Yup, Beecher's really DOES have the "world's best mac & cheese"!

A few years ago, I conducted a search for the best mac & cheese in midtown Manhattan and I believe that I gave Virgil's the honor.  I've since discovered Schnipper's which pushed Virgil's into second place.  Now that I've been venturing out of midtown more often, I discovered that Beecher's in the Flat Iron district is my new favorite mac & cheese in NYC. They're even nice enough to put their signature recipe on their website which, of course, means that you should most definitely buy their cheese before attempting the recipe.  (I don't think substituting a block of Kraft will have the same effect.)   While you're at Beecher's, you can actually sit (on milk can stools) and watch the cheese-making process.  You might not think that's very interesting, but I spent a good five minutes mesmerized by the curds and whey.  Then again, I'm a confirmed cheese freak...  


If you're not into baking a batch of mac & cheese yourself, you can buy frozen portions in their cheese shop or order it online and have it shipped to you at $58 for two 20 oz. trays--which may seem like a lot, but is actually cheaper than buying it in the restaurant ($11 per serving).  It was served piping hot in an au gratin dish (my server felt the need to advise me to not lick the dish because it was so hot) and the portion size was just right for a lunch meal.  I actually left about $1.50 worthin the dish because I just couldn't force those last couple of bites in.  If you're ever in the Flat Iron district, stop by for a free sample of the mac & cheese and grab some free samples of their flagship cheese--I promise you won't be sorry.

Right around the corner from Beecher's is the birthplace of Teddy Roosevelt and I arrived just in time for the 2 p.m. tour.   There's no charge (donations are appreciated) and it's an excellent way to spend an hour.  The building is actually a reproduction of the original building which was demolished in 1916 and (excluding the addition of air conditioners), each room has been recreated as it would have been when  lived there as a child.   Our guide was very informative and very happy to share all of his knowledge about Theodore (our 26th president did not like being referred to as Teddy).


I'm really enjoying the time that I spend exploring other areas of NYC.  There are so many fabulous buildings, beautiful parks, and interesting stores that are a nice change from the tourist areas and souvenir shops.  Don't get me wrong--I love Times Square and the theater district but when the weather is nice, I like to walk around and discover different areas and neighborhoods.   

The Flatiron District 
is named after the Flatiron (Fuller) Building which got its name because the triangular shape of the narrow building resembles a cast iron clothes iron.  It's not available for touring, so I had to limit my photos to the exterior, which I had to shoot in sections due to the height of the building.














In addition to plenty of shaded areas to sit and relax plus free WiFi access (just sign up for a free account), Madison Square Park (named for our 4th president, James Madison) also has the Shake Shack .  There was such a huge line of people that I wondered if maybe they had the "world's best shake" so I had to join the line to find out.  We moved along fairly quickly and I ordered a chocolate shake.  It was OK.  Not spectacular, not bad, just your average shake.  But I learned that what IS special about the Shake Shack is that a portion of each purchase benefits park maintenance and programs and they've raised quite a lot of money.  If I hadn't already stuffed myself with mac & cheese earlier, I would have tried the cheese fries because they did look awfully tasty.  They also offer dog-friendly items on their menu as well.  So I understand now why the long line.

I had planned to stop by Eataly to check out the rooftop restaurant Birreria, but I ran out of steam and time (did I mention that I had walked from 49th Street and was also walking back?).  There's a lot more to see and do in the Flatiron District, so it's worth a visit back at another time.  OK, the real reason for returning will be to get more mac & cheese, but there are a lot of other neat things to do and see.

We truly lucked out with the weather again on this trip. Both of my recent NYC trips fell smack in between some nasty weather systems, so I hereby give my thanks to Mother Nature.  Hopefully she will smile on us again when we head to the Bronx on August 30 for the Yankees vs. Orioles game.  We've got some great Field Level seats available and we even supply the Cracker Jack!