New York City August 2016

The highlight of this trip to New York City was seeing my oldest friend, Clint. We rarely get to hang out together just the two of us. One of the things I love about him is how we can go long periods without hanging out but when we're on our own, we are just fine keeping each other company. We get along great for whatever reason and never seem to run short of things to talk about. Or, better yet, not to talk about. We are comfortable enough together to "not" talk if we don't want to and still be content. That takes a lot to accomplish in a friendship (at least for me).

I've been to New York many many times so as I enter in diary entries (at least for those I'm writing after the fact), I'm just going to list the highlights. For me, there were actually several on this trip that were memorable. First, I really enjoyed just walking through Central Park with Clint. That was probably the best part for me. We had a nice

conversation and for whatever reason the backdrop of a nice day walking in the park with my old friend was a treasure for me. I don't even recall all we discussed but I felt like it was a personal conversation made more memorable by the backdrop. I think I'll always remember that when I go to Central Park in the future. I don't know if he sees it the same way.

We also went to Queens to see my other old friend Pat. It was like the old gang back together again. The three of us took not one, but two cross country road trips together and it was nice to get back together and hang out, even if for just a night (actually we did it two nights but the night in Queens was more memorable). On the Queens evening, we had a lot to drink listened to great Jazz, had amazing pizza and stumbled our way to the subway and back across the water to our hotel in Hell's Kitchen.

The other highlight for me was Clint's discovery of K Rico. He actually did a great job picking restaurants. K Rico would become one of my go to spots in NYC. The tres leches cake there is legend to me and enough of a reason to make a stop there every time I go to New York.