MARILYN HAGERTY: She’s baaack

• Marilyn Hagerty

Marilyn Hagerty
• Marilyn Hagerty at airport

Back in Grand Forks after "taking Manhattan" Herald columnist Marilyn Hagerty collects her bag at the Grand Forks airport Friday afternoon. Herald photo by John Stennes.

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NEW YORK — The St. Patrick’s Parade is coming, and we are leaving New York City Friday morning. Cab drivers dread the parade because of all the congestion it causes.

With Ryan Babb of Forum Communications keeping me on track, I have been dancing all over the city doing interviews and visiting restaurants for three days. I am ready for the biscotti they serve on flights on Delta Air Lines. We will make our way early in the morning for LaGuardia Airport from Staybridge Suites in Times Square.

On Saturday, I hope to attend the St. Patrick’s Day luncheon at St. Michael’s Catholic Church and a big birthday party for Faye Fladland Linfoot at United Lutheran. I don’t want to miss the St. Pat’s Day parade in downtown Grand Forks. Maybe I will find Susie Shaft and wish her a happy St. Patrick’s Day birthday. And I will send a card to Phyllis Rovelstad — another St. Pat’s girl.

This has been a mountain top experience. We have dined at top restaurants such as Dovetail and the posh Crown restaurant. We got a real taste of Times Square and New York when we stood in line to eat at the Shake Shack.

I had a chance to sample the New York City dirty-water dog sold on street corners. My tasting was outside the New York Times. The dog was good enough. Not hot enough. I didn’t go back for more, but I tasted a burger from one of New York’s Shake Shacks and I do believe it was better than the usual run of burgers. The meat had a little fat — and therefore flavor — in it.

We rounded out the week with a visit to Le Bernardin, the restaurant that leads the way with three Michelin stars.

There is no place like New York. The people walk quickly in droves with radios, cell phones, gadgets — all in their own world. The cab and limousine drivers have salty comments to make.

We were in a limo Thursday afternoon that was stopped by police. Turns out the driver was opening and closing the front door. I think the driver said he was taking Marilyn Hagerty on an interview. I am not making this up. The cop looked in the back and smiled. I had my seat belt fastened.

He said, “OK, you can go.”

The driver was relieved. He was better off than a taxi driver who told us he was fined $150 this week for briefly being in a truck-parking space. He said he was helping a disabled woman by carrying her suitcase to the door.

He shook his head and bemoaned the fact that it is hard to help other people. A sad commentary on life in the big city.

Reach Hagerty at mhagerty@gra.midco.net or at (701) 772-1055.

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