Meet 33rd Street
What better way to kick off a Manhattan Sideways day than with an early morning half-pound pastrami sandwich alongside some potato latkes? The 2nd Ave Deli may have lost the accuracy of its name when it moved in 2007, but it certainly did not lose the traditional excellence accrued over decades in its original location.
Leaving the deli, we were surrounded by culinary delights on the opposite side of the street. Lined up, one right after the other are Cask (American), Nomado (Japanese), and Le Parisien (take a wild guess), and S’Mac (mac n’ cheese) (Lost Gem). What an array of choices for the denizens of the block, whether dining out, or eating in. And then there is Middle Branch (Lost Gem), a cocktail bar infused with sophistication.
Quality House Wines is a city institution that I knew little about until I serendipitously spoke with the owner. The pedigree of the shop is impeccable, their wines deluxe.
Continuing west, there is no shortage of fare surrounding Madison Square Garden for steak-hungry sports fans with Wolfgang’s and Nick and Stef’s standing out in particular.
Nelly Spillane’s (Lost Gem), Rattle N Hum (Lost Gem), Legends, Foley’s (Lost Gem), Jack Demsey’s, Feile, Stout, and Blarney Rock (Lost Gem) have led to the coining of the phrase Irish Pub Way for a section of 33rd Street that runs from Fifth to Seventh Avenues. Within close proximity to the Garden, the pubs are decorated from floor to ceiling with eye-catching sports memorabilia, including boxing gloves, signed balls from every sport, and jerseys. Some of these places date back to the early 1900s and have the original tile flooring and mahogany walls. The vast selection of beers is endless, with over one hundred choices at Rattle N Hum, decent pub fare, and even a few roaring fireplaces. Fans who are not able to attend a sporting event at the Garden can view multiple flat screens showcasing any number of games going on simultaneously. There is an emphasis on soccer in one, baseball in another, and of course, football and basketball in all of them.
For those who appreciate playing a different kind of game, the Compleat Strategist carries a significant collection of board, card, and role playing games, while Fantasma Magic stocks boxed sets to teach even the novice how to create illusions, and also houses the Houdini Museum from the owner’s lifetime of collecting.
Far west, past the beautiful James A. Farley Post Office, an expansive development is underway at Hudson Yards to build a residential, retail and commercial complex. As always, the city’s landscape is constantly changing and rearranging, promising to unveil new hidden gems in the not-too-distant future.
