Tuesday, December 11, 2012

jean visits: day one (lyn)


My sister Jean doesn’t like New York.  She lives in a small Massachusetts town and finds New York rushed and somewhat intimidating.  In fact, she hasn’t been here for more than a few hours in eight years.  So a few months ago when she said she wanted to come visit, I was thrilled, and hoped to dispel her reservations about this great city.

Before Jean arrived, I asked her what she wanted to do. She:
  • Didn’t want to go shopping
  • Didn’t want to be in crowded midtown
  • Wanted to see new neighborhoods, maybe go to Brooklyn
  • Visit some museums
  • Eat at funky places
In short, we:
  • Did plenty of shopping
  • Spent time in crowded midtown
  • Did not go to Brooklyn
  • Saw no museums
  • Ate in not one funky place
And, we have the best two days ever!

Jean arrives on Tuesday around noon; her bus is an hour late.  We eat lunch in, and then head out.  Jean doesn’t know the city, so any neighborhood outside the upper east side is a new one for her.

We take the subway down to the meatpacking district, and start wandering.  My sister is overdressed and wants a T-shirt to replace her sweater.  We find a small shop inside Chelsea Market where my sister sees the perfect hand-painted shirt and buys two.  We wander around and spend time in a kitchen-supply store, before finding two cute French guys selling tea and spices.  


We become enamored with the different flavors.  Jean buys me a beautiful glass teapot and I select some exotic teas to fill it.  I get black vanilla, cinnamon orange, and peach apricot, hoping they taste as good as they smell.  


We take a cookie break, and all too fast it’s time to head home.  We hang out at my apartment for a couple of hours, and then dress for dinner. 

We meet Val and her family at Café Boulud to belatedly celebrate Adam’s birthday.  I get salmon tartar for an appetizer and duck for an entrée.   Two Cosmopolitans and I am more than tipsy.  The food is exquisite and the company more so.

It’s a perfect end to a perfect day.  

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