A Healthy Dose of Frivolity

As many of you have surely heard, my parents came out for a visit last weekend and we had a blast. By day, the four of us traversed the city, even exploring a few corners that Danie and I had yet to visit; and by night, we toured Manhattan's superlative cocktail destinations. Throw in a couple of exquisite late-afternoon cheese plates and you get a pretty good idea of how we spent the long weekend.

The morning after their arrival, we took the train up to Columbia University (on the Upper West Side), where one of my internships this summer is based, and then continued northward to The Cloisters, an appendage of the Metropolitan Museum of Art that's located near the northern tip of Manhattan. That evening we went down to the West Village for drinks and dinner at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants, Mercadito, that's widely renowned for its chupes (margharitas with a kick) and guacamole samplers. After dinner, we went to a small jazz club just south of Washington Square park.

We started the next day with a walk through Central Park. After running out of parkland and bumping into midtown, we took the train to Williamsburg, a neighborhood in Brooklyn that's home to a 'hip' young crowd as well as innumerable enticing sidewalk cafes and used book vendors. After having some lunch, we took the train back into Manhattan and meandered through Chelsea Market and the Highline. Then, with dusk approaching, we made our way down through the West Village where we had no choice but to dutifully observe the one-drink-max rule as we toured the neighborhood's exceptional bar-lounge scene. Well, at least until we got to Temple Bar.

The next day, we visited The Frick Collection, a mansion-turned-museum on the Upper East Side. Then we walked across Central Park to the Upper West Side, where we caught a show at the American Museum of Natural History's (awesome) Hayden Planetarium. After the planetarium, we grabbed some fresh fruit from the farmers market and a few cheeses from Dean & Deluca, and went back to the apartment for a mellow evening.

On the last day of the visit, we took a leisurely pace. Danie and my Mom went out for manicures/pedicures in the morning, while my Dad and I hung out at the apartment. Then that afternoon we visited a couple of local thrift stores before heading to the East Village for the evening to celebrate their last night in New York. The combination of renovated speakeasies and authentic Indian food made for another fantastic night.

The next morning, our collective vacation came to an abrupt end. Danie had to go to work, and an hour later my parents took off for the airport. All of a sudden the apartment felt rather empty and quite a bit bigger than it had in a few days. Though New Yorkers frequently lament their small living spaces, my appreciation for good company remains much deeper than my appreciation of square footage :)

For visual augmentation, check out these pictures.

Thanks again for everything Mom and Dad, it was so great to have you out.

love,
Cam