It has been quite some time since my last update – and I have to say, we have been busy! Last time I wrote, my parents were literally en route to meet me at my office, and I think Hewitt and I have been going pretty much nonstop since then!
The summary here if you’re a TLDRer is – we had the best time and literally packed as much into the weekend as we possibly could.
My mom and I are pretty serious coffee drinkers, and we kicked off our reunion with lattes and Italian cookies, cantuccis (and a Diet Coke for Dad!) from Il Cantuccio – one of my favorite neighborhood spots, and a former haunt of mine before we had a coffee pot, and before I had a job.
Continuing with the theme – we opted for Italian and had Malatesta for dinner, another favorite neighborhood spot! Before dessert, we went walked to Washington Square Park, so we could over-indulge on the dessert I made.
And serving it with ice cream and a little sprinkling of graham cracker crumbs on top – was the right decision.
On Saturday, we met for an early breakfast and took in the World Trade Center Memorial. Again, it’s the kind of thing you just sort of observe and absorb. It isn’t so much a photo-op or destination, it’s a place that’s meant to be felt.
We watched the Heels knock out Virginia Tech (!) at Brother Jimmy’s over some southern-inspired barbecue. The consensus was unanimous – it’s pretty good for New York, but it will never be Lexington Barbecue. Or “#1”, if you will.
Of course we made the quintessential trip to Magnolia Bakery – for cupcakes.
And banana pudding.
Treats were followed by a walk on the Highline… where we discovered this.
David Blaine suspended and having 1 million volts of electric currents pass through his body over a period of 72 hours in his stunt, “Electrified.”
It was loud and kind of bizzare, and with the Ultrabook branding everywhere, it will almost certainly serve as “branded content” that will later surface in a television campaign. Or rather, that’s my guess. Especially since we agreed to appear in photos and videos by donning the paper bracelets required for admission.
My mom and I decided it would be fun to cook together in our little kitchen because while it’s something we both enjoy, we don’t get to share in it together that often. I opted for a few of Hewitt and my favorites – dijon and scallion chicken and roasted broccoli with cracked red pepper. Both delicious and prettyy nutritious.
For dessert, we had Waffles and Dinges – track them at @waffletruck and you won’t be disappointed.
Sunday morning came early and we headed north to Redeemer on the West Side, got lucky enough to hear Tim Keller!, and then commenced a day spent, oddly enough, in Times Square.
Hewitt discovered and put together a table at BB King’s Harlem Gospel Choir and brunch — which we loved. Then we took in the history of espionage at the Discover Museum, somewhat in preparation for the upcoming release of the next Bond film…
We saw Newsies, which was filled with one anthem and crescendo after another. Everyone loves a triumphant story where the kids are the heroes and the good guys win.
For a late dinner we went to John’s of Bleecker Street and then just down the street to Cones for some amazing artisanal ice cream. If you haven’t had been to both of those places, please go.
Before they caught their flight home, and I headed into work, we had time for one last coffee and breakfast…
Even though I tried to keep this post brief, its length is indicative of how much fun we had together and how grateful we are to finally have been able to share our new home with people who are this important to us. Until next time!
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