I feel like I haven't sat down to catch my breath since we've returned from Yellowstone! As I sit now listening to the rain beat on the skylight, with one eye on the big computer broadcasting my beloved Arsenal and with my brain whirring with Halloween decoration ideas, I am also finding myself drifting back to fond memories of this past weekend in New York City.
Mo and I headed down on Thursday, and we had the most lovely dinner with his cousin Lynn, his gracious hostess during his NY work experiment. We went to her favorite local spot -- an amazing french bistro that is just extraordinary. While it's true that we never cooked when we lived in New York years back, I can assure you that we would have enjoyed most of our meals at Cafe Joul if we were fortunate enough to have lived nearby. Lynn is just the best, and always sends us away with a healthy supply of her (and my) favorite magazines. We had a great visit.
From there, we popped in to our old secret local and happened to meet up with Big Mike, in town on a business trip/tourist weekend. We were not disappointed to watch the Yankees lose in the midst of Midtown Manhattan. Short lived, but satisfying.
On Friday, Mo departed for a number of business meetings and then left for Newburyport . I met up with my cousins and Aunt, in from all over the world for a weekend of culture courtesy of my father's sister, Aunt Betsy. A generous and greatly appreciated gift. A highlight for me was Saturday night's performance of Wicked at the Gershwin Theater. A most clever production, and it seemed even more apt considering the impending holiday!
Prior to arriving in NYC, I was tasked with locating a Pats friendly pub for Sunday's game against the Bucs in London. After a great deal of research, I settled on Professor Thom's downtown on 2nd Avenue. (Actually not a great deal of research. At all. Any place that a) has Red Sox "play-by-play karaoke" once a week, where fans actually call the game on the speaker system over the broadcast and b) is hosting Sports Guy's book signing tonight is clearly our best choice to be amongst friends.) Betsy and I got there even before they opened in hopes of securing a good spot. And I would say that the banquette with private TV would qualify.
And yes. That's Mike and Sarah, along with my cousin Lee, cousin Ellie and cousin Bobby's wife Hollis (cousin Bobby and Aunt Betsy not pictured) all enjoying the atmosphere. And what a fun atmosphere. There was no doubt that we were in an oasis in the middle of the City.
It was Patriots fans elbow-to-elbow. Every worthy play was met with a roar that could not even be equaled at 16 Salem Street...
Speaking of worthy plays, and 16 Salem, we received this text-message-high-five after Brandon Meriweather's first touchdown.
The end of the afternoon was met with some dude walking through the place wearing a roman slave costume, so naturally Big Mike proposed a pose-off... 
I am always reminded of how much I loved living in New York whenever we visit -- and yet, when the horns don't stop, and the sirens drone on, and the brain starts doing the germ-math on every railing and door handle, I am reminded of exactly why it was time to leave. As they say, there's no place like home.
