The Insiders' Guide to St. Barths: Reporting from my other favorite island

Happy New Year to all. We are just back from a wonderful (albeit short) trip to New York City. Here are a few highlights/observations for any and all who may be interested:

Dining:

We always try to hit a few new places each time we go to NY but this trip was filled with old favorites. Our tradition is to visit the Oyster Bar in Grand Central as soon as we get off the train for a beer and a dozen oysters. We've done this more times than I can remember and are always happy to see the same familiar faces behind the counter. This visit we had to pass a picket line to get in to the Oyster Bar and when we realized that none of the regulars were working we decided to leave. I truthfully don't know who is in the right but I do know that we didn't feel comfortable eating there when employees who have been there for 25+ years were picketing.

On to the Grand Central Market and Murray's Cheese shop - we picked up several different varieties of cheese and a crusty baguette and it was off to the hotel.

Dinner that night was an old romantic favorite - The Park Bistro (29th and Park in Murray Hill). This was the first restaurant Bob and I ever had dinner in so it is a favorite of ours. They seat couples side by side and serve the most delicious roast chicken which we both had. The salad with foie gras and grilled calamari appetizer were also great. It is the perfect place on a cold winter night.

Lunch the next day (the 31st) was at Da Silvanos which is another favorite of ours - fantastic Tuscan cuisine. It is wonderful on a warm spring day to eat at their sidewalk tables. When we arrived (2:30 for lunch) we were informed that they had closed to prepare for New Years. We must have looked pathetic because Silvano quickly offered us a quick bowl of pasta which we readily accepted. The staff was blowing up balloons and it was quite a lot of fun. If you go when they are not preparing for New Years be sure to ask for their special mozzarella - it is aged on the outside and creamy in the middle and often not on the menu. They shave fresh truffles over it and it is so good it is haunting.

Dinner on New Years was Town which I personally think is one of the prettiest dining rooms in Manhattan. Towering ceilings and beautifully lit. The food is excellent and it is a lot of fun - elegant but not stuffy at all. The five (actually six) course menu was paired with wine and the "no glass will ever be empty" philosophy was reminiscent of wine week in NYC (if you haven't been and you like wine I highly recommend it - just don't expect to get anything done the rest of the afternoon). We started with a blue crab tea and walnut ravioli, followed by a salmon torte, followed by a striped bass with truffles and black beans and a pork confit dish followed by several desserts (I am not a dessert person so I can't remember the details here). It was fun and lovely.

We headed to the CroBar after dinner and that was quite a scene -- probably 3000 people, people on trapezes and some Saline-attire "performance art" - they did little but lounge but it was interesting. I have to confess that I am not one to comment on the club scene in NYC - I have actually been thrown out of a club for falling asleep (not PASSING out -- I literally just fell asleep - damn comfy couches) but the Crobar seemed like it was "happening" (the "Fab Five" were at the Cro Bar in Miami). CroBar was followed by the Wetbar (39th and Lex) another "old" favorite (it is right next door to where we stay and is always a good time).

New Years Day brunch:

Only one place to be (in my humble opinion) and that would be Balthazar which I just love to death. It was mobbed but the service was sensational (completely laid back) and everyone was in a great mood. The Oyster Marys are fantastic as are the oysters. After the oysters, I had a delicious chicken liver and foie gras mousse and the Balthazar salad (yes - I thought of you Rosita) and Bob had a wonderful roasted cod dish. Keith McNally has recently put out a wonderful Balthazar cookbook that I would highly recommend. Balthazar is certainly one of my favorite NYC spots - always lively even 11:30 p.m. on a Wednesday and it's a great place to go for dinner after a show. The Sunday brunch is one of my all time favorite things (is there anything better than their eggs poached in red wine??)

Other NYC observations:

Security was intense in NYC from the state troopers on the Metro North train to the complete encasement of the Met and Grand Central (not to mention Times Square) on New Years Eve by the police. We briefly thought about canceling our plans because of the security concerns but felt like being in NYC was the right thing to do. The number of people spending their holiday ensuring everyone’s safety was extraordinary and the show of support for NYC was also inspiring (largest crowd ever for the ball drop). It was a great place to ring in the new year.

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Kara Brooks