Sunday Brunch at Barbara's

My mom is great at keeping in touch with people...but as she points out, it takes two. Since the early 90s, she has corresponded with a friend who lived in Tallahassee before moving to New York. Barbara invited us to visit her apartment for brunch. What a treat!

She's a wonderful cook and made us scrambled eggs with roasted peppers, sausage, a green salad, fruit and assorted pastries. As you can tell, I couldn't wait to taste some of Barbara's rhubarb preserves.

Barbara even put a candle in Leigh Ann's lemon muffin -- so thoughtful!

After our meal, we got to stroll around the beautiful neighborhood that Barbara gets to call home. She has an easy commute to Columbus Circle on an express train but gets to enjoy this view in the evenings and on weekends.

It felt like quite a long way from the asphalt jungle! The weather was cool and overcast, so it was pleasant to be outside. We strolled through Fort Tryon Park to the Cloisters museum, a branch of the Met featuring Medieval art, including some famous unicorn tapestries.

I felt like I was in Spain! So peaceful. You'd think this was an old monastery, but it was actually built to be a museum.

The area has great views of the George-Washington bridge and the Palisades cliffs across the Hudson River in New Jersey.

It was a perfect Sunday outing. We returned to the Upper East Side for a late afternoon rest (yes, that's a theme in our family), but we were roused by the air horns of the National Puerto Rico Day Parade down Fifth Avenue. It was an all-day event that turned the subway station near us into an exit-only facility because the crowds are so massive.

After our yummy brunch, a light dinner was in order, so we visited Luke's Lobster for lobster rolls, chips and pickles.

When we got home, Mom and I watched the Tony Awards so she could pick out the shows she wants to see on her future visits. And there went the weekend!