I arrived into JFK in pretty good shape. I stay hydrated with water and emergen-C’s and put lotion on my hands and face about every hour to combat the plane air sucking the life and elasticity out of my skin. Our section was so open it really lent itself to a relaxed flight. People= energy.  Few people=calm. I’m sure the flight crew enjoyed the break too. My only complaint was I didn’t start Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy early enough to be finished before the “entertainment portion of our flight” switched off. Damn you flight attendant lady. This is a very confusing movie. Not one to be watched on a 5×5 screen with poor sound quality. And missing the last fifteen? minutes didn’t help. It’s on the rental que!

A long rainy traffic filled hour later I arrived at my big kid’s apt. We ordered in and relaxed. Talked about life and the next few days. I enjoyed the fact that these days ahead were going to unfold. No big agenda’s or script to follow.

I woke up my first full day here imagining what it would be like to wake up in this city everyday. Such an array of so many really different people with such vast cultural and economic diversity.  So many thoughts traveling through so many minds every morning before millions of feet hit the floor.

My thoughts started about 4.30am. I actually try to stay on an early track for these short trips to ease the transition back. I walked out the door about 10am and started at the bottom of Broadway (downtown) and made my way to Madison Square Garden. The day went a little something like this…

We all know how many hundreds/thousands of food stands are  on the streets here. I love them all.

But this cupcake one deserved a snap shot

These got me thinking, “I would like to have something sweet now”… O’s line following a meal. So I just happened to pass this great specialty food store you might have heard of and got myself a chocolate chip crumb cake with a fantastic proportion of crumb to cake. Like a lot of crumb. Good crumb I might add.

I weaved in and out of many clothing shops. I’m now looking for the perfect travel outfit with no metal and no belt needed. And no more cool boots at the airport… they are such a pain.  Here is one of my new favorite home shops.

We did have one scheduled engagement. I met my son at work and we went to meet an old friend from like twenty years ago. She’s a dear person I was close to for a time in my early twenty’s, and who had an impact on me at a crossroads in my life. I swelled with emotion seeing her. I think we forget how we carry so much so deep until moments like that come and the emotion surges forth like a volcano. There is no controlling it. She treated us to a beautiful lunch at The Gramercy Tavern. A Danny Meyer restaurant. I find this man very interesting. If you are into the Food Industry check out his bio. I also enjoyed reading his book, Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business, when I had my cafe.

The conversation picked up as if I had seen Annie last week. She and my son have also become friends and I love that. I was a little shy taking photos… believe it or not. But got a couple in.

Cranberry spritzer… was afraid wine might put me to sleep.

Carpaccio – with sunchoke chips and chervil.  Was keeping it light and saving for dessert…

which was incredible… two orders of carrot cake, a brownie sundae with salted cashew icecream and a cookie plate for the table. I would love to be on the pastry crew here. One of Danny Meyer’s top priorities besides hiqh quality food, is service. All over the top but friendly. Part of this being the rule that plates are removed at the same time. I guess I looked finished but I almost crushed the small bones of my waiter’s wrist when he tried to remove my brownie sundae that still had a few bits. My table mates had finished their dessert but I was just taking a pause. We shared apologetic mutual expressions.

After a beautiful lunch, my son headed back to work and I spent the rest of the afternoon taking in the sights and sounds with a pedicure for a break. Hard life. I’m grateful for each moment. A quiet evening at home ended the day. For the second day heading to Brooklyn to visit my niece and walk around Pratt Institute, the alma mater of my grandparents. They attended Pratt and fell in love in 1924.