If you’re lucky enough to get James as your waiter, you’re in for a great experience. He was knowledgeable and just that good that we decided not to go for the NYC restaurant week menu as planned but, instead, we ordered off the menu.
We started off with fritto misto, burrata with fig coulis, mussels in a tomato sauce, and oysters with shallots and truffle butter. This was followed by entrées of scallops with cauliflower, rack of lamb with goat cheese polenta, and macaroni cheese. James threw in some truffle fries and the most delicious mustard glazed roasted brussel sprouts. And as luck would have it, we were presented with some mezcal and s’more bread pudding to finish off our meal.
Needless to say there were three of us to wolf down all that food! We had a delightful time and slowly wobbled home after all the gluttony…!
Happy with the snow on what was a miserable March Thuraday. But, as much as I like snow, I think the East Coast has had enough of this Winter. Come on Spring, rear your bright head sooner rather than later…please!
I thought it was only fitting to start my tales of living in New York City with the highlight of my first year so here goes.
I was floating. Literally floating way, way up to a place where the stars meet the sky (if this was happening to me at night).
My most favorite person EVER was in town. Arrangements had been made for him to appear on the Today show which happens to be filmed a few blocks from my office. I thought that the show would be taped indoors given that it was October. So I leisurely awoke, dressed myself in a boring and drab work outfit, went for the au naturale hair look (i.e. I looked like the wild woman of Borneo) and made my way to the Rockefeller Plaza in midtown.
I was faced with the beautiful Mercedes F1 W05 Hybrid, which had been parked in a pen in front of the studio. This indicated the Today show segment was being filmed outdoors – excitement and horror crossed my face. I looked so crap. Had I known this, I definitely would have made more effort in the hope of coming face to face with my most favorite person EVER. Crap.
There were a fair few people already queuing up around the pen. I saw an opening in the queue and made small talk with the guys standing there asking if I could sneak in to grab a photo of the beauty on display. I didn’t leave. They silently overlooked my sneakiness. Score. It was a decent spot by the barrier and in front of the car. Good vantage point.
The anticipation was mounting. We saw the lovely Lewis Hamilton appear with his entourage and disappear in to the studio, presumably for mic fitting and make up. The crowd went crazy. About 10 or so minutes later he appeared outside again. This time stopping to talk with officials inside the pen. Ahhhhh. Today was going to be a good day. I could feel it already. The smile on my face was increasingly getting wider and wider as the minutes passed and he was making his way from the back of the line to the front of the line. He was stopping and talking to each and every person, signing autographs, taking photos and selfies. I just couldn’t wait for him to get to me. Nervously, I tried to tousle my hair in hope of making myself look somewhat presentable. What was I going to say to him? Would he take a selfie with me? Will someone take a photo of us together?
‘So great to meet you! I’m flying to Austin on Friday!’
‘No way – that’s great. How exciting.’
‘I know. You’re going to win!
‘I hope so’
‘No, you will win. And the championship’
‘I really want to and for you guys, the fans’
‘Can I get a photo with you? And, can you sign my journal’
‘Of course I can’
Ahhhh. I was dying. Shaking. I had talked to him. He had talked to me. In real life. I had a photo with him. I felt like a little girl who had just met Father Christmas for the first time!
Lewis was so nice. Friendly. I was surprised as to how petite he was. And, what a fantastic smile he has!
He did in fact win at the US Grand Prix and he won the 2014 F1 Drivers’ Championship too!
There were a number of highlights of my first year in the USA but this experience was the crème de la crème 🙂
Here is a behind the scenes video of Lewis’s Today Show appearance.
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