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| The bustling counters at The Grand Central Oyster Bar in Manhattan's Grand Central Terminal. |
There are days when I am just down—a tad world-weary, bien fatigue—and out of sorts. While I am certainly not ready to check myself into the much-advertised Midwest Center for Stress & Anxiety or anything that dire, I need a little pick-me-up to return the extra bounce to my step and the dazzling smile to my jet-setting visage. Shopping doesn’t do anything for me, nor does a pint of Häagen-Dazs or jewelry.
My solution? I head for the fabulous horseshoe-shaped counter at the long-running Grand Central Oyster Bar and choose a stool at the counter manned by the gracious and lovely Mary Mac, an Irish lass who always takes extra special care of me. The Grand Central Oyster Bar sits in the bowels of Grand Central Terminal and has been serving incredible oysters and other seafood since 1913. Sure, you can sit in the Oyster Bar’s dining room or the pub-like Saloon, but the counter offers incredible theater and a wonderfully priced sandwich list of oyster po’ boys, seared tuna burgers and lobster rolls. I plunk down, greet the winsome Mary and order a cool Sauvignon Blanc and po’ boy. My mood bounces back almost immediately. It’s like therapy, but for less than $30.
When I am on the West Coast and am struck with a case of the moody blues, I hightail it to the Beverly Hills Hotel. Not only does the hotel’s cotton candy-pink exterior instantly perk me up—the color pink is known to neutralize disorder and induce relaxation—but the hostelry’s Fountain Coffee Room is like Prozac on a plate. I saddle up to the lozenge-shaped bar at this diner-like glamour spot and take a deep breath. It’s instant detox. I am crazy about the wrought-iron stools, the banana print wallpaper and the fabulous sandwiches paired with a giant malt. Divine.
So if you happen to be on either coast and need a little perk, consider this your cheat sheet.