Sunday, March 23 (NYC Day 4)

Such a great day. We went to Ess-a-Bagel this morning, which was delicious of course, then got on the subway and headed to the Upper West Side. Our destination was the Grand Bazaar, a huge outdoor flea / vintage / handmade market. I used to go all the time when I lived in Morningside Heights and still have a pair of earrings I bought there. Lucia and Greta found some fun things to buy, including watch rings (both), and a small bottle and a necklace (Greta). The girls also shared a grape tanghulu (candied fruit on a stick), which they liked. 

We stopped at Gray's Papaya before getting back on the subway, where Andrew, Lucia, and Greta had a pre-lunch hot dog. I would have killed for a Gray's Papaya hot dog but I'm pretty sure my post-chemo instructions had those on the "avoid" list? It's hard to remember what real things I've been instructed and what not-medically-verified things I've read online. Easy enough to avoid for now.

We took the subway to Brooklyn Heights and walked past Andrew's old apartment. So many ghosts in Brooklyn Heights! Then we got to hang out with Barbra and Emily for the afternoon. I finally saw her apartment. We went to lunch at Dellarocco's, walked to the promenade, and then went into a few shops. We all bought things at Books Are Magic (I got a Books Are Magic cap and a rabbit-raising memoir called Raising Hare), and Greta bought a work-of-art deck of cards at Art of Play. We ended up at one of the new pier-parks (well, new to us) before heading back to the subway. I'm so glad this visit actually happened--the last couple of attempts, including at Christmas, were derailed by someone getting covid.

Greta and I got a cup of tea as we walked back to the hotel, where we relaxed for a bit and changed for dinner.

Dinner was at Scarpetta, attached to our hotel. On Sunday nights they offer a pasta tasting menu, which was why we chose it. First were cocktails or wine (Mom and Dad got prosecco; Andrew got a San Remo; I got a mocktail called a Penicillina; the girls got Shirley Temples). Then the pasta tastings came out, each of our dishes as well as the serving dishes in the center arriving with domed glass covers. Several servers gathered around the table so they could lift all the covers at once. High-end restaurant theater is delightful; I could imagine Cousin Ritchie at home there. Our pastas were:

spaghetti with tomato and basil

ravioli cacio e pepe with charred leek, brown butter, and sage

tagliolini nero with lobster, calabrian chili, and herbed bread crumbs

short rib and bone marrow agnolotti with garlic chip and horseradish

For dessert, I chose the yogurt panna cotta with roasted peaches, crispy milk, and fig sorbet; and the others chose the sesame cannoli with mascarpone creame, balsamic glaze, citrus jelly, and blood orange sorbet. 

Finally, Mom had coffee, I had tea, Andrew had a limoncello. A memorable meal. 

Back at our room, Dad brought out some cards to showcase some new card tricks, and he and Mom devolved into hysteria as the complex, many-step tricks proved too much to remember that late in the day. 

Tomorrow is our last full day in NYC. Definitely not ready to leave.