Are We Still in Manhattan? A Cotton Candy Sunset at Riverside Park Suggested Otherwise
Desk Note 11 - closing out July with a DIY burrata
This past Monday -the last day of July- my friend texted me mid-afternoon.
“Wyd after work today?”
Given it was Monday and after a busy weekend, truth be told, I planned to grab groceries, make a boring dinner at home, and be in bed by 9 pm.
“Nothing,” I replied.
So, obviously, my plans changed…for the better.
We decided to meet at the grocery after work, pick up fresh ingredients, take them to her place and make dinner together. The golden hour light poured into the (actually spacious) kitchen. I made a bowl of burrata with peach slices, cherry tomatoes, a drizzle of olive oil, and balsamic vinegar, topped with fresh cracked pepper. The low humidity 75* breeze that graced New York with its presence for much of this week came through the window as we swirled around dancing to a playlist and catching up.
Eventually, we craved those little Yasso greek yogurt ice cream bars.
Back to the store it was. Then, we laughed over stories of what we envisioned becoming when we were little kids and ate the birthday cake-flavored yogurt on our way down to the waterfront.
When we arrived at Riverside Park South, I felt like I was in a scene from a movie taking place on the Stockholm waterfront during mid-summer.
The cotton candy sunset reflected on the waves as birds rested on the old dock posts. People biked, ran, and walked along the driftwood-inspired trails. Wildflowers swayed in the breeze.
Manhattan’s waterfront has an underwhelming history, primarily used as industrial ports for maritime trade. The city chose to develop at the center of the island and leave the coast for industry. Our miles of waterfront, and the Hudson and East Rivers too, were overlooked, neglected, and polluted for decades. Manhattan’s development patterns seemed like continual missed opportunities to create a beautiful waterfront city.
When you think of New York, do you really think of it as a waterfront city?
It probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind.
And yet our city has over 500 miles of coast!
Thankfully, through improved planning and design, we’ve begun the necessary task of transforming our city’s coastline, creating an active waterfront lifestyle for the public to enjoy. Riverside Park South is exemplary of it already.
“Were we still in Manhattan?” I thought.
The blaring of a taxi horn on the nearby Westside Highway confirmed.
MORNING, NOON, NIGHT – inspired by the title of one of my favorite coffee table books, each desk note ends with something interesting for you to see, do, read, and/or wear as told through the lens of a day’s journey from sunrise to sunset.
MORNING – challenge yourself to leave the house a little earlier, get an iced dirty chai from your favorite coffee shop, and go on a morning walk before you take the subway to work. I did it on Wednesday.
NOON – purchase your tickets to the US Open tennis championships. It’s only a few weeks away and I can hardly wait! Is anyone else going? Let me know in the comments below!
NIGHT – for your next birthday or special occasion, consider having an intimate dinner party at the home of Chef Nicholas Tran. Look up Dark Room NYC and secure your spot. It’s an experience you won’t soon forget and one I was lucky to have this weekend.
One last personal note:
I am so excited to keep writing these desk notes. It started as a summer challenge to myself to write more. It’s turned into a fun passion project. And it means the world to me every time a new person joins this little corner on the internet. If you’re enjoying my notes From the Desk of ECF, please share them with a friend using the link below! You can also join the blogging community on the substack app available for iPhones and Android users. I’m thrilled you’re here! Thank you for the support! ECF