We were totally captivated by a café solely committed to perfecting one French treat, Le Croque Monsieur....basically a grilled sandwich on white sourdough bread filled with ham, cheese, and a bechamel sauce. And that’s the whole point behind this eatery -- to bring this popular burger-equivalent sandwich to New York and make it stick. “You’ll find it everywhere in France,” Nola, the woman behind the counter, told us one day while sliding a freshly made croque onto our tray. “It’s so hearty, so simple, it’s just perfect.” There are variations offered on this theme, therefore I was able to order a vegetarian combination of portobello mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, pine nuts, and goat cheese, while my husband had roasted turkey, sage, cranberry sauce and provolone all melted together.
Sandwiches in tow, we climbed the steps stopping to read the framed pieces on the wall that were paying tribute to a number of authors. We then learned from Nola that Anais Nin, the French writer who resided in this very old brownstone, had purchased her own printing press so that she could self-publish. There are so many aspects of walking the side streets that intrigue me, but one of the most important and satisfying is when I do my research - delving into the history behind a location or a person who lived there. Reading about Nin's life was fascinating. She was obviously a brilliant, well-traveled woman and a prolific writer who spent time with some of our greatest authors - many who were lovers - and she was even married to two men, simultaneously. Nin kept diaries her entire life, so there is much to be learned about her. Oh to have the time to read more...