Chablis 2023 ($28), we nibbled on their always-worth-the-calories bread basket with butter.   I tried [...]

By |2026-01-30T14:54:50-05:00January 29th, 2026|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|1 Comment
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Starbucks Reserve Roastery New York + Big Apple Greeters

As a member of Big Apple Greeters, I have the pleasure of meeting, welcoming and sharing my passion for New York City. Recently, I had the joy of guiding a wonderful family of four from Axams, Austria. We met at the Vessel at Hudson Yards to begin our time together. Who knew that on snowy days, the Vessel and the Highline would be closed! I certainly didn't!  We took the subway back downtown to 14th Street and headed to the Hudson River Parkway to explore the parts of Little Island that were open. On the way there, we discovered that the lower part of the High Line was accessible! Next [...]

By |2026-03-02T10:06:11-05:00January 27th, 2026|Big Apple Greeter, Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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$45 Prixe Fixe at Estiatorio Milos Hudson Yards

“Forty-five dollars for a prix fixe at Estiatorio Milos? Are you kidding?” I exclaimed when my friend told me about the fantastic prix fixe lunch special at the upscale Greek seafood restaurant. How could I resist this lunch offer? I decided to invite some friends to join me, and they were glad they came along. The view from our table showcased Hudson Yards, the Vessel and boats on the Hudson River. We chose a Greek wine to accompany our meal, ordering the crisp, citrusy Assyrtiko, Areti, Biblia Chora, Pangeon 2022 ($90). I loved how the server poured extra-virgin olive oil onto a plate for us to enjoy with the bread, [...]

By |2025-12-23T10:42:20-05:00January 17th, 2026|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Lunch at Cognac, Upper East Side, NYC

One of the best parts of New York is that many people visit our spectacular city, allowing me to reconnect with friends.  Recently, a friend from Sarasota came to town, and we met for lunch at a cozy restaurant on the Upper East Side, near where I had my book group in the mid-afternoon. The restaurant Cognac is a brasserie serving classic French cuisine across its three locations, with attentive service. I ordered their tart with sliced roasted tomatoes and fresh goat cheese atop some warm puff pastry  ($21). However, I couldn’t help but daydream about the caramelized-onion tart at Ci Siamo. I paired my meal with a glass of [...]

By |2026-01-26T10:46:23-05:00January 14th, 2026|Big Apple Life, City Bites, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Return for Brunch at Mark’s Off Madison, Gramercy-Flatiron, NYC

Mark’s Off Madison on 26th is one of Manhattan's iconic brunch spots, always packed and a bit noisy. It is always bustling, creating a lively atmosphere that can be a bit loud—just loud enough that you have to strain to hear each other. The restaurant-bakery from Mark Strausman, formerly of Freds at Barneys New York and Campagna, serves traditional Jewish food, with some rustic Italian and European options. I started my meal with their take on the classic Bloody Mary, which had a nice kick. Instead of the large smoked fish platter ($38), I opted for a side of whitefish salad ($10) and a bialy ($2), thanks to the helpful [...]

By |2026-01-11T20:01:43-05:00January 11th, 2026|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Tarallucci e Vino, Union Square, NYC + Wicked: For Good

My friend really wanted to see the second installment of Wicked, starring Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum. She enjoyed it; I thought it was at least an hour too long, but it was a fun Sunday afternoon activity. After the show, we grabbed a bite nearby at Tarallucci e Vino. We ordered the Nero d'Avola Bagilio di Serramarrocco ’21 from Sicily ($68), as my friend recently returned from there. It paired well with both our fritto misto ($21) and Pinsa Romano. The restaurant is noisy, but not so loud that you can't hear your dining partner. The first included a decent portion of fried [...]

