My Year in Cities, 2006

Taking a cue from Kottke, here's my list of places in which I slept at least one night during 2006.



New York, NY
London, England
Bronxville, NY
Montauk, NY
Chicago, IL
Cow Island, NH
Gaithersburg, MD


Yeah, I know, it's not much... but at least it was always for pleasure!


Where's your list?

Happy 10th Birthday Co!

Ten years ago today my beautiful daughter Co was born (that's her at about six months, and, below, on her first birthday), part two of the best thing that has ever happened in my life. So how do I feel, now that I have TWO double-digit daughters?

I feel excited and a little nervous for them as they begin new chapters in their lives: Bo into 7th grade and a new school, Co into 5th grade, and all the social pressures that really kick in for girls at that age (see the wonderful Odd Girl Out for more on that).

I feel unbelievably grateful that I can be an involved and active part of their lives, both emotionally and just by my physical presence.

I feel proud to have two such courageous, friendly, well-balanced, smart, funny, warm, chatty, energetic, curious, strong, creative, adventurous girls.

Mostly, though, what I feel is love, deep and unwavering, the kind that will never go away.

I feel like a father.

room 4 dessert

so i turned 43 last week.

yup. 43.

but whatever misgivings i might feel about becoming ever-more solidly middle-aged were completely erased by the incredible love and generosity i received from all the amazing, beautiful people in my life, especially my amazing daughters bo and co, my mom, and my beloved dglass.

anyway, i felt like i had a week of perfect celebrations, but on the actual bday itself dglass took me to room 4 dessert for some late-night goodies. located in nolita on cleveland place (i think one block south of spring), this new and tiny treats-and-wine place (there's only a long bar to sit at) is a little gimmicky, but definitely good. basically, there are four dessert "flights" you can choose from, each with four riffs on the theme. we went for "chocolate" and "red", and both were, to varying degrees, interesting, fun, scrumptious. pastry chef will goldfarb is quite energetic and entertaining as he chats you up. the place itself is very pretty, even romantic. and, like i said, the desserts were all cleverly conceived and mostly delicious. makes for a nice ending to any evening.

the pond

we go skating maybe three times every winter, and pretty much always at lasker rink. even though it's tiny, there's almost never any tourists, the music is usually fun, and the prices are much more reasonable than wolman, or chelsa piers, or, obviously, rock center.

today, though, scoboco went skating just off the deuce (can you imagine such a thing, like back in the 80s?!) on the heavily-corporate-sponsored "pond" in bryant park, and we had a blast. it's always such a treat to watch bo and co get their skate legs. trust me, we're no pros, but we can get around once we get used to it again...

the rink is a nice size--bigger than lasker or rock center--and though it's free to skate, after rentals and locker we dropped $27 for the hour and half (you could skate longer... if you were nuts). of course it was crowded--it's two days before christmas in midtown, after all--but the vibe was festive and the rental skates good and it was all well organized and they have snacks and drinks if you want and boco loved every minute of it and mostly, for me, it was just a goof to ice skate in that once far-from-wholesome location.

the pond (behind the nypl, on 42nd street, just off sixth avenue) is only around until january 16th. and since this'll probably be my last post for a little bit, i just want to say...

merry christmas.

happy holidays.

hope you're well and safe and filled with comfort and joy.

yay!!!!

scoboco is now officially an uncle and two cousins!!

my sister e gave birth to baby pabs at 2:17 this afternoon.

sooooooooooooooooo exciting!!!!

thankful

...for bo and co, who give me so much love, and allow me to make mistakes, and make me smile and laugh, and constantly push me to be a better father, and are the best part of my life.

...for dglass, and all the love and best-friendship she gives me, and who teaches me something new about myself and my world every day, and who encourages me to be the man i've always dreamed i could be, and is a total inspiration in my life. and for her daughters, whom i adore.

...for my sister e, and her courageous decision to become a single mom, and for bringing a new baby into all our lives in time for christmas.

...for my mom and my dad and stepmom, who i know will always be there for me, even if i forget to ask.

...for my brothers, whose journeys through life in so many ways resemble my own.

...for my amazing friends, all going through different things in their lives today--good and sad and scary and joyous--all of whom know they can ask me for help at any time; all of whom would be willing to help me if i needed it.

...that i feel young, healthy, strong, and so happy to be alive.

happy thanksgiving.

year and a half

i woke up this morning thinking about favorite-nights-out in recent memory, without-the-kids division.

there's been a lot.

i've had amazingly, insanely delicious tasting-menu feasts at megu (in tribeca) and wd-50 (on the les) for a couple of special occasions. i went to paris last year for the time in my life (first time in europe, too), and that was pretty much perfect all around, night and day. harvest out in montauk, au pied de cochon in montreal's plateau mont-royal (by far the most--only?--interesting neighborhood in that town), dancing at opaline in the east village, seeing the pixies at jones beach: these were all special and memorable for different reasons.

but my absolute BEST night on the town in, say, the last year and a half came--what a coincidence!--18 months ago today. it was all pretty simple, actually. resto leon (on 12th and third) for excellent steak frites and too-oniony steak tartar and a nice, comfortable, cozy vibe and the host greets you like he's known you for years; australian homemade on st. marks for ice cream (not nearly as good as cones on bleeker, or any ben and jerry's for that matter, but nice and creamy all the same), eaten in thompkins square park across the street (which is an excellent make-out spot, by the way... but not on this night); then down to i-forget on houston street to see alt-country legends american ambulance.

the night was long, it was late, it was beautiful. and it changed my life.

the best.