Traveling is fun only on Instagram. Luckily, I only have to pack and unpack my carry-on bag one more time this summer. It was so much easier in ancient times, when you could hire someone to schlep around your luggage. I travel pretty light, but my backpack with my gear is so heavy—I’m getting too old for that. Other than that, I can’t complain.
Actually, I can and I will.
I’m starting to think that the East Coast in winter is more friendly than in summer. I knew that New York was going to be hot and muggy, but New Hampshire too? Seriously? I was born in the desert, I’m immune to the heat, but what’s with all the ticks and deer flies? The deer fly is not as disgusting-looking as your common housefly, but it is certainly more obnoxious and vicious. It doesn’t bite; it just saws your skin with its saw-like mouth and licks your blood. Yikes!
Once you get past the vampiric insects, New Hampshire is absolutely gorgeous. The landscape was so breathtaking that you don’t mind driving your friend’s Tundra for hours. The endless mirror-still lakes reflect the countless pine trees so perfectly that you can’t tell where the water ends and where the sky begins.
Our friends did most of the cooking; I prepared a couple of salad recipes from my cookbook, and I cooked once on the weekend when we were at their stunning lake house.
The produce was fresh and delicious. We barely dined out, but when we did, the food was better than I expected. Wow, that bread pudding at Pearl Restaurant and Oyster Bar in Peterborough was so good. Also the blueberry scone at Fiddlehead’s Café in Hancock village; I swear to God, the best scone I ever had.
However, the nicest surprise was the brunch at The Main Street Station. An old-train-car diner in Plymouth (it’s pronounced “PLIM-uth,” but years ago I pronounced it “Ply-Mouth” and it stayed with us). Yes, I, Shelly Healthy Gilad, ate in a diner! I had no intention to, I was just keeping Keanu company.
Until the waitress mentioned that they make everything in-house, including the corned beef, the rye bread—New Hampshire Style: white loaf with rye spiral in the center—and biscuits that we were smelling from down the road. EVERYTHING we had in that charming place was damn good.
You want to know what else was great about NH? It’s quiet! At least where we stayed. No sirens, no planes, and no helicopter noises. Not even coyotes. The bears are silent—I only saw one in a dumpster at a gas station looking for sweets.
The only mistake we made was that we visited New Hampshire first and then New York. It makes more sense to go to Zoo York and then to Natureland. I would have been less whiny now if I were writing this post in New Hampshire.
New York City Was New York City
Crowded, noisy, hectic, hedonistic, but seductive and delicious as usual. I lived all over it, so every street and corner reminded me of something or someone. It changed a lot; it’s much more kid- and bike-friendly now than it used to be. The best part? Now you just tap your phone or credit card for public transportation. When I lived there almost two decades ago, you needed a MetroCard for the subway and coins for the bus—it used to drive me nuts.
The worst part: The city bike rental fees used to be significantly cheaper. But now if you’re a tourist, it’s $25 for a day!
The food at what used to be our second home, Cafe Mogador on St. Marks, is still as good or even better.
Speaking of food, the only meal I ate at home was breakfast (Keanu and Teenage-boy intermittently fast). I’m NOT wasting 20 bucks on avocado toast or poached eggs, or anything I can make in five minutes.
If it was up to me and Keanu, we would eat Chinese/Taiwanese every day. We discovered two extraordinary Chinese restaurants. One smaller than the other: Lin and Daughters in the West Village and Ho Foods in the East Village. Both restaurants serve classic Taiwanese dishes such as scallion pancakes, cucumber salad with chili oil, and Dan Dan noodles, but the flavors are totally different.
Now that I think of it, the food-craving synchrony between me and Keanu is remarkable. No wonder we love to travel together. We disagree about everything, but never about what and where to eat.
Okay, so where should you eat in the Big Apple
Cafe Mogador – You can’t be in NYC and not eat their delicious Moroccan food. I always order their vegetable couscous; it tastes like home, and Keanu orders his favorite: chicken bastilla.
Lin and Daughters – Eating there was like eating my mother’s delicate Moroccan food, but with Chinese seasoning. When we left, I wanted to give Mama Lin and her daughters a big hug.
Ho Foods – Ho-ly Food! Everything is so delicate, so fresh, so delicious! Order the classics, but don’t miss their cabbage salad with tofu and that amazing ginger-carrot dressing.
Chef Huang – Another excellent Chinese restaurant that we loved. Get the Peking duck and sautéed pea shoots with garlic.
Balthazar – A classic NYC institution, and for good reason. The food is solid, but the atmosphere is what really makes it special.
Thirteen Water – I’ve never been to Japan, but I live in LA, where there are excellent omakase sushi restaurants. The quality of the fish with a graceful touch of seasoning they serve in that tiny sushi bar is mind-blowing. Reservation needed.
Laboratorio del Gelato – I don’t love ice cream or waiting in long lines, yet there I was, waiting in that long line so my friends who had never been could taste the brilliant flavors—gently sweetened, perfectly creamy gelato. The line gets crazy after 6 pm, so come before then.
Nish Nush – It was pouring when we arrived in Manhattan, so I googled “restaurants near me” and discovered this gem. When we got there, I was a bit skeptical—even though the place had good reviews, it was too late and too wet to look for another place. Good thing we stayed! When the hummus arrived, Keanu and I took a bite, looked at each other, and said at the same time, “Holy shit! It’s SO good!”
PIZZA
I’m not a pizza expert—Keanu is. I judge pizzas by their crust. If I smell the yeast in the dough, I ain’t coming back.
Joe’s Pizza – I didn’t have any this time; however, after all the slices they had, my family and friends claim it’s still the best.
Prince Street Pizza – That’s their number two.
Johnny’s Pizza – This one’s new, and in my opinion, it’s better than Joe’s and Prince Street.
Ceres Pizza – My number one is Ceres. You can’t buy a slice, and you have to order and pay for it two hours in advance and pick it up yourself. I thought it would be gimmicky and weak, but the pizza was fantastic. Get the cheeseless pizza with a drizzle of olive oil, it’s even better than the cheesy one.
Good Coffee and an Opportunity to Rest Your Legs
La Cabra – Keanu loved everything in this coffee shop. I would too if they had decaf coffee and a dairy-free pastry.
Moshava – If you need a place to work and have delicious coffee, this is the place.
La Colombe – Decaf coffee isn’t very popular in NYC, so while Keanu had his coffee at La Cabra, I had mine at La Colombe next door. Their decaf almond latte was delicious!
The best travel moments are the ones you can’t photograph—like waking up stress-free for the first time in months, or the shock of discovering perfect hummus when you least expect it. New York brings the world to your doorstep, but sometimes you need New Hampshire’s quiet to remember why you wanted to see the world in the first place.
Next time I’m doing this backward. Chaos first, then peace.
