Month: November 2019

New York and the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation Day 5 “Showtime!” November 9, 2019

by reissmd, posted in New York City, Uncategorized

Today we felt obligated to workout again since clearly we have not slowed our eating at all. So with this tremendous urge to exercise upon us we rested until it passed. Then we set out for lunch at the Brookyn Diner (155 W 43rd St, New York, NY 10036). The diner is know for its excellent (but overpriced) food. Then we took a short walk to look at the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree which was delivered yesterday and is getting readied for the tree lighting ceremony on December 4th.

We were told that the tree came from Florida which was a surprise to me. Another source said it came from Orange County. That too seemed hard to believe. I later learned that both statements were correct. The tree started its journey 58 miles north of New York city in a place called Florida, Orange County, New York,

The 77 foot tall Rockefeller Center Christmas tree being installed at its final resting place.

A little further down the road we saw this sign that to me said, “Californians Go Home”.

“Californians go home !” sign. This is nothing, temperature will dip to 28 degrees.

We then headed to see the show Hadestown, winner of 8 Tony Awards. The show was excellent. Music, story, staging, and choreography were all a treat. At the end of Act I there was show-stopper song entitled “Why We Build the Wall” which was sung by the character Hades. In case you are not up on your Greek mythology, Hades was King of the Underground.

The lyrics went like this:

Why do we build the wall?
We build the wall to keep us free.
That’s why we build the wall.
How does the wall keep us free?
The wall keeps out the enemy.
Who do we call the enemy?
The enemy is poverty.

I wonder if the lyricist was thinking of any other wall builder when she wrote the song that was sung by the King of Hell?

After a rest at the hotel we were on our way back to Broadway. We saw a delightful musical comedy called “Tootsie”. It is based on the movie of the same name. It was funny and enjoyable. The only sad part of the show was that its conclusion marked the end of our trip. I am not sure if I will have time to post tomorrow or if I will have anything worth talking about (Did I hear someone ask, “Does he ever have anything worth talking about?”). I hope to talk to you soon.

New York and the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation Day 4 “The Birthday Celebration Continues” November 8, 2019

by reissmd, posted in Uncategorized

This morning we thought about working out but didn’t. Instead we went for breakfast at an excellent restaurant inside the hotel, The Lamb’s Club. Somehow they also knew about Patrice’s birthday and gave us a little treat.

How sweet.

Our hotel is fantastic (The Chatwal, 130 West 44th Street). This is our first time staying here. It is a Marriott property but only has 72 rooms. A number of the staff have called me by my name. That means either they are incredibly nice and attentive to details or know me because I have been such a pain they couldn’t forget my name if they tried. Or maybe they are blog followers? There are all sorts of nice things about the service,

In the evening this service tray was on our bed when we returned to the room,
I left these cables on the desk and at night they wrapped them for us into this neat coil.

If you would like a tour of our room check out this 3 minute YouTube video. https://youtu.be/vCTJlvK24H4

After breakfast, Patrice convinced me to work out against my better judgement. I ran (that is a euphemism for what was more like a jog) for 3 miles. As I left the gym the attendant asked if I needed anything. I am not sure if she meant some sort of toiletries or a paramedic. I gratefully said no and returned to the room for a nap.

Dinner was at Sardi’s (234 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036) a traditional Broadway restaurant. The meal was good but not nearly as special as The Modern or Gramercy Tavern. The best part was the location, just 2 blocks from our hotel and across the street from the Shubert Theater where we saw Ed Harris in “To Kill a Mockingbird”. The play was very well performed and the message remains true. But of course it is a very depressing story. I enjoyed it a lot more when I read it in high school than I did tonight. Plus it was a bit cold outside. It was 33 degrees when we were walking back to the hotel. The wind made it feel even colder reminding us of Iceland. We are Californians and we don’t do well in the cold. See below.

Does this look like a person ready to deal with the cold?

More fun for tomorrow.

