I traveled back up to Midtown to meet with my sweet friends, Mer, Jamie and Lauren who took me out to lunch. We met at No. 7 Sub in the Ace Hotel and walked over to Madison Park.
Mer ordered her own since she prefers the non-meat variety. The three of us ordered three sandwiches - Ham with pickled blueberries, red onions and Muenster, Broccoli with lychee muchim, ricotta salata and pine nuts and the Zucchini Parm with fontina, sweet onion, pickled jalapenos and bbq potato chips - and divided them three ways. I loved all of them but the zucchini won best of show for me that day.
I parted ways with the girls and headed down to the southern tip of Manhattan to get on a ferry to accomplish one last very big thing that I had not done yet. I've been on the Staten Island ferry and went past the Statue of Liberty but this was the first time I stepped foot on the island.
I'm disappointed that it's closed for renovations inside but the view and the walk around the island was worth it.
I also got off the ferry to go into the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. The great hall was beautiful and it's overwhelming to think what the immigrants went through after stepping onto land for the first time after a very long journey. These were strong people who wanted to have a better life for themselves and their children. I have an enormous respect for people who are willing to leave the familiar for something built on hope.
I had to return to the apartment one last time to return my keys. I walked along one of my favorite streets on the west side of Stuyvesant Park and cut through the park to take a picture of this man. I stepped in dog crap on the way which I couldn't help laughing about.
My last trip to my rooftop to check out the view. Some of my happiest moments were on that rooftop.
All of this led to meeting with lovely Trish at Gramercy Tavern. I couldn't have planned this night any better.
I told the server that it was my last night in NYC and she brought out a couple of dishes we didn't order to let us try them.
We split everything which makes dining so much more fun. For our starters, we ordered the heirloom tomato salad with shishito peppers and pickled fennel.
We didn't order this but it turned out to be one of our favorites. It's the octopus cappelletti, grilled chicory, fennel and lobster sauce. I had never eaten octopus that was so tender.
We also had the duck liver mousse, pickled vegetables and toasted bread.
This was my favorite of the entrees - pork chop, eggplant, corn and cippollini onions. I cannot get enough corn, tomatoes or watermelon in the summer.
We ordered the baked rigatoni, charred tomato, eggplant, pickled pepper and mozzarella and also delicious.
And our server brought out the chicken breast & sausage, tomato, peach and scallions because I mentioned to her how the chicken at Gramercy was the best chicken I have ever had.
Around this point, the chef, Michael Anthony, walked by to talk to the table next to us and I was a little celebrity struck. He's pretty amazing. I was tempted to say something to him but I just couldn't cross that line.
I always make sure I have room for dessert because it is always mind blowing. We shared the strawberry pie with fresh mint ice cream and the blueberry corn ice cream sundae with toffee popcorn. The pie was our favorite hands down. I think mint ice cream should always be served with strawberry pie after this meal.
We said our goodbyes and I walked back to my hotel. I wanted to write about Saturday but it turned into a chaotic day - lots of errands of items I can only buy in NYC. I got on the train that afternoon and arrived in DC. It has since been a long week but now I'm completely unpacked and I have plants. I'm pretty much ready for DC.
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