The Boomer's Guide to the Best Brunch in New York City:Sarabeth's

You know that many of us boomers are foodies.  One thing most foodies are on the search for is a good, satisfying brunch.  No, not the kind where you basically serve yourself cafeteria style.  No, I'm referring to those where you order from a limited brunch menu and are served by the wait staff. Nothing is more sought after.

While visiting our son last Easter in New York City, we found what we think is the best brunch in the city, Sarabeth's.  While it has several locations throughout the city, we visited the restaurant located on the Upper East Side near our hotel, the Marmara which is located at 301 E. 94th Street, 1-866-599-6674.   In fact, we learned of it from the desk clerk at the hotel.  When we asked her, "Where is the best brunch in the city?", she answered without hesitation, "Sarabeth's".

Just a few blocks away at 1295 Madison Avenue, between 92d and 93d Streets, 212-410-7335, Sarabeth accepts reservations but does not require them.

We each started with the Pickled House Bloody Mary, which was suitably spicy.  For brunch, I had the fat and fluffy french toast.  It was crisp and served with fresh strawberries. My wife had the spinach and goat cheese omelet.  I am not a fan of spinach, but when I had a taste, it too was excellent.  Our son had the classic eggs Benedict, with Canadian bacon, hollandaise sauce and chives. Seeing how quickly, he cleared his plate, I knew it too was excellent.

In addition to the restaurants, Sarabeth's also makes various types of preserves made solely of fruit. My favorite is the blueberry cherry, but there are many varieties available. Go to the website at www.sarabeth.com to see all the wonderful preserves you can buy. These can be bought by calling 1-800-PRESERV and can also be purchased at several stores (my wife has found the preserves on sale at TJ Maxx). So, if you can't get to New York for brunch, see if you can find the preserves at your local store.  It will be well worth the trip.

The Boomer's Guide to the Vanderbilt Mansion

Although Hyde Park is most closely associated with the Roosevelt family, just down the road from FDR's Springwood on Route 9 is the Vanderbilt Mansion. The mansion was built as a seasonal vacation home in the late 19th century for Frederick and Louise Vanderbilt of the Vanderbilt family that owned the New York Central Railroad.   It was designed by the famed architectural firm, McKim, Mead & White. Stanford White, who helped with the furnishing of the interior of the mansion, was later murdered by Harry K. Thaw in 1906 because he was having an affair with Thaw's wife, actress Evelyn Nesbit. The subsequent trial was known as "The Trial of the Century" and resulted in Thaw being found not guilty by reason of insanity.

The mansion was designed in the beaux art style and is said to be a perfect example of the gilded age mansions built by the robber barons. Less grand than the Vanderbilt mansion in Asheville, North Carolina, the Biltmore, it is located directly on the Hudson River and offers magnificent views of the river and the distant Catskill mountains.

The Vanderbilt Mansion was donated to the United States in 1940 and is designated as a National Historic site.  Because it is run by the National Park Service, your Senior Pass will allow you free admission to the Mansion. The grounds themselves are open to the public without any tickets or passes. It is a must see if you are in the area.

This completes our series on Hyde Park.  Next up is our visit to West Point.

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