Metropolitan Museum of Art

The museum is located at 1000 5th Avenue in New York City and can be accessed via numerous bus routes which stop just outside the main entrance.


The Met is open seven days a week (excluding a few holidays) with late hours available on Fridays and Saturdays.


The museum holds the distinction of being the largest in the United States and is ranked in the top ten largest in the world.


I've had the great fortune of visiting many of the great museums (the Louvre, the Hermitage, etc...) and agree that this ranks among the top. Make the time to visit if you can - it's a choice you'd be unlikely to regret.


With over two million works of art in the museums permanent collection which is housed in this massive 2 million square foot space there is bound to be something of interest to almost anyone.

The suggested admission fee is $25.00 USD and is worth every penny. Yet, one may pay any amount over $1.00 USD for their admission. Payment of the fee grants access to the main building and (if used within the same week) The Cloisters, which we visited during a prior trip.

The photos shared in this blog are just a few samples of the art you might encounter during your visit.

With so many collections from which to choose you will want to allow yourself plenty of time.


This museum attracts large numbers of people on any given day so be prepared to maneuver through large crowds. Wear comfortable walking shoes as you will do a lot of walking.


As for places to eat, there are a few cafes inside the museum, plenty of street vendors in-front selling various snacks, treats, and eats, there are plenty of restaurants (though a bit more pricey) in the area if one prefers something nicer.

Metropolitan Opera House and Les Contes d'Hoffmann

The Metropolitan Opera House is located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.  

This world renowned gem is a short walk from Central Park and is accessible by bus (M11, M66) and subway (1, 2) lines.

Metropolitan Opera House Lobby / Chandelier

Despite being a little dated, the lobby of the building still feels elegant. The balcony space around the staircase offers plenty of photo opportunities in which many patrons choose to include the chandelier.

The balcony is also home to a restaurant, gift shop, and bars.
It is highlighted by two large Marc Chagall paintings, The Triumph of Music and The Sources of Music.


The interior of the opera house is breathtaking and offers seating for upwards of 3800 people.

Our visit included seeing the Metropolitan Opera's production of  Les Contes d'Hoffmann.

With the reputation of the Met and my partner's claims that this opera sparked his interest in the genre when he was ten years old, I had high expectations.  The singers, the sets, the entire production completely surpassed anything I could have imagined. 

The sets and costumes offered the perfect dressing for this carnival of sights and sounds.

While every singer deserves recognition for the success of this production, Matthew Polenzani (Hoffmann) and Audrey Luna (Olympia) added extra brilliance to this shining star.

Fountain outside of The Metropolitan Opera House

The Metropolitan Opera and the opera house are must see attractions in New York City.  

Nick & Toni's Cafe

On Saturday March 14, 2015 we had tickets to see Les Contes d'Hoffmann. We chose Nick & Toni's Cafe @ 100 West 67th Street NYC for our pre-show dinner because it offered a variety dishes, it had a reasonable Prix Fixe menu, and it was close to the Metropolitan Opera.

We arrived on time for our 5:30 reservation and were seated immediately.  The interior had a cozy mediterranean feel with the dining area predominantly to the left of the entrance and the bar area to the right.  While the cafe was mostly empty when we arrived it filled up by 6 pm.

After reviewing the menu, we decided the Prix Fixe would be too much food for us so we decided to order an appetizer to share and individual entrees.  The appetizer we selected was the zucchini chips which were very tasty. For our entrees, my partner ordered the risotto and I had an arugula salad. Once again, the flavors of our respective dishes did not disappoint.

For dessert, we shared an Olive Oil Cake. The cake was very moist and was nicely complimented by a fruit compote and an olive oil gelato.

Each dish was so well proportioned that we were full by the end of the meal.

For me, a good dining experience is a balance between the food quality and the service received. When it comes to service, I don't like to be seated and ignored, nor do I like to feel badgered during my meal.

Our server was a little over attentive for my taste. She approached us numerous times while we were clearly still reviewing our menus. Once we placed our orders she seemed to give us a little more space yet still interrupted us a few more times.

A pet peeve of mine is when I am unable to find someone to refill my water glass. That was not the issue here. Instead, the busboy kept our glasses of water full by reaching between us numerous times while we were eating, conversing, and trying to enjoy our meal.

I understand the server and the busboy were both trying to provide good service to us, yet both of these situations were overly intrusive to our meal and comfort.

In my opinion the food we sampled and the ambiance make Nick & Toni's worth a visit as long as you don't mind the possibility of excessive disruptions during your meal.