vip in the city

The power of the press

Shopping at my local Fairway — and on a Sunday afternoon! — is a somewhat less pleasantly civilized experience than I imagine it would be in Red Hook. But I had no choice: there was a dish to prepare for SYB’s pot luck dinner this evening, and no groceries at home with which to prepare it. Like one girding herself for battle, I decided to treat myself beforehand to a brief detour at newly opened Grom, the first American outpost of a popular Italian artisinal gelateria chain, about which I’d read so much recently. What could be finer on such a beautiful, sunny day?

As I neared my intended destination, there was a noticeable thickening in pedestrian traffic. My pace slowed as I reached the corner of Broadway and 76th Street, until…

Yikes.

Clearly, I was not the only one with the same idea — not by a long shot. I should have anticipated as much: the thought had been planted firmly and enticingly in our collective consciousness in a week-long media blitz of publicity: New York magazine. A profile in the Times dining section. Time Out New York. Gothamist.

The crush was unavoidable and inevitable. Paired with the sudden arrival of one of those perfect spring afternoons that New York City will sometimes produce, it meant that there was no way I was getting my cup of quality gelato today — not unless I was willing to brave the madding crowd for at least an hour. Which I was not. But gee, those that did wait it out sure looked happy.

Haven’t seen such lines since… well, since the weekend Beard Papa opened its first NYC creampuff shop in 2004, just two doors up from Grom’s current spot.

With apologies to O. Henry, “after this can any one doubt the power of the press?“

There are 2 Comments ... The power of the press

Qsoz
May 22, 2007

Ruth Reichl chimes in as well.

Qsoz
June 11, 2007

I went yesterday afternoon. Had to wait 20 minutes for my $7 cup of gelato. It was tasty, but I don’t think I can bear waiting for that long again. It might be worth it at half that price…

Go for it ...