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This last weekend Sara and I went for a bit of a jaunt to New York City. September 11th may not be everyone’s idea of the best time to be in New York but it was the date that worked for us and we had a great weekend.

The only other time I had been to New York before was September 2001 - I left on something like the 7th - so I had seen the Twin Towers standing. I was really aware of their absence from the Manhattan skyline this time around, you couldn’t help but feeling that something was missing. Coming in from Newark airport on the evening of the 10th under wet low clouds I could see the the beams of light they have shining up from Ground Zero. Rather than shooting off into the nothingness above they illuminated the clouds with two bold bright circles. I thought it was a beautiful but poignant reminder.

I didn’t really notice any other atmosphere or sombre vibe. Life seemed to be carrying resolutely on. On September 11th itself that resolution was tested by the torrential rain all day. Sara spotted that by the evening the dustbins around town were overflowing with discarded umbrellas. Luckily we spent most of the day in the MoMA which as well as sackful of great paintings has a fully functioning roof so we managed to stay mostly dry. At the gallery I learned there is only so much Picasso I can take, I like a bit of Brancusi, I’ve always got room for some Barnett Newman, and whatever country you are in Carl Andre’s piles of bricks really are a pile of shite (I’ll give you Equivalent…..). I was also excited to see the famous Jasper Johns pictures in the flesh, so to speak.

My abiding memory of the weekend was that I have never eaten so well! I also had some interesting drinks too. It may come as a shock to some of you who have known me for a while but I am basically mad for the sauce these days! I’m like a chocoholic - but for booze. Well maybe not quite that bad but anyway - I had a couple of cocktails and I didn’t die. Come on - we’re in Manhattan and let’s face it: you’re not going to get a decent cup of tea anywhere.

Anyway the eating was tops. Sara had been given some recommendations, I’d got a tip from my friend Anne and we scoured the Lonely Planet and the estimable London Review of Breakfasts (which is tiny bit more international than it sounds) for other spots. Everywhere came up trumps from the Jewish Deli near our hotel to the amazing sushi and wagyu beef at Megu in Tribeca. We also got an unexpected treat arranged via some local knowledge. An American friend from Edinburgh days, Sarah Rose, now lives in New York and arranged to meet us for what she assured me was “the best food in New York”. This turns out to be a place on 2 Ave at E 13th St called Momofuku. If you are in those parts then go- it was amazing. And amazingly hard to describe too: we had beautiful cured Tuna and some other asian influenced dishes plus delicious sliced ham from Kentucky with an extraordinary coffee mayonnaise sauce. I can’t properly describe the Crack Pie they serve in the bakery next door except to say it’s like crack - try a bit and want some more!

All in all we packed a lot into 2 and half days. And the final half day was wonderfully sunny so we could do more outdoor stuff. I was really pleased to visit the new park that has just opened in the Meatpacking District called the High Line. A disused elevated railway line has been saved from demolition and turned into a really cool open space, high above the street below.

More photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ateabutnoe/sets/72157622373909826/