New York State of Mind
- akhilapamula
- Oct 21, 2024
- 5 min read
New York City will always hold a special place in my heart. Having gone to college and med school in New York, Manhattan was my magical escape, a grown-up playground. It’s where I had my first Negroni (at Dante’s of course), saw my first urban rat, had my first heartbreak, and learned what real fashion was. It’s where Neal and I spent many weekends getting to know each other, where we got engaged, and where we go back every year.
We usually stay around Bryant Park because it’s easy enough to get anywhere in the City and is far enough away from the madhouse that is Times Square. This time, however, we stayed closer to Grand Central. It’s more uptown than I’m used to, but because we were flying out of JFK to Spain, we wanted to optimize our subway route since the airport was undergoing a massive renovation. We chose to stay at the Lotte New York Palace, an iconic Madison Avenue hotel that is just a stone’s throw away from the St. Patrick’s cathedral.
We got lucky booking early; it was the same weekend of the US Open finals and the opening of New York Fashion Week, and everything was expensive. Booking through the AMEX "Hotel Collection," we were able to snag a deal where if you stayed 3 nights you got the 4th free. This made the price a little easier to swallow. While the perks aren’t as good as with the Fine Hotels and Resorts (no guaranteed late check out or early check in), you still got a hotel credit that could be used for the bar or spa services, a daily breakfast credit, and upgrades when available. We arrived quite early in the morning and didn’t expect our room to be ready, but not only did they provide an upgrade to a higher floor, but had a room ready by 11am. The bellmen were classic New York characters and probably my favorite people in the hotel. Impeccably dressed in their crisp uniforms with the no-nonsense attitude I expect. I loved hearing their stories, from one admonishing his daughter for not marrying a doctor in DC, to how one loves cricket now thanks to his Australian wife.
The lobby and common spaces of the Lotte are simply breathtaking, a throwback to the Gilded Age. It pays true homage to the history of the place. Originally 6 neoclassical-style townhouses erected in the late 1800s to cater to the elites or New York, these buildings were amnestied to a 55-story hotel tower in the 1970s. The opulence runs through the very bones of the place, with towering marble columns, intricate mosaic floors, barreled ceilings, and plush jacquard wallpaper. There are hidden conference rooms lined with books and worn leather armchairs where I could imagine Teddy Roosevelt would have smoked a cigar. The Gold Room, a storied hotel bar made famous by Gossip Girl, oozes opulence, from the gold-paneled ceilings, Mahogany booths, and towering flower arrangements. It was surprisingly friendly, even to kids; when Jai decided he did not want to go to bed, the bartenders and staff welcomed him with open arms and silly faces, sleep sack and all.
Possibly the biggest letdown, however, was the room itself. I cannot complain about the size; it’s hard to find a spacious hotel room in the City. We were upgraded to a Cathedral View Room, which was an ample 360 square feet and offered a gorgeous view of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. We were able to set up his Slumberpod with plenty of space, and we never felt cramped. It was also nice to have that view when we were hanging around while he was napping. My biggest gripe was that it just felt basic, and when you are paying more than $600 a night, I would expect a little more attention to detail. The bathroom was small, with barely enough room for the too-low toilet, vanity, and tub-shower. What was more of an issue is that it felt worn; the shower pressure was inconsistent, the tub leaked, and the granite counters around the sink had grout that was just peeling off. Even the towels felt stiff. Something else that threw us off was that they didn’t offer turndown service. There’s something about returning to a freshly-made bed and tidied room after spending an afternoon exploring the sites. When I called to request it, they simply said that they just did not offer that service anymore. When you’re staying at a 5-star hotel at that price point, it should be standard. Period.
Jai was still in the 2 naps-a-day phase. That’s a lot of prime time downtime if you’re stuck in a hotel room. Our compromise was that he’d take one nap in the room and one nap out and about. Luckily, Jai learned how to take a nap in a stroller. I really think the ambient sounds of Manhattan--the construction drills, car horns, intermittent sirens—lulled him to sleep. It was a great way to explore more, partly because we were terrified he’d wake up if we stopped moving. From strolling through Central Park to window shopping in the West Village to grabbing a drink on the Lower East Side, there’s no shortage of places to go and things to do. And for Jai, the excited look on his face when he’d wake up in a new environment was hard to beat.
One of the many reasons we love New York is the food. Neal and I spent years on a culinary adventure here, eating everywhere from 3-star Michelin restaurants to late-night food carts. Bringing a baby may seem daunting, especially because New York doesn’t have the same cuddly vibes towards kids as, well, most of the world. But, I’m happy to say, it’s totally doable. The most obvious choice would be to go to any of the bajillion brunch spots; we took Jai to Clinton Street Bakery where he tried blueberry compote and bacon fat-soaked scrambled eggs for the first time. Obviously, you probably wouldn’t bring a baby to a multi-course tasting menu at Le Bernadin for dinner, but some of these Michelin-starred restaurants have a lunch service that is a little more laid back, something I’d totally feel comfortable bringing him to. We had lunch at Gramercy Tavern; a quintessential New York restaurant and one of our favorites, we had only gone for dinner in the past. They’re known for a mean burger in the bar area, and it did not disappoint. That, and a great martini. Also a plus: I got to dress Jai up like a finance bro, just to fit in. Via Carota is another lunch favorite; it’s a tight space, so I can see it being difficult if you have a fussy or super boisterous kid, but they do have outdoor tables that may make it a little more comfortable. The pasta is awesome and their Negronis are not to be missed.
I’m a Manhattan girl, but going to Brooklyn, grudgingly, does give you more options for a dinner out. The vibe is definitely more relaxed and dare I say, casual? We had dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, Lilia. It was hard to decide when to make a reservation; we weren’t sure if Jai was still going to be on west coast time. After just a few days, though, Jai was a little New Yorker; I think the key was just staying busy and exposing him to the outdoors as much as possible. And because we could get him to nap in the stroller, he was actually passed out for the first part of many of our dinners. Win-win.
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