An Epic Guide to New York City in the Rain
Don’t let a little rain spoil your trip to New York City.
Let me start by saying that my personal favorite time to enjoy New York City, is a warm and sunny summer day. New York offers endless amounts of activities and sites to see when visiting. When I think of visiting the Big Apple, I think of the hustle and bustle from the city streets, walking the Brooklyn Bridge and going about my visit like a typical New Yorker. Additionally, New York has some of the countries oldest restaurants, bars and architecture for your enjoyment. But, when it rains, I, like most of you, tend to stay indoors. This visit gave me the perfect opportunity to explore some of the many things I would not do if the sun was shining.
A Rainy New York Day
Grand Central Terminal
I have been to Grand Central Terminal many times from catching trains, but I never took the opportunity to really explore it. So what better time to do so than when I have time to spare and no ambition to go outside. Located on 42nd street in the middle of Manhattan, Grand Central features some of the most stunning architecture New York has to offer. First things first, a much needed coffee. The dining concourse of the terminal offers more than 30 restaurants and an abundance of little coffee shops and carts. Joe Coffee Company, and their cafe mocha hit the spot. From there, I chose to weave in and out of the tracks accessible from the concourse.
Walking through the terminal, I couldn’t help but stop at every turn and take in the scenery. From the dining concourse I headed to the Grand Central Market. This market is solely and bustling by locals picking top their daily ingredients and fares. The European style market features stunning colors, baked and prepped goods, and meats and cheeses. Personally, my favorite part of the market if the giant hanging tree branches located right as you walk in the market from the street.
Main Concourse
Grand Centrals main attraction and rightfully so is the main concourse which is the beating heart of the terminal. This is where you will find all the information about departing and arriving trains, access to all the concourses and 2 grand stairwells to observe the happening below. The main concourse features 6 massive window structures, and a stunning zodiac ceiling above. No matter how many times I have been there I always stop and take in the scenery.
The Grand Central Clock is located smack dab in the center of the concourse and is the crown jewel of the terminal. If ever meeting someone in the Terminal, tell them to meet you at the clock. Side note, there is an Apple store located at the top of the east stairwell. Conveniently enough I was in the market for a new phone case so it came in very handy.
After taking in the main concourse and all it’s beauty I took some time to simply walk around Grand Central and take in all it has to offer. Grand Central is a prime New York destination but a rainy day offers a great time to discover and explore this New York staple of beauty, architecture, and history.
New York City Public Library
After exploring Grand Central Terminal I grabbed my umbrella and took off on the three block trek to the New York Public Library located on 5th Ave. This sprawling feat of architecture is a sight to see. From across the street you could take in all the beauty. Make sure to snap a couple pictures of the famous Lion statues at each end of the entrance stair case leading to the entrance.
Accessing the Library can be made from the front. Library security will check your bags upon entry, so be prepared to open up what you have. Entering the library will you come to the main area with staircases to your right and left, galleries, and bustling library staff going about their day. I took the stairwell to the right to the 2nd floor and checked out the galleries located there. The first gallery you will find is directly looking out on the main entrance, and is all about the history and those who were influential in building and for facilitating the library through out history.
Wander the Library
I recommend wandering throughout the surrounding galleries and taking all the art the library has to offer. Eventually I made my way up to the McGraw Rotunda, a large space located beneath archways and surrounded by very impressive art. Make sure to look up and gaze at the ceiling art! Access to the study rooms were available but the famous Rose Room, unfortunately, was not. If you are able to spend some time in the Rose Room please go ahead and do so. I will definitely be going back to check out the Rose Room as it is the Library’s most famous room.
After checking out the McGraw Tundra, I made my way down the stairs and came upon the INterSECTs exhibit, which was a really cool exhibit. The gallery focuses on the intersection between Anthropods and Homo Sapiens. Eventually, I meandered to the main lobby and exited the library to the front.
Luckily there was a little break in the rain
Bryant Park
With some luck, the sun was as out and the rain had subsided when I exited the Library, so I decided to check out Bryant Park. Bryant Park, located directly behind the library, is a buzzing and very popular park for city goers. You can grab a bite to eat and chill on the benches, walk through the little garden trails, or play some chess and ping pong against friends or strangers. The park is very lively and after the rain, many locals had the same idea as me.
Grand Central Park, Union Square and the GreenMarket
After meandering through Bryant Park, I made my way down to the flatiron district to check out the flatiron building on my way to Union Square. I was going to make the most of the break in the rain and spend some quality outdoor time. Coming up on the flatiron building I made way to Grand Central Park. The park has quite a bit to offer, including a great view of the flatiron building from the corner.
Exiting Grand Central Park I made my way down Park Ave and ended up at Union Square. When I arrived at Union Square the Greenmarket was taking place so it was very nice to check out all the booths and see what fresh local produce was being sold. The market is s staple of park and was very packed even thought the day was not the best. Union Square Park is relatively small in comparison to other parks sprinkled throughout the city, but is still a great place to enjoy some time outdoors.
Pre Dinner Drinks
MADE Hotel in New York City
Heading back to our hotel, MADE Hotel in the flatiron district, we had some pre dinner drinks in mind. Let me start off by saying that ambiance of the MADE Hotel was on point. They offer a coffee shop right past the entrance and some lounge areas to hang out. The rooms were a little small, but offered a great view of the city and had everything you would need for a short stay in the city.
After changing and getting ready, we made our way to Debajo, a tapas hangout located in the lobby of the hotel. Debajo, is small, but was exactly what we were looking for, We hung out at the bar and were able to chat without much disturbance. After our drink we wanted to check out the rooftop bar located on the 18th floor of the hotel, Good Behavior.
The bar was amazing! Great views, indoor seating as well as an outside area with benches, couches, tables and chairs looking out on New York’s Flatiron District. The drinks were on point. A margarita for Britt and a Polo for me. Once we sat and took in the scenery, finished our drinks, we headed out for some dinner.
Cosme
After my journeys from the day, Britt and I met up with some friends for dinner. We made reservations at Cosme, a contemporary medical cuisine restaurant. We had heard great things about the restaurant and were very excited they could squeeze us in.
Let me tell you, this restaurant was voted #22 in the world and I know why. It was absolutely delicious. The ambiance was great. The dimly lit space was perfect for enjoying company and a meal. Our waiter did a very good job of recommending what was on the menu as it a small menu. Their margaritas hit the spot for me! Cosme sure did live up to the hype.
Menu Recommendations:
- OCTOPUS TOSTADA, CHINTEXTLE, SORREL: Starter
- STRIPED BASS TOSTADA, JÍCAMA, NOPAL: Starter
- DUCK CARNITAS, ONIONS, RADISHES, CILANTRO: Main Course
- BURRATA, EPAZOTE, PINE NUTS: Main Course
New York City Night Cap
After enjoying one of the best dinners that I have had in a very long time we wandered over to Ampersand for some drinks before calling it a night. This dimly-lit cozy spot is a great for handcrafted cocktails and small plates. We enjoyed each others company in a corner table with a good view and room to talk and relax. It was a great way to end the night and my day in New York.
Until next time,
Brick
