New York is like my Godmother, Tona - giving the finger can often mean a term of endearment!! One of the many, many things I love about New York! There is a direct, unapologetic confidence in its culture. Walking past construction workers is pretty common, and it never fails, I always get some kind of greeting! "Beautiful mama! You're beautiful!" And I respond back with, "...well thank you my friend, you're beautiful too!!!" Yes indeed, NYC has been my soul city since long before I first visited. I know some of you can relate and some of you cannot. If you love charmingly, risque' stories and delectable food, welcome!!! And thank you for joining me on tableforsue.com! oxox
To briefly share, likely redundantly, I have been in love with theater since I can remember. My maternal grandma and I shared a deep connection through our passion for film and stage theater. I was so, so young when I truly felt it in my soul that I was an artist. Performing on stage is my ultimate love language. Studying artists, being inspired by the writing, directing, costumes, characters, etc. It all has just given me the most natural high of happiness to be a part of in any small or big way that I can. Gramma and I watched the Oscars together every year and we would make sure we saw every film before Oscar night. I don't care if I am 51. I still haven't given up on my dream to accept an Oscar at The Academy Awards! Gramma smiles from heaven knowing that I never give up. Anyway, I dreamed about New York City, had pictures in my room, studied its history, reveled in all things Broadway, and planned to graduate high school, be a live-n nanny in NYC, and find a way to be an actress. Things do not always go according to plan. I am not one to have regrets. Too many extraordinary blessings and lessons to wish I had taken different paths.
I never made it to New York City until a year after my grandma passed away in 1998. I was just under 30 years old. I will never forget it as long as I live and each and every summer thereafter!! One of my dearest college friends, Brian, (you can see him in "Be Our Guest" blog) has lived in New York for over 20 years. When I returned from teaching in Namibia, and after my divorce, I finally booked my first trip to visit Brian in NYC. Our other friend, Collin and I were going to go together. (The two ushers in my wedding oxoxoxo). Brian had only lived there a few years at that time and in those first few summers, he had some interesting living arrangements. Always comfortable. Always lovely. Just small because it's New York! Sinatra doesn't sing, "...if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere..." for nothin!! That first time though!!! New York City is HOT HOT HOT in the summer. Duh!! So we always spent half of our 10 days on Fire Island! That is another blog! My favorite place on earth actually!! Then we would spend the rest of our time in the city. My very first Broadway show was Rent. I know it sounds dramatic, but during intermission I sobbed outside because it was so unbelievably amazing! The performances literally took my breath away! I was HOOKED!!!
I would love to share more stories about my visits to Brian every summer for about a decade. One summer I even stayed for the whole summer with my sweet Missy cat. Since I have always been a teacher, I only knew New York City in the hottest time of the year. I always visited in June, July or August. Usually June - Gay Pride - or July - 4th of July. Since this is a food blog, I don't want to veer too far off the food track. Here's one fave story: We were 30 and Brian took me up these stairs to what looked like an apartment door with a big star on it. "Red". We open the door and OMG it's a nightclub!! While Brian was visiting with a friend, I was approached by this darling stripper who said his name was Jean Claude'. Oh yes, he had a French accent! (tongue roll). It was a gay night club, but I sensed Mr. Claude' leaned straighter than his clients. He truly was sweet. Soft. (Mannered! 😈)
He asked if he could give me a private dance and I was like, "...sure, but how much!" He said 20$ and I was like okay!! We went to a back room where other guys were getting 'not so private' dances too. Jean Claude' began dancing as I sat on this bench. When he pulled out his "Bon Appetit" all open aired, I was like, "hey!!! I'm from Minnesota! No nudity!" lol. Seriously! I had been to gentlemen's joints in Minneapolis and definitely no nudity. So I was SHOCKED!!!! He put the French Fry away out of respect for my bewilderment and just danced. After, he asked me if he could take me to a diner after his shift. I told him which corner to meet me on at 4am. LOL. I didn't think too much of it, but then Brian and I ended up hailing a cab back to his place right around that time. I SHIT YOU NOT - when Brian and I got out of the cab, another cab pulled up and out comes Jean Claude'!! Brian recognized him right away as the stripper from "Red" and he scratched his head and goes, "It's not my birthday!" We died of laughter as we often did!! Sorry, he's here for me!! Anyway, the French Stripper and I ended up having a lovely morning on the streets of NY getting early bakery and coffee and sharing conversation. He was lonely and needed some normalcy even if just for half a day. It was a very sexy half a day I must say! I will never in my life forget his kiss goodbye. And we never spoke again. The end.
