The July 4th long weekend.

Lunch at Hampton Chutney in SOHO;
Multiple co-ordination of plans for the weekend;
Drinks at Bryant Park Grill;
Introduction with a girl, who in another one of those recurring coincidences, lives across the street;
Cooper Hewitt Summer Session with friends;
Dancing in the Rain;
Dinner with interesting conversation at Sala Thai on the Upper East Side,
Early night, for the run tomorrow!

6 mile morning run in the Park;
Still co-ordinating plans for the weekend;
Home for a shower and packed bag for the beach;
Lunch at a local cafe in Astoria;
Set off for Jones Beach in Long Island;
Ended up at Long Beach, less crowded;
Got in the water;
Played Soccer with friends and a little kid;
Tried to read but gave up, took in the breeze;
Lay on the sand, ocean by the side, under the sky;
Wrapped up to go get ice-cream;
Got back into Queens for Indian Chinese;
Waited for an hour till we got our table;
Binged on a huge spread, over more interesting conversation;
Went to Newport for a house-party at 12 am;
Felt very “cool” entering a party this late, after ages;
Danced to a few Desi numbers;
Got back home by 3 am!

In Newport by noon;
Returned the rental car;
Outdoor Lunch at Amiya, in Exchange Place;
Paan at Journal Square;
Sprawled out on the lawn in Newport;
A quick nap;
Back into the city for the night;
Turkish dinner at Ali Baba’s;
Bumped into some friends en route;
Karaoke at Village Ma – “La Isla Bonita” to “I’ve got you under my skin”;
Got back home by 3 am!

Late morning;
Made sandwiches for the picnic;
Went to Central Park for a Picnic on the Great Lawn;
Lay on the grass, ate, napped, read, played;
Various conversations, Dumb Charades;
Dinner at Saravanas with Stefano and Elsye;
Some introductions and a pleasant walk to the subway;
Back home; called it a night!

Late morning;
Soccer game at Central Bar;
Bumped into a friend who was supporting Germany;
Rooted for Italy;
Was thrilled when they won;
Walked to the PATH and into Newport for fireworks;
Bumped into more familiar faces there;
Picked a spot by the river, spread sheets and lay on the grass;
Fireworks began, first at Liberty Island, then at FDR Drive;
Downtown and GW Bridge joined in, to create a spectacular vista,
Specks of light, some single, some clustered;
Bright, coloured, radiant globes of illuminance, that dissolved into the skyline;
“Oooohhhhh”s and “Aaaaaahhhh”s and more conversation,
A generous friend paid for dinner; Bhindi on the lawn;
At 11, it was time to wind up the weekend;
Folded it and kept it in my head;
Trains across the rivers to come back home;
A long weekend, spent well!