The Perfect Weekend

Now that I will be in New York for the foreseeable future, I've written about how I've been trying to relax, and settle into a routine. Slowly I'm getting more comfortable not having a huge, exhausting adventure every single day that I'm free. This weekend was filled with the perfect mix of activities that were relaxing but also incredibly fun and exciting in their own way.

Saturday morning I made the trek back to Queens for free yoga in Socrates Sculpture Park. I tried yoga for the first time last Wednesday and was immediately hooked. Every Saturday until the end of September there are two free sessions in the park. I opted for the later one (11am - noon) and it was wonderful. The teacher was helpful, the poses were challenging but not impossible and it was an incredibly beautiful morning. There weren't a ton of people so it felt intimate and the breeze off the river was perfect.

After yoga, I headed back to Manhattan to meet some friends for a picnic in Sheep's Meadow in Central Park. Everyone brought snacks (and, um, beverages) and when the iPod speaker arrived it really became a party. It was impromptu, casual and totally fun. There's really not many better ways to spend a summer afternoon than eating a variety of snacks while lounging with your friends in a sunny meadow in Central Park (or at least I haven't done them yet).

When we finally decided to pack it up, my friend Alisha and I weren't quite ready to call it a night, so we headed uptown to a wine bar that we had been wanting to try for a while. We both live around the west side of Harlem, and had tried to meet up at Vinatería once before only to discover that they are closed on Mondays.

They were pretty busy Saturday night, but we got seats at the bar. We both ordered a glass of wine, and then almost immediately decided that we had to try out the cheese/prosciutto plate as well. The entire place was just as awesome as their cheese plate presentation, with a metal bar, custom tile floor and a ton of industrial, vintage touches. We decided to make it a regular date, and made a note to check out some of the other new and interesting-looking places that have opened in the area.

On Sunday I slept in, and then took a leisurely stroll through Central Park. I'm only a few blocks from the always-stunning Conservatory Garden so I took my time wandering around, trying to take as many "insect-in-flower" photos as I could. The garden is breathtaking in the spring, but I've been in most other seasons (I'm coming at ya, fall) and it never disappoints. It's small, but carefully curated and feels like a secret haven, with a quieter, more reflective vibe than the surrounding park.

I walked down past the Reservoir, and crossed over to the west side, ending up at my new favorite brunch place: Cafe Eighty Two. They have an entire gluten-free menu, but I've gotten the GF waffle (with bacon) three times now because it's so delicious.

I definitely want to make it my usual place, and I can't wait until they know me and my order as soon as I walk in. The place is filled with elderly, UWS residents who are cranky and demanding and I love every one of them. I can only hope to be doing exactly what I'm doing now, when I'm 80-years-old, although I'm sure I'll have on a lot more sweaters.

Right across Broadway is a Barnes & Noble, so I went there after brunch to catch up on my trashy tabloids. After spending a few hours with my good friends US Weekly, People and Entertainment Weekly (Fall Movie Preview!) Alisha met me there and we headed downtown to the Strand. She needed to pick up a gift, and I needed to browse the dollar racks because it had been a whole week or so since I'd been (the horror!). I have a habit of buying and hoarding used books, but since I've moved to the city I've actually been reading everything I buy. Reading on the subway means that I go through about a book a week, which has been really wonderful. I plan on getting my library card soon, but I'll always have a soft spot for the Strand.

When I was done browsing, I headed back uptown, stopping at Trader Joe's to buy my groceries for the week. I'm getting pretty good at only buying what can fit in two bags, and I think I've finally perfected my post-shopping subway turnstile entry technique (slide the bags through first). I'm so glad that I'll still be close to TJ's when I move into the new place (this week!). Everything I ever get from there is so delicious, and it's crazy cheap when compared to other places in the city.

When I got home, I cooked up a huge batch of my new favorite pasta dish (GF pasta, vodka sauce, mushrooms, zucchini, hot pepper flakes, feta, parmesan) and I have at least two more meals-full in leftovers for this week. I always want to eat everything I buy on grocery day at once, but I'm trying to pace myself. Add in a few episodes of Gilmore Girls, an early bedtime and ladies and gentlemen, I give you: the very perfect weekend. I hope to repeat this itinerary  — with minor variations — on many more weekends to come and it feels great to finally be settling into my new life.

And what a lovely life it's turning out to be.