Goodbye New York - a picture story

We are all back, except F's suitcase and a piece of my heart. We expect the bag to be sent over on the next flight to Milan but I know my heart won't be whole again until my next trip back. A little part of it will keep on beating in the congested streets of Midtown, among the yellow cabs, between the trees of Central Park, close to family and friends.

However many decades I have been living abroad, however different or foreign some things may seem upon arrival, New York is still my city and no place in the world gives me the same sense of energy, freedom and opportunity.

There is so much to tell on all fronts: about how my little girl turned 5 and lost her first tooth; about the joy of watching two of our closest friends exchange their simple yet beautiful vows; of the love and pride of watching my children with their grandparents, my little boy sitting on my father's lap; of the trips to many museums and playing in the snow of Central Park; of spending time with people I don't often get to see but that feel like friends I speak to every day once we are together. Of F's extended family, their great generosity, about sitting around a table and discovering the Italy these people left half a century ago, the dialect, the recipes. Of boeuf bourguignon, crispy duck and pineapple salad, many a hamburger, bagels and Persian rice. I will tell you this story through pictures of food, because needless to say, it was a part of each and every special moment spent in NY.

Happy Birthday!

NY isn't NY without a bagel...or several bagels



...or a greasy 6am breakfast on jet lag

      


...or several hamburgers... at P.J. Clarke's...



Puck Fair

E.J.'s

How about their huge brownie chocolate fudge sundae for your birthday? Can you see my daughter in the back...for size??

Take a stroll to Fairway, Citarella or Zabar's...

A Persian dinner perhaps?

Another Persian dinner, in case the first was not enough?

Some rice with cherries?

Always accompanied with good Italian water...

Learn to make your own Persian rice

5 is the perfect age to learn...

Some oysters for New Year's Eve?

...or are you a red meat and potatoes kinda person?

New York is not NY without Gray's Papaya hot dogs

We all have our favorite way to eat them



European or Japanese beer anyone? I would just be content looking at the labels



But am happy to have some sliders with it

Pulled pork slider at Puck Fair anyone?

Mr. Batali's place will have to wait for when we go without the kids...

Take a walk in Central Park with a NY pretzel

And don't forget to top it all off with a giant macaron