Big Apple Memories

Doing that tagging thing set off a rush of memories - one in particular from my first trip to New York.

My generous and infinitely hip Aunt Carol gave me an amazing gift after my first year of college. She sent me and a friend to New York via New Jersey (where she lived) for a week. She introduced me to Thai food, sent us on day trips to the Statue of Liberty in her little sports car and basically gave us the key to the city. She was an amazing hostess.

One of the greatest gifts she gave me happened when we spent the day in Manhattan. We started out early and took a trip up the Empire State building elevators where we saw all there is to see, including the amazing Central Park. We were ending the day with a fancy dinner and a Broadway show, but we needed something for lunch. Carol used to live in New York and she knew about Zabars, the amazing grocery store that opened my eyes to another way of living. We bought a couple of baguettes, some different shmears (one of them was salmon, one of them olive based), a babka (in honor of Seinfeld), and then headed to Central Park. On our way, we passed a book cart where I bought a paperback.

We sat down on a rock in Central Park and ate the amazing food. I can't quite describe the feeling that my 18 year old self had at that moment, but basically I felt the world open up. I realized my life was completely up to me and that I could literally make it whatever I wanted. It was a beautiful feeling.

To honor this defining moment in my life, whenever I have found myself back in New York, I have always gone to Zabar's, bought something, and ate it in Central Park. Since my first trip, I have been to New York 4 times! Once with a Connecticut-based boyfriend, twice for work and the last time with John (and yes, he thought I was kookie, but he's such a good guy he indulged my little neurosis).

What a fun trip down memory lane.