Park-ing

Tonight, I went to the Conservatory Garden with Zayan and my dogs. It was his first time there. It was his first time meeting Vegas. It was his first time in my apartment. It was my first time in Central Park after nightfall.

I met him at Best Cellars at 6:15pm. We tasted some wine--purchased a bottle of blush and a bottle of pinot grigio--before moving up to Gourmet Garage. I picked up Salute and Pepper-crusted goat cheese as well as an assortment of olives (for him) with Genoa Salame and Proscuitto to go with a fresh baguette. A bar of Belgian milk chocolate for dessert while he watched the dogs.

We walked over to the garden where we unwrapped food and drink beneath the luxurious Italian wisteria of the middle garden. We started with the blush while the dogs ran and barked below us. We saw a raccoon emerge and climb up the ivy covered trellis. We talked about nothing and everything. We ate cheese, meat, and bread while extolling the European way of life.

The fountain shut itself off at 7:45pm when the park guard announced the place was closing down--after all sunset was at 8:05pm. Then we moseyed over to the field at E. 102nd St...laid out the blanket I'd brought along and popped open the white wine as we unwrapped what was left of the feast. We talked about getting older. We talked about the future. Loving New York and leaving New York. Believing in each other and believing in tomorrow. Missing yesterday and knowing it was today. We sat there till well after dark. Many owners with unleashed dogs went by--mine socialized with some of them. We sat. We lay. We were.

It was a good night...beneath the watchful eye of Mt. Sinai. It was very New York with an ex.