Hotel Review : The Library Hotel, New York City, USA

Finding a good hotel in New York City is a challenge on multiple fronts. You want it all : a good location, easy access to Subway and tourist attractions, reasonable rates (reasonable and NYC - you got to be kidding!) and above all, a space larger than an attic to justify the price tag. A few freebies such as complimentary breakfast would be nice but hey, this is The Big Apple and we were going on Thanksgiving weekend. We couldn't have it all and that too at start of peak season. After a lot of internet searches, city guides and friends' recommendation, I settled for The Library Hotel at Madison Avenue for our 4 night stay. 

I had a few queries and opted to book via email rather than the hotel's web engine. My first email was swiftly responded to by Timothy Gerhold who was great to deal with over the next few days. With the booking quickly out of the way, he was immensely helpful with advice and even gave us a post-Sandy update. NYC room sizes are infamous and with our luggage, we opted to upgrade to the Queen size bed. Surprise of surprises, American breakfast was part of our package and this is no mean freebie to get in American hotels. It seems we did manage to get it all at a busy time of the year !

After a gruelling 2 hour immigration queue at JFK, we managed to reach Library Hotel by 5 pm. The hotel is located a few steps from the New York Public Library and has an unassuming entrance on the uber posh Madison Avenue. Check-in was smooth with the staff informing us the hotel offers free wi-fi throughout the premises. The second floor book lounge is open all day serving breakfast in the mornings and hosting a complimentary wine and cheese reception daily from 5 pm to 8 pm. The Library Hotel is themed around books and even the rooms are numbered according to the Dewey decimal system. We had requested for a higher floor to avoid the city traffic noise and thankfully our request was fulfilled. We were in the 'paranormal' themed room 1100.005. The bed was clean and comfortable and the bathroom was relatively spacious. An abundance of books dealing with the paranormal theme line the room. I really liked the way standard 'Do Not Disturb' and 'Please Make my Room' room tags were replaced with the more quirky 'Shh... I am reading' and 'Please Dust my Books' tags. 

The breakfast is sumptuous and includes cereals, fruits, hard boiled eggs and breads which will be toasted on request. Fresh orange juice and other beverages are also available. The real winner was the evening wine and cheese reception which offered a selection of white, red and sparkling wine (Prosecco). These are accompanied by nibbles such as sesame sticks, soft buns and butter and of course, cheese of a few types. The lounge is a wonderfully done up area with a wide selection of books, daily newspapers and plenty of magazines. If it weren't for the call of of the city, we could have spent hours at The Library Hotel soaking in the books. We dined one day at the 'Madison and Vine' restaurant which was as top-class as the hotel. Dishes are appropriately sized, decently priced and service is unobtrusive and efficient. We really enjoyed the Mushroom Ravioli (($19) and the generous portion of Atlantic Salmon ($26). We also paid a fleeting visit to 'Bookmarks', the rooftop lounge at The Library Hotel. With its cosy ambience and covered / al fresco seating, it looked to be a popular hang-out for the Wall Street type crowd.

The staff at Library Hotel is undoubtedly its best asset. From the bell boy Adrian to front office staff David, Kerrie and many others whose names I cannot recall were wonderful. Everyone was very helpful and offered excellent recommendations for planning our itinerary and what I liked most of all was that unlike most American establishments, no one was pushy for tips. The Library staff was genuinely warm and one felt like tipping them generously for the flawless service they offered. Coming from Asia, my expectations from American hotels and hospitality standards were quite low but the Library Hotel not only ticked all boxes but left me very impressed.

Library is definitely my return-to hotel in New York City. With Grand Central Station - 42nd Street at your doorstep and Times Square a few blocks comfortably away, this exclusive East Side address is all one needs to soak in the magic of New York City. I highly recommend you to stop chasing frequent visitor points at Hilton / Marriott / Hyatt etc and check into this boutique property for a large juicy slice of the Big Apple. 

Restaurant Week 2012 Review : Gaia at Goodwood Park Hotel, Singapore

I somehow missed out on writing about what was undoubtedly my discovery of 2012 in Singapore. So here it goes. I have previously mentioned while reviewing The Knolls that the main objective of Restaurant Week (RW) is to attract new clientele by offering a glimpse of a full menu at a discounted price. Having previously been let down by The Knolls, we stepped into Gaia at Goodwood Park Hotel with close to zero expectations.

From the time we walked in, we were impressed with the attention we received. We were asked to wait for a few minutes whilst our table was being made ready. To be fair to them, we did arrive a good ten minutes early for our booking. There is a bar at the entrance which doubles up as a waiting space and you really don't mind hanging around this very cozy corner. Gaia is a nicely laid out restaurant which gives off an aura of exclusivity. There is an outdoor seating option available overlooking the car park so not much of a view there. The place was packed to the gills and we were shown to a nice quiet table towards the end of the restaurant.

Gaia is owned by the same group that runs Oso and Absinthe. Our pre-set RW menu was quite sumptuous with 4 courses being followed by choice of coffee or tea. We started off with pan fried scallops with carrots and balsamic sauce which tasted much better than it sounds. This was followed by lip-smacking ravioli filled with pumpkin cream, sauteed S. Daniele ham and butter sauce. For the main course, I opted for the Oceanic Trout fillet innovatively cooked in a paper bag with cherry tomatoes and 'taggiasche' olives. This was simply fantastic and probably the first time I've had a fish fillet preparation when it is not just plain steamed or fried. My husband opted for the slow cooked wagyu beef with thyme mash potato and braised mushrooms for his main course and this was quite decent. We rounded off with a portion of chocolate and hazelnut mousse with  pistachio sauce and hazelnut crumble. Not the best dessert I've had but definitely the best I've seen being offered on a RW menu.

