The Cold Never Bothered Me Anyway
- Samantha Hoback
- Mar 6, 2017
- 3 min read
The last time my sister visited me in New York City, the weather was cold and rainy and downright miserable. And this past weekend's forecast was equally as dreary--cold. Frigid cold. The meteorologists called it "bitterly cold." Not that that was going to stop us from checking off every item on our itinerary.
She flew to the city from Raleigh on Friday morning and met me at my apartment after I finished a half day at work. We grabbed lunch at Dig Inn before heading to Bryant Park. It was the last weekend of ice skating at the Bryant Park Winter Village. It was cold, yes, but the sun was out, and we took advantage of the final days of winter fun. We even got to watch a couple of skating students perform. And neither of us fell, not even once! We warmed up with coffee before heading uptown to do a little shopping, grab a glass of wine at happy hour, and then off to Greenwich Village for some much-anticipated Italian food.
One theme of the weekend was Food Network chefs. Friday night we ate at Mario Batali's OTTO restaurant, and IT WAS AH-MAZING. From the wine to the salads to the pasta (the truffle pasta that my sister ordered was, in Guy Fieri's words, out of bounds) to the tiramisu for dessert. I happily checked that restaurant off my bucket list and will most definitely return someday.
Saturday's forecast was the coldest--a high of 26, though I think it only made it to 23, and it felt like 19. We started with coffee (to warm up) and brunch at Sarabeth's on Park Avenue South. We sipped mimosas and planned out the rest of the day--walking across the Brooklyn Bridge, checking out the brand-new Oculus in the Financial District, perusing through Eataly (and snacking on a few samplers around the store), shopping and macarons in SoHo, appointments at DryBar before dinner at Marc Murphy's restaurant, Landmarc. Once again, dinner was on point. My roasted vegetable salad was to-die-for, my lamb and my sister's mussels delicious, and for dessert we each got the chocolate mousse. Heaven. (The hostess originally seated us at a table closest to the entrance and right next to a window; it was frigid, so we moved upstairs.)
Even though we walked several miles Friday and Saturday, it felt good to wake up on Sunday, pull on my leggings and sneakers, and head to Soul Cycle for a morning spin class. I haven't taken class in a while, but I remember just how much I enjoy it and want to go back. The teacher was so energetic and inspiring; and one lucky student got a surprise birthday serenade from a Broadway singer. (I'm embarrassed to say I don't know what the singer's name is, but I'm investigating.) After a sweaty cycle class we went to brunch at Maison Kayser, one of my favorite spots in the city, and indulged in not one but two lattes.
It's a good thing we worked up an appetite, because after showering we took the subway to the Upper West Side and stood in line for cookies at Levain Bakery. These cookies are huge, y'all, but so good. (I didn't actually eat mine until after work today; I think my body was still recovering from all the rich food from the weekend.) With our cookies in hand, we walked a few blocks to the Lincoln Square AMC for a late-afternoon viewing of Fifty Shades Darker. Then on to dinner at Barbounia, a Mediterranean restaurant. We ordered hummus and split the lamb kebab; the flat bread was like a cloud, but the portion was huge! Perfect to share.
This morning I helped flag down a cab so Macie could head to the airport and get back to Raleigh (and her baby, Knox). The good news is I'll get to see her and the rest of the family in a couple of weeks when I fly home to meet our newest puppy, Ollie.
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