Parents' Weekend

Since my life in New York is a bit like going back to college (new friends, new routines, living with a roommate), it was time for a fall campus tradition: Parents' Weekend!

Mom had her visit in June, but I suggested Dad and Laura wait and come up when the weather would be more pleasant.

They arrived on Thursday night, and after a yummy dinner at City Lobster, we strolled over to Times Square.

Leigh Ann came up for the weekend too; she and I got to stay at Nate and Neil's apartment while the boys were in the Hamptons.

 
Friday was a bit challenging...I had to work, so Leigh Ann played tour guide. But it was pouring. (The city had more than two inches of rain.)

They did some shopping at Bloomingdales, but lunch at the Carnegie Deli was a bust; the line was too long, so they ended up at a burger place nearby. After paying $50 for two hamburgers and a couple of sodas, they got drenched and headed back to the hotel for a break.

I met up with everyone around 3:30. By then, the rain had let up, so we took the subway to Chinatown to do a little junky shopping. The weather was still crappy, but we made the best of it, and Laura had fun negotiating with the vendors to get some bargains.

Dad was a very patient umbrella holder as the women went in just one more store.

For dinner, we walked down Mulberry Street in Little Italy, where they were having the festival of San Genaro. A friend had warned me the festival might not be a good idea if we wanted to avoid crowds. But I think most people were staying home because of the weather. The street was closed, and the  restaurants had all set up sidewalk cafes under awnings in the street. It was really pleasant to sit and watch the crowds walk by, and the red, white and green lights made it feel quite festive.

Leigh Ann and I split some gnocchi and an order of chicken parmesan. Dad and Laura were still full from the $50 hamburger lunch, so they had fried mozzarella and chicken fingers.

By Saturday morning, things started to perk up! We took a gamble on Friday and bought tickets for the 10 a.m. Water Taxi, with hopes that the weather would improve. The Water Taxi has a partnership with the 9/11 Memorial, and it's one of the only ways you can currently get inside the memorial, which is booked through November. Dad was very interested to see the Memorial, so I was really glad we stumbled across a way to make it happen.

We got to the pier early, picked up the Memorial tickets, and then boarded the boat at 9:30. We cruised along the Hudson River from 44th Street to Battery Park, as a guide pointed out landmarks along the way.

My favorite "point of interest" mentioned by the guide was Pier 54, which was the Titanic's destination. I'd jogged by the arch on the Hudson River Park several times but had never noticed it. The White Star and Cunard signage still remains, so I'll have to check it out next time I walk by. The guide also said Titanic crew members stayed at what is now the Jane Hotel, also in my neighborhood.

As we got close to Battery Park, we got a better view of World Trade Center One and the construction cranes on top. (The building was going to be called the Freedom Tower, and some people still call it that, but I think that name was ruled to be a bit too provocative.) I told Leigh Ann I thought the guide should have mentioned the tower will be 1,776 feet tall once it's finished...

We tried to get a shot of Dad and Laura with the Statue of Liberty in the background, but it wasn't really working...

From Battery Park, it was a short walk to the memorial site, where we had tickets to enter at 11:15.

One of the most touching places in the entire memorial site to me was right after we passed through security. They have a wall of photos of the memorial services and commemorations that were held around the world.

The picture above with the flag shows you the bottom of World Trade Center One, the building currently under construction. From the site, you can really see how much they've fortified the bottom of it.

One of the things you can really appreciate being inside the memorial is how massive the Ground Zero construction site still is and how it continues to impact development downtown. It's unfortunate it took ten years to open the memorial, but the upside is it's beautifully designed and really honors the memory of all those who lost their lives. So, maybe it was worth the wait.

From downtown, we took the subway back to midtown, where Dad and Laura had tickets for the Lion King matinee.

Leigh Ann and I checked out some of the latest fall trends at Zara and H&M. Between the leather leggings and hot pants were these...

Since we were right beside the iconic public library building on 5th Avenue, I decided to pop inside and get myself a card.

After the show, we took Dad and Laura to my neighborhood. (As we elbowed our way through the crowd in Times Square, Dad said, "7 million people in New York -- and all of them are in Times Square on Saturday afternoon.") Having spent too much time fighting the crowds in midtown, the serene West Village was a nice change!

 It was a lovely sunset over the Hudson River...

Next stop: Brooklyn, where we checked out the long line at Grimaldi's Pizza then walked around the corner to a less crowded restaurant called Pete's. It was actually really good! I had a very tasty pork chop stuffed with proscuitto and mozzarella. Dad and Laura had some really good stuffed chicken, and I think Leigh Ann had the eggplant.

Fortified by our meal, we set out to cross the Brooklyn Bridge. (Shout out to everyone for being such troopers...we'd had a long day, but since Friday was such a bust, we had to pack it in!)

It was a perfect night to cross the bridge, and the lights were lovely. We walked Dad and Laura back to their hotel, and everyone headed home on Sunday. Dad and Laura had a very long trip back, so I really appreciate everyone's time and effort to come and see me in my new home!

