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Any tips on how to make a crust like the one at Birdbath/CIty Bakery? We tried to do a graham crust last year after enjoying theirs so much (it actually seems like a natural pairing), but ours came out far too mushy. Any suggestions? Food lab?? :)

I agree that Portland is a superstar in the making...

It would depend on the location. For MSP, with a friend on a nice night, waiting in line at the park can be just as fun as sitting at the park. But to wait like that in Times Square or on a city block on the UWS would just feel like waiting...

Also at the Ace hotel (where you're going for the Breslin) is Stumptown coffee: great pastries and lattes. You could also grab a frozen custard from the Shake Shack in Madison Square Park if you have room after your burger (probaby not). The cocktails at the Breslin are great, too. We posted about many of these spots--and you might find some other inspiration for activities (www.hitherandthither.net). I would personally recommend Essa Bagel over Murray's, but others may disagree. You could stop at the Met and check out the rooftop exhibit while you're in Central Park--the views are amazing and you technically can pay what you wish, so it's not too bad to go for just the rooftop. Have fun!

There was an NPR interview not too long ago with a store owner who switched to a credit card only/ATM only policy. I thought it was really interesting to hear about the other extreme.

She negotiated low fees with the CC companies after promising them more business, found that her record-keeping and tracking was made easier, found that she lost less money to error and to employee-theft, enjoyed not having to run to and from the bank for change or cash-drops, and even found that she got sick less when she stopped handling cash. She felt like the fees she still paid made up for the added convenience, peace of mind, and lack of occasional losses. She ruffled a lot of feathers with customers, but I thought it was a fascinating model. Of course, I’m a biased customer who doesn’t like carrying cash and who likes earning miles/rewards for a convenience that I pay off regularly.

I don’t begrudge the cash-only restaurants, but I do find it to be a pain to patronize them.

Ditto. What bobbob said.
BTW, any update on Irving Mill? Any chance they're staying put??

Pretzel croissant: it's true, no contest.