Saturday, May 23, 2009

Dining Alfresco



The season for outdoor dining always seems short in NYC: the spring is too wet and then, suddenly, it's too hot. Sometimes by the time I remember how nice it is to eat outside, the window has passed. Not so this year. We're getting started early. And maybe it will become a nice little habit, just in time to move somewhere where being outside is a regular part of your day- and not just on your commute.

So far: dinner last night on the patio, picnic lunch today in Prospect Park (above), and back to the patio tonight. The girls loved it. And it does make me aware--and very appreciative--of how much we have in a city where outdoor living usually means the fire escape. If you're lucky.



The experience was novel in many ways--for Eleri, having her high chair outside seemed to knock her for a loop, in a good way; and Clio is into the wildlife. After dinner last night, two squirrels came off of the carport roof and into the tree, and Dave gave Clio a big chestnut to hold out to them. I suggested that we put the nut in the tree and watch to see if they took it, but Dave and Clio were convinced that the squirrels would eat it out of Clio's hand. They didn't. And just as well: who needs a trip to the emergency room for a rabies shot on a holiday weekend? Not me, thank you very much.


The only drawback? Clio's million and one dinner requests (more milk, new fork after dropping one, etc. etc.) involve a farther trip to the kitchen. But when the temp dropped and Clio got chilly, I was the happy recipient of some quality snuggling. Sigh.