Now last year Jack had shown me a really large part of NYC, but duh me, I “thought” I had on good walking shoes, but noooooooooo I did NOT. After walking I had really bad blisters and had to return to Grand Central Station and could not go to the restaurant he wanted to take me to. So I vowed this year I would have the proper shoes on and I did!Well let me tell you something, Jack is sneaky. He has a way of telling you the truth, but not all of it! We started walking to this restaurant, and walking, and walking and finally I had to stop to rest. I said to him, how much further? He said, 5 more blocks. I said OK I can do that…well 5 more blocks and then more and more blocks I say how much longer and he turns and says, “We are here”. Get this ladies and gentlemen we are talking about a friggin’ hour to get there!! Heck I would have paid good money to take a cab and bypass all the homeless, freaks and crowds we saw. We did, however, get to see 2 wedding parties outside of “St. Patrick’s Cathedral”. Pretty fancy, smancy stuff. Around the corner at the hot dog stand there was a Muslim kneeling and praying, which was very interesting to us. We really didn’t want to interrupt or invade his privacy, but we stood back and watched. It was really very touching to me.
Back to the restaurant, “Il Vagabondo” is a restaurant and Bocce ball court. Jack used to hang out here when he lived in NYC. We were greeted by two gentlemen in suits and the bartenders. Jack chatted with them and reminisced and they were happy he had returned. I ordered cheese ravioli and Jack had a delicious grouper in a white wine and black olive sauce. Then we ordered dessert, he had canoli and I had chocolate mud cake. We were in heaven. I was very happy we actually made it there this time.