Fast forward some highs and lows, break ups, pandemics, new love, & rest...... I had not been to New York City since 2013 or 14 when the man I thought I was going to marry one day just said like he was saying, 'let's go for coffee', "I don't love you anymore." I went to see Brian and spent 10 days in NY and I remember being numb with heartache. Having matured and not being as rebellious as we once were, Brian and I flee'd to Fire Island so I could lick my wounds from my surprising break up. Thank God for gay husbands!
Even though I have been with Lars 9 years now, he always told me that he was not a fan of NYC. Go figure! Well, a few months back he asked me to plan a weekend there for us because he knows how much I love it and we go to wine country wine country wine country - :) After almost a decade away from the city that never sleeps, I was going to plan a two night, three, full day weekend for me and my love! This would be a totally different NYC than what I am used to. I am used to going in the summer for about two weeks. Not in the spring for a weekend. I was excited, but it was impossible to get everything in. So I had to pick and choose. Lars and I travel so well together!! Ultimately, we had such a lovely time and covered quite a bit! Good news & good news - we would do some planning differently so we have to return soon! I love, love that Lars was open to try NYC out with me. And I even more love that he would totally go back! Yay! Join us on our romantic & delicious New York City weekend!
Lars does not relax at home. He is going CONSTANTLY. I love that New York whisked him into submission! 😁
When we first arrived, we dropped our luggage, had pizza, and Lars needed a nap. I walked around Queens, enjoying the cool breeze and taking in how much of Long Island City has grown. Oh, and visited with some construction workers! Lol
Our hotel room was very cozy and fun - like a boutique hotel or air b n b type vibe!
Cute right!?
So my very first blog is about "M. Wells." About 20 years ago, this was my most memorable restaurant because I had gnocchi made with foi gras & like the best wedge salad of my life. M. Wells is in Brian's neighborhood of Long Island City, Queens. Love how it's an old taxi garage repurposed!
Brian met us and we had cocktails outside... (meh)
And dinner inside. Yup, I was one of those guests who asked to sit outside, then asked to go inside. Isn't that just horrible?! Brian, Lars and I tried several menu offerings. I know this may sound cuckoo, but this "cowfoot" soup was incredibly good. My favorite was the spring pea pesto. I didn't try the meat or the foot. The boys enjoyed. The other lamb dish was not my cup o tea.
This was their 'dream' burger, their steak frites, a buttermilk salad with lentil shoots, and a cod gratin! The burger and salad were lovely. I was a bit bummed about M. Wells on this evening. There were a few out of the ordinary service surprises and I was underwhelmed with most of the food and drinks, however, as we shared as our dinner conversation this evening, many places have been hit hard over these past years and finding good employees is yet another layer of challenge. I believe M. Wells is a special, neighborhood spot in LIC! The food is always fresh, sustainable and evolving! The vibe is one of the best I have ever come across. It would make sense to go here in shorts and flip flops OR in black tie attire. For reelz!! I'll be back soon sweet little spot! And I promise to stay in one seat. 😝
The next day, Saturday, was just perfect weather wise. We met Brian and headed for a brunch that I was so excited about on the Upper West Side!! -Lars, Me, Bri
There you go friends! If you are in NYC, you gotta go to Jacob's Pickles!! 509 Amsterdam! I saw them featured on a cooking show I love called, "The Best Thing I Ever Ate." I immediately made a reservation for our NYC weekend. They were awesome about adding a third party! :)
Brian ordered their pickle margarita! He said it cured whatever was ailing him! Genius idea!