New York and the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation Day 3 “Birthday Celebration?” November 7, 2019

by reissmd, posted in New York City

Today is Patrice’s birthday. What a wonderful idea to enjoy your birthday in the “Big Apple”. Well, not quite. Today we spent the entire day in an office with a bunch of researchers much smarter than me (I know that isn’t saying much) discussing proposals for funding of inflammatory bowel disease research. Patrice and I act as Stakeholders for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation. As such we review applications for funding by the Foundation and voice our opinions about which studies should be approved. At the meeting we sit amongst a bunch of researchers who discuss very technical proposals and we try to understand what is being said. The experience for me is like watching Spanish television. I understand a word or two but the meaning often escapes me. Needless to say, this is not how you would probably plan to spend your birthday. But it is incredibly rewarding to feel like we are helping the cause that means so much to us.

After the meeting I wanted to go to the hotel gym and work out. But I didn’t.

Instead we did a bit of chilling in the room until heading out for a birthday dinner celebration at Gramercy Tavern (42 E 20th St, New York, NY 10003). This place was recommended to us by one of the managers at The Modern where we dined two nights earlier. Apparently one of their former employees is the general manager at Gramercy Tavern. Both restaurants have the same owner.

Patrice has said that The Modern is her favorite restaurant. Well Gramercy Tavern is right up there too. This restaurant has had a Michelin star rating for the past 11 years (The Modern has two Michelin stars). The food was incredible as was the service. It was not just food but rather an experience.

They started us off with Roasted Cauliflower with whipped Ricotta Cheese to
“Wake up your palette”
Next we had “Whole Wheat Angel Rolls with Goat Cheese Butter”

Those first two items were just add ons. Next we had the first thing we actually ordered and that was:

Ruby Red Shrimp

I can’t begin to tell you how luscious this was. The shrimp were perfectly prepared. The sauce is making my mouth water as I write this sentence. The only thing that kept me from licking the plate clean were these magic words from Patrice, “If you do that, I swear, I will walk out of the restaurant and not look back for one second”. Yes, that stopped me but I would be lying if I didn’t say II did mull over my options.

Then they brought out our main course selections:

Patrice ordered: “Winter Skate with Butterball Potatoes and Almond Butter Sauce”

I never heard of Skate (fish that is) so I looked it up. It looks very much like a stingray. Not very appetizing looking but her dish was spectacular. I ordered:

Striped Bass with Cauliflower Puree Sauce

This dish tasted even better than it looked. The sauce was a bit spicy but I loved it.

The staff knew it was Patrice’s birthday so they personalized her dessert.

Apple Upside Down Cake with a personalized message
I ordered “Chocolate Hazelnut Custard”

As a present they brought us:

Chocolate Pudding Cake

And just in case we didn’t have enough sugar they brought us a couple of candies.

Peach and Amaretto on the left; Pear and Clove on the right,.

We paid the bill and had to get out before we developed diabetes. But they were not done,

Chocolate Banana Amaretto Cake as a to go gift for breakfast in the morning.

I need to go to the gym.

But first I need a nap.

New York and the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation Day 2 “A Day of Culture” November 6, 2019

by reissmd, posted in New York City, Uncategorized

This morning our guilt from last night’s never-ending meal at The Modern, was a tremendous burden so we got up early (about 11 AM) and went to the gym for a work out. After that we headed out for some food of course. Patrice found a place called “Friedman’s Kitchen and Bar” (233 W 49th St, New York, NY 10019) which was on the way from our hotel to the Museum of Modern Art (our destination for today). I was in the mood for a good New York deli, so I was all in favor.

The place looked good and the staff was friendly but I have to admit I was a bit confused by the menu which featured Grilled Fish Tacos, Chicken Tostada Bowl, and Chicken Banh Mi. I asked our hostess if the restaurant was named after the owner (“No, his name is Mr. Phillips”). She explained that the restaurant was named after Milton Friedman, the famous economist. Now I was really confused, I inquired if Milton Friedman was a gourmet among his other more notable talents. She said she didn’t know about that but she said he was known for the phrase, “There is no such thing as a free lunch”. Now it all made sense and my hopes for a Senior Discount was quickly forgotten. We got to meet the owner, Mr. Phillips, who, like his staff was a very friendly young man. The food was good and like I said the staff was great.

