"I SAID" 04: new york summer is
no one is looking for me and I'm okay with it. Plus, rank the fun beverages I had.
I wrote this over the course of 2 weeks, trying to document as much as I could from my 4th of July weekend. I love staying in NYC over a holiday, it empties out just like it did in that scene from Something Borrowed. I bounced between Brooklyn, Long Island, Larchmont and New Jersey. Spent a lot of time in my car (shoutout to my mom for the gift) and spending time with people I deeply, truly love. I hope you enjoyed this style of writing, it was hard for me but I think it paints nicely. If you hated it, well, tell me that!
Wednesday. Left work early. Scored free tickets to the Second City Ruthless Acts of Kindness. Laughed harder than I was meant to at the “on hold” sketch, threw dodgeballs, put garbage in a human garbage bag.
Went to George and Jack’s, drank two waters and watched a few rounds of pool. Got talked into walking over to The Drift on Meeker where I met two guys whose names I can’t remember. I followed one of their girlfriends on Instagram. She’s a florist and a professional glassblower. Played pool doubles with Brian for a while until I sucked so bad and lost interest. Got home around two, watched TV until I fell asleep.
Thursday morning. Woke up to my 6AM alarm, toyed with the idea of seizing the day and going for a run. Rolled over and woke up again four hours later. No running was done. Chugged a water. Got dressed, chose overalls with just a x bikini top underneath.
Next stop, Gertie. Brian and I shared two sandwiches and fries. Lunch dessert was Oslo for second cold brew™️.
At home later, I naively tried to accomplish a weekend’s worth of chores in one hour. Picked up a citi bike by Cooper Park and rode down to DeKalb Avenue to meet Hannah. Hit Vex El Cafe on Wyckoff Ave. Ordered a Vanilla Rooibos iced tea, it tasted like dessert. Internally debated how to pronounce Rooibos for like, twenty minutes. Sat in Maria Hernandez Park, watched the kids play in the sprinklers and people strut on their hot person walks.
Key Food. Picked up a six pack of Kona, those flat pretzels and those cookies. Arrived to the party an hour late. We were still the first people there, but like in a hot, fun way. In a way that shows we value your time!
Met a chef who works at Rosella. She made the cake, I ate the cake. Drank the beers, indulged, and housed a double cheeseburger because I’m only twenty five years old and I might as well. Met some new friends, reunited with some very old ones. Someone handed me an umbrella, it ended up in my purse. Watched illegal fireworks in the backyard like it was the Macy’s show. It wasn’t close, but it felt just as spectacular.
Danced out to Nicki Minaj and said goodbye. Hoped on a different bike, rode up Morgan Ave’s sneaky incline, dodged fireworks the whole way back. Weirdly felt like crying, in a good way.
Made it home, beelined for the stove. Boiled water, in went the shells. Pesto pasta went down just as easy as that double cheeseburger six hours prior. Talked to my dad and then my grandma. Brian came home, I popped a camino™️, I snuggled my Jellycat too hard and fell asleep in thirty seconds.
Friday. Woke up to my alarm at 6AM, listened to it this time. Put on a different bikini top. Filled up the hydro flasks, one with just water, the other with ice. Like normal.
Ran to Brooklyn Standard. One large iced coffee, Poland Spring water, Stacy’s Multigrain pita chips. I don’t care that they’re multigrain, I just think they’re easier to eat than the regular ones. I got another cup of ice. Just in case.
Went to two delis after before I found the drinks I was looking for. Liquid Death Rest in Peach™️ was eventually secured. Cooler was full of lime LaCroix, homemade mint tea in an old Rao’s jar and a raspberry rose Poppi.
Drove all the way out to Robert Moses. Listened to Elvis Duran the full fifty three minutes.