I have been having a sweet tooth lately so I opted for a chocolate espresso martini - anddddd I'm drunk. lol
Their menu!!!! None of us knew where to land!
We started with a flight of pickles and their fried green tomatoes! Honestly, best fried green tomatoes I have ever had!! Yes, Texas!!! I said it! I loved their crunch! We had rosemary jalepeno's, the big pickle, horseradish pickles, and sweet/spicy pickles. We loved them all! Wished we had tried some of the green beans or carrots!
Brian had their special, which was a pulled pork sandwich. I forgot to grab a photo. I found it to be too sweet. I decided to order the Midnight Mac and Cheese! I wanted the Patty Melt. I always get a Patty Melt! But my first love is mac and cheese and I never order it. I am trying to be kinder to my tummy. I couldn't resist and so I ordered it and ate 1/3! Brought the rest to our room and ate it AT MIDNIGHT!!!! Holy shit it was good! Spicy sausage and a fried egg with creamy, punchy mac & cheese! Nailed it! It was a perfect portion too!
I was PUMPED that Lars ordered the Hot Nashville because it was SOOOOOOO good too! I want to go back to Jacob's Pickles! I want to work there! I want to meet Jacob! The space, the vibe, the service. the food!!!!! 5/5 kisses!!
Time to walk off our brunch. The perfect city for walking! Such a beautiful, spring day!
Lars ain't a fan of the kissy pictures he says. I love them. I could kiss people all day long. Especially in Central Park. Especially Lars. ox
"And just like that..... we're 50-something!!"
Sue & Brian friends since 1990 - Spring 2023 Central Park
Notice how I ended up in Central Park with heels on!? It was not planned. Boring and who cares, but my new sandals hurt worse than the heels so I ended up grabbing some Nikes in NY! I was only miserable for a short time and so mad at myself for such a rookie move! Ugh. My two guys had to put up with me til I found 'big O' type relief in these sneakers!! Always pack one trusty pair of walking shoes when you travel. Duh.
Hell ya I wore those sneakers for the rest of the trip. I may never be able to wear fancy shoes again! This is such a great old school steak joint not far from Times Square.
This is Sunday because when we went to Gallaghers on Saturday evening, it was raining and we couldn't take pictures. lol Lars favorite part!
We didn't hesitate and ordered some Napa Cab right away. It was delicious! Unfortunately, Lars and I now know that we need either a 5pm dinner time before an 8pm show or a late night dinner. Late night dinner would be obvious since he likes eating later. I told him we can hit a great deli after a Saturday night show next time. We had Jacob's Pickles for brunch at noon and 7 hours later we were eating steak and shrimp. This was a flaw in our plan that we will correct. Lars and I would have LOVED to relax and enjoy Gallagher's. Their servers were kick ass!!! The ambiance was so old school. We would have loved to have some things from the raw bar first.
Even though I always always always go for a wedge salad, I was in the mood for a chopped! There's something about a good steak house and a chopped salad. This was PERFECT! It is all about the ratio of ingredients and dressing and Gallagher's nails it!
They gave me this for my fried shrimp which I loved!!!! But it just made me want oysters :(
Lars chose creamed spinach for the side. I think Lars' creamed spinach is really amazing, but I loved Gallagher's too. It was so vibrant in spinach flavor which I loved because some are too garlicky or rich and you can't get spinach.
It has been FOR-EVER since I ordered fried shrimp. It was one of the best orders I have made in a while! So good! I just like mine with hot sauce or spicy cocktail sauce and horseradish because I would eat fresh horseradish on anything. I gave Lars two. 😍
So the main event was a solid fumble. We are so going back for their porterhouse. Lars ordered their ribeye and he is very steak-savvy. He sous vi's & prepares steaks weekly. I had a bite and I thought it was yummy. I love a charred flavor and I love rare too. But Lars ate the whole thing and said it was surprisingly tough! and not so photogenic to boot. They gave him some mystery sauce that tasted like French dressing? 🥹
4/5 kisses!!
