Hello September...

After an incredible summer weekend I am back to work tomorrow. Though the official start of fall is not for a few more weeks, the start of school is always a significant transition.  While I am glad to go back with a bang, it still doesn't make returning any easier.  This weekend I had the chance to appreciate New York City in its mellow, laid-back form since the city was almost empty of tourists and residents alike--the mass exodus to the Hamptons must have begun on Friday morning.  When visiting New York City, I recommend doing it on a summer weekend. There is no better time to appreciate everything New York has to offer minus the lines and the chaos, but still maintaining the character.

The boyfriend surprised me with his very own itinerary on Saturday and we spent the day visiting some old favorites and some new loves around the city.  It was wonderful not to fight throngs of tourists at places usually consumed by people.  Some highlights from our day include my new favorite reading space. Portland, Oregon, meet New York City; baristas wearing old-time "newsie" attire, latte art, and a comfortable and aesthetically-awesome seating area in the Ace Hotel all come together to create Stumptown Coffee. I am in love. This is a greater love affair than even Cafe Grumpy...it's BIG.  I have also decided that next time I have out-of-town guests and we want to celebrate something in style, we are so spending a night at the Ace Hotel.  I just felt cooler when I walked in there. It might have been the air conditioning but still...

Only in New York...

In addition to visiting the roller rink at the High Line, which brought back memories of eighth grade birthday parties, and leisurely walking the new portion of The High Line, which is narrower than the original, but beautifully designed and still fun to stroll, we also went to the usually crowded Chelsea Market where I sampled some Eleni's--delicious! 

We also had brunch at one of my favorite restaurants in the West Village, Hundred Acres. At almost exactly this time last year, I went there with two of my closest friends who had come in for an east coast/west coast reunion and I think that because of this super happy memory, I will always adore this place.  That said, I don't think that it was the nostalgia that made the grilled cheese sandwich that I ordered the most delicious thing that I have ever tasted.  Organic, white cheddar cheese.  Spiced pecans. Made from scratch honey mustard. And the crowning jewel: peaches. All of this on this fresh pressed amazing light and crispy-edged bread. It was one of those lunches where you make involuntary noises every single time you take a bite. It would also be relatively easy to recreate, so if you are looking for an inventive and delicious sandwich recipe, you should try this!

Other weekend highlights included a picnic in the park, drinks with friends, shopping, a slice of apple pie and a caramel apple cider to kick off the fall, an impromptu meeting with a favorite friend that turned into a lovely catch-up session in the middle of Urban Outfitters, Pommes Frites, McSorley's, and best of all, booking a fall-getaway to see the leaves and the ocean in Maine! Hopefully I crammed in enough fun to last me awhile as starting this week, life is about to get really, really busy...