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“There’s nothing you can’t do, Now you’re in New York,” sings Alicia Keys in Empire State of Mind.
She’s right.
A recent long weekend in the city that never sleeps more than proved that as Keys’ song was blasted from the deck of a Circle Line Sightseeing Cruise while we gazed upon the Statue of Liberty and got back to South Street Seaport in a mere 50-minute return trip.
To say I packed a lot into this quick trip is an understatement, but that’s what you do when “you’re in New York.”
DAY ONE
PLAY ON: The hilarious and campy “Oh, Mary!’ at the Lyceum Theatre has seen playwright and star Cole Escola become a sensation after first performing off-Broadway. Escola plays Mary Todd Lincoln — complete with a tight-ringlet wig and a wide skirt — in the year 1865 as the boozy, cabaret-loving and long-suffering wife of the not-so-in-the-closet Abe Lincoln (the also excellent Conrad Ricamora). Due to popular demand, the play’s run has now been extended until January 2025.
DAY TWO
DINNER, JAZZ: The Heritage Grand Bakery Restaurant & Pizza Bar seems like a good choice for breaking bread with their claim to fame being ancient grains. My patient server, Neeraj, brings me Moroccan flatbread with lamb, ancient grain salad, heritage meatballs, ancient grain spaghetti al limon, grilled chicken and a vanilla millefeuille to go. Completely stuffed, I next head to Dizzy’s: Jazz at Lincoln Centre, an intimate, 140-seat club on the fifth floor of The Shops at Columbus Circle overlooking Central Park. There, the Kenny Dorham Centennial Celebration is underway where seven skilled musicians pay tribute to the late Texan jazz trumpeter.
DAY THREE
CRUISE, FOOD, FLIGHT HOME: On my final day, I head to the Liberty Super Express where the cruising sights along the East River and New York Harbour include the Brooklyn Bridge, the New York skyline, and the Statue of Liberty. I have a fantastically enthusiastic wedding party from Uganda on the boat with me who are happy to break into Frank Sinatra’s New York, New York — as played over the loud speakers — as we pull back into port and I feel like my work is done. But not before visiting Industry Kitchen mere steps away for a quick chicken Caesar salad and lemonade as served by Ryan with outdoor seating overlooking the water. The restaurant, however, became a household name with their 24K pizza that sells for US$2,000 per pie. Only in New York, folks. Next stop, home.
IF YOU GO
Use the New York CityPASS for Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises and more.
