Only the Strong Survive

It's a tough town but someone has to live in it.

I took the train to Penn Station Thursday afternoon where my prince met me to whisk me away for dinner at Becco. It was as noisy as a construction site. We started with mint juleps and went on to order a bottle of Prosecco. Food? Yeah, we had that. We had the pasta special: all you can eat from among three choices. We dropped my bag off at the apartment and went over to Battery Park City in search of a nightcap. They were actually rolling up the sidewalks at 11:00 pm. That I was was awake at this hour is shocking. You can take the girl out of Rhode island AND Rhode Island out of the girl.

The next morning I jogged along the river before breakfast. Marty went off to work, and I hatched plans for the day, which involved copious amounts of shopping. I went to the supermarket to buy dinner for the evening, which I needed to cook early because I wanted the food to be nice and marinated and cold by dinnertime. The Prix Fixe Menu started with ice-cold cocktails and the proverbial cheese and crackers. The next course was shrimp on a bed of shredded fresh mozzarella cheese, followed by a tortellini salad.

Earlier, I went up to Macy's to look at chaise longues and kitchenware. I found a chaise I really liked--so me, and on sale. I resisted the urge to buy it on the spot because we were going to Brooklyn the next day to shop the antique stores on Atlantic Avenue. In the meantime, I did some damage in the Cellar, buying 4 mexican-glass tumblers and one very sharp knife.

On Saturday morning, we'd return to Macy's because the trains to Brooklyn were running in reverse. This was fortuitous, because we bought the chaise, which happened to be even cheaper than I'd thought. It is petite in size, comes in a subtle animal print (mainly brown) and has a curved shape. Oh, and it's comfortable, too. I will spend many hours reading and napping on this piece of furniture.

After buying the chaise, we returned to the cellar to buy more tumblers, a set of dishes and another really sharp knife. We returned to the apartment and ordered a pizza. Then it was out for more shopping, mainly for food. We'd planned on having middle eastern yummies purchased in Brooklyn, but since we never made it to the hip outer borough, we had to settle for something else. I made a wonderful spinach salad and Marty perfectly simmered some Nathan's hot dogs, purchased at the Amish Market where preservatives are allowed.

We went to the New Amsterdam Branch of the NYPL and got library cards. This was the high point of the day. I hope you know I believe your library card is the most valuable card in your wallet.

Before dinner, however, we fell unconscious due to all the steamy shopping. We got up around 8 o'clock and had dinner, washed down by gigantic gin and vodka tonics mixed in our new tumblers.

It's early Sunday morning. I've already had my coffee (in new mugs) and plan to go for a jog. Today should be quieter, although I'm taking Marty to Syms for new duds and I have to buy another plastic pitcher at Bed, Bath and beyond for under $7 including tax. I can't pass up these bargains! Then I hope to read a lot in air-conditioned comfort, maybe nap. We have a dinner reservation at ma peche at 7 pm. It's a chic new restaurant they probably don't want us to come to because it'll dilute their hipsterness. They can always sit us behind a large plant.

I return to Rhode Island tomorrow, further in debt but having lived.