Lady Gaga & Eataly

The morning air is a crisp forty-three degrees and the day promises to be sunny.  A Canadian guest also staying at Comfort Inn cautions my husband, “I wouldn’t go outside dressed like that.”

Mr. Wonderful is wearing a short sleeve t-shirt, Dockers and moccasins without socks. We are 497 miles from warmer weather and plan to be home in Florida for afternoon coffee and cookies.

We choose Comfort Inn because of Bonus Points; for every three nights stayed, we get a night free, a good deal. It is seven in the morning. We anticipate a hot breakfast, seeing steam rising on hot trays and an attendant busy in the kitchen.

We have been away nine days visiting our daughter, family and friends in the New York City area and saw it all, including Lady Gaga’s Workshop and Eataly.

Lady Gaga?

Well, Tony Bennett is a favorite of mine. Bennett, an artist and big fan of Lady Gaga after singing together, plans to draw the diva, nude. Their duet, “The Lady is a Tramp”is exceptional. Gaga really can sing. If Mr. Bennett loves and respects her, so might I, and we head to Barney’s to check it out.

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The elevator door opens on the fifth floor to an oversized Lady Gaga turned spider and mini shopping areas with motorcycle jackets $625, stiletto Christmas stockings $65, Swaronski tea-cups $65, and  bouncing balls $9. The array of items is huge and unique. It is a shopping experience not an interactive workshop, raising funds for the charity “Born this Way”.  Perhaps because we expect over the top it is underwhelming, merely interesting and amusing. Robin Roberts, “Good Morning America” met Gaga and previewed the products.  The interview can be read at,  http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/lady-gaga-barneys-york-95-chocolate-shoe/story?id=15005951

After checking out Bloomingdale’s windows we head downtown and stumble upon Eataly.

OMG, if you are anywhere near 24th Street and 5th Avenue anytime soon, you must, absolutely must, visit Eataly.  Eataly is the brain child of Oscar Farientti who partnered with Mario Batali, Lidia Bastianich and son, Joe Bastianich to create an Italian eating, dining and shopping extravaganza. Farientti has numerous stores in Italy and Japan but only this one in the United States.

Customers roam the block wide store enticed by smells of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, prosciutto, sfogliatelle(shfooyadell’) and espresso.

The website http://eatalyny.com is thorough, user-friendly and worth the time to become familiar with this open-court environment. The tool bar leads to information about the partners, eating with menus, cooking lesson schedules and descriptions, shopping, shipping and more. You can order books, housewares, cheese, pastries, produce, and beef via tabs, The Market and Shop.

A Walking Tour,  guided tour that includes sampling of focaccia, pizza, mozzarella, gelato and chocolate is $35. Cooking lessons are $100. There are twelve different eating opportunities under Eat, that include; formal dining at Manzo to LaVazza Bar (Birra & Wine) to Gelateria (yes to die for gelato) and Caffe Vergnano(coffee bar).

It is an overwhelmingly scintillating experience similar to Tony Bennett sketching Stefania Joanne Angelina Geimanotta, aka Lady Gaga, nude….just guessing.