The iconic bar visit

Today I learned about this bar, and decided I want to visit it:

The Library, in the NoMad Hotel in Manhattan, is a two level library with fully curated volumes that cover everything from the history of New York to the history of classic cocktails. 

It is #3 on this list: Welcome to the World of Library Bars (there are some other neat ones too)

Post script: this one fooled me. It's in a new hotel, they filled it with old stuff. Still interesting, but hardly iconic - yet!

I have sought out and visited a few iconic and historic bars in my travels, and have found the experiences to be memorable. And definitely worth the effort:

Here are my blog posts about a few:

Harry's Bar in Venice, where they invented the Bellini.

The Campbell Apartment (in Grand Central Station) in New York City, which is in Grand Central Station.

A little less intentional, and not even named in my blog post about it, was my birthday in Le Jules Verne in Paris.

In the Big Apple: Leaving New York

Me and my friend Lisa Ch, who I mentioned in my last post (sans pictures):
Lisa showing off her ring from La Alberca, where we did our program. I have the same ring.

Well, it is time to go home. It is hard to leave New York, but it's been a great visit. In the end, with so much time, it was very relaxing. Now for a few pics from my last few days. A little hard to see, but this is me, last night, on the rooftop deck at my hotel.

Black sheep?

Those phones were at Grand Central Station, which I almost forgot how much I love, until I was back inside, so I goofed off for an hour or two. Loved taking pics of the people sitting next to this sign...

I just love the hub bub of Grand Central, and love a pic that's clear with just one or two people blurred. It says action... love it!

More people on the stairs, it's a common thing to do...

Until a cop comes and shoos you away....While I was there, I wandered by this sign and remembered... "ah ha!!", that's something I've always wanted to do!

They had some outside seating set up for the summer, and while it looked lovely, IMHO this didn't qualify as the 'real' thing....

The Campbell Apartment is one of the most famous bars in the world, and is such an integral part of Grand Central that it actually has its own entrance:

Me pouting at the dress code requirement posted at the entrance. I was in a teensy tank top, shorts and sandals.

I asked to peek inside to take a pic, and, alas, they let me in!!! When I said I knew I wasn't dressed appropriately, and the girl at the door said "We're not too busy, and it's different for girls anyways." Cool. In I went. When I asked if I could take a few pics, sans flash, as long as I didn't include any guests, he offered to take one of me, with flash. Sweet. This is me and my rich little $7.50 Amstel. I do not have flowers in my hair, I think that's some lamp behind me.

Not much one can take a pic of, without flash, and without including people, in the dark... but just for the mood...

Bartender blur... I love this one!

Now, some pics when I went down to Greenwich Village and SoHo yesterday...

It may not look like much, but this intersection at Houston and La Guardia (also known on the opposite side as West Broadway and Houston on the other side of the street) hides something very special. Two things, actually. I got here taking the 6 train to Bleeker Street. I actually took this pic as I was walking away from the two things I am going to show you.

First, or should I say last in terms of when I saw it, was this explanation of what was planted in all that greenery on the corner, and what the "Time Landscape" is. Click the pic to enlarge it if you want to read (it's kind of cool). Otherwise, keep scrolling down for the most exciting thing....

I came across the destination of my trip approaching from behind, from Bleeker Street. Which ever way you approach, look for the towers of the NYU residences (called Silver Something) and you will find this Picasso beauty:

It is an enlargement of Picasso's 1934 sculpture, The Bust of Sylvette, and it was done by Carl Nesjar. If you want to read more, click here (also some interesting stuff about the complex, designed by I. M. Pei). I had a glorious time, just wandering around, soaking it in, and taking pics...

While technically in Greenwich Village, the blue of a building just into SoHo provides an interesting urban background for this fabulous work...

I was thinking how lucky those students were, then I noticed this cat tree in a window.... and I thought, how lucky that cat was, getting to stare out at a Picasso all day! Meeoooow!

Now,one more pic from my dip into SoHo... this one of just a cool blue stairway...

