Only monogrammed breads for me, thank you very much.

Even when it's a bit gloomy outside, Grand Central still looks spectacular. One rainy day, I was cutting through on the way to the pool. The chandeliers looked particularly lovely on this darker day. For some reason I thought about what it would be like to change all the light bulbs. And then I saw a man getting into a lift to do just that.

That's a lot of light bulbs.

I just realized, I take field trips to look at desserts. I don't eat the desserts. I just look. Does this make me weird? Well, I'm sure it does; but I'm also sure I'm not alone. So for you dessert-gazers, here's another: almond toast! You can find it on occasion, but not always, in the window at Cucina & Co. in Grand Central Terminal. Enter at 46th Street.

[image via *Bitch Cakes* Flikr set]

Well, there's probably no diving, per se. Because these pools are only 8 x 22 feet; but they are indeed dumpsters. You've probably heard about these alterna-pools hitting Park Avenue during the Summer Streets program in NYC. I have vaguely, but totally forgot. Good news: if you want to check out this spectacle, you can do it this Saturday! I am rather excited.

There will be three pools just south of Grand Central on Park Avenue between 40th and 41st Streets. Pool hours this Saturday, August 21, are 7am-1pm. Get there early if you want to take a dip because bracelets will be distributed on a first-come first-served basis. Swimmers (I think I should say "dippers" here because there's no room for actual swimming) enter in shifts, 10 per pool.

Talk about feeling packed like sardines in a can. Ah New York. You are so crowded and crowd-controlling.

The new demi-sized Joe is strictly to-go.
I am intrigued by the spiral staircase in the back. Where does it lead?

Joe The Art of Coffee opened its doors this week (at last) in the Graybar passage of Grand Central Terminal. This location is store #4 for the West Village mini chain.

I will get back to you in this post after I try their iced coffee which, in my opinion, will indicate the true taste and strength of the brew. My brief checklist: 1) it must be dark and chalky (note: chalky is a good thing in my book), and 2) if a small goes over $2, it must have a darn good reason; i.e., extra chalky.


***
My honest review: The small was $2.10 which I didn't mind, except I had to fumble in my change purse for the dime. I wish stores would just round off their prices. But then the small turned out to be a super-small small, making the price more like $3. The taste: not as chalky as I prefer. It had a note of something. Chicory? Chocolate? I am not sure, but the brew wasn't dark enough for my tastes. I am glad because I didn't want to be a traitor to Macchiato.



previous post:
Joe The Art of Coffee

Joe, you are such a tease.

Enter on Lexington Avenue to find the promise of the latest Joe,
which will be store #4

Joe The Art of Coffee has been coming soon to Grand Central for the past several months. To which I reply, so I'm ready already. More on this later today.



More:
There are rumblings that the newest Joe, located in the Graybar Passage of Grand Central Terminal, will open at the end of this month. I called and found out that everything is still on schedule. This Joe will be mainly to-go, given the constraints of the space. I am eager to try their iced coffee. I would imagine, after reading about their serious approach to coffee brewing, a la El Beit in Williamsburg, that it will be an iced Americano instead of an iced American coffee, a la Bluedog on 25th and 6th Avenue. Still you can't beat the iced coffee at Macchiato just around the corner. Dark, delicious, and two dollars. I do have my loyalties. I like my person at Macchiato. She always has my order ready when I get to the register. The new Joe might create an internal conflict.

Take a closer look at the shapes that compose this unusual grate at the ticket window at Grand Central. Two different repeating patterns. The repeating circles act to magnify the repeating quatrefoil-squares. Inside each circle you can begin to see an hourglass shape of sorts emerge. I would love to know more about this pattern.

We caught the 11:51 to Poughkeepsie from Grand Central on Saturday, and off we went to the Dia:Beacon. Traveling up the Hudson by rail is pretty fantastic. The scenery! It was a grey day, but at least it didn't rain. When the sun came out for a few seconds, the fall leaves really came to life. The reds and yellows! For now, I will show you a little of the train trip. (I have left the truly dramatic parts of the river out, because I think you need to see it in person to really experience the beauty and the grandeur of the Hudson River. Take the train!) Later, I will show you the museum. If you like minimalist art and romantic train trips, I recommend the package deal.

Check out the crazy squash court they built in Grand Central. Today is the finals, by the way, and probably the last day to check out this futuristic cage plopped down in the middle of GCT's Beaux Arts elegance. Personally, I like the juxtaposition very much. Here is another nearby example. I will have to devote a post to this one later.

Have a Happy Healthy New Year! See you all in 2007! Oodles of posts on 12.30.06 so scroll down to catch up on back reading.