Met my sister in the parking lot. Ate my sandwich twenty minutes after I sat down. Saw a guy catch a shark. Still swam in the ocean. Looked for rocks with Alex in the wet sand, like we did when we were younger. Our mom arrived, we had second lunch™️ with her. Mango, bagel sandwiches, pasta salad.
Laughed really hard all day with the girlies, especially when my sister compared my tan gradient to a black and white cookie. Or did I say that? I can’t remember. Back in the ocean, back in the chair. Talked about (did not read) the book I’m halfway through. It’s Wellness by Nathan Hill. I’ve had to renew it on Libby twice so far.
Now it’s 4:30 and wait, holy shit it’s 6 o’clock already?
Watched a group of college kids’ stuff get taken away by the ocean. Made fun of them for their slow reaction time, only for our stuff to get absolutely soaked by a rogue wave. Laughed even harder, took the longest walk™️ back to the car
Said my goodbyes. Drove home in a towel. Sat in my car for ten minutes before I mustered the strength to go inside, like I used to do in high school. Felt young. Answered some texts. Walked in, took a cold shower, washed the sand out of my hair, admired my tan. Cleaned the rocks I collected, put them on my nightstand with my crystals.
Whipped up some crispy brussels sprouts and a chicken quesadilla for dinner. Started season 3 of The Bear. I forgot how much I love Richie. I’m only human. I fell asleep in the middle of episode two.
Saturday. Sleep purgatory, half awake. Brian left for an early golf round, we said our goodbyes, I fell back asleep. Got up around 9:30, showered, impulsively decided to head up to Larchmont. Another day, another Z100 Phone Tap.
I got off 95 and hit Sunshine Coffee for the memories and a large cold brew with oat. No one recognized me. I paid for it, still tipped. I think it tastes better when you make it yourself behind the counter, though.
Went back to the house I grew up in. Saw my dog, my brother and my mom. Had one mission. Find a dress for the wedding. Tried on a couple options, didn’t freak out that a dress purchased in 2014 no longer fit my 2024 body. Went to Stanz’ for celebratory lunch, panicked at the counter and ordered a chicken caesar salad. I have recently decided I only can tolerate a small amount of avocado in a salad and I should stop adding it.
Dunked the bread in the dressing ramekin. It’s the best part.
Went back to the house. Snapped some legos together with Ernest. Legos are the same as puzzles for me, I get the hype. Tactile activities feel good in a world of iPads.
Drove back to Brooklyn, met Brian at home, sat in the AC for a few minutes before braving the Manhattan heat. Headed to dinner, Emmett’s on MacDougal with a few old friends. On our way, we passed Roscioli and Hamburger America. I’ve been to one, the other’s on my list.
Ordered two pizzas and the mozzarella sticks and just waters. Laughed for a while, hit another bar. I think I had a Corona. Made it home before midnight, laughed about the dumbest shit for the longest time. Fell asleep shortly after from exhaustion and dehydration and everything else.
Sunday. Took myself out for coffee at Paloma, had raspberry tart that I still regret not taking a photo of. Was planning to read more of Wellness, but ended up devouring this essay instead.
Headed out to Hoboken to meet Zoe. It took me 28 minutes to get from Greenpoint to her apartment. I broke an all time record. Made some new friends at brunch. Had an Arnold Palmer, talked about their weekend escapades, snuck away to lay out, jumped in the pool, talked about everything and nothing. Drank a blackberry bubly, avoided the attendant taking stock of who was and who wasn’t a resident. No pool thieves on 4th of July weekend, that’s for sure. Ate some watermelon and said my goodbyes. Almost fell asleep on the ride home. Opened another bag of Stacy’s I had in the car. Wished for some hummus.
Wish was granted. Brian brought us home Cava bowls. Sat on the couch, debriefed on our days, watched more of The Bear. I think we finished season 3 that night, but I’d be lying if I told you I remembered.
I loved this
Also this line "Another day, another Z100 Phone Tap" made me laugh out loud
Lastly, my household is currently in love with liquid death as well I get it