North Maple Rag

Despite the fact that New York City has been windy and cold, I spent the weekend playing tourist with a couple of friends from college. We managed to tackle a couple of sightseeing goals that I hadn't gotten around to on my own. Here's a quick list of the ones you should check out for yourself:

• Staten Island Ferry ride to see the Statute of Libery: I've actually done this before. The good news is that unlike the last time, the ferry didn't crash the next day.

• Grimaldi's Pizza: Located beneath the Brooklyn Bridge and rumored to have the best pizza in New York. I'm not actually sure it was the best, but it was significantly better than most of the greasy options in the Village.

• Brooklyn Bridge Footpath: Full of pizza and beer, we decided to walk back to Manhattan via the Brooklyn Bridge despite the frosty temps and frigid wind. The incredible views of Manhattan were worth it.

• Top of the Rock: The observation deck on the 70th floor of Rockefeller Center reopened this past November and like just about everyone else who's been up there, I think the view is better than Empire State Building's. To the north, you can see all of Central Park and to the South a great view of Midtown, including the ESB.
  

We also fit in brunch in the East Village, a little bit of shopping, and Capote at the Angelicka. Good times all around.