Race for the Cure

Thanks to my friend Jen, a fellow Southern belle in NYC, for inviting me to join her colleagues for today's Race for the Cure. It started at 9 on Central Park West, so we met a few blocks south of the start line at 8:45.

I had done Race for the Cure a few times in Charlotte, and this was very similar. It's great people-watching, and seeing the signs, costumes and t-shirts is really touching and entertaining.

We decided to walk, as it's sometimes almost impossible to jog during these big events anyway. It was a really slow start...I think it took us a good 20 minutes to cross the start line.

It was such a slow walk that I honestly felt like I should get some exercise afterwards...instead, we headed to brunch with two other girls. Just because you didn't break a sweat doesn't mean you don't deserve a breakfast burrito, right??

I took it easy for the rest of the afternoon and went for a stroll around 6. I happened up on a jazz service at a Lutheran church on Christopher Street and decided to wander in. What a delight! It was a very ecclectic crowd, inspiring music and a meaningful message. A very meaningful way to wrap up the weekend. Got some broccoli soup for dinner and am enjoying the Emmys with my roomie.

Field Trip: Governors Island

You would not believe what I went through to get this picture.

All summer, I'd wanted to visit Governors Island in New York Harbor. It got its name because it housed the British governors during colonial days. It was closed to the public for almost 200 years as a military base, home to the U.S. Army and later the Coast Guard.  Just 800 yards from lower Manhattan, it's open only from late May through late September. The city bike map informed me it has "five miles of car-free biking with outstandig views of Lower Manhattan, Brooklyn, and New York Harbor."

Saturday, 11:45 a.m.: The journey begins. Kurt and I race south on our rented bikes to catch the 12 p.m. ferry. Could we make it? It was like our own personal Amazing Race! We were weaving around tourists and almost took out several kids on scooters.

12:01 p.m. we arrive at ferry terminal. Ugh. But good news: next ferry is at 12:30, not 1 as I thought.

12:03: We pedal toward the South Seaport to kill a few minutes before our ferry. This is when the wheels start to fall off the bus...

12:08 I land hard off the curb (oops) and the bolt holding my bike seat in place falls out. We try to get the part replaced at a bike shop in Battery Park, but they can't help. We pedal back to Christopher Street; my seat is at midget-level and gently rocking back and forth as we weave in and out of traffic. It's now after 1. Seeing the universe is clearly conspiring against this trip -- as evidenced by the clouds that have rolled in -- Kurt turns in his bike. I refuse to give up!

2 p.m. Ferry pulls out. It's just a seven-minute ride to the tiny island. I bike the entire perimeter in about 20 minutes, then pedal along some of the cross-streets. 

Part of it reminds me of being on an abandoned college campus...

Other parts are, um, less scenic...but they've only just begun to turn it into a public space, and I'm sure all of the dodgy-looking parts will be gone in a few years.

There were several special events going on...an art show...and a trapeze demonstration! (The Dave Matthews Band was supposed to perform on the island the weekend of the hurricane.)

It would be a lovely place to spend a pretty day. But given the clouds, after I covered most of the island, I was ready to head back. The bike shop didn't charge us for Kurt's bike, and they started my rental at 1. I thought that was pretty cool of them. 

Kurt had used the afternoon to make some roasted potato, green onion and leek soup. He also put together this clever arrangement for a friend's birthday.

I barely made it through the rest of the afternoon, exhausted from the long ride and drowsy from the big beer I had with my burger when I got back to the neighborhood. It will be an early night...headed to Central Park early tomorrow for the Komen breast cancer run!

Perfect Friday Night

I cannot imagine a better Friday night...but let me just fast-forward to my very favorite part, which came at the end of the night!

There it was, between the Pinot Grigio and the Sauvignon Blanc, above the Muscadet and the Gewurtztraminer...

Domaine Lecomte, Quincy, '09, France. $11/glass, $49/bottle.

For real?? Has anyone else from the Q discovered this already? The manager informed me Quincy is in the Loire valley near Sancerre. He also helped me with the fancy French pronunciation, which I'm not sure I can mimic. His description of the wine was similar to what I found on this website: a zippy white with plenty of citrus and herbal flavors, kept in check with an underlying minerality and crisp acidity.

Anyway, that was just the ending of a fantastic night, which started when Travis and I met after work and went to Favela Cubana on LaGuardia south of Washington Square. I was trolling Open Table for restaurant ideas and came across it. Brazilian and Cuban food? Right up my alley!

We started with an amazing cocktail called Mora Picante: roasted jalapeño infused tequila, blackberries, cointreau, and lime juice. I'd never had anything like it -- just the right amount of heat, cut by the sweetness of the blackberries and the salt on the glass.

With our cocktails, we split an order of pao de queijo (Brazilian cheese bread), which was soft and warm and just scrumptious! For entrees, we got the Lechon (braised pulled pork shoulder with yucca puree, green apple and batatas fritas) and the Camarao a Baiana (shrimp in the Bahian style -- grilled shrimp, coconut milk, bell peppers, grape tomatoes, white rice) and shared both. We also had the "samba salad," which was corn, mango, avocado and tomato.
 

