NYC

The occasion was my sister's 50th birthday.The setting was a March weekend in NYC.She hadn't been to New York since she was a teenager so I thought about how many sights we could squeeze in over the course of two days. I love that type of challenge!Our timing was impeccable---as I was stepping off the train at Grand Central Station, she was stepping into a cab at LaGuardia. As I crossed 31st street and approached The Roger, our charming hotel for the weekend, she stepped out of the cab.Her birthday weekend was off to a great start.We started with a quick panini and cappuccino at Eataly, a little shopping, then a delicious, overpriced drink at The Algonquin Hotel.The bowl of nuts that came with the drink gave us enough energy to skip dinner and head to the Empire State Building to watch the sunset (and pretend we were in the movie An Affair to Remember)

Since the hotel neglected to put a coffee maker in the room, we headed out early Saturday in search of caffeine. City Bakery was our first stop for a flaky, buttery pretzel croissant. The Union Square Greenmarket was in full swing so we wandered through it nibbling maple sugar and apples. We headed west to the Chelsea Market for a cappuccino and a break from the cold wind.

We had a quiet visit in the late afternoon at the 911 Memorial and then walked the short distance to The Ritz Carlton at Battery Park for a gin drink and a chance to reflect on the memorial.

Dinner at Union Square Cafe Saturday evening was delicious. Sunday morning we fit in a horse and buggy ride through Central Park, a big fat cookie from Levain Bakery and a visit to the American Museum of Natural History to see Our Global Kitchen, an exhibit that explores the complex food system that brings what we eat from farm to fork. And then it was check out time. As we said goodbye we were already making mental notes about what would be on the list for our next visit.