A great Mrs. Maisel tour. Amazing food. And a gorgeous day in Central Park.
I was in New York City recently for travel meetings that were part of a great, annual event called International Media Marketplace. Always enjoy meeting with tourism folks and getting new ideas for stories, so thank you to everyone who took the time for a talk. And thanks to Destination Canada and Visit California for great evening receptions, too!
I don’t want to go to NYC for just meetings, so we usually stay the weekend after IMM and do some walking about and touring.
COTE Korean bbq in New York City. JESSIE CAYABO PHOTO
This year, we snuck in a couple of sensational meals; one at COTE, a remarkable Korean barbeque place in lower midtown.
I haven’t had a great deal of exposure to Korean cuisine, but what I’ve had (bulgogi, mostly) I’ve quite enjoyed. This, however, was something else entirely; a Michelin-starred place with awesome craft cocktails and some of the best beef I’ve had anywhere on the planet.
There’s a large fireplace/grill in the middle of your table, and they bring out remarkable cuts of meat (and other items) that you grill yourself. You can even check out the meat locker in the basement if you wish.
Our meal went on forever, with wagyu beef and other prime cuts dripping with flavour. We also had some great veggies and fatty, perfect Korean bacon.
A lovely salad at Benoit in New York City. JIM BYERS PHOTO
It’s an outstanding restaurant that definitely deserves its Michelin star.
We also had a very different but equally tasty meal at Benoit, an Alain Ducasse restaurant up near Central Park. It was NYC Restaurant Week, so we took advantage of the three-course, fixed price dining option at $42 apiece and had wonderful duck and salmon, along with a beautiful bottle of French wine.
I must admit I haven’t seen more than a handful of Marvellous Mrs. Maisel television shows, but the ones I’ve seen I absolutely loved. The dialogue is perfect and smart and New York snappy, the costumes outstanding and the acting superb.
So, when a friend suggested we try the Mrs. Maisel tour with On Location Tours I jumped at the chance. And was very happy I did. We had a terrific guide who was quick with the quips and one-liners, and who pointed out a number of places used in the filming of the show.
The Mrs. Maisel tour of New York City includes the famous butcher shop from the “We got the rabbi” episode. JIM BYERS PHOTO
We started at 34th and Fifth outside CUNY, which is a stand-in for B. Altman’s department store, where Midge works in the show. We also stop at the Old Town Bar, which has a ton of character and was used in one of the episodes where a couple of male characters have a drink.
Another highlight was McSorley’s in the East Village, another fantastic pub, as well as the tiny but totally atmospheric Music Inn, where Midge goes to buy records in season one.
The highlight for most folks is a small butcher shop in Greenwich Village which has become famous for the “We got the rabbi” scene. This being the age of social media, several folks had to get out of the bus and take photos and do their own “We got the rabbi” scenes for the folks back hen if you haven’t gobbled up all three seasons of The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel, you’ll be entertained along the way and probably see some parts of the city you haven’t seen before, such as the place that is said to be the first shop in the United States to make cappuccino. Definitely worth the price of admission ($52 USD).
Central Park in January. Yep, January. JIM BYERS PHOTO
On our last day in town, it was a warm nine degrees Celsius with clear skies and no wind, so we took a long walk from the Kixby Hotel on 35th up to Central Park and then on to the Met, where we used our CityPASS to get free admission and enjoyed some of the world’s best art.
Central Park remains one of the great urban parks on the planet, with lakes and ponds and hills and towering trees and non-stop entertainment from the folks who live in and visit The Big Apple.
Madison Square Garden. JIM BYERS PHOTO
We also took in a Billy Joel concert at Madison Square Garden, which was a treat of epic proportions. The man puts on a tremendous show and can still rock and roll like a 40-year-old. He even brought out Jon Bon Jovi for a couple tunes, which delighted the New York audience to no end.
I loved the entire show, but a sing-along version of “Piano Man” with 18,000 of your newest friends is truly special. He’s been playing MSG once a month for several years now, and I’m sure he’ll be at it a while longer, so don’t miss your chance.
New York City. There’s nothing like it.
