Back In Brooklyn

I do apologize for the long break in writing but as some of you know, I've been traveling quite a bit, and after taking in the wonders, scents, spices and life changing adventures of Morocco I've been craving sitting still and simply being a Brooklynite. Last night I had a magical evening on TJ's roof with 10 other friends where we ate all sorts of nibblies, had cocktails mixed with Absolut Brooklyn (which might be my new favorite thing) and watched the sun set over the Manhattan skyline. When it started to get dark, we lit candles and chatted and laughed and relaxed in the lazy summer night.

A few houses over, someone set off a bunch of fireworks from his roof and we all ooohed and ahhhed like little children for the few minutes that they blazed in the sky--a common side effect of fireworks. When the sparking hullaballoo was finished we clapped and hooted in appreciation only to hear many pockets of other Brooklynites on their rooftops clapping and hooting as well. We all giggled, thinking we were alone at our rooftop party only to find that everyone in Brooklyn, it seemed, all had the same idea.

After eating a full spread of appetizers and a few pizzas (and a nightcap of TJ's homemade bourbon cherry cocktail) I woke up this morning feeling the need to run off my excesses in the park at 8:30 in the morning. I haven't gone running in close to a year, and the need to get out was so strong that I didn't fight it. I did the whole 5K loop, sometimes walking, sometimes running, but fully proud that I went the whole distance. On the way home I saw a family--a mom a dad and two small towheaded children--sitting on the stoop eating their breakfast of toast and large smile-shaped slices of watermelon. The papa was holding a fancy teacup and saucer which looked Moroccan in its design. Witnessing this calm morning scene, I fell in love with my neighborhood as much as I had the night before.

Henry James said, "One's destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things." What a double delight to have the sights of Morocco still fresh in my eyes, and the sights of Brooklyn seen anew!