Fourth of July: A Date Night in NYC

After having spent a day having fun with the boys at the zoo and park, NYCity Mama and her husband went home and started making plans for a date night. Date nights don’t come around too often for Mama and her hubby.  With as many kids as they have it can become an expensive venture, and not having alot family nearby to call on for help makes getting away just that much harder.

But they lucked out, found a great sitter that was a perfect fit for all their needs (and financial limitations) and they decided to go out, with out the kids, on one of the most celebrated nights in New York City: Fourth of July. This fourth of July was a special one because it was also the celebration of the 400th Anniversary of Henry Hudson’s first exploration.  Thus an event which usually takes place on the East River, moved to the West side and thousands upon thousands of people were joining in on the festivities.

So, they left their 3 boys under the care of their savior/angel/babysitter and made their to 26th St., by way of 34th St. When they exited the station the sun was a bright yellow, the breeze was refreshing and a bit strong, and the sky was a beautiful blue.  They walked past some of Mama’s favorite spots, such as the Empire State Building, the beautiful post office building (James Farley Post Office) on 33rd St, and the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater (from Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts, and Matt Walsh) before arriving to 27th St and standing almost in awe at how empty and quiet the streets were.  An incredible site for sure.

The people around them were in a hurry, many with bags of food and blankets in their hands, quickly making their way towards 12th Ave, along the Hudson River.  Those who did stop, stopped only for a drink or snack at the nearest hot dog stand, or for all the fun trinkets being sold for the upcoming ceremonies and fire works displays. But not Mama and her husband, they strolled down the empty streets, holding hands, kissing every so often, enjoying their time alone.

The scene along 12th Avenue was anything but empty.  Tons of people had already gathered and it was only 6:00PM! They found a spot to sit and even met a lovely couple from Canada who were there on vacation, celebrating their 15th Wedding Anniversary.  And so, even though the wait was long, they made the best of it, and had some pretty good laughs before they heard the first BOOM! in the sky.

The sky was alive with a beautiful display of lights, the booming sounds followed by a colorful, wow-inducing brilliance of pyrotechnics.  The crowd cheered, and though they took some pictures, they also filmed the experience for you to enjoy.

After all the excitement of the fire works, and bidding farewell to there new Canadian friends, Mama and her husband made their way down 8th Ave. and had dinner at the fabulously vibrant Cuba Cafe.  While Latin music played in the background, they chatted over Mojitos (excellent by the way), laughing and holding hands, while they ate their appetizer of  Chicharrón, which consisted of small bits of deep fried sausages, pork, and beef.

Mama ordered the Ropa Vieja, which was a bit salty, even for the dish which tends to be on the salty side already, but still good.  Her husband ordered the best dish ever, which was Grilled Chicken with Habanero Sauce, served with fresh spanish and mashed potatoes.  Yum!

It was, by far, the best Fourth of July ever…and the best Date Night in a long time.  A Romantic Adventure they hope to repeat again soon.

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Tags: food, nyc, nyc restaurants
Posted in Date Night, Good Eats | 8 Comments »