December 16, 2024
American Museum of Natural History
I headed to the American Museum of Natural History(see on map) before noon.
It was incredibly crowded.
For me, the highlight was definitely the dinosaur fossils.
The Guggenheim Museum
In the afternoon, I went to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum(see on map) with a friend.
I entered using the Go City New York Pass.
There were so many abstract paintings that I started to feel a bit overwhelmed, but a separate small room had works by Renoir, Picasso, and others, which I really enjoyed.
The crowd level was manageable, and overall it was a good museum. The building itself looked stylish and impressive.
Neue Galerie and Café Sabarsky
After leaving the Guggenheim, we walked to Neue Galerie New York(see on map).
The museum features works by German and Austrian artists.
Inside, there is Café Sabarsky(see on map), a beautiful Viennese-style tearoom.
I ordered a berry tart and a Viennese coffee, which came to about 25 USD. They were excellent.
My friend ordered a slice of Sachertorte and Harney & Sons tea.
We visited the galleries afterward. The tearoom had a full line of people waiting, but the exhibition rooms were quiet.
I was able to see Klimt’s Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I up close, which was a great experience.
Photography was prohibited for all artworks in this museum.
Dinner at Emilio’s Ballato
Later, my friend said he wanted to go to Emilio’s Ballato(see on map) in Little Italy, so we headed there for dinner.
We arrived around 6 p.m., and there was already a long line.
While waiting, I watched several groups arrive after us, warmly hug the staff, and be taken inside immediately.
I found myself wondering, “Are they relatives? How do they know the staff? Must be nice to skip the line,” and I couldn’t help feeling a bit jealous.
We were finally seated after 8 p.m., and I was exhausted from standing in the cold.
I think the total was just under 300 USD for penne, Bolognese, a bottle of red wine, tiramisu, and coffee.
The waiter was friendly, and the food was pretty good overall. Not bad at all.
Still, considering the price, I can’t confidently say it was “an amazing restaurant!!”
Though honestly, my impression might have been heavily influenced by the long wait.
