NYC Weekend

It was really nice, weather-wise, this past weekend.  A storm blew in Wednesday night that dropped the temperature by 20 degrees in about as many minutes.

This picture was taken by NFL player Dhani Jones from his airplane flying in to Manhattan - the whole city is engulfed!

After that passed, it was actually chilly all day Thursday but by Friday it was just breezy and sunny.  Perfect weekend weather!  We went out to dinner at a place that was billed as Mexican and actually owned by two Austinites, so we were probably overly excited about the possibility of tacos.  

The tacos, as it turned out (sadly), were good but not great.  But it was funny to be sitting in the city drinking a Lone Star and listening to acoustic county music:

Saturdays - if we don't have any specific plans we just like to wander around and discover different neighborhoods.  This Saturday we walked into NoHo and found a little slice of a coffee shop called Gasoline Alley Coffee.  I found out why they named it that, it was the strongest coffee I have ever tasted.  I got an iced Americano and could only finish about a third of it and was still shaky afterwards. It was good though!

This building in NoHo had little gold men (some with antlered deer heads...?) climbing up the left side of the building from the fire escape:

I loved this building, it had a very new, modern design and each window had its own sleek window box:

We try to do a mix of things that are both touristy and local, because I kind of feel we're both.  I'm not sure where on the scale this next thing falls but it was definitely something different to do on a Saturday night.  The USS Intrepid hosts movies on deck in the summertime, for free!  Walking up to the ship: 

The Intrepid launched in 1943 and served in WWII as well as other military action.  Right before the movie started they showed a short film about the ship and I can't remember exactly, but I think they said that it was integral in sinking 122 ships.  

On deck, waiting for the movie (Star Trek, the reboot):

The space shuttle Enterprise is now kept on deck (under the bubble) but we couldn't see it.  You have to pay extra for that!  

Brunch at Landmarc the next day - I like my mimosas served with my own bottle of champagne!

The rooftop of a bar in the Meatpacking District called the Brass Monkey (right before it got crowded):

Looking up from the rooftop, the Standard Hotel - this place kinda looks like a dump from the outside but it is actually a major hot spot and pretty swanky inside.  Warning: if you stay there, yes people from the outside can see in.  So keep that in mind if you walk up to the window to close it while completely naked...

Monday morning, walking home from the gym (to make up for the weekend indulging)... I can look down the street and see the Empire State Building.  That never gets old!