Rain is one of those quintessential experiences that bonds New Yorkers in our suffering. When it rains, everyone has to deal with it, from real estate moguls to short-order cooks. A true New Yorker isn’t fazed by rain, and it sure as hell doesn’t change my plans, especially when it’s the perfect thing to faux gripe to the hot hipster barista about while waiting in line in front of the Mud Truck on 7th. In “dealing” with the rain, I try to handle it not as a nightmare, but an obstacle, an inconvenience, a chance to wear my rain gear! Truth be told, I adore my rain garb, and (almost) look forward to having to wear it. Classic, puddle jumping boots, a (gifted) Burberry umbrella that, thank God, hasn’t yet been left in a taxi or under my seat at a movie theater! In the right frame of mind, i.e. not carrying 40 LB bags of groceries home from the Greenmarket, the ensemble makes walking the cobblestoned streets of my neighborhood a romantic joy.
Though there’s something oddly beautiful about standing under an umbrella during a really thick rainstorm, watching the lights of the traffic moving down the street, sometimes the downpour just bites. The rain seems like a conspiracy to keep me from getting where I want, when I want, not to mention the hair…in those instances, I curse The Wet. On those days, if you can walk down the sidewalk without smacking into someone else’s umbrella and getting cursed at in Russian, or not have your umbrella blow inside out and in that split second before you fix it, become drenched, or keep your purse or backpack from accidentally sticking out of the benevolent jurisdiction of your umbrella so that the important catering contract you’re carrying gets soggy and your signature smudges, or just wait on the corner for the light to change without having a taxi drive by, covering your formerly pristine stockings with spots of filthy street water, well…if you can do all that on your rainy Manhattan days, 
then bravo!
Such fortune was not mine today.
So, while there’s something great about braving the elements in a cute hat and rubber boots, there