Camarooned in the City: Part II

Friday, we dragged ourselves out of the apartment and headed to Mud for much needed coffee before The Long Walk began. We walked through Tompkins Square Park south through the East Village and the Lower East Side. Chinatown, Little Italy, Canal Street, and then to Ted Baker in Soho for Marooned's first suit. Some were too big and some were too small, but we finally found one that was just right (with a quick trip to the tailor's to move the buttons on the jacket and hem the pants), and three shirts.

We went back to Little Italy for dinner. Our intention was to wander up and down the street, reviewing menus before making a decision, but half way down the block, the maître d' from Amici II called us from across the street. Now, I've been welcomed into various Indian restaurants along Curry Row in the past, but this man started singing O Sole Mio to us from across the street. When you meet a living caricature, you have to accept his invitation. And the food wasn't bad. We headed home early, watched TV and played cards (as has been our wont for lo these sixteen years), and went to bed at a reasonable time.


The next day, the weather was beautiful again, so we hopped the R train to 59th and 5th Avenue to see the sights of Central Park. We walked up past various sights previously detailed here, and then happened upon Strawberry Fields, where there was a gathering for John Lennon taking place at the Imagine memorial. We walked down Central Park West to Columbus Circle, and from there down Broadway to Times Square (sadly not stopping at The Bubble Lounge), and Camarooned proved himself remarkably adept at playing the /making your way through the crowds of tourists/ game. Caught the train down to the LES to retrieve the suit from the tailor, walked back up to Astor Wine & Spirits (where Camarooned kindly picked me up a bottle of Belle Vallee, which I am under strict instructions not to drink until next year), and then home to prep for East Coast Guy's birthday party.

Which was a blast. Dinner at Kin Khao, drinks (bad ass chicks from the Moulin Rouge) at the Cub Room, and a night cap at Raoul's. The food was fantastic, the company worthy of the host, and the drinks, well, they just kept coming. After walking our favourite guest to her long train back to Harlem, we headed home. The good news is that Veselka is open all night long, and the pierogies are just as good at 4 am as they are at noon.