GRAMERCY PARK, PETE'S TAVERN, AND MADISON SQUARE

Today we walked.  Our first destination was Gramercy Park.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gramercy_Park

We then went a short block down Irving Street, as in Washington Irving, to Pete's Tavern.

http://www.petestavern.com/index.php

Pete's Tavern opened in 1864.  Since that time, it has remained open, making it both an official historical landmark and the oldest continuously operating bar and restaurant in New York City.  The Prohibition did not close down Pete's Tavern.  It remained open disguised as a flower shop and became one of the most infamous and popular speakeasies of that era.

The tavern looks today exactly as it did when its favorite "regular", O. Henry, dined there.  In 1905, at the first booth by the side doors is where he wrote the classic short story "The Gift of the Magi."

Following lunch we walked through Union Square to Madison Square.  As are all the parks, there's always something going on.  Here's a model posing with the Flatiron Building as her back ground.

Then we saw authentic Italian "eaters" showing how to go into Eataly, buy bread, cheese, prosciutto, and beer for a sandwich.

http://www.eataly.com