And your recs are always current and spot on, IME. Never B&T!
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I had friends visiting from LA that were staying at The Refinery and I ended up getting my own room to hang out with them (although I live in Manhattan). Rooms are quite large for Manhattan and very comfortable. No food and drinks to speak of though. I think there’s a bar in the lobby that looked serviceable. Very friendly service. Treated the pug like the queen she is. I liked it!
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Much appreciated .
I just have to give a shout out to parts of Queens that are out there and under appreciated, which for many means a bus to get to the train; parts of Jamaica , St. Albans, and especially Addisleigh Park.
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I lived in Queens for 15 years and had never heard of Addisleigh Park. What a cool bit of NYC history!
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That’s where I grew up. Well, sort of, but not technically.
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NJ / CT / Westchester
But also - not a nice term and never used to describe friends 
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Come now… that’s harsh
I was almost 30 before I discovered Westchester! That’s crazy. Westchester is noice.
All the pastries I’ve tried at Dominique Ansel have been very good. The DKA is good , but I’ve enjoyed other pastries from their case even more (èclairs, fruit tarts, etc. I still haven’t tried a cronut. I don’t like croissants, so a cronut isn’t high on my list)
I used to try every Kouign Amann I could, in Mtl, TO and NYC, and finally stopped trying to chase the KA dragon in North America. 
Dominique Ansel also has nice granola, if anyone is looking for a souvenir to take home.
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@shrinkrap I’m not sure how much you like bread. The Chelsea location of Sullivan St Bakery (Jim Lahey’s bakery) isn’t too far from The Refinery Hotel. ( I walk everywhere when I visit)
I really enjoyed my Seguito breakfast sandwich at Sullivan St Bakery on my last visit. It had been recommended somewhere online.
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Not a huge fan, in part for health reasons, but the rest of the clan loves it! Thanks!
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Those look like some great breakfast options! They are going to make me get up.
But husband likes his eggs cooked hard. Don’t tell anyone.
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You can also visit the Louis Armstrong House Museum in–get this!–Corona.
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Well, I’m not a native NYer but I have now lived here for a good chunk of my adult life. I came to NY for school and have worked most of my career here. So my familiarity starts from the late 80s. In my experience, the B&T phrase was a commonly used term for people who didn’t live in Manhattan. I heard it more in a social setting rather than at work (where all the bosses were likely suburbanites). When we would go out and see the crowds of people all dressed up for the night out, we would say that the B&T crowd was in. Could be from the 4 other boros, NJ, LI or CT. Didn’t matter. Just meant you weren’t living in the “City.” If you wanted to get more specific, there were the BBQs - Brooklyn, Bronx and Queens. For someone reason SI was not included but maybe because it would mess up how BBQs rolls off the tongue. But then in the Bloomberg years, Manhattan prices started escalating and many resident and clubs, bars and restaurants fled Manhattan to cheaper real estate in Brooklyn. Brooklyn became hip. At times more hip than Manhattan, e.g. the early days of DUMBO or Billyburg. I rarely hear the phrase B&T the days.
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So we are staying at the Bryant Park Hotel, and we have a reservation for 6 at The Smith for 6 at 12 while we wait for check in time. I had one for five at L 'Adress, but couldn’t get one for six.
I’m planning an itinerary, with no buy in from my family beyond the meal on Monday , with a shout out and sincere appreciation , inspired by
Time near Central Park, North Midtown & Times Square
Major
- Central Park
- The MET
- Fifth Avenue
- MoMA
- Top of the Rock
- Times Square
Minor - St Patrick’s Cathedral
- Atlas
- Saks Department Store
- Rockefeller Center
- Times Square
- NYC Rooftop Bar
Time near South Midtown, Chelsea & Central Midtown
Major
- Empire State Building
- Edge
- Macy’s
- Chelsea Market
- The High Line
Minor - Strand Book Store
- Flatiron Building
- Vessel
- Meatpacking District
- Penn Station
Time near Lower Manhattan & SoHo
Major
- Statue of Liberty
- Wall Street
- One World Observatory
- 9/11 Memorial & Museum
- SoHo
Minor - Ellis Island
- NYSE
- Trinity Church
- Helicopter Ride
- Oculus
Time near Brooklyn & Williamsburg
Major
- Dumbo
- Brooklyn
- Williamsburg
- Brooklyn Bridge
Minor
- Manhattan Bridge
- Bushwick Collective
- Domino Park
- Brooklyn Bridge Park
- Old Pier 1
Hoping to make more reservations with Resy. Not having much luck with Open Table which seems more useful here in California.
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That’s awesome enjoy! I was in last week for the Van Gogh exhibit, enjoyed the day!
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The Smith is a waste of your limited number of meals. Seriously, it is the place you take your family visiting from the Midwest. Very basic, safe. Nothing interesting. But it might suit your needs in this case.
Wednesday of this week I ate delicious food at Vinegar Hill House, one neighborhood away from DUMBO. We walked around there afterwards. It was buzzing with a great crowd when we left. Wonderful wine list. Was easy to get a reservation on Resy.
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Thank you! We spent our last visit in DUMBO.
And yes, sometimes when you’re traveling with a party of six with diverse tastes looking for an online res for 12 noon next week, that’s what you’re working with!
I’d love more ideas for six bleary eyed Californians just off a redeye waiting to check into The Bryant next Monday! Res for 2 or 4 seems *way * easier.
Husband says it’s too far. Maybe Bryant Park Grill?
Also, looks like we might spend one day in LIC/Astoria. I’ll be back with details.
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Agree on the smith, it’s the type of place you go for brunch when people can’t decide. Are you expecting to be hungry post red-eye, @shrinkrap ? I like ole & steen, Scandinavian bakery with sandwiches, pastries, etc. And last I went they had a good amount of seating. If you’re just looking to nibble and wait a bit, I like that. But if you need a longer amount of time, somewhere else…
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Yay!
Try calling the hotel in advance and giving them your situation re redeye - they may be inclined to be helpful, and at least allot you one room when you arrive, to freshen up.
Assume you will want to stay relatively close for brunch as a result. While not a food destination, Bryant Park Grill actually has lovely ambiance and is perfectly situated at one end of the park. (Le Pecora Bianca is a mini-chain (local) across the street - probably better food, but for parking yourself and having a lazy and sleepy first meal, BPG may be a better solution.)
As a general note, OpenTable and Resy are both unreliable past groups of 4 - restaurants here don’t like to have large tables freely available for online rez. One solution is to make a rez for 4 at a time that works, then call and ask if they can change it to 6.
Another FYI - Kati Roll Co, which I mentioned above, has their second location right around the corner from Bryant Park on W 39 off 6th - you know, for that afternoon snack ;).
Lady M (Japanese crepes cake among other things) is also right by the park on W40 - you can order online for pickup and enjoy it in the park.
And if the blah options for the first meal don’t appeal, you are actually very close to excellent food - Cafe China is a few blocks away, as is Koreatown. Just don’t end up in Times Square - please!
And so I don’t forget later - Raines Law Room nearby is a lovely place for cocktails (reservations required), and their garden is open.
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