So "summer" is much different in New York than in California. For starters, when you live in Southern California even though there are seasons, they are subtle, and summer weather can begin as early as March (you know, when we still get snow!). There's not a lot of planning around long weekends because you are already living where people are traveling to visit. You already are at the beach. "Maybe we'll have a barbecue..."
In New York summer officially begins on Memorial Day, during a mass exodus when many New Yorkers leave the city and escape to beach houses or the country. Roads, bridges, high speed ferries, Penn Station and Grand Central Station are particularly crazy, as well as private airfields and helicopter pads for some as well. A lot of people try to leave on Thursday night to 'beat the traffic' (though everyone has the same idea), or earlier on Friday if offices have "Summer Friday" hours, and close early.
I'm happily not traveling anywhere this weekend as I have guests coming in from Philadelphia, the Upper East and Upper West Side, and a barbecue later in the weekend that features grilled lobster on the menu. (Mmmmm, this alone could be a reason to go to the beach next weekend!)
With no train or jitney to catch, and with our first "Summer Friday" kicking off today, I enjoyed a long Friday lunch with Chef Akasha Richmond who was visiting New York this week. I first met Akasha through my friend Laurie in Santa Monica and Jeremy and Ryan from Sambazon, and they are all investors in "Akasha", a beautiful rustic New American restaurant in Culver City. Prior to being a restaurateur, she was a private chef and caterer in top Hollywood circles, with a 'who's who' list of clients including the King of Pop himself. Akasha was in town to be with her daughter who is relocating here, and for the type of creative inspiration that only a week in NYC can bring!
Akasha had asked some of the young chefs at her restaurant where she should eat and one recommended "Fatty Cue", a new restaurant in Williamsburg that is apparently hotter than hot. Akasha went there earlier this week and wanted to then meet at "Fatty Crab" in the West Village because she couldn't get this restaurant and creations from Chef Zakary Pelaccio out of her mind.
You always hear you should find the secret gems that chefs go to. Well I recommend actually going with a chef! My aspirational "Vegetarian Plus" self went on summer hiatus, as we ordered a few dishes...
....and then bought homemade dark chocolate bars with almonds, pepper and molden salt for our respective weekend guests.
It was one of those perfect Fridays, and a great way to welcome in summer months ahead.
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