Walking through the American Museum of Natural History on member night felt surreal, especially since the space was empty—just as I imagine it would be if we spent a Night at the Museum. We covered a lot of ground, including the immersive, 360-degree invisible worlds experience that lasted 12 minutes. Loved it and must remember to take my grandkids there during their next visit.

(photo credit Alvaro Keding / © AMNH)

The experience in the new Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation, Invisible Worlds, offers a breathtakingly beautiful, scientifically rigorous, and engaging view into networks of life at all scales. It is powered by scientific data and celebrates the richness of life’s diversity and the basic building blocks of life, including DNA, that connect all living things on our planet.

Afterward, we walked downtown to The Leopard at des Artistes, to enjoy their $60 restaurant week special menu. We shared everything offered on the menu and nibbled the goodies in the breadbasket while awaiting our food.

We started with the two appetizer options, both of which were spectacular. One was thinly sliced slow-cooked veal eye served with vegetable reduction and toasted hazelnuts; the other, my favorite, was a baby leek flan over taleggio cheese emulsion with crispy speck. Heavenly smooth and delicious. I paired each dish with a lovely 2023 Soave I Casali ($16).

For our entrees, we had homemade chitarra pasta with basil pesto, anchovies, pine nuts, and Parmigiano Reggiano, as well as slow-braised beef with wild mushrooms and red wine reduction, accompanied by a generous side of mashed potatoes. We couldn’t finish.

However, we did indulge in the only dessert offered: a decadent vanilla sponge cake with hazelnut praline and mascarpone, along with a plate of cookies to accompany our coffees.

The Leopard at des Artistes
Upper West Side
1 W 67th St
New York, NY 10023
theleopardnyc.com/