On Tue, 02 Dec 2003 10:08:23 -0500, Boron Elgar
> wrote:

>On Tue, 02 Dec 2003 11:29:48 GMT, "Jack Schidt®"
> wrote:
>
>>
>>"Christine Dabney" > wrote in message
. ..
>>> On Tue, 02 Dec 2003 02:50:12 GMT, Sheryl Rosen
>>> >Will you have a car? It's about an hour, maybe a bit less, depending on
>>the
>>> >traffic.
>>> >
>>> >Take the Grand Central Eastbound towards the WHITESTONE Bridge. Take the
>>> >Whitestone Bridge and follow the signs for I-95 NORTHBOUND, aka the New
>>> >England Thruway. Stay on I-95 until you hit Connecticut. Take Exit 16
>>once
>>> >in Connecticut, about 20 minutes from the state line.
>>> >
>>> >At the end of the exit ramp, take a left onto EAST AVE.
>>> >Stay on East Avenue, bearing right at the fork in the road. Proceed to
>>Route
>>> >1. It's about a 2-3 minute drive from the exit ramp. Take a right onto
>>> >Route 1 (it is clearly marked as such. it's also known as Westport
>>Avenue).
>>> >Go up the hill, past a huge market called Stew Leonard's on the right. If
>>> >you have time, stop in. You won't believe your eyes!!!! Proceed past
>>Stew
>>> >Leonards, about 3/10 of a mile ahead on the left is Penzey's. The parking
>>> >lot is on the side street, by the Shell Gas Station. There is a traffic
>>> >light, you'll see a Hyundai Dealership and a Shell station, that's the
>>> >street, make a left and that's the parking lot.
>>> >
>>> >It's easier than it sounds. It's probably 40 miles or so.
>>>
>>> Okay, I will have a car.
>>>
>>> Now I just have to make myself get up early enough on Friday to make
>>> it up there so I can get to Penzeys that day.
>>>
>>> Thanks for the directions!
>>>
>>> Christine
>>
>>Not to be contentious, but you'd do yourself a big favor by skipping
>>Penzeys'. After fighting the traffic, you'll be nonplussed, especially if
>>you've been through their catalog and ordered their spices already. That
>>part of CT is a parking lot, bottlenecked by frequent construction and
>>overwhelming volume of cars and trucks.
>>
>>Jack Nervewracking
>>
>>PS I saw your later post about attempting this on Friday. That's the worst
>>day to make said trip as the traffic arteries are clogged not only by daily
>>commuters but by NY weekenders making a trek up to CT. The window of
>>traffic opportunity for this mission opens at 10 am and closes at 2.
>
>I hate to be a nay sayer on this adventure, but I agree with Jack.
>The CT store is cute, but not overwhelmingly large & the only
>advantage over ordering from the source is that you can get a whiff of
>things (not everything, just many of them) before you buy. And think
>of it this way.....they have to ship the stuff from the original to
>the CT store, so it has to be fresher from the source (it probably
>isn't, but you can use that as a lie or excuse, if you wish).
>
>Christine, if you are absolutely chomping at the bit to drive yourself
>insane in traffic, come into the city (that means Manhattan) on
>Friday & hit the upper west side wonders of Fairway, Cittarella's &
>Zabar's. The cruisin' will be wonderful.
>
I concur. You are unlikely to find anything in CT that you can't get
in Manhattan. I would add that Citarella also has a fine store on 6th
Ave at 9th St, where Balducci's used to be. Either location is fine.

Also, Dean and DeLuca on Broadway at Prince is worth a look.
Murray's cheese shop at Bleeker and Cornelia.

Wild Edibles in Grand Central Terminal for live Nantucket Bay
Scallops.

Russ and Daughters on East Houston for herring, pickled, smoked, etc.

Petrossian on 7th Ave between 57th and 58th St. Not American, but
Thanksgiving is past. I believe they have the best smokehouse in the
galaxy. The best smoked eel I have ever tasted. $$$$

But, even if you skip all the stores, get up on Saturday early enough
to walk through the Union Square Greenmarket before going uptown. Of
course it won't be like October, but still worth seeing. You can get
on the #6 train right there.


Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a

For your upscale SUV: Dingle-balls hand knit of natural Icelandic yarn