FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX: Waldorf Wonders & Winter Woes

We had USD 50 per day to spend on food and beverages as part of our stay, and today we decided to put it toward breakfast at The Lexyard. The staff addressed us by title and name simply by knowing our room number, a small but impressive touch. Service was friendly and polished, and as with every guest-facing employee in this hotel, the entire team looked like they’d stepped straight out of a luxury lifestyle magazine. Each department had its own chic uniform, perfectly tailored and effortlessly elegant.

The latte? Probably the most expensive one I’ll ever drink in my life - USD 12 plus tax plus tip. The Asian in me flinched, then immediately celebrated the fact that it was “free.”

The impressive Peacock Alley

USD18 Brown sugar cinnamon bun with maple cream topping

Even the gym is fancy

Entrance foyer larger than my home

Machines nicely spread out

With towel and water bottle ready at each one

Extensive weights station

With separate areas for bars

The "studio"

Lots of goodies here

Trying to take more photos of the hotel

Yet more sitting areas

In case you forget where you were at night, there's a monogrammed pillowcase to remind you

We’d planned to explore Harlem and visit The Met Cloisters today, but winter decided to make an early appearance in New York. We woke to a frosty 1 °C (real feel: –1) and...surprise...snow. Since it was Veterans Day, we braved the cold and wandered over to 5th Ave to watch the parade. I’ll admit it wasn’t quite the fanfare I’d imagined. Cadet-like groups from various high schools marched by, but most looked like they’d rather be anywhere else. (Don’t come at me!)

Somewhere between Guayaquil and JFK, I seem to have picked up a pesky viral hitchhiker, so we took the rest of the day slow.

Dinner, however, was a highlight at the onsite Japanese restaurant Yoshoku. Easily one of the best meals we’ve had in the states, and service to match. Our sommelier, Logan, took it upon himself to win Mal over to sake. His approach? A pairing that wasn’t technically a pairing - two dishes chosen to showcase two of his favourites. Gratis. Mal’s opinion on sake may be unchanged, but even we had to admit these were leagues above anything we’d tried before.

Day 19: Cold fronts, warm service, and one very expensive latte.