By |2025-12-23T10:41:57-05:00January 8th, 2026|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Shuka Birthday Celebration + Art on Broadway + Billiards

We kicked off our celebration at the new production of ART, this time with Bobby Cannavale, James Corden, and Neil Patrick Harris. I had seen the original version with Alan Alda, Victor Garber, and Alfred Molina in 1998. I haven't laughed so hard since I saw the original cast of Spamalot!  James Corden stopped the show.... more than once.  I highly recommend. We stopped at Amsterdam Billiards for some fierce ping pong competition before heading to dinner at Shuka on McDougal. Once settled in, we ordered lots of their shareable mezze, including squash hummus ($12), taramasalata ($14), tahini dip ($12), crisp cauliflower ($17), crudite ($11), falafel $14) and a fall [...]

By |2025-12-23T10:41:49-05:00January 5th, 2026|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Vinateria, Harlem, NYC + It’s Only A Play

When my friend suggested going to see Terrance McNally's hilarious play, "It's Only A Play" at Morningside Theater in the Morningside Heights area of Manhattan, I suggested we first dine at my friend and fellow Dame, Yvette Leeper Bueno's Vinateria, with its Spanish- and Italian-influenced food. Yvette graciously donated the gift certificate to a Les Dames d'Escoffier raffle, which I won. She warmly welcomed us to her friendly establishment, introducing us to her special people. I started with an Old Fashioned made with Cooper's Daughter, a small-batch bourbon finished in black walnut syrup barrels. This distillery is woman-owned and family-operated, also producing its own cooperage and apples. My dining partner [...]

By |2025-12-23T10:41:09-05:00January 2nd, 2026|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Theatre|0 Comments
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Welcome Home Bakery’s Cinnamon Rolls, Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn

Welcome Home is a new bakery in Bed-Stuy that has received significant acclaim and celebrated its first anniversary last month.  Around the same time, the New York Times named it "Bakery of the Year" in its second (to be annual) "Where to Eaties" feature, in which author Nikita Richardson called it "a downright miracle in 2025." I'm thrilled for my friend Nanahya's daughter, Isabella, who co-owns the place with Billy Wright, whom she met while working at L’appartement 4F. Lucky me—Isabella brought her renowned light-and-fluffy cinnamon rolls to her mom's for the morning after Thanksgiving. She baked and served them to us that Friday morning. Their cinnamon rolls have a [...]

By |2025-12-24T14:26:17-05:00December 30th, 2025|Big Apple Life, Food & Drinks, NYC Restaurant Reviews, Products|0 Comments
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Les Vagabonds Boucherie, Midtown, NYC

Les Vagabonds Boucherie is a French steakhouse with a "Bohemian soul" that opened less than a year ago at 58th and First Avenue. It is definitely worth the stop. We sat down for lunch, awaiting a friend who was coming from a hospital appointment, who said to start without her. We ordered the shrimp ajillo ($28) — Gulf shrimp sautéed with toasted garlic in brown butter — along with a glass of Sancerre ($18). We enjoyed the chat and the wait. Sadly, our friend didn't feel good enough to join us. We decided to keep sharing! When we asked the friendly owner, Motrya Tomycz, if we could split the soupe [...]

By |2025-12-29T10:54:25-05:00December 27th, 2025|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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José Andrés’ La Barra, Hudson Yards, NYC

During a "Greet" with some new friends from Singapore, we visited Hudson Yards and enjoyed a meal at José Andrés' Little Spain. A "Greet" is a free, informal tour of an area in New York City led by a volunteer from Big Apple Greeters, a nonprofit organization that has welcomed NYC visitors since 1992. I'm a new volunteer sharing my love of the city with newcomers. After exploring Little Spain, we decided to sit at La Barra for table service. We started with their Patatas Bravas, delicious deep-fried potatoes drizzled with salsa brava and alioli. We also ordered Pan con Tomate (toasted bread brushed with tomato and extra virgin olive [...]