Our server, Matthew, Patrice, and Hostess, Jess.

After lunch we headed to MOMA. The museum recently reopened after being closed for 4 months as part of a $450 million renovation. The place looks fantastic. The design is very contemporary (hmmm, who would have guessed that?) and the layout is very user friendly. The exhibits are on 6 floors (there is a gift shop and theaters on a lower floor below the street level entrance) that are all very easy to access and laid out in a circular design letting you see all the exhibits without missing anything.

We got to see Van Gogh’s “Starry Night”, Dali’s “The Persistence of Memory”, and Warhol’s “Campbell Soup Cans”. You can also see all three of those masterpieces in our home. Of course the ones in our home are a little less valuable than the originals at MOMA. The one exception in the Campbell Soup Can in our house which is a needlepoint made by my sister, Annette, and given to me as a gift.

Starry Night by Van Gogh
Dali’s “Persistence of Memory”
Campbell’s Soup Can by Andy Warhol (I like mine better).

There were some things in MOMA that left me a little befuddled regarding their art value.

Is a man’s hairy armpit art?
What about a leg sticking out of the wall?
I think these two clocks were entitled, “A Waste of Time”.

We were just about to leave MOMA when Patrice and I got into a big fight. I found two things on exhibit that she made me throw out recently. Just think what we could do with the money we could have had from selling these two treasures (see below).

I knew my note pad had value.
“Pine Cone” An obvious treasure but not recognized by my wife.

I am sure you have had enough of my whining and complaining for one day. After all, it’s time for DINNER.

New York and the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation Day 1 “The Real Reason We Came to New York” November 5, 2019

by reissmd, posted in New York City, Uncategorized

As many of you know 2 of our 3 children have Crohn’s disease. This is an ailment that causes intestinal inflammation resulting in abdominal pain, diarrhea, difficulty absorbing nutrients among other wonderful experiences. Because of them we are very active raising money for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation (Team Reiss brought in $74,180 for the nation’s second highest total for the Take Steps program this year). We also participate on a committee that determines which scientific studies are funded by the Foundation. It is this later function that brings us to New York. But let’s be honest, the real reason is to enjoy this marvelous city.

Tonight we had an incredible meal at “The Modern” (9 West 53rd Street). We were also here in May of 2017 at which time I blogged about our dinner. Towards the end of our meal tonight, I looked for that post from 2017 and saw that we had a very similar experience at that time. We had a spectacular meal. The food was great, the service superb and the presentation was incredible.

Here is what we were served tonight:

Buckwheat Tartelette. Don’t ask me any questions. We were told to eat these with our hands and in one bite. I promptly complied. That is why you just see one in the photo (Patrice was a bit slower than me).
“Eggs on Eggs on Eggs” when it was brought to the table.
Remove the top and you find, three different types of eggs. Amazing combination.
Pretzel Croissant. Meant to cleanse our palette but with the Dijon Mustard Butter inside it did more than that.

Below you can see the Pole Beans which Patrice said was wonderful. I had the Foie Gras Tart which was beyond words. By the way if it is still Un-PC to eat Foie Gras it was Patrice who had it and I had the beans (yuck).

Pole Beans
Foie Gras Tart

More appetizers followed.

Matustake Mushroom Fricassee (Robert)
Seared Scallops (Patrice)

Then on to the main course.

Sautéed Sea Bass (we both had this)

And for dessert:

Vanilla Bavarois (Patrice)
Dark Chocolate Chantilly (Robert)

Of course they had to acknowledge Patrice’s birthday.

Happy Birthday Patrice
But just in case we had any room in our tummies they sent us home with these luscious Coconut and Mango Shumai.

Enough food?

Until tomorrow.