We were supposed to be in Connecticut yesterday but because our friends in Trumbull STILL DO NOT HAVE POWER a week after Tropical Storm Irene blew by, they drove down to the Upper West Side to hang out with us. It was still sunny but muggier yesterday – I did a quick tour of Upper West Side foodie havens, picking up bagels at Zabars (since H&H is no longer open) and fruit and veggies at Fairway Market (and coffee at Starbucks since I can’t figure out the cappuccino machine here at my relatives’ apartment). Our friends arrived and we went for lunch at the Shake Shack on 77th and Columbus Ave. At 2 p.m. on a Saturday there was a line out the door and a short ways down 77th but it moved quickly and we even managed to find a table in the basement. My second visit there and I continue to be impressed. My cheeseburger was pink and juicy – impressive for a fast food joint. The chocolate milk shake was rich and the chocolate tasted different, less American and milk chocolate, maybe more European or dark chocolate?
Central Park was the afternoon’s activity – we sat in the Sheep Meadow watching the world go by – a big family who appeared to be from an Eastern European country (Poland?) spread out next to us with their cute funny kids, intense volleyball players grunted and punched behind us, the occasional character passed by – a guy wearing short blue furry shorts and matching boots, a woman in a hoop shirt from another era, etc. For dinner we tried Swagat an Indian restaurant on 79th and Amsterdam. Very good – and almost empty as was much of the Upper West Side at the start of Labor Day weekend which was to be honest very pleasant. We stopped at Pinkberry on Columbus Avenue on the way back to the apartment. On to Connecticut power or no power today.
TakeBetsywithyou 