New York, New York, this month! It had clear skies when I arrived at The Plaza Hotel at six thirty a.m.. I was exhausted as it was only three a.m. for me, Pacific Standard Time. But the staff was ever so accommodating, efficient and kind. The hotel maintained its flair of old world mixed with Beaux Art designs, managing balance and bringing freshness into many of the elements one expects from a luxury hotel. 

I myself, don’t mind paying for aesthetic value. But if the efficiency is not there, it will be the last time I will stay in such a place, historical or not. The Plaza Hotel on 5th Avenue is and was as traditionally beautiful, reliant on its well appointed rooms and gracious service. They showed care without aires.  I notice these things albeit Truman Capote threw his famous Black & White Ball at this hotel.  I really don’t care either if Marlene Dietrich stayed in it for a year.  I just care about the now.

When The Palm Court restaurant opened, I wasted no time ordering a good New York style breakfast of Pastrami and hash that did not disappoint. It made me so happy to be back in the city and I looked forward to everything on my agenda, including sleep. But any hotel room, typically will not be ready until 3:00 p.m.!  I could have walked to Bergdorf’s next door, where the windows beckoned with so much wonder of magic, color and sparkle, ready for the holidays. But this time, the spirit was just as unwilling as my body was.

Time did not fly.  I anxiously waited in the lobby, where by 10:00, it was buzzing with people having their tea and coffee, as well as champagne.  I was on my laptop, trying to stay awake, people watching in between readings of my own post on having tea at the Baccarat Hotel.

I surfaced from almost falling into my third cup of coffee, when Artists and fashionistas with pink and blue hair came swarming in with a team of photographers. Ah, I’m feeling right at home. And they weren’t wearing the usual NYC black! You see, I dislike black as much as Anna Wintour does, and I can’t blame her for not wanting to fill Vogue with pages lacking in color. But all too soon before everything became a rainbow blur, a receptionist came over to let me know my room was ready.

I was smiling. Eleven thirty, and fancy that!  How did they know I needed to fall into sheets and pillows ASAP?  Thank God.  But by the time I collapsed on my well made bed– surprise, surprise!  The coffee kicked in and I laid there awake.  Boo!  So, Bergdorf’s it was!

The Windows of Bergdorf Goodman

That night, I had dinner with a friend at L’Artusi, to learn of his new project and to see what the place was abuzz about. The supposedly hip Italian restaurant was noisy, crowded with tiny, uncomfortable tables.  I passed on the wild boar they had on the menu, and instead went for the tagliatelle and grilled octopus.  It must have been a night of heavy handed cooks, because I ballooned the next morning, unable to get into the shoes I wanted to wear.  Without a choice but to slip into my velvet mules on a snowy day, I stayed in yet again, and made myself comfortable.

I embraced myself, bloat and all.  It just meant that I could get “blogadocious”.  I focused on designing this blog and I didn’t mind getting carried away like Mary Poppins. I’m getting a patent on that word, by the way.  It sounds very expialidocious. Um diddle diddle!

The Ear, a show I attended the following night courtesy of its marketing and communications director– Hampus Svard, was about classical composers competing for the rendering of a fine earful.  There were a few dissonant entries but I was happy to see an effort being made for the revival of beautiful music amongst young people.  And I dressed like Mozart. With a few Austrian inspired frills peering through a pant suit, only with Gucci logo printed all over, I felt like I played my part.

I listened to every note and the strings always got to me– piano, violin, cello. They all seem to have been my own heartstrings being tugged on. Seeing friends, Paul Ewing [of EMI Records, Hong Kong] with his wife Rebecca at the event was also a delightful treat.

Then came the night at Per Se, with nine courses turned twelve. As a three Michelin stars restaurant, Thomas Keller’s east coast version of his French Laundry at Napa Valley is worth talking about on separate post.  I guess you could say, I ate my way through New York that last night. The snow was beginning to melt, but the wind still nearly blew me away!  Had I not eaten enough?

Enjoy my little video below.  It has photos of the courses I had at the famed Thomas Keller restaurant!

November 21, 2018
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