####Evening escapades: NYC-style pizza Vs Farm-fresh fast-food

This is hard for me to say, because I love THE WHOLE IDEA of NYC-style pizza, but standing in sub-zero (celsius) conditions on the corner of Broadway and W 28th looking in the window of a cheap NYC-style pizza place with food that looked like it had been sitting in a dirty bain-marie all night we made the not-actually-too-hard-in-the-end decision to try a farm-to-table wallet-friendly New York chain called Dig Inn.

With yummy sandwiches - like the 5-spice meatball that Rob had - and veggie salads - like the amazing roasted brussel sproats, which was more my taste - Dig Inn is perfect PERFECT for travellers to the city. Before you succumb to crummy greasy burgers with undisclosed meat varieties and wilted “lettuce” check this out on your next NYC visit!

When I’m out I am usually too distracted, by eating, to photograph food so these images are compiled from the Dig Inn press kit. They’re also totally not sponsoring this or anything - although if they did I wish they’d pay me in brussel sprouts and sweet potato, those look DIVINE

####Evening escapades: Rockwood Music Hall

Near the corner of Houston and First, from the outside Rockwood looks like two tiny non-descript shop fronts. Inside, 3 separate bars host sometimes up-to (and often more than) 3 bands every night of the week.

If you love new indie music this is a perfect night out! When we didn’t love the first band so we took our Alagash White (yummy local beer) pints out in to the cold, back in to the second bar and checked out the band there instead. Awesome!

Performance schedule: www.rockwoodmusichall.com

So artsy; so SoHO!

####Saturday Brunch! Friedmans, Chelsea

Check out these surprisingly good cappacinos we had at Friedmans on 9th. Followed by really good brunch.

####Chelsea Market

After brunch we took the subway to Chelsea Market. I loved reading about the building’s history - the former HQ of the National Biscuit Factory and home to the invention of the Oreo biscuit! Stunning antique photos lined the walls as we walked in to this beautiful art deco warehouse.

It seems like more and more tech companies will move into the meatpacking district and these beautiful old warehouses. Google is across the street from the market.

Check out this beautiful light installation inside the market building…

####Financial District: World Trade Center Memorial

A subway ride south to Cortlandt Street brought us a block from the World Trade Memorial. We walked beneath the white marble wings taking shape for the new Oculus Transportation Hub towards the former WTC site. The two pools are elegant and breathtaking. I love that the courtyard around the pools, wide and open to the sky, has become a very communal space where visitors can gather.

The names etched in the memorial, with the occassional rose testifying continued vigil of victims’ relatives, is incredibly poignant.

It didn’t feel right to take smiling selfies at the WTC memorial - so these images are from the WTC Memorial website. Bottom right is the Survivor Tree, which survived the 9/11 attack (read more here)

####Battery Park in the Snow

Afterwards we walked to Battery Park…

…to look out across the floating ice towards our Lady of the Harbour.

Thank goodness for leather gloves, warm scarves and knee-high boots! SO cold!

####Which brings us to the afternoon… The Lincoln Center

So, I can never get enough arts - and NYC is pretty much my heaven. As I’ve said, a great thing about Manhattan is that you can take the subway up and down and just stop at key places you want to see - like Times Square (I guess, if you like that kinda thing!). We did this to see the beautiful, wonderous, magical center for all the performing arts any persons’ heart could desire, The Lincoln Center.

Lunch across the street at Epicerie Boulud - Daniel Boulud’s Upper East Side market/cafe/fromagerie. Not great coffee - by Australian standards - but otherwise perfect for travellers to grab a quick, warm bite. Very yummy green lentil soup for me and jambon-packed half sandwich for Rob.

####Dinner and a Show: Pre-show Dining on the Upper East Side

Dovetail is a Michelin starred restaurant a block from the Natural History Museum run by former French Laundry (Napa) chef John Fraser. Particularly enjoyed the waitress making a special effort to find a lovely Portland origin blue for our end-meal cheese and crackers. Also enjoyed a yummy locally brewed saison by NYC-based Belgian style brewhouse Ommengang.

####Dinner and a Show: Broadway!!

The center of the universe for shows (well one of the centers of the universe!).

Half Tix fulfilled the dreams of an eleven year old me - listening to a copy of the original Broadway cast burned from someone at school and imagining Caroline O’Connor on stage in black lace as Velma Kelly. Chicago at the beautiful old Ambassador Theater between Broadway and 8th was amaze - from the fantastic big band on the stage to Jennifer Nettles’ awesome performance. Every singer a triple threat. Loved it!

####Our final day: Aussie brunch

Sunday brunch at Ruby’s on Mulberry Street with flat whites on the menu and Paul Kelly lyrics on the wall. V. good bircher museli - and they even have vegemite toast. Nice to hear some Aussie accents!

As we walked out it started to snow. Caused delayed on the tarmac later, but we didn’t care!

####And that was it!

####Happy traveling!

####Liv & Rob xx