Weekend Update

Sam came to visit for Columbus Day weekend! She got in very late Friday night and luckily by the time we wanted to crawl into bed, the party in the apartment upstairs was winding down and the stomping was mostly done.

I wish I had a map I could post and highlight all the areas that we walked over three full days of gallivanting, but alas I will just have to describe our journeys. Saturday we headed out to Fort Greene to visit the Brooklyn Flea and picked up lots of cute handmade jewelry. Then we headed into Park Slope for more shopping and brownstone-gazing and at lunch at 'Snice (which inspired me to make my own goat cheese and grilled vegetable sandwich for lunch today... amazing). Because I had to have my birthday cake ice cream fix at Uncle Luigi's, we meandered up to 7th ave and took the train back from there... to Soho! Where we met Cynthia and did some more shopping! As usual on the weekends, Soho was super crowded and not really conducive to actually buying things, but I showed Sam the Young Designers Market and McNally Jackson, and those are the two coolest things about the area, imho. Then she and I headed up to W4th area to meet friends for dinner at Keste. The pizza, as usual, was amazing and I ate way too much of it. We had some beers at Belgium to finish off the night.

Sunday we tried to take it a little slower. Started with brunch at noon at Riposo 46 and it was delicious. We admired the lone chef in the kitchen churning out brunch plate after brunch plate for every single customer. Afterward Sam and I took the train wayyyyyy downtown to the Staten Island ferry, which we rode there and back and took lots of pictures of the statue of liberty and Manhattan skyline (above, which is now my phone background). Since we were down there and I remembered from when Melody visited that the park in Battery City along the west side is really nice, we sat in the grass there and then walked for a bit up to Ground Zero. Almost got swallowed by several tour groups but made it out alive.

For dinner we hit up Panna, the crazy Indian place in the East Village which is both BYOB and always a fire hazard. But awesome! Can't beat eating curry with christmas lights dangling in your face, amiright? Afterward we went back to Hell's Kitchen to chill at C+C's apartment and watched some Mad Men, then called it a night.

Monday there was more shopping. Like, lots more. First we went to the Highline, which didn't have much in bloom at this point but I still think is one of the cooler parks (and conveniently located). Then we descended to Chelsea Market and checked out Anthro and all the shops there. Really a good place to go if you're hungry... but we were holding out for tea! So midafternoon we went a little further south back to the West Village to Tea and Sympathy and got us some creamed tea (aka a pot of tea and scones with clotted cream and jam). Awesome Britishness, all around. After that we needed to walk it off (ha. ha.) so we went shopping around Union Square until it turned dark out (which is so early now, booooo!). J met up with us and we walked back up to 8th and 44th, which as I'm sure you know is now the proud home of Shake Shack. So that happened. Of course I hyped it up as I usually do and Sam's verdict was "this is a glorified Steak and Shake burger" BUT no one could deny the deliciousness. Also the pumpkin pie custard. Enough said.

Strangely enough (since it had been a beautiful weekend weather-wise up until this point) as we left it started to sprinkle and then pretty much right when we got back home it started thundering! and lightning! and hailing!? So we did not get to check out a rooftop bar for a final night in nyc drink, but instead drank some wine and watched harry potter. Still a win.

Sam left Tuesday around noon (sad face) and as I had the rest of the day off, I putzed around until evening time. Now I'm gearing up for a weekend getaway of my own... on Friday after work I'm off to Boston for a couple days, and looking forward to finally getting a semi-vacation from the city. It's no puerto rico, but I suppose it'll do!