The subway was particularly busy for our ventures! Whew! Sardines! But I don't care! I love it all! Especially 42nd street!! Broadway here we come!
Time for Hamilton!
I have not seen nearly enough broadway musicals, but the dozen I have seen I have been madly in love with. Madly. I will say that I loved most of Hamilton. There were some extraordinary performances in the cast! I smiled and laughed and felt that joy and that energy that fills my soul. It just didn't quite hit me through that last layer to my core like all of the others. Lars was tuckered from a long day with two big meals so he took a pricey lil nap for part of the time. 😃
"Taxi!!" Times Square in the rain at midnight! God I ❤️ New York!
The city can kick your ass! LOL
When I first met Lars 9 years ago, one of the things he wrote in his profile was that he was always on the quest for the perfect burger. Sooooo, when I was researching places to go in NYC, I found Suprema Provisions in more than one source for having a great burger. On our final day before catching our evening flight, we started with some Sunday Bloody Mary's. 5 kisses because I love love that there was lots of fresh horseradish and the name was "San Marzano Bloody Mary." So you know it's the best! Slurp!! mmmmmm
Our table was so lovely. It was inside, but the whole wall had open windows so it was like we were outside too. This was their salmon & ricotta crostini. Delicious!! Our sweet server said we knew how to order! :)
Well, since we came for the beloved burger, that is what we both had. It had bacon jam and a Spanish ham, aged cheddar and exceptional beef, of course. We loved having charred brussel sprouts on the side! I discovered on this day that Lars and I are very similar when it comes to the perfect burger. We both prefer a more classic burger with lettuce and tomato. I was not crazy about this bun. It was dry and did not taste great. So far my favorite burger is the cheeseburger at Shake Shack! Lars loves a green chili burger! And the best one he ever had was in New Mexico.
Suprema Provisions was a joy on a Sunday before a show! 4/5 kisses for excellent food and service!
Lars ate his with a knife and fork - I mean!!! 🙄
And we saved the BEST til last!!! I was so excited to see Nathan Lane in Pictures from Home! We headed to Studio 54 for a 3pm show!!
All three of these actors did such a beautiful job with this play! Lars even loved it and believed that the role of Larry Sultan's father was made for Nathan Lane. It was so nostalgic and filled with both humor and drama. We loved it so much! And yes, I had to send some colorful socks back stage for the cast with a card that read; "...one does need a hint of color." Love love love !!
My excitement was how I felt when I was a little kid. We really need to feel that more.
Funny story - Lars was seated and we had some time before the show started. It was going to be a 2 hour play with no intermissions so I decided to grab us a couple of waters. The bartender rang up my two bottles of water and it was $14! Gulp. Oops. As I was paying, the next lady ordered a double champagne and it came in this cute little to go cup. I was like, "oh, yes, Lars will love to sip on some champagne!" I then asked for the same thing she ordered and the very lovely bartender got me one, rang me up again, and this time it was $60!!! Oh my gosh!!! I didn't have the heart or guts to change my mind when there was a line of people! I just looked at the lady and said, "I hope it's good!" I went back to our seats and after his first sip Lars said, "...not very good champagne." "Really?" I said. I thought it was yummy! lol. We both finished it and I came home with the dollar store mug and decided not to tell him. He's no dumb dumb and I am quite sure he knew it was overpriced. Should've been 30$ for a half bottle not $60. :(. You're so worth it Mr. Lane!!
One of my favorite things about coming home from NYC is coming home with Playbills and Metrocards! Thank you my honey for such a romancy time together in The Big Apple! I am the luckiest girl in the world to be loved by you!! Even with my challenging, "New York state of mind...." oxox
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