Traveling to . . . Manhattan

I was in a car full of career-minded theater women lately, traveling out to the beach to celebrate a friend's impending nuptials, when one of the women realized that she was the sole Manhattanite in the car.

"You Brooklyn people," she said. "You never want to leave home." By that she didn't mean our apartments, but our borough.

It's true. The summer I moved to New York--and to Brooklyn--TimeOut New York featured a cover proclaiming "Brooklyn is the New Manhattan." I, like a lot of Brooklynites, avoid Manhattan whenever possible. I'm glad it's there, but I'm even more glad it's over there, so we Brooklyn folk can enjoy our trees and our space and the fact that our sun isn't blocked by skyscrapers.

As I write this, my husband is in Manhattan, visiting both the Tajikistani and Uzbekistani consulates and making sure his papers are in order for his upcoming trip. See? That's exactly the kind of thing you want to be close to--all the consulates of the world!--but an arm's length will do.

We're celebrating our eighth anniversary today in a style that speaks to both parts of our union. You could call it yin/yang, lowbrow/highbrow, earthy/refined, but I prefer Brooklyn/Manhattan.

Part One: Brooklyn's Coney Island, where we also happened to celebrate our first anniversary. Beach, hot dogs, the Wonder Wheel, ice cream, more beach. Sun.

Part Two: To Manhattan for Gordon Ramsay's six-course tasting menu at MAZE:

Marinated beetroot, ricotta, pine nut and Cabernet Sauvignon dressing

Hand dived scallops roasted with spices, golden raisin purée and cauliflower beignets

Carnaroli risotto of Maine lobster, English peas and preserved Meyer lemon
or
Pan fried branzino, tomato and olive fondue, baby artichokes and anchovy butter

Loin of Colorado lamb with spiced belly, guanciale and crushed peas, mint jus
or
Fillet of Brandt beef, morels with braised short rib, glazed asparagus

Apple and caramel trifle with cider granité, cinnamon doughnut

Peanut butter and cherry jam sandwich with salted nuts and cherry sorbet

Oh, my . . . I can hardly wait. And I'm so grateful to have access to all of this, and my husband, too, before he's eating squirrel and lentils in Central Asia. Happy anniversary.