Steppin Out to Staten Island

While kate was safely tucked away at camp this summer, we tried to do some steppin' and to broaden our horizons. Quite an undertaking I would say. One excursion was to Governor's Island -- a snore we thought -- but our most powerful trip was to Staten island on the beautiful Staten Island Ferry where we discovered with the help of the New York Times a really funky and terrific restaurant. As we left Arnie kept yelping that our friends Anne and Steve would REALLY LIKE THIS PLACE. And so a plan was born. And after several weeks of unsuccessfully trying to arrange a dinner but coyly refuse to share the destination because after all who the hell goes to Staten island, we blew the destination and all agreed to meet at the Staten Island Ferry. In various stages of business dress and undress we converged on the Ferry and took a really wonderful 25 minute ride across the harbor. And then walked about 5 minutes up to Enoteca Maria which has become even more of a destination since our first trip there. Even Rachel Ray made the trek to Staten Island and promptly fell in love with Joe, a City work by day and the owner of a small 35 seat Italian restaurant by night. What makes this place special is that we uses a rotating list of Italian grandmothers or mothers to do the cooking and his music system gets louder and weirder as the evening rolls on.

A great meal, 2 bottles of serious red wine and 4 hours later, we all staggered out into the street feeling supremely pleased with ourselves. Anne and I were exhausted but pleased because we hadn't drunk as much as our husbands. I think we were also pleased to be leaving the incredibly loud sound system with random selections of joe cocker and opera. Always glad to consider going back and much conversation was had about what a great place this would be for New Year's Eve. I'm a little concerned that this romantic trip on the Ferry will wear very thin in sub zero weather but what do I know. I was also glad that we had no plans for Saturday until 10 ish and then unlike Anne and Steve our trip to Chinatown wouldn't be until the late afternoon.

Mercifully our soccer game was cancelled by the player herself who said it was not really a game and next weekend would be fine. Fine with me. More time to read and nap. I even started a chicken stock which is trully a commitment of many hours. then off to a Chinese brush painting class and dinner in Chinatown.