Murray Hill still has a spot in my heart.

I lived there for 4 years and still enjoy going back. But to say that it is the hot spot for food in Manhattan would be an understatement.However, I was quite pleased to find out that Fika (the midtown cafe, we wrote about back in the Fall 2007) opened up a Murray Hill spot on Park Ave at 28th. Even more so, because over the past many months one of our favorite playgrounds is Madison Park.Fika in Murray Hill serves the same high-quality espresso and offers the same baked goods that it prepares on site at its 58th Street location. This cafe is smaller than the uptown version and a worthy of a stop when in the neighborhood.

Fika - 409 Park Avenue South between East 28th & 29th Streets. 6 train at 28th Street.

Previous visit to Fika on 58th Street. 

This building appeared to me as if someone had let it fall from their palm like a deck of cards; floor by floor in between the buildings on either side of it.

We spent a bunch of time in midtown today. And I was hit by the contrast of churches and their surroundings. Hopefully the photos do the concept a bit of justice.

Example of some of the modern construction around town - this is a Bloomberg building on East 58th.

Lights in the Modern.

Vendor with 50s & 60s style ads. Outside of the MoMA.

The Flatiron Framed

We are having a second wind to summer here in NYC. Beautiful walking weather, so we walked from SoHo through Midtown…

Took a photo of a guy taking a photo of another guy taking a photo.

Not one, but two pink buildings…

A carrot peeler salesman at Union Square, seriously. Check out the 2006 Vanity Fair issue with a multi-page spread.

Here’s a bit of midtown charm just north of the Flatiron district. And then the 20th century modern Empire poking its head out.

On an early fall day we were walking through the city.

While walking through the Flatiron district, we took a look up and noticed this view of the Empire State Building.

Ah, Zibetto.

The espresso bar that actually introduced me to artisanal espresso. And we keep going back and back and back again…

A tiny espresso bar. Wonderfully designed. Just the espresso within an ambience expressing style from the baristas’ ties to the understated off-white of the bar to the minimalist selection of biscotti.

When zipping through your day in Midtown, drop into Zibetto for a touch of style and one of NYCs best espressos.

5th Ave packs a pleasant surprise within the Henri Bendel store.

Chocolate Bar has a rather discrete presence within the atrium of the luxury store.

And I’m not sure my son and I would have ever known it was there if we had not visited the West Village Chocolate Bar a couple of weeks ago and then checked out their website.

It is tucked away in the store, but the real treat is the single table they have in a huge mezzanine bay window that almost hangs over 5th Avenue from above.

There was no one at all on the mezzanine, so I had to ask if it was a part of Chocolate Bar.

Definitely a treat. Since I had already tried their espresso at the West Village location, the hot chocolate was the choice for the afternoon.

The hot chocolate (prepped with milk, not water) and that view make Chocolate Bar on 5th Ave worth a visit. Just check out the video for yourself.

Address

Chocolate Bar – 712 5th Avenue, New York between West 55th and 56th Streets. EV Trains at 5th Ave - 53rd Street. F Train at 57th Street. 456 Trains at 59th Street.

Music

Edith Piaf – Les flonflons du bal

It was a bitingly cold day. And my son loved it…

For a few minutes and then we needed to go inside.

Columbus Circle provides one of the more intriguing indoor spaces (other than museums) in New York. And we need it as we get deeper into winter.

Cool architecture. I’m a big fan of the full-window concept, also seen in the Berlin Hauptbahnhof among other places. Here in NYC the mezzanine and balconies all look right out on to the Circle, which after many years now has its fountain, and Central Park.

Also, Bouchon Bakery is up on the second level to take advantage of the ambience.

The café presence itself is minimalist with just tables along the railing overlooking the lower level. The bakery is quite good. The espresso decent. But the real enjoyment of Bouchon Bakery is the atmosphere and view presented by the Columbus Circle.

There are exactly 4 tables in the café area with the view of the main lobby, Circle and Park. And what a view it is. There is also railing standing, which is where my son and I had to enjoy my espresso and chocolate chunk cookie.

Truly one of the better café views in NYC. And worth a visit.

Address

Bouchon Bakery – Columbus Circle, New York at the intersection of Broadway and West 59th Street. 1ABCD Trains at 59th Street/Columbus Circle.

Music

Edith Piaf – Ça sert à quoi l’amour