It’s just past dawn in Stuyvesant Town, on 18th and First, and I’ve been in town just under twenty-four hours.  The flight from Boston was short and uneventful.  I’m here to see N and to catch a plane from JFK on ANA later this morning to reach Narita and from there to Tokyo and Kyoto where, on Tuesday evening, I’m doing a Q & A with Chef Rene Redzepi, of NOMA, at Hyatt Regency.

I’m tired.

But not so tired, after not sleeping well for a couple of nights, not to hit a bunch of familiar places.

Rubirosa for the city’s best pizza.  A visit to Eataly for pasta and cheese.  Porto Rico (on St. Marks) to buy coffee for N and a friend in Japan.  My go-to Italian for dinner: Il Buco Alimentari: Lattuga, pasta with black truffles, pasta with a beef ragu.  Finally, a few bars in the LES.