new york, i still love you (part iii)

Part of the magic of living in New York is really found in the small things. My last day there, I woke up at an ungodly (for Sunday) early hour to meet a friend for coffee; as I walked through the streets, the low winter sun cast slanted shadows on the buildings, throwing everything into stark relief. There was a quiet stillness in the air, the sound of a city that hadn't quite woken up yet. The smell of something warm and fried wafted from the direction of the corner deli. At that moment, I felt like I was right in rhythm with the city, like everything just fit in place.

New York has a curious way of embracing you while holding you at arm's length. You can never really know the city, even though you feel perfectly at home. You can know every single street, yet you walk among millions of strangers. I think I hold New York close to my heart because I feel like I "grew up" there, as I built the semblance of an adult life during those first years out of college.  I'm not so sure I could go back for good (I've gotten soft out here in Seattle), but I think a small piece of me will always be there, waiting for me to come back and visit.

new york, i still love you (part ii)

Sunday brunch is one of my favorite meals to eat out. It's early enough in the day that the Monday dread hasn't quite set in yet, and it's a great excuse to indulge in pancakes, bacon, and maybe even a cocktail or two (hey, it's ok to drink after noon, right?). I also love it because I've always used brunch as a catch-up time with friends. This weekend in New York, I was lucky enough to spend my Sunday brunch with a few of my favorite girls. Alice has already done a beautiful job (as always) with her post, so I'll just say that Freemans was the New York brunch experience that you often dream of but rarely experience. Our waiter probably thought we were a bunch of country bumpkins because every time he came by we were oohing and ahhing over this or that, but he treated us well all the same :) It was a fitting ending to my brief weekend in the city and a bittersweet reminder of all the things I miss about it.

Freemans
191 Chrystie Street (at the end of Freeman Alley - careful, it's easy to miss!)
New York, NY

new york, i still love you (part i)

I made my long-awaited trip to New York this past weekend, and despite getting mellowed out by my time on the West Coast, I still found myself irresistibly drawn in by the energy and excitement of the city. Damn you, New York - you will always hold an allure I can't deny.

I tried to maximize my limited amount of time by checking off a few long-standing items on my "to visit" list. One of the places I had been eyeing since last year was Locanda Verde, Andrew Carmellini's much praised Italian venture in Tribeca.

It's a beautiful venue, if a little cramped. I felt like I was being squeezed in my corner of the booth (and I'm not a big person...), but the food was effortless and satisfying, and the highly anticipated sheep's milk ricotta lived up to expectations.

Despite the rustic decor, it was definitely a New York scene.  I could spot the finance guys with their well-heeled girlfriends, downing $13 cocktails with their brunch fare (gotta ease the pain of 90 hour weeks with alcohol, obviously). And one of my dining companions reported back on some unfolding bathroom drama, as she overheard one girl consoling another who was in tears, Gossip Girl style. But what's the fun of New York without a little drama?

Locanda Verde
377 Greenwich St.
New York, NY