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Time is getting very short in New York, so I am doing the final few things on my must see and must try list. Today I will be focusing on the east side of New York, and first on my list is to revisit one of my favourite restaurants of the trip, ABC kitchen near gramercy park. There are many great restaurants in this area and I am certain I have missed trying quite a few, but there is only so much you can do in two months. The reason I love this restaurant so much - really fresh organic produce means very healthy flavoursome dishes, but they do the best icecream sundae I have ever tasted. Homemade salted caramel icecream, caramel covered popcorn, roasted peanuts and homemade hot chocolate fudge sauce. Add it to your list of restaurants to eat at in New York, and then afterwards go shopping in the amazing homewares store attached. I treat myself to the prix fixe menu! Pea and carrot soup, pork ragu with one giant ravioli with ricotta and egg, and the sundae to finish - all exceptional.
Then there was some last minute shopping in sephora (makeup and cosmetics every brand you can think of) and Barnes and noble (a great bookstore).
I then move to the upper east side to see the museum of New York - a museum devoted to the history and things unique to the city. It's small but really interesting and worth a visit. There were two displays that really caught my interest - the first a discussion on demographics of household size in New York and the challenges this presents. The "typical"family of two adults and kids under 25 is just 18% of the population, the same percent again are couples, and 33% are people living alone. There is a huge room devoted to models of smaller size buildings designed for single occupancy with a fully functional living space with purpose built furniture. A tour guide took me through the space and I was amazed how well thought out everything was and that the space did not feel cramped. The bed in the wall moved easily into place with little effort. I could live in this future space, it would be impossible to be a hoarder in this future dwelling.
The other exhibit which was so interesting was an exhibition of clothes designed by Stephen burrows (black New York clothes designer) whose clothes were made for the 70's black disco scene. His clothes were designed for movement, and to be light and show off the body. There was music from the era playing, and lots of tales from the disco era.
The museum is on 104th street so I am in east Harlem as I make my way to the subway station, right in the heart of the projects. I see there is a van pulled up which has been converted into an impromptu stage and kids are sitting on the sidewalk, waiting to be entertained. Another kid in a car driving past takes aim with his toy gun and pretends to shoot me. I can't imagine how hard it must be to grow up in this neighbourhood. The path to crime is all around them, a daily temptation.
I stop at an unexpectedly cool bar - the Lexington social - that has $4 sangria and tapas and a mixed crowd. They have devils on horseback! And truffled fries so of course I order them and enjoy the retro classics and watch life go by. A nice way to finish my day in the city. I leave on Sunday and only have one day left in manhattan, and still am discovering new things, new neighbourhoods.
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