It was THE BEST meal! We sat outside, and even though it was a bit cool, it just felt really fresh and pleasant to be outdoors. The east side of LaGuardia is tucked a bit away from the street, so the setting was just perfect. Travis treated me for my birthday, and I can't imagine a better evening.

We walked back toward my place and ended up at Monument Lane for dessert, which was where I discovered the wine. We split the stone fruit crisp with vanilla ice cream and got to sit in front of a big window on 12th street to watch everyone pass by.

So much fun! Today I was wishing I could do a replay and taste everything all over again...it was that yummy.

Lunch in the Park

It recently occurred to me that it is a shame I have never walked to Central Park during my lunch hour! My office is close to Sixth Avenue and 51st Street, and the park begins at 59th.

Yesterday I was having computer troubles, and I needed to give my machine some time to process the updates from the support team. So, I decided it was a perfect day for an outing. (To those readers who occasionally ask if I ever work, the answer is yes -- I just choose not to bore you by writing about the days like last Tuesday, when I ate breakfast, lunch and dinner at my desk.)

As I passed the carousel and the ballfields, I stumbled upon this darling cafe! Here's how the park's website describes it:

Directly bordering the Heckscher Ballfields in Central Park on its northeast side resides the Ballfields Cafe. Aptly named for its locale, this cafe is frequented by hungry spectators from the ball fields as well as strollers who stop by for a quick meal. This current building replaced an original Ballplayers House at the same site, which stood from 1873 to 1969. This quaint red and cream brick structure with its red-checkered tablecloths and green umbrellas serves up all of its items made to order. Besides the typical "Take me out to the ball game" fare, such as hot dogs and hamburgers, patrons will be pleased to find sandwiches and salads at reasonable prices. While dining outdoors, patrons can watch some of the baseball or softball games in action. Music from the nearby Carousel can be heard as it mingles with the cheers and jeers of the crowds as the crack of a bat hits a ball through the air.

As I scrolled through news clippings on my BlackBerry, I had a very tasty turkey sandwich (carved turkey breast like Thanksgiving -- not the slimy deli kind!) on ciabatta bread with lettuce, tomato and avocado. It was a perfect lunch!

I started to give myself a hard time wondering why I hadn't done that sort of thing more often, as the warm days won't be here much longer...but I was a little "dewey" by the time I got back to my desk, and I think that's my answer. It's just too hot in the summer to do much mid-day walking in my work attire. However, now that the temperatures are more pleasant, I'll have to seek out more mid-week, mid-day adventures!

Remembering 9/11

I wanted to take advantage of some of the opportunities to reflect and remember on the tenth anniversary of 9/11. I went to church with friends in the morning. In the afternoon, I watched a documentary at the Film Forum on Houston Street.

But the most meaningful moment for me came during my pre-church jog along the Hudson River Park. Around 8:30 a.m., I headed south from 12th Street as usual and jogged around some of the buildings near Battery Park, a few blocks from Ground Zero where the memorial ceremony was underway. As I turned around at the ferry terminal to return north, uniformed officers were everywhere.

A few blocks later, I saw a group of about eight firefighters wearing their dress blues, headed south toward the memorial site. As they approached, I teared up a bit at the sight of them, dressed up and striding south together to honor their colleagues. When we passed, I gave them a friendly wave and a smile. The irony of our paths struck me: they were headed toward the site of the towers, I was running away from them. Ten years had passed, yet the pattern was the same. Firefighters going in, civilians going out.

More than anything I saw, heard or read to commemorate the tenth anniversary, that moment is the image that sticks with me. Thanks be to all those who risk their own lives to keep the rest of us safe.

Fashion Show

On Friday night, I met up with Mae and Maggie for the Gen Art Fresh Faces in Fashion Show. Mae asked a few weeks ago if I wanted to go because it's one of the only shows you can buy tickets for.

As New York Magazine put it: "Long before there was Project Runway there was Gen Art, which has been scouting and showcasing new talent in art and fashion for nearly fifteen years."  

Mae and I had balcony seats, and Maggie was on the floor. I really don't know much about fashion, but none of us were particularly impressed. My biggest takeaway was that I felt as if I were at an anorexia convention! The models were so skinny it was disturbing. I realize that's typical for runway shows, I'd just never really seen it in person.

We joked that more straight men should come to fashion shows, as they're an excellent place to pick up women. I would also like to note that an added benefit for the males is that THE MODELS DO NOT WEAR BRAS. Seriously?? I am not sure if this is because of all their quick changes, etc., but I was completely distracted by all of the nipple action going on.

Maggie and Mae managed to get a few decent photos, but I pulled out my camera when I saw the outfit above. Let me zoom that in for you...

Unfortunately, the picture doesn't really do it justice, but I swear to you it was a bikini top AND OVERALLS. And they say trends don't start in Alabama...

I was so hungry after watching all those girls, we made a beeline for the Tick Tock diner, and I ordered myself a big plate of spaghetti and meatballs.