Sometimes, I heart NY

Every so often New York does something that I just love. Yesterday was one of those experiences. Our friend Ethan DJs with actual records at Heather's Bar in Manhattan on Sunday evenings every couple of months. We've known about this for nearly a year, but hadn't been able to attend one until yesterday. And it was really the perfect one for us to start with as he was playing swing and big band music :)

The bar is in the East Village, one of the hipper (and therefore more expensive- though certainly not at the top of that list) neighborhoods in Manhattan. It is also kinda grungy because, let's face it, while NY has cleaned up a lot in the past decade it's still a pretty filthy city. So we're walking to the bar and it's gray and cold and there's trash all around and some boarded up windows and graffiti and also commerce and college kids.

Speaking of kids, did I mention that we had ours with us? Cause that is what is cool about 78rpm Sundays and Heather's as far as I'm concerned- it's a family (and family friendly) place. When we got there Ethan and Amanda were setting up and their 3 year old son was racing up and down in the bar and climbing on the bar stools. Our kids joined right in (except the climbing part. They aren't climbers). Soon HeatherTheOwner arrived with her nephew (nearly 4) and the next time I blinked we'd been joined by a 1 year old and a 2 year old. More little kids and babies arrived as the event progressed. The kids danced, played outside on the sidewalk (under the watchful eye of at least one parent), got Shirley Temples and orange juice at the bar (Dre, the bartender, introduced Zion and Liel to the joy of OJ with a splash of cranberry juice an a slice of lime), and painted pictures at a table right in the middle of things. When they (and we) got hungry we ordered arepas from a nearby restaurant and they were delivered to the bar. Z and L snarfed those right up, lemme tell ya! Towards the end of the evening our friend Vanessa stopped by (thanks to some prodding on my part- she apparently had a pukey evening on 5" heels the night before and wasn't sure she felt up to an outing at a drinking establishment. But, about 5 minutes after arriving she was at the bar ordering a soothing soothing Guiness so clearly it all worked out). So chalk one up for "I heart NY".

Robert and Vanessa.



Ethan and Amanda.



Liel and M playing in the bar.



Zion playing on the sidewalk (friends not pictured, lol).



Me with the kids, looking awesome. Sigh! :)