Madison Square Eats

Yesterday I wore a rain coat. Well, I consciously chose a long jacket that was water-resistant, anyway. And aside from a few sprinkles on a lunchtime walk, it didn't rain at all. But, I couldn't be too upset, because it still felt lingeringly warm and made for a great evening outside, which had been in the cards all day.

After work I headed down to meet a friend I hadn't seen since about February or March at Madison Square Park (which is NOT Madison Square Garden, and I feel legally obligated to make this distinction) just across from the Flatiron building, an iconic favorite of mine, right after the Chrysler Building. (Also, when I googled images of "Flatiron", this also came up. Ha.)

Madison Square Eats was in full swing, a few-weeks long outdoor food fair of some local vendor foods, desserts and drinks. Naturally we found ourselves at a small bartop of a local brewery's stand and partook of the seasonal pumpkin ale which, might I add, was quite delish. And the poor confused environment was so pleasant! It was gray and breezy, but huffy and warm, if a little moist. It was bustling and crowded and there were big bright string-lighted bulbs across the tops and the hustle of the streets sounding outside as a low din under the music playing and everyone talking and laughing and calling to the vendors over other peoples' heads. I was even able to take my jacket off and have the wind on my shoulders and enjoy what I'm sure is one of the final few nice outdoor evenings of 2012 here. Having a beer outdoors is apparently too much to ask for in this country, so I drink up every opportunity I can get. So this was me last night in the outdoor air with my beer:

After this, we walked down 5th Avenue to a Thai restaurant (where I had basil fried rice with vegetables) and on the way passed this little number in a shop window. Statement, much? Loves it!!

After Thai, we went down past Union Square for gelato before getting the sweaty 6 train uptown. I am not an East Sider. The East Side is completely foreign to me, as is the East Side subway line, the green lines 4, 5 and 6 trains. However, now that I live off of the crosstown 7 train, I can take virtually any train at all, because it will intersect with the 7 at some point on 42nd Street, but taking the 4, 5 or 6 still feels weird and I am just not a fan. For absolutely no logical reason at all.

I stumbled home and forgot to brush my teeth before bed and then lost my keys (as I noticed this morning), because I placed them on the shelf in my closet? Still made it to work earlier than usual, which means only about 15 minutes late. Old habits die hard.