Now, a few more pics of my hotel, The Pod, which I wrote more about here... this is the lobby. It really is a cool space.

Another pics of the lobby. The art is the work of New York artist James Rizzi, and there were original paintings in this theme throughout the hotel, including the hallways and some of the doors. Interestingly, I was chatting to the concierge today, and he is also an artist and collaborates with Rizzi. See some of Bryan Raughton's stuff here.

Looking from the outside deck of the hotel into the lobby lounge. There is something really cool about how this pic turned out that I like. By the way, I am sitting in that very lounge now, at the laptop bar, as I write this.... killing time before my evening flight.

My feet on the back deck last night as I enjoyed a glass of wine.

Looking up from the back deck. Isn't that cool?

Now, up to the rooftop, just as dusk was settling in....

Hip places to sit on a hip deck in a hip little hotel. How hip is that?

My foot and the Manhattan skyline as the sun set. I was lying on my back on one of those wooden bench things. The clouds were pretty cool... though the evening was hot.

Oh, Big Apple, how I will miss you! But I'll be back again, that I know for sure... I still have more pics, and will, hopefully, post them when I get home. Hope you enjoyed joining me on my wee journey here....

Best Bar Moments in Venice

Yes, I was in Harry's bar! Had a bellini, of course. Very good. At 15E a pop they'd better be good! :-) So, what did I do next? Had another, of course! LOL, most expensive drinks of my life, but so worth it. I did take another picture inside the bar, but then I got in trouble - no pictures of the patrons (oops! was only trying to take a pic of the waiters...), eek! But I didn't kicked out ;-)I did a little Harry's Bar doodle which my bow-tied waiter took a photocopy of! He wouldn't accept the original, so this is my first doodle left behind in Europe of which I still have the original. One day, it might be worth millions, LOL. Anyways, another total spluge, but so worth it. Not familiar with the story of Harry's Bar? It opened in 1931 and has a really fascinating history and is often referred to as one of the best bars in the world. And it's where the Bellini was invented... It's worth dropping by the Harry's Bar website for the full story, including how the bar became to be named Harry's and the founder's adventures with Ernest Hemingway. Also, read The Perfect Bellini for more bellini inside secrets.

The bar has the coolest doors... as a person goes in, there is a little curve in the etched innner glass and you cannot see the others inside the bar. My doodle above includes the reverse side of this door.

Now a bit about the bar I found at the end of my first day in Venice, which was veeerry special... Just look at this:

After my gondola ride, I wandered aimlessly for awhile, until I saw a vaporetti stop then got on, meaning to go to Rialto. But along the way I saw the most charming little canalside bar adjacent to another vaporetti stop, so I jumped off (well, I waited until the vaparetto stopped first) and I went for a glass of wine. There were only half a dozen tables up against the front of a charming hotel and all that was in front was the canal. There wasn't even any pedestrian traffic, as the corner table was on a small canal intersection (although a few people tried!). There was only one other table occupied. My first glass of wine was so quiet and relaxing. A totally peaceful spot, just the sound of the waves and the passing boats. And the occassional singing gondalier, or the sounds of an accordian if someone brought a musician along on their gondalier ride to serenade them. (here is a pic of the bar from the Grand Canal taken the next day).

My second glass of wine was as enjoyable but much more interesting. Began chatting with the two gentlemen sitting at the other table, and they eventually came and sat with me. They were from Cambridge in the UK and were quite lovely. It was their second trip to Venice but their first night in their hotel this trip, and they were most delighted with their room: same view, directly above the hotel doors with a little balcony. Said their room was a little suite. It sounded heavenly. We chatted about travel, and a bit about photography. Philip, the talkative one, had met a photographer who had been setting up waiting for the pre-sunset light when I walked past; it turns out he was Canadian too - Philip thought he was from Vancouver too, but by this point he had gone. A small world. Anyways, I enjoyed meeting them (the other guy was Richard).

We joked that we might see each other the next day at the same time. Almost went, but decided to go to Harry's Bar instead....

Both bars are top pics for me in Venice!