I would rate service at Gaia as superlative and very personalized to the extent you feel there is one manager allocated per table. Our assigned manager Miguel Pereira was a complete gentleman who couldn't apologize enough when my glass of champagne hadn't arrived for twenty minutes. He offered a complimentary glass of Prosecco to make up for the service lapse and I found that incredibly remarkable considering this was RW and we were paying a slashed price of SGD 55++ per pax for the food (and super premium service). Miguel has previously worked with Singapore Airlines in their business / first class lounge division and that explained his knowledge of discreet and top-notch service.

A quick glance at the a la carte menu revealed mains ranging from SGD 22-40 which is far more reasonable than what non-hotel Italian restaurants charge minus the ambience and service. Regarding prices of drinks, I have to say they looked relatively reasonable with the French bubbly costing SGD 12 vis-a-vis the atrocious SGD 30 I paid for it at The Knolls at Capella! My husband was pleasantly surprised to find his favourite gin : Hendrick's (SGD 17) available on the menu since most restaurant bars don't stock it.

Like I have already mentioned Gaia is the discovery of the year for me in Singapore. It scores a hat trick on all 3 counts - ambience, food and service which undoubtedly is the best I've experienced anywhere in Singapore. I have since returned to Gaia already and Miguel has remembered our meal preferences. Let me add here that we've become fans of the Prawn Gamberoni and Tagliatelle with Lobster in Tomato Sauce (SGD 40 each). Italian wines are very attractively priced and the highly rated 2007 Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino can be yours at Gaia for SGD 90. If you are wondering about corkage, you have to purchase one bottle for every bottle you bring of your own. You might want to skip desserts as the Triple Layered Sponge Cake and Tiramisu both have missed my expectations. Your DBS credit card should get you a 15% discount on your total bill. I am game for yet another visit to Gaia as soon as it can happen and look forward to being back here.

Lounge/Bar Review : Blue Note Jazz Club, New York City, USA

Sorry for being MIA. Was spending some time on East Coast lapping up the pleasures of Uncle Sam's land.

I like jazz. Unfortunately, I don't get enough opportunities to cultivate this interest in Asia. While in NYC recently, I heard David Sanborn was playing at a jazz club - 'Blue Note' in the Village. I did a double flip and immediately booked our table.

Situated in the hip Greenwich village area right next to the W 4th Street Subway stop, Blue Note has an unpretentious exterior. We walked in just before 8 pm and were really lucky to get a table bang in front of the stage. Note that Blue Note is set up as a performance venue with the stage being surrounded by U-shaped seating. The club has performances scheduled daily at 8 pm and 10:30 pm and a Sunday jazz brunch with performances at 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm.

We were quickly seated just in time for the start of David Sanborn's show and it was a fully packed house with some guests still waiting in queue. For those in the dark, David Sanborn is one of America's most famous saxophonists who does a wonderful blend of jazz with instrumental Pop and R&B. Were we privileged to find him playing in NYC during our trip! He had just returned from Tokyo that morning but the 67 years old Sanborn's mind blowing performance gave none of the jet lag away.

Blue Note runs on a concert concept and per head charges range from $10 to $45 for A-list performances like David Sanborn's. If you do not intend to have a meal, you can enjoy a show seated at the bar which costs lesser but doesn't offer as clear a view of the stage. Each seat is sold out for top performances and by that I literally mean each seat. Be prepared to share your table with other couples as charges are per head and no seat goes unsold. True to its slogan of being the 'best jazz club and restaurant in the world', Blue Note has good lighting, sound acoustics coupled with a superior line-up of artists. Apart from Jazz, Blues, R&B, Latin and Hip Hop acts also are a regular feature here. For those who are interested, the December line-up includes Kendra Ross, Medeski Martin & Wood and Chris Botti who has been integral in making Blue Note the legend it has become. The much acclaimed American trumpeter will be performing at Blue Note through Christmas and New Year's for the eighth year running from Dec 17th to Jan 6th. 

One doesn't go to Blue Note for the food. It is expensive though the portion sizes are generous like everywhere in the US. We ordered a Baked Lemon Sole accompanied with steamed asparagus ($31) which was delicious and a 'Today's Special' dish of Shrimp Avocado Sandwich ($18) which was decent. The menu also offers regular items like Vegan styled Farfalle Pasta, Rigatoni Pasta, Seared Red Snapper etc priced in the $22-$28 range. Drinks are expensive too with a glass of sparkling wine (not Champagne) at $10. Service is prompt and efficient though like most American establishments, cold and impersonal.

Blue Note is rightfully regarded as one of the best jazz venues in the world and I would thoroughly recommend it for all jazz lovers and non-lovers alike. This is the place which will convert you. Blue Note has a well-earned reputation of being amongst the world's priciest jazz clubs but this is money well spent. Reservations are highly recommended and I can only look forward to being back here. Soon.