I’ve been visiting NY regularly since 1979 when my folks brought us for the Feast of St. Anthony and we stayed in a tiny 5th floor walkup in Little Italy (a friend’s apartment). Of course Little Italy has changed lots since then (but so has my Silverlake neighborhood since I moved there 13 years ago).

Here are a few of the things I’ve noticed about NYC:

Bike Chains – in Los Angeles the bike locks are either those U shaped steel things or simple plastic wrapped wire cables. In New York, I only see those huge chains that probably weigh as much as the bike itself. (Honestly, I haven’t noticed as many bikes in NY as I see in LA, but I could just be traveling in the wrong ‘hoods.)

Fruit Ubiquity – it’s far easier to get your daily fruit and vegetables in NYC than it is in LA. Sure, in Los Angeles you can pick it off of a tree, and if you’re lucky it’s a tree that hangs over the sidewalk and you can partake of FallenFruit. But here in NYC it looks like fresh fruit, fruit salads, vegetables … it’s at the corner shops, piled high at the checkouts at the coffee shops and street vendors.

Honking – car horns have a different language in NYC. In Los Angeles a car honk usually means “wake up, you jackhole!” and they come in intense bursts but really aren’t that common. In NY it seems that it can mean many things besides that. Often it just means “I’m not slowing down for you so get outta the way!” Sometimes there doesn’t appear to be a reason at all, maybe it’s because the light is green. Or red. Or yellow.

Toilets – it’s just not easy to find a bathroom in New York, but that’s not really that different from Los Angeles, hell there are parts of Hollywood and Downtown LA that smell an awful lot like NY. The thing that I’ve noticed is how much less common it is to find “seat protectors” in NY. I don’t know of many bathrooms that don’t have them in Los Angeles … but I haven’t seen many in NY. I’m not saying that you folks have dirty asses … of course I also haven’t encountered the “peed on seat” as much as in LA, so maybe folks are more toilet-polite here (or have better aim).

Cell Phones – In Los Angeles we have problems with people driving and talking. It seems in NY it’s walking and talking. Of course “pulling over” to dial on Eighth Avenue ain’t easy at 8:30 AM.

Theatre Starts on Time – I know it seems like an odd thing to notice, but I went to see Sweeney Todd and it actually started on time! This NEVER happens in Los Angeles. I don’t know if I’ve ever been to a show, even at the Ahmanson or Taper that started sooner than 10 after the hour.

Volume in all Frequencies – sure, cities are loud, but I don’t think my ears have ever been assualted in all ranges like they are in NYC. High frequency squeals of train brakes, low frequency jackhammers, eardrum-blasting sandblasting and powerwashers … of course I have sensitive ears and I feel damn silly sticking my fingers in them when the emergency vehicles go by. I’m a wuss … it hurts!

Elevation Changes – Angelinos travel great distances horizontally, New Yorkers do it vertically. I figure if I’m staying on the 26th floor of a hotel and working on the 33rd floor of an office building, I’m doing a lot of up and down. It’s murder on my ears (I’ve had a cold), nothing I’m ever subject to at home. What’s even odder, I can’t remember the last time I was in an elevator in Los Angeles.

I know the altitude thing sounds silly and when I did some digging around on the net, I found out how freaky it actually is. I mean, how could my ears be so troubled by going from sea level to 300 feet in a matter of seconds? The difference in pressure is going from 1 atmosphere to 0.9865773841008381. If it’s such a small difference, why do my ears hurt so much?

Joe, The Art of Coffee – Waverly St. – this little cup (a two ounce demitasse) looked a little skimpy at first. I got their spicy version which was thick and rich, more like the European-style hot chocolate I had in Spain when I was a teen. The spice was a pleasant burn, also I had this on Saturday so the warmth of the liquid and spice was a welcome change from the craptacular weather. Served in a stoneware cup. $3.25

Maison du Chocolat – Rockefeller Plaza – another upscale joint, but at least this one didn’t notice me taking photos. Larger cup, the chocolate had more of a grain to it, as if made from cocoa instead of melted chocolate. Served in a six ounce cup with a side of whipped cream. The drink was poured from a thermos, which was plenty hot. The ambiance was spoiled by three Dutch (I think) fellows who were obviously talking about sexual matters (though not in English) with some loud sound effects and gestures. Served in a china cup. $8.00

Jacques Torres – (yes, I mentioned this before) – a spectaculary rich and milky hot chocolate without a hint of grain. I got mine as a mix of wicked (their spiced version) and orange (which had real candied orange zest). There are other flavor varieties as well and each one is made fresh, just for you. I got the smallest they offered and still couldn’t drink more than half. The tables are very low and seating is little padded stools – it made me feel like I was visiting a pre-school. I noticed when I left that there were some tall bistro tables on the other side of the store. Served in a paper cup. $3.95.

Pierre Marcolini – Park Avenue – haute chocolate, but oddly enough, the hot chocolate was more affordable. Again served in an eentzy weentzy two ounce demitasse, I didn’t want any more than that anyway. Nice and mellow with some strong fruity notes from the dark chocolate. The chocolate is absurdly expensive at $60 a pound. Served in a china cup. $2.50.

Extra Credit:

Babycakes – a chocolate cupcake from the no-wheat-no-dairy-no-egg-no-nuts-no-sugar bakery. It was damn good. I’m serious – for a cupcake with lots of substitutes it was moist and fluffy and rich. I wanted my little trek down in this part of town to be all healthy, but I was saddened to find that the other bakery, Happy, Happy, Happy that sold similar fare has closed. (Note: though Babycakes does sell gluten free, this particular cake was not.)

Wednesday marks the beginning of Passover. Many folks, even my non-religious Jewish friends/family enjoy the food of the season. Of course Saturday is the biggest specialty candy holiday of all, Easter.

Sunday I went to two stores: Economy Candy on Rivington and Jacques Torres Chocolate Haven (I know Doris blogged about them a couple of days ago):

Economy Candy is a fantastic candy store that appears to have EVERYTHING under the sun. Commercial candy bars, imported sweets, Kosher goodies (halvah, Turkish delight, chocolate covered matzohs, Kosher chocolate), hard candies, bulk candies and even a selection of dried fruits. All the major consumer brands like Hershey, Nestle and Mars as well as the smaller specialty companies like Cafe Tasse and Scharffen Berger. There was a huge selection of Easter candies at the front of the door, chocolate bunnies large and small and the best price I’ve seen in years for those sugar eggs that have the frosting dioramas in them (99 cents each). The space is funky, cramped and literally packed to the rafters, but the prices are great. You can even order goodies on the net and have them shipped anywhere. (108 Rivington)

On the other end of the spectrum is Jacques Torres Chocolate Haven. Where $5 will buy you a pound of goodies at Economy, at JT you’re lucky to get a couple of tiny morsels or a set of three hollow mini-chocolate bunnies. However, that’s not to say that it isn’t a feast for the eyes. I recommend a stop at the hot chocolate bar, I ordered the smallest size (which is way to rich for me to finish) which was a mix of their “wicked” blend which is a chili spiced hot chocolate and their orange, which had candied orange zest in it. You can get your finest Easter basket fare here or a hostess gift for a seder, with some pretty fancy looking chocolate covered matzohs studded with dried fruits and candied ginger. (350 Hudson Street)

What else am I missing in Manhattan when it comes to candy? I’ve hit Dylan’s Candy Bar (the FAO Schwartz of candy) and I’m planning on Maison du Chocolat and The Bespeckled Trout.