Friday, 11 April, 2014 – USA Food and Wine Tour

Today we are scheduled for a DYI picnic in a park in Brooklyn. As a resullt, Julie heads out with the walkers but then diverts to over the Bridge to Manhattan to Russ & Daughters again for smoked salmon for the picnic. Along the way:

Union Square Market
Union Square Market

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Julie's purchases this morning
Julie’s purchases this morning

I go to Breakfast which is the same menu as yesterday, OK enough. There we learn that 5 of our group (1/3) is missing due to illness. Colin and Doug suggest cancelling the picnic and going to a restaurant instead. But because Julie has already got the Salmon, we will have that in picnic environment as a first course before going to the restaurant.

There were two kiinds of Smoked Salmon and also Cream Cheese; Bagels; Salmon Roe; Cucumbers and Onions
There were two kiinds of Smoked Salmon and also Cream Cheese; Bagels; Salmon Roe; Cucumbers and Onions
The Remainder of the Group still standing at the picnic.
The Remainder of the Group still standing at the picnic.

Because of the hot sun, it is decided to throw the leftovers away, not that there was that much. We then walk to the restaurant, Juliette for the main course.

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We are joined there by John taking time off from his Nurse duties. (We understand that later he takes Anne to the hospital for a jab). The menu is not all that impressive but OK.

Smoked Salmon for Julie, the third of the day - there will be a fourth later.
Smoked Salmon for Julie, the third of the day – there will be a fourth later.
Lamb Burger for me with the usual slab of Fries. Although it does not look it, the burger was actually medium rare as advertised.
Lamb Burger for me with the usual slab of Fries. Although it does not look it, the burger was actually medium rare as advertised.

We walk back to the Hotel with Julie stopping off at a Nail Shop for a lengthy massage.

The Wythe Hotel
The Wythe Hotel

The Hotel is a highly renovated warehouse with the glass addition on the top which includes our room.

http://wythehotel.com/

Let’s try to summarise our feelings about the Wythe Hotel:

The Good

* It is relatively new with the rooms large although austere.
* It is in a good location for Brooklyn
* It has a magnificent view over the river to the Manhattan skyline. This includes a one way mirror in the bathroom which enables view of the skyline from the shower.
* The Eggs at breakfast are cooked well – an upset over some of the other brekkies.

The Bad

* The Gen Y staff can be quite narcy at times, especially with Colin
* There is no ability to do coffee or tea in the room
* There is an extensive mini-bar which means expensive
* Although the food at Breakfast was good, the menu offered no choice – one size fits all. Worse was you had a choice of Juice OR Coffee and had to pay extra if you wanted both

The Ugly

* There is a bar / disco on the 6th floor right in the middle of the Hotel rooms. It is playing loud doof doof music until all hours – 5:00 AM. We are a floor above and others a floor below it. Poor design.

Speaking of the bar, which is part of the roof top of the old part of the building, we go up there for a few cocktails. We are joined by “sickies” Tony and Aileen who have seem to improved and were disappointed that they slept through Julie’s picnic.

At the rooftop bar
At the rooftop bar

The drinks are good, there is some food with excellent olives and smoked salmon for Julie #4 for the day. We head off to bed with the only problem being the one mentioned above in “The Ugly” section.

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