Having company for a leisurely visit is one of my favorite things about hosting people in NYC. Whenever we have the chance, it's so nice to be able to show friends and family around the city we love and especially the parts of it we have come to know quite well. Today was a welcome break from the cold and rain of the last few days, so we took advantage of all the sunshine and headed into Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood to have brunch at one of my favorite restaurants, Cook Shop. The wait can be a beast, but today wasn't too bad and Elisa tolerated it extraordinarily well. By the time we were seated, we were all primed for good food and it didn't disappoint. The arrogant waiter aside, it was a lovely meal and I think the pastry basket was a definite highlight!
We finished the meal and just before getting the check, I spotted a couple of people wandering in that seemed to linger just a bit in the restaurant aisle. Of course, it was a celebrity spotting (our first on Stacey's current visit) and not a bad one at that--Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal and her husband Peter Sarsgaard (with their daughter) and a tag-along group of friends. Oh, yes, I brought them to the cool place for brunch. Score one for Auntie Ann!!
Afterwards, we headed a couple of blocks over to the recently revamped public park called the High Line which snakes through the elevated railroad tracks from the old Meatpacking District industrial area almost to 34th street. The park is only open in one small section so far, but it's a great platform to view the west side of the city and beyond and we all enjoyed the afternoon sunshine and chance to stretch our legs after such a big meal. Here are some of the pictures we took of the walk and of Elisa before she completely passed out in the stroller.
Lately, it's been easier to mark her changes and growth into toddlerhood through the observations of our family and friends. She is a little spitfire and really shines with enthusiasm when the world is going her way. Which on a day like today was so much fun to watch. She bounced around the house after breakfast, flirted with people on the train and ate happily from her high chair at brunch. She didn't even have a hissy fit when we took her shopping for hours afterwards, winding our way through Greenwich village and SoHo. In fact, counting all the hours she spent in her stroller today, I'd say she was MORE than patient with us. So much so, that I had to cut her some slack and order in for tonight's Japanese dinner (from our local T.J.'s Asian Bistro--so good!).
Life is getting to feel so much more peaceful now in the way that every outing isn't a big question mark. We just do it and most of the time it's a good thing or at least without the kind of plan-every-moment-or-risk-a-meltdown that seemed to define her early infancy. Or is it me? Am I the one changing as much as she is? I'd like to think it's all her, but I'm sure that's only part of the equation. I know when she's had her limit and I usually anticipate the food/bottle/blankey needs accurately. And when it all goes off without a hitch, I think, "gee, this kid stuff is pretty doable." And then I see someone like Maggie Gyllenhaal with her adorable daughter sitting at brunch at the same place as us, and I think, "yeah, we're doing alright." We're all just doing the best we can and taking the opportunities to enjoy good company and outings like this in a dynamic city. Living in New York City with a kid is something I'm proud of, and I like seeing others in the same boat. Maybe it's time to ask for a playdate (and she can bring her Uncle Jake)??
We finished the meal and just before getting the check, I spotted a couple of people wandering in that seemed to linger just a bit in the restaurant aisle. Of course, it was a celebrity spotting (our first on Stacey's current visit) and not a bad one at that--Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal and her husband Peter Sarsgaard (with their daughter) and a tag-along group of friends. Oh, yes, I brought them to the cool place for brunch. Score one for Auntie Ann!!
Afterwards, we headed a couple of blocks over to the recently revamped public park called the High Line which snakes through the elevated railroad tracks from the old Meatpacking District industrial area almost to 34th street. The park is only open in one small section so far, but it's a great platform to view the west side of the city and beyond and we all enjoyed the afternoon sunshine and chance to stretch our legs after such a big meal. Here are some of the pictures we took of the walk and of Elisa before she completely passed out in the stroller.
Lately, it's been easier to mark her changes and growth into toddlerhood through the observations of our family and friends. She is a little spitfire and really shines with enthusiasm when the world is going her way. Which on a day like today was so much fun to watch. She bounced around the house after breakfast, flirted with people on the train and ate happily from her high chair at brunch. She didn't even have a hissy fit when we took her shopping for hours afterwards, winding our way through Greenwich village and SoHo. In fact, counting all the hours she spent in her stroller today, I'd say she was MORE than patient with us. So much so, that I had to cut her some slack and order in for tonight's Japanese dinner (from our local T.J.'s Asian Bistro--so good!).
Life is getting to feel so much more peaceful now in the way that every outing isn't a big question mark. We just do it and most of the time it's a good thing or at least without the kind of plan-every-moment-or-risk-a-meltdown that seemed to define her early infancy. Or is it me? Am I the one changing as much as she is? I'd like to think it's all her, but I'm sure that's only part of the equation. I know when she's had her limit and I usually anticipate the food/bottle/blankey needs accurately. And when it all goes off without a hitch, I think, "gee, this kid stuff is pretty doable." And then I see someone like Maggie Gyllenhaal with her adorable daughter sitting at brunch at the same place as us, and I think, "yeah, we're doing alright." We're all just doing the best we can and taking the opportunities to enjoy good company and outings like this in a dynamic city. Living in New York City with a kid is something I'm proud of, and I like seeing others in the same boat. Maybe it's time to ask for a playdate (and she can bring her Uncle Jake)??
1 comment:
Awesome, awesome, awesome. Can we hang out with Maggie and Peter when I visit in April? You got their number right?
Post a Comment