STEAM HEAT

Swimmer statue in Soho

The following few days, May reached it's midpoint and the city started sizzling up, five degrees of humidity at a time.  Women and men dressed like school was out, shorts and dresses, sandals and tanks.  The NY Ice vendors wheeled out their carts from hibernation and sharpened their ice cutters in front of colorful liquid sugar bottles.  Oh and the weekend street fairs!!  Oh boy, i thought I was in a small European town when the weekend hit.  Every day a different avenue in each sub-district of manhattan shutdown and was filled with food and craft vendors.   It actually started the weekend before when Jay and Michelle were here and it continued till I left!  Then there were themed street fairs, like the Dance Festival.   They were parading right down my street, St. Marks, when I left my apartment one morning... I was like whoa there, whoa!
I walked up to Union Square to check out the weekend Farmers' Market (which is like the most amazingly huge, gourmet & fun farmers market ever!!) and the parade of dancers was still going on up there!  Poledancing gymnasts contorting their bodies along poles on floats, even the Giants' dance team was out!  Then I popped up the subway and walked up to Times Square to meet people and ANOTHER street fair was going on along 9th Ave.... I couldn't believe it!    

Delicious paella I ate on 9th Ave

Hells Kitchen Street Fair

In the late afternoon, I scooted across to Brooklyn to meet the guys at a little beer garden-type of outdoor bar, Lorely.  I took it upon myself to order the biggest beer you could get, and drank it all... It was as delicious as it looks!  I swam through the rest of the warm evening.

Brooklyn Flea

Sunday was another beautiful, glorious day and I did a number of cool New York things!  After doing some early morning soho/nolita shopping for a dress for Alexis' wedding I met Dave for brunch at Lil Frankies... they have a tiny back patio and the food was decent.  No waiting, so can't beat that on a Sunday at 1pm!  We decided to hit up the Brooklyn Flea Market, which is on the river banks of Williamsburg... because Benny was selling his magazine, "Carrier Pigeon" and mag merchandise at a booth there.  His T-shirt's (illustrations from the mag) were dope and the flea market itself was pretty awesome!  Random weird stuff that most flea markets have, along with a whole row of food tents, "smorgasbord". 

Williamsburg view

 I had my first 'Ice", not to be mistook for Italian Ice or South Jersey's "water ice"!  It's basically shaved ice with sugary flavoring poured into it.  Dave and I relaxed in the grass along the river, enjoying the nice breezy escape from the humidity.  
Joe met us down there and after they spent some time convincing me that we shouldn't take the cool ferry down the river and hop out by the brooklyn bridge to get to Cobble Hill, we started walking towards the Nassau subway stop.  Along the way... we just so happen to pass the infamous Brooklyn Brewery!  AND it just so happen to be last call!  Perfect opportunity for me to go in for a quick one, no line, no crowd, and enjoy myself a brilliant Brooklyn Sorachi Ace.

Chillin on the grassy noll

Brooklyn Brewery

Rooftop beer

Rooftop Party in Cobble Hill

Dave's new online dating profile pic!

Swimmer statue wide shot

Afterwards, we headed to Joe's brothers' new place in Cobble Hill for an extreme rooftop party!  What a sweet view!  As the sun started to set on this clear gorgeous day, we witnessed the menacing clouds roll in from the South East and slowly drape a dark curtain over the blue sky.  It was very cinematic.  One of Joe's brother's roommates cooked us a gourmet BBQ feast.  Finally, Dave and I jumped in a cab headed for Manhattan and my fun in the sun weekend came to a close!