The Unfettered Critic – October 2023

You know that television commercial that seems to get recycled every few years? The one where the old lady pitifully moans, “Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!”

This isn’t about that. Although it might as well be.

Our personal pitiful moan this month is: “Help! We’ve traveled and we can’t get up!”

The reason: We took our first post-pandemic excursion a few weeks ago! Eight days in the Big Apple, Baby! Filled with sight-seeing, culture-absorbing, food-chomping, and two separate family reunions! One with the son and daughter-in-law, one with the brother and the sister! Each including dozens of maskless hugs and kisses! (And, thankfully, no post-trip COVID!)

Our memories of the trip remain fresh and fun; it’s the physical toll that’s still fresh but not fun. New York is a city best seen on foot, and so we did our best, walking up and down the West Side, and the East Side, and into the Big Park in the middle! We prowled through four world-class museums: the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the American Museum of Natural History, the Museum of Modern Art, and the American Folk Art Museum! We marveled over Picassos, Van Goghs, old bones, and heritage quilts. (The quilts made us start looking forward to nap time.)

Before leaving home, we’d anticipated bringing back a souvenir for you, dear readers—a review of the quintessential New York experience: a Broadway show! And we almost managed it, obtaining tickets to the recently revived musical, New York, New York. But shortly before we got to NY, NY (the city), NY, NY (the play) closed, “after,” according to the New York Times, “underwhelming critics, and failing to find a sufficient audience to sustain a Broadway run.” Well…bummer! They couldn’t have waited two weeks to shutter? (Or maybe that should be “curtain?”)

Thus, feeling our obligation to you, we decided to review the trip instead.

Particularly the spectacular food!

The restaurants were plentiful and pricey. Tavern On the Green, delightfully situated in Central Park, served Jumbo Lump Crab Cake and Grilled Lamb Paillard on a lovely summer’s day. Redfarm, with its Crispy Braised Oxtail dumplings, Crab-Truffle-Corn Chowder, and Gold Coin Scallion Pancakes, reminded us that there just ain’t enough good Chinese food in the Rogue Valley. Lokal Mediterranean Kitchen plied us with all manner of wine and tasty dips. And Grand Central Station’s infamous The Oyster Bar remains grand, central, and perfect!

Our favorite, however, was Butter, Food Network master chef Alex Guarnaschelli’s oasis in Midtown. We were locked-in as soon as we read about the “Chef’s selection of house-made butter on fresh-baked Parkerhouse rolls.” Memories of what followed—Pan-seared Branzino, Beef Short Ribs with Creamy Polenta, and (saints preserve us!) Wild Maine Blueberry Crisp (`a la mode, naturally)—will forever haunt our dreams!

Now that we’re home, whether from the walking or the feeding, we’re pooped. Sleeping late—and sleeping early. Naps are de rigueur. Many naps. Per day.

Many days.

Without question, we’re living embodiments of two classic and ever-timely John Lennon songs: I’m So Tired and I’m Only Sleeping. Except that John was but in his twenties when he wrote those. We are…slightly older.

Yet despite our tired feet, and admittedly our tired jaws, dang-it, we can’t wait to do it again.

Anybody want to come along?