By |2026-03-02T10:06:29-05:00December 23rd, 2025|Big Apple Greeter, Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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The New Motek, Gramercy, NYC

It's always a pleasure to dine with friends who enjoy sharing, as when the meal starts, one asks, "What are we ordering?" Happily, we all wanted the hot mezze.  Specifically, the crispy cauliflower, the crispy artichoke and their "latkes". I'd go again just for that head of creamy-white flower buds with the spicy harissa-honey glaze ($16), or for the potato and zucchini pancakes, served with sweet labneh and apple sauce ($16). I'd skip the crispy overcooked artichoke ($19). The Vietti Perbacco Nebbiolo delle Langhe 2022 ($90) that we ordered paired well with that and what came next. Our attentive server mentioned that the braised lamb with a harissa glaze ($33) [...]

By |2025-12-20T15:41:54-05:00December 20th, 2025|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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RH Rooftop, Meatpacking, NYC

With an old friend in town for a couple of days, we took a long walk, gabbing all the way. Our first stop was Hudson Yards to see the Vessel, recently reopened to climbers. After that, we strolled along the High Line to the Whitney Museum and then made our way to Little Island. This installation, which opened in 2021, was funded by the Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation through a significant $260 million donation from its founders, Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg. After our exploration, we headed to the rooftop of Restoration Hardware for a leisurely lunch and more conversation. I started with their spritz ($19) made with Cappelletti [...]

By |2025-12-12T16:36:31-05:00December 17th, 2025|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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NoMo Kitchen, SoHo, NYC + Bansky Museum

The Banksy Museum is a must-see, featuring a video all about the world’s most elusive street artist. After spending a morning on a tour there, we headed a few blocks away to the NoMo kitchen on Crosby Street. The hostess greeted and seated our large group at two tables. We sat awhile until we got our menus, then waited until someone took our orders, and finally sat, awaiting our food, which, an hour after we had been seated, arrived in waves. They served half our table of six; then 5 minutes later, the other half, then the other group of 8, also in waves.  At least when we finally received our [...]

By |2025-12-14T12:38:57-05:00December 12th, 2025|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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TWA Hotel Paris Cafe, JFK Airport

When my friend texted to ask if I wanted to try restaurant services at the relatively new TWA Hotel at JFK, I eagerly accepted the invitation, as I had been wanting to visit since their opening about 5 years ago. I browsed the offerings online to see what was available before heading to the airport. Once we arrived in the terminal — heading back to the 1960s — we headed to the grab-and-go food hall, where each venue resembles a check-in counter rather than a traditional restaurant. There's the Corner Store, which sells pre-packaged snacks; Fly-By Bagels, offering egg sandwiches, muffins, and bagels; Vinny's Panini, serving their namesake sandwiches on [...]

By |2025-11-30T06:56:52-05:00December 9th, 2025|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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Friends & Family at the New ilili, Midtown, NYC

My friend invited me to attend the friends-and-family opening of the new ilili Midtown on East 53rd Street. Finding the front door was a bit tricky; I’m sure by the time you read this, they should have addressed the visibility issue with signage. I was seated in the bar area, awaiting my friend, when Ian, the beverage manager, greeted me and poured a glass of the fresh, fruity Sunset Rosé from Château Ksara, Lebanon's oldest winery. I so enjoyed it, and how well it married with our starters. This space is very bright and inviting, unlike the darker original NoMad ilili, which was initially designed as a club. As guests [...]

By |2025-12-06T07:53:14-05:00December 6th, 2025|Big Apple Life, NYC Best Bites, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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The Paris Cafe, South Street Seaport, NYC

The publicist invited us to put The Paris Cafe on our radar and come dine as their guests at the reimagined Manhattan landmark (since 1873) at South Street Seaport, with a menu that brings Paris straight to the plate, showcasing dishes that blend timeless French brasserie traditions with a fresh, modern eye. After that invitation, I thought I'd go traditional French in my ordering, starting with a Kir Royal with Champagne Lallier with creme de cassis, a traditional cocktail. My dining partner tried the happy-hour Savory spritz ($12), made with dry vermouth, cappelletti, and sparkling wine. Since we arrived between 5 and 7 pm, we added happy-hour Gougères ($1 each) [...]

By |2025-11-28T19:24:39-05:00November 30th, 2025|Big Apple Life, NYC Restaurant Reviews|0 Comments
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