Since it was our last official day of vacation, Beren and I decided to make the most of it. We got up early and headed to the sailing club, braved the incredible heat and took the boat out for the day.
Now, when Beren and I first started dating and he told me about his passion for sailing and dream of retiring on a boat, I was hesitant to say the least. This landlubber gal had not ever been on the water and wasn't sure if she ever wanted to! Beren was convincing, though, assuring me that all I had to do was "look cute and not get in the way." Ha! He neglected to mention that I'd also have to wear "sensible" (aka "ugly") shoes, clean and even paint said vessel when required (hell on a manicure, let me tell you!), pack lunches, play bartender, get the boat on & off the mooring, and occasionally steer.
Honestly, though, for the most part I am called upon to stay out of the way and attempt to look cute!
Up Go the Sails!
Though exhausted from the sun & surf, Friday evening we met some friends (including Kali and her dad, Strider) for cocktails at a new little sports bar nearby...
then headed out to a fantastic Cajun restaurant see one of our good friends play guitar in his band. It was an odd evening, perhaps due to the full moon, as we found ourselves running into old pals we hadn't seen in years!
We all had a great time, a fabulously fun Friday and the perfect kickoff to the weekend!
Our last day in NYC..sigh...Beren and I got up early, had coffee down in the lobby of the hotel and then went for one final walk around town. After a just a few minutes the skies opened up and the rain came pouring down! We ran into a souvenir shop to buy an umbrella but it was just too wet to continue so we stood under an awning and waited.
Finally we were able to make our escape, took a quick walk around Rockefeller Center and then back down 5th Avenue toward the Roosevelt. What a gorgeous city, art & beauty everywhere you look!
We then joined Kali & Kevin for a smorgasbord of leftovers, our last meal in the Big Apple a perfect representation of the city's many flavors, don't you think?
mmmm...what a feast! We then packed and departed the Roosevelt, reluctantly said goodbye to the city. Rest assured, though, we'll be back because as Thomas Woolfe wrote, “One belongs to New York instantly, one belongs to it as much in five minutes as in five years”. How true that is.
Day 4 was in some ways my favorite overall. I was able to enjoy some "Sex and the City" moments which was, of course, part of the reason I wanted this trip in the first place. Oh, like most people I wanted to visit New York eventually but it was that show that really got my juices flowing!
We started the day with a train ride to New Jersey where we met Kali's family (you remember her cousin J from the wedding pictures) at one of the many NJ diners, Miss America. The food was delicious, company wonderful, a perfect Sunday morning.
We then headed to Greenwich Village where I enjoyed the aforementioned SATC sights..
Yes, I did ignore the "No Trespassing" sign in front of Carrie's brownstone, but can you blame me?
I've already raved about the Magnolia cupcakes; it was difficult to make a decision with all of the goodies perfectly presented in the adorable little bakery! I carried my box of cupcakes all over the village, guarding it carefully until the perfect moment when I could fully appreciate them.
We stopped to have a beer at the delightful Blind Tiger...
where we could peek across the street and wait for the crowd to die down at John's Pizza...
We did a bit more window shopping and then headed back to the hotel to rest a bit before dinner. Kali and Kevin chose to stay in and watch the Olympics on tv; Beren and I decided that we couldn't leave New York without a deli meal.
I wish I'd taken a pic of the pastrami sandwich we shared at Carnegie Deli, it was monstrous! We took a nice long walk after dinner in hopes that we'd walk off the damage..groan...worth every calorie, though, I promise!
Another early night since we knew we'd want to awaken early and make the most of our last day in the Big Apple!
Day 3 in NYC was all about art..in various formats! We got an early morning start at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, spent hours there but only covered a couple of areas. It would take days to see everything! Two of my favorite pieces appear below.
I am intrigued all things related to the Magdalen, have never seen any rendition quite as dark as this one..
Do you recognize this gal from your local coffee shop?
From there we took a nice walk through Central Park, stopped at the Boathouse Restaurant for a beverage...
While Beren's main purpose of the trip was to ride the famous Wonder Wheel, mine was to enjoy a performance of an adorable new-to-me band, Witches in Bikinis!
One more hot dog before we left the park...groan...
and a nightcap at the Dublin House on the way back to the hotel..
before calling it a night. Sweet dreams, dear New York City, see you in the morning!
You know I couldn't leave New York without my own Magnolia Cupcake/Sex and the City Moment! Ever since tasting those little sweeties (more on that later) I've been dying to make my own, and today's the day!
Magnolia Vanilla Cupcakes Recipe from: More From Magnolia by Allysa Torey, Photographs Zeva Oelbaum Cookbook Heaven at Recipelink.com
Everyone is always asking us which is the most popular cupcake at the bakery. Most people are surprised that it is what we call the vanilla vanilla - the vanilla cupcake with the vanilla icing (and the most popular color for the icing is pink).
Makes about 2 dozen cupcakes (depending on the size of your cupcake papers and muffin tins)
CUPCAKES:
* 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour * 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour * 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened * 2 cups sugar * 4 large eggs, at room temperature * 1 cup milk * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract * ICING: * Vanilla Buttercream (recipe follows) or Chocolate Buttercream
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.
3. In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
5. Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing. At the bakery we ice the cupcakes with either Vanilla Buttercream or Chocolate Buttercream.
Note: If you would like to make a layer cake instead of cupcakes, divide the batter between two 9-inch round cake pans and bake the layers for 30-40 minutes.
Magnolia's Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
The vanilla buttercream we use at the bakery is technically not a buttercream but actually an old-fashioned confectioners’ sugar and butter frosting. Be sure to beat the icing for the amount of time called for in the recipe to achieve the desired creamy texture.
Makes enough for one 2-layer 9-inch cake or 2 dozen cupcakes
* 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened * 6 to 8 cups confectioners’ sugar * 1/2 cup milk * 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
*Note: If you are icing a 3-layer cake, use the following recipe proportions:
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter 8 to 10 cups confectioners’ sugar 3/4 cup milk 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
P.S. In case you're like me and not proficient at cupcake frosting, here's a quick video from Magnolia to help you out:
Friday was by far our busiest walking day, we tore through the subways & streets of the City!
The morning started off with a subway ride to the South Street Seaport where we took the 1/2 hour Waterfalls Tour. Beautiful sights & scenery! The longer tour would've taken us closer to the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, etc, will definitely do that one next time but this was FREE and fit perfectly into our schedule.
Beren really enjoyed the Seaport Museum, got to explore the Peking, an old cargo ship and peruse the art gallery.
From there we visited the historical Fraunce's Tavern where George Washington gave his farewell address to the officers of the Revolutionary War.
This segued into exploration of the downtown area, Chinatown and Little Italy. I was disappointed in Chinatown, seemed really commercial and dirty to me, but I looooved Little Italy!
This incredible little market, Alleva, made me want to run home and cook something, anything, Italian! The sights and smells were to die for.
Lunch was at the famous Lombardi's where the pizza easily lived up to it's awesome reputation!
One last bit of shopping before heading back to the hotel to change for dinner, couldn't leave NY without stopping at one of my favorite mail-order stores, Pearl River Market. I had a great time there, could've spent hours more if my wallet and my sore feet would've allowed!
We were too tired to walk one more step so we paid for a short cab ride to the fabulous Pete's Tavern for dinner. I'd heard a lot about the famous writer, O. Henry, having written my favorite Christmas carol in this bar, so I was thrilled when we were seated in his very booth!
Beren and I dragged ourselves to one last spot before calling it a night, the new and much-talked-about rooftop bar at the top of our hotel. While much too expensive, even by NYC standards, the view was lovely and almost worth the $26.00 we paid for one beer and a glass of wine. *gulp*
At that point we called it a night, tucked our sore feet and backs into bed and dreamed of what the next day would hold.
