Paradise Found

Yesterday Doug and I were watching the French Open – gosh it is nice to be retired.  You can watch the Open mid-day!  Any case, we were ready for lunch and I went into the kitchen to begin preparation.  I didn’t want to miss too much of the action and decided to make something, good, quick and French?

The omelet.  I had a handful of tiny potatoes leftover from a dinner earlier this week,  a bit of parmesan cheese (we love parmesan as a garnish or just chucked up with a glass of red wine) and fresh dill, so off to work I went.  The meal took about 10 minutes, was very inexpensive – about $2.00 for both of us, less labor, and very good (so Doug says).  Served with a nice glass of Sauvignon blanc we were in heaven.  The only thing wrong with the afternoon was Raf lost!

The omelet made me think about lunches in general and how few I have actually had in the last 25 years.  In the fashion industry you typically don’t go out to lunch, rather run out for something little.  The day is too busy and too demanding to actually relax some place with a nice meal.  When we lived in New York, Doug used to ask if he could meet me for lunch and I always answered that it would be too stressful!

Over the 25 years I spent in New York, I did lunch on the weekend – usually Saturday, if at all.  It was a nice way to meet friends, plan all morning what you would wear, and be home in time for an early cocktail.  Some favorites of mine were E.A.T., La Goulue  and Fred’s at Barneys (always filled with great looking people).

My good friend, Judy Daniel was a regular lunch and dinner partner before we both married. One Fourth of July we each found ourselves in New York instead of trying to be away for the weekend. Summer holidays in the city can be lonely and wonderful.  There are no lines for the movies, you can easily get a reservation at a good restaurant and you can really relax.

The large department stores were open and we had planned to start at Barneys, walk our way up Madison Avenue – and to have lunch along the way.  None of the boutiques are open on summer holidays, and many restaurants were closed, but there was La Goulue – open air – and ready for us for lunch.  We were the only diners, and had a nice pasta lunch.  At the end of most meals, Judy has coffee and that day I decided to join her.  We took our time and talked about everything from fall fashion to food, and then work.  The waiter came and put the bill on the table; we paid and then decided to have a refill.  We finished our second cups and gathered our things to leave.  We were half way up the block when a waiter chased us out of the restaurant with another bill – for the refill!  We couldn’t believe it!  We paid, graciously, but laughed about it all the way home!  Only in New York.

Another interesting lunch was when my children were in grade school.  The PTA decided to serve a hot dog lunch on Fridays.  (These were the days before just about every school had a cafeteria.)  Mothers would take turns, in tandem, to cook and serve.  One Friday it was my turn and I was lucky enough to have Pat Ryan (my wonderful Paradise friend), as my partner.  Our boys were fast friends and spent every day in and out of school together.  Even today they remain good friends – they have been in each other’s weddings, and watched each other’s families grow.

Pat and I got the big, big pot of water boiling on the stove and put the dogs in for their warming.  Just as we started, another mother came into the school kitchen with a little package.  Two “healthy” dogs for her two boys.  Could we make sure her boys were served these hot dogs and no other, she asked?  Of course, we replied.  She left. Without a word between us, we opened the package and threw the “healthy” dogs in.  We had no idea who was served the “healthy” dogs that day, but one thing I can tell you, her two boys made a point to come into the kitchen to tell us that they loved the delicious lunch – had never tasted anything so good.  I know we were bad, but sometimes you just have to break rules.  At very least those little boys had a surprise for lunch

Last Christmas I took my littlest granddaughter – Keira – to New York.  It was her request.  She was very sad when we moved to Paradise, even though she lived just an hour away.  She loves the city, and we had a wonderful weekend.  First evening – dinner at Antonucci on the Upper East Side.  Perfect little lady, perfect manners.  Saturday was the Nutcracker matinée, so we had a nice breakfast/brunch at the Plaza and later dinner at Amaranth.  We went to the Plaza specifically for the Eloise menu.  That is Keira’s picture up on top.  She commented on the table setting, the silverware, the decor, the ladies room and ate every bit of her food with beautiful table manners.  Let’s call it a lunch.  Very, very nice day for me and for Keira.

When I was in my teenage years, lunch was a little more than food – it was a social event.  I went to high school in Middletown, NJ and my family also had a home in Lavallette, so we were off to the shore the day after school closed each year.  We had rules about the beach – never show up before 10:00 a.m.; never stay after 4:00 p.m.  And always have your lunch at the Cozy Nooke – the local soda shop.  About noonish, we would all leave the beach and head to the Nooke, it was on the main street, one block from the beach.    I usually had 25 to 50 cents to spend which was just enough to get me the most delicious plate of french fries and a small coke – which came in a paper “v” shaped cup that sat on a metal holder.  The Nooke had great fries, but it also had every kid who was vacationing at the beach both at lunch time and in the evening.  My girlfriends and I sat four-in-a-booth just about every day and loved watching the buzz of planning what was going on for that evening.  We  played our favorite songs on the jukebox – a nickel for each recording.    In 1963, I meet Doug at the Nooke  – he was introduced to me by one of my girlfriends, whose brother was Doug’s friend – and here we are 50 plus years later!

In Europe, lunch is the main meal of the day. Since many of us come from a European background I wonder how we Americans veered so far off that tradition.   It would be so  much better if we could take time, eat properly, relax and enjoy lunch every day.  Dinner could be something light – cheese, fruit, etc.  I think Doug an I will start a new trend here – having luncheons sometimes, in place of a dinner party.  Stay tuned.

One last thought…whenever Keira is visiting and we ask her what she would like for lunch, her answer is usually, “I would like lunch, but nothing too lunchy.”  That says it all!

Till next time,

E