NSEA -- Sheraton Four Points -- 0 Stars

We booked the Sherato Four Points in Chelsea because it was convenient to where my brother was hosting his 50th birthday party. We weren't expecting spectacular -- it was modestly priced and we would have been happy with a modest room. Which is exactly what we got. No bath mat. Plastic cups. But not "horrible" just "eh."

There the story would end if it weren't for the major failure -- no heat in the room. The hotel was booked solid. It was late. Etc. etc. etc. They did give us a space heater -- but it was one of the coldest nights of the year in New York. The thermostat said it was 55 degrees in the room. On the whole, this looked like a moderate, OK place -- but the lack of heat made this one of the worst experiences we've had lately.

Tribeca -- Part II

We left the hotel last night for dinner at Sapphire, an Indian restaurant up near Lincoln Center. The food was actually a little different from the "normal" Indian fare we are used to and well worth the effort to try out. Katy had scallops with a mango chutney for appetizer -- an unusual and tasty combination with a smoky flavor. Paul had fried Mussels Balchao that came in a spicy tomato sauce of some sort that was sharp on the tongue and had his bald head sweating in an instant. For the main course, Katy had a rather ordinary Lamb Sorrle while Paul had a much more interesting Lamb Xacutti, which featured a coconut flavor based sauce.

After that, we went the New York Philharmonic to hear another in a series of truly excellent concerts. It seems every time we go, the symphony just does a superb job. This time, they performed a short overture by Glinka and the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto. The soloist, Leonadas Kavakos, was perfect for the music -- which was much "mellower" than the normal Tchaikovsky music we've heard. At the end, he got a well-deserved standing ovation for his effort with this very difficult piece. The second half of the concert was also quite good, featuring Debussey's Noctures (the Women's chorus of New York was eerie as the "Sirens) and then Stravinsky's Firebird Suite. Overall, a fine, mostly Russian, evening of music.

This morning, we had brunch at a local French
bistro called Balthazar. This photo gives you a good sense of the place -- all hustle and bustle with a whole lot of New York action going one. Our eggs were nicely done and the place had a homey feel to it -- maybe it was the Xmas decorations, maybe it was the crowd. Maybe it was the promise of good coffee and a pastry basket that was outstanding. Whatever it was the walk was worth it and the food was lots of fun.

One last note on the trip in case anyone actually reads what we are writing. We really did like the Tribeca Grand Hotel -- it was a nice place with a good atmosphere. But last night may have broken us of that enjoyment. The bar in the open atrium was playing music, loudly, until well past 2 AM. We suppose we should have expected as much from Tribeca, but still .... Katy was up and didn't sleep well at all. So if, like us, you think 11 PM is a realistic bed time, this one might not be for you. On the plus side, when we mentioned it to the manager on check out, he told us that it had been a special private party and he promised us a quieter room the next time we came and asked us to contact him personally -- so at least they were trying to address our issues. We decided we probably would give them a second chance.

We are on the Acela now on the way home. Will be good to sleep in our own bed.

Tribeca -- New York City

We're in NYC this weekend for a post-Thanksgiving shopping and music trip. Later tonight we go to see the NY Philharmonic. We spent today shopping.

We're staying at the Tribeca Grand Hotel, which is a delightful place, especially if you want to stay down in the area around Canal street. The lobby is a wonderful covered atrium where we are sitting right now just toodling away on our computers. We were greeted last night with a complimentary glass of champagne (who could ask for more) and an upgrade to a corner room. The rooms are smallish (but I guess all NYC rooms are) but the bathroom has a nice walk in shower with a seat to sit on and an "interesting" set of stainless steel fixtures.

Last night we dined at Il Matto which means "the mad man" -- a neat new Italian restaurant that lived up to its name. Katy started with a really neat tuna tartare and Paul had a peccorino creme brule with red onion jam. Yum. For the main course, Katy had a saffron pappardella with osso busco ragu and Paul had spaghetti with sea urchin. Double yum. A nice carafe of wine completed the meal. Well done and we would go back if we were ever near by again.

For breakfast this AM, we went to 12 Chairs. The OJ was =really= fresh squeezed and the poached eggs Paul had came with an "Israeli salad" of tomoatos and cucumbers and were covered in a mildly spicy Moroccan tomato sauce. Katy's challah french toast was the perfect texture -- not to soft and not over cooked either. Another nice place to visit.