That’s what the email was titled from a friend who sent this to me yesterday:
“When I was in grade school, they told me to write down what I wanted to be when I grew up.
I wrote down happy.
They told me I didn’t understand the assignment.
I told them they didn’t understand life.”
– Unknown
Love it. Thanks G!
This is my day 3 in NYC and only at lunchtime. I am whooped. It’s whooped in a good way, but my lord you can do some walking, touring and seeing just about everything in this place. I have lots of stories I’m looking forward to sharing, but I must first go back to my night in NJ with Gabriela and Phil on Tuesday…
Gabriela started reading my blog about a year and a half ago. She wrote a comment to a post that I had written about how ignorance is bliss and I responded. She replied back to me and we have been email buddies ever since. We have exchanged stories, photos and pretty much been pen pals, like we all did in elementary school. Just notes, but never meeting face-to-face until this week. When Gabriela learned that I was going to be driving north for my first leg to Alaska, she wrote and told me it’d be “an honor” to host me. It was actually an honor for me to meet her, a stranger who I’ve bonded with and who’s been a loyal reader for so long. She’s never put off by the utter nonsense and babble I often write, but has promoted and encouraged it.
Upon my arrival to her home, I got an excited welcome like you get when you go home for Christmas. She and her husband jumped up from their chairs on the patio to greet me and immediately offered me drinks and anything else I might want. We chatted as if we’d been old friends for years and they toured me around their gorgeous property. There was so much green and everything was so lush, it was hard to imagine I was only 30 miles outside of NYC. They had vegetable gardens and blueberry bushes, pretty flowers, a fire pit and slate patio, and even a white fence. I learned that the house was put up in 1926 after it’d been ordered out of the Sears catalog. It’s The Del Ray model. These houses would arrive in 30,000 pieces. Price; Just over $2,000. The garage is The Avenue model and came at a price of $173. (How neat is that?) Every little piece of the home and property was just lovely. Here are a couple photos:
Gabriela is from Brazil- her family all still there. She came to the states for work about 3 years ago where she met Phil. They’ve now been married a year. They host and attend lots of bbq’s with neighbors during the summer, so were excited about grilling up some veggies and meat and stuffing me too. (I was excited to be stuffed!) Gabriela made a Brazilian “sauce” that is essentially the garnish and big pop of flavor you pour over your dish. The sauce that night was yellow and green peppers, tomato, onion, red wine vinegar, olive oil and salt. It was incredible. Here’s my first helping of dinner:
(It’s officially impossible to be a vegetarian on the road or eat light with these types of meals, but really who would want to? I I’ve been an absolute carnivore in the past few days and I have to say I am loving it. I might switch back to vegetarian status in due time.)
We all grilled together, visited and scarfed. Grilled corn, asparagus, and squash fresh right out of the garden 15 feet away. After dinner Phil made us fresh espresso and surprised us with ice cream. This night was a feast like you read about. Full and long conversation with so called strangers who ended up being not so much strangers at all, but more like those friends you’ve had for years. They told me stories about a pesky raccoon who they’d been trying to catch for days and the strategies including all kinds of food bait and waiting up all night trying to nab him. The stories were hilarious. I’m convinced the raccoon was playing with them, barely defying them every night flipping them the bird as he ran away with all the treats they had put out to bait him. (Phil spent hours outside that night with another friend trying to catch the bugger with still no success. That varmint must be one smart cookie.)
Exhausted from a long drive, lots of good chatter and a feast, Gabi and I snapped a quick photo before we all retired to our rooms for bed:
She was off to work in the morning so Phil generously accommodated me with breakfast, coffee and even lead me to the interstate to make sure I found my way ok. Before leaving the house, he wanted to make sure I got a photo of the back of the shed that he had painted. I happily snapped this:
I’m very thankful to have met people like this. They were 1,000% generous to me for no gain other than to be just that and share good company. My favorite thing to do in this life is to feast, visit, and spend time with people that I care about who are interesting and fun. This was no doubt one of those times.
Thank you to Gabi and Phil for welcoming me with open arms as if I were a part of your family. I look forward to staying in touch for many years to come and hosting you sometime in your travels down the road. Cheers to new friends!
As an answer to my slurping down the mega de-lish mocha java shake at Port City Java the other day in no time, one of my readers Bibb sent me this photo:
My shake was gone within 5 minutes. Bibb said his was gone in about 35 seconds. Now that’s some devotion. I am impressed with this photo too. With one glance you can almost feel the chill and taste all the melty goodness of this perfect summer treat.
Thanks for sending Bibb!
From my wonderful stay in Mendham, NJ on Tuesday I headed into the one and only New York, New York.
I’ve been to NYC at least 15 times before but yesterday was easily one of the best days I have ever spent here. Maybe it was good company, amazing food, the general energy of the city, the fashion, the people- I think a combination of it all. I absolutely love love love the big city. I’ve already been thinking about how I can either get about 5 roommates or rob a bank so I could afford to live here for a while.
I arrived at my friends place, surprisingly easy and with little traffic to maneuver, put my car in a lot so I wouldn’t have to worry about it for few days and we headed off to lunch. He took me to this amazing little Cuban joint Cafe’ Habana on Prince St. The place was packed as I learned it always stays. There were good looking people all around to watch which made our wait time pass very quickly. When the waitress called us in to our table I knew that this was going to be one of those places that every last thing on the menu would be delicious. Turns out it was.
I had to order the straight Cuban sandwich just because. My friend ordered a quesadilla with chorizo, avocado, mozzarella and a bunch of other goodness and this appetizer for us:
Holy moses.
This is grilled corn slathered with butter, cheese, lime and chili powder. I said wow several times as we both scarfed the corn down and we laughed that wow really summed up the taste perfectly. Add a cold beer, my Cuban sandwich, fantastic friendly service from the staff and oh what an excellent first meal in the city as my welcome wagon.
We left Cafe’ Habana stuffed and happy and toured around Soho. We wandered the streets for a while until it started pouring. We sprinted drenched into the Soho Grand to get out of the rain and have an afternoon cocktail. What a gorgeous spot. It’s so fun to have a glass of wine on a weekday afternoon.
Back to the apartment we headed for some chill time, but I got a burst of energy and decided to go for a run. For some reason I sprinted like there was no tomorrow. It’s oddly fun to have to jump around and play frogger to maneuver the streets of NY. In a short 30 minutes out I almost got hit by a few cars, I saw old men playing dominos in the park, I watched a guy pick a nearly empty Snapple bottle off the ground, examine it carefully then drink the last sip, and spotted more jorts than I ever dreamed would be fashionable again. Bored falls out of the dictionary in this town.
After a shower and change we headed off to The Spotted Pig for dinner. We waited again as to be expected for a well-known delicious food spot. I have to say I’d prefer waiting to sitting right down any night for dinner. To me it’s like dinner and a movie all in one. Have a drink, talk to some strangers, watch what’s coming out of the kitchen the most to help your decision on what to order and avoid that fast food eat and get the hell out feel that happens all too often when you go out. My dinner was off the charts ridiculous. (It was a suggestion by the waitress. I’m a big fan of asking server opinion and always choosing what they suggest. Especially if the suggestion is not the most expensive thing on the menu, then you know you can trust them.) It was one of the best meals I’ve ever had. I honestly cannot remember when I ate something that perfectly flavored and prepared.
I went to bed so stuffed and happy last night it’s as if I were in heaven falling asleep. With hundreds of more off charts ridiculous spots to eat in this city, I’m wondering how I could make it possible to stuff my face for a living.