Visiting New York City is always an exciting yet potentially overwhelming prospect — there’s so much to see and do, and it’s impossible to do it all. So we love it when a brief trip makes us keep to a simple itinerary. This time, the 911 Memorial was the center point of our visit. We were awed by the beauty of the Memorial’s design, and found the tour deeply moving. We were also fascinated by the engineering of One World Trade Center, the rebuilt World Trade Center building (formerly called the Freedom Tower), whose entire structure (1,776 feet) was built with an interior thick concrete enclosed stairwell with a separate stair system for rescue workers.
Discover | The Highline - New York, New York 10011.
The Highline — an urban linear park built upon an historic elevated freight rail line — has accomplished much after 15 years of public advocacy. Abandoned by the railway in 1980, it lay dormant until local residents founded The Friends of the Highline to rally public support for its preservation and improvement. Now it’s 1.45 miles of safe, quiet walking in the heart of the city. The park's popularity has led to the revitalization of the Chelsea neighborhood, including a Zaha Hadid project that surprised us as we rounded one of the bends.
While others have described its curving windows as futuristic, to us they invoke a particular slice of ‘70s architecture at its best.
Nourish | Roman's 243 Dekalb Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205.
This Italian-inspired spot in Brooklyn’s Fort Greene neighborhood was recommended by a number of friends in Portland, Oregon. We enjoyed our meal there so much that we went right back for a second dinner the next evening. Sitting outside on a late summer evening, we thought each of our three courses beyond outstanding – especially the braised beef shank with polenta. A desert of cardamom ice cream was a heavenly way to finish the meal.
Stroll | Central Park - 848 Columbus Circle, New York, New York 10019.
We woke early one morning for a stroll through Central Park. Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, it was established in 1857 and encompasses 778 acres. The happy chatter of schoolchildren and dog walkers on the path transported us from the rush and bustle of the city, and a coffee shop in the center of the park was an oasis for a much-needed drink without having to return to the busy throng. As we came upon the gates to the zoo, we wished it were open, but settled for a peek through the bars to watch the seals. Surrounded by some of the most beautiful buildings in the city, this old standby remains a soothing reprieve from the noise and traffic outside its stone walls.