The Red Cat

I just ran across this thread. Interesting! Strange as it may seem, I've lived in Upstate, NY all 58+ years of my life. I've never visited NY City - only changed planes there a few times. I don't consider myself a New Yorker and I don't think anyone up here does, but I guess that doesn't stop the politicians from Downstate calling us New Yorkers. One of these days, when the rush is over, I'm going to have to spend a little time in the Big City.

Like Chef Carey said, there is nothing like it. It is changing though, so I wouldn't wait forever to go. I was there over the weekend, and dined again at the Red Cat. While there, I read Henry James’s Washington Park to provide a New York State of Mind. The story took place in New York starting in the mid 1800s. There was a Kerouacian end to a paragraph about walking out into the wilderness of 7th Avenue.

When you decide to take the plunge, please let me know, and I will recommend a couple of magic spots. I'm trying to shed American chauvinism, but when Nixon met the Chinese Premier on Central Park South, someone connected with the meeting remarked that it might be the center of the entire universe. When I read it, it rang as potentially true.

For those of you not intimate with Manhattan - there is a lacuna in 59th Street called Central Park South. When I worked for Samuel Bronston Productions our offices were on 59th Street.

But when I walked over two blocks to deliver score paper to Dimitri Tiomkin I was on Central Park South.

Howie,
I am a bit prejudiced, but really do think you should visit NYC. I think every American should make an effort to go at least once. I'd say the same about San Francisco and Chicago. One could of course make arguments for DC, Boston, Philadelphia, LA and more. But I doubt many people's short list wouldn't include NYC. If you make a trip, we'd put together an offline for you. Or you'd be welcome to stop in Westchester for dinner or lunch if you drove (my wife would be happy to cook for you, she was touched by the note about your late wife when you donated the bottle of Lafite to the Katrina auction).
Cheers

Thanks Dale, I may take you up on that offer. Like I said - when the rush is over. This spring and summer is pretty hectic - garage addition, grape trellis, new roof, gut and remodel a bedroom, blacktop the driveway, NiagaraCOOL, my Mother-In-Law's 90th birthday party, etc. If I do find time to get away it would be a trip to Maine to visit my sister and brother. But, who knows, I've been known to do crazy things on the spur of the moment, like buy a motorcycle. If there's one thing that might motivate me to take a trip downstate, it would be to make it out to Long Island if I could score some Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, which I could then blend with locally grown Cab Franc and Merlot and fill a new 60-gallon barrel. Maybe then I could spend a few days there before getting the grapes. I know I could never make Lafite, but I've always wanted to give it a shot.

Hi Howie,
There’s got to be an easier way for you to score some Long Island grapes or juice. Some of the FL and other Upstate wineries do deal with the wineries, wine-grape growers, of eastern Long Island or Premium Wine Group (PWG) of Mattituck, Long Island. So why not try to make a “connection” with those guys (Upstate). Most of the wineries and wine-grape growers (Downstate) will sell you their “surplus” of grapes if you make arrangements in advance. Supply your own containers, pick the grapes yourself or have them pick-em. As you know harvest time can be hectic, and unpredictable. Definitely give a holler if you ever get to come down to Long Island Wine Country!

Salute

Thanks Victor, I will look into LI grape contacts and a trip down there in late October might be fun.