#1,436 Day 3: Soho Etc.

Our street in Brooklyn is covered in huge orange and yellow maple leaves.

We started the day with breakfast at Balthazar, a favorite French bakery where I got brioche French toast a couple years ago and never stopped thinking about. Last time we saw the guy from Flight of the Conchords, this morning we saw Jean Reno from French Kiss. So far, I’ve never come to NYC without at least one celebrity sighting. I didn’t snap a picture today, though.

Then we did a little shopping at Zara in Soho before running to the Flatiron District to one of my suppliers where I picked up an order then rushed to get it overnighted to Australia. There were some complications that almost ended with my going postal on a postal employee, but things smoothed out and we got the package on its way. By the time we were done with that, it was time for lunch at the Ear Inn—New York’s second oldest bar with some of the best burgers in the city, right near the Hudson River. This was my favorite place we’ve been so far because it was so comfortable and unpretentious. All the people in there were regulars—manual labor guys who order the same thing on Tuesdays (chicken pot pie), so I followed suit and ordered it too.

Then we carried on back to Soho to keep shopping.

We walked exactly 6.23 billion miles today. It doesn’t seem possible, I know.

But it is.

Then we went back to home base to get dressed for dinner…

At Keen’s Steakhouse! This has been on all the ‘best steakhouses in America’ lists and on our ‘old New York’ list forever, and we finally got to see it. They’re also known for the incredible pipe collection, which includes the pipes of regulars like Teddy Roosevelt, Babe Ruth, and Buffalo Bill. They also have framed the very program that Abe Lincoln was holding at Ford’s Theatre when he was assassinated.

Even better, we got to meet up with Josh and Anne for our annual dinner date. Every time it’s like we just saw them yesterday.

Ben and Josh both went with the Legendary Keens Muttonchop. Look how dadgum huge that thing was!

Then we gave some big hugs and said goodbye to Anne, though we’re going to be seeing Josh tomorrow for a bit. Next stop, the magic of Macy’s at 34th Street.

Then a train ride to Little Italy for classic Italian pastries. Sadly, Caffe Roma was closed, but Ferrara Bakery (home of America’s first espresso) did the trick.

Then we somehow made it back to Brooklyn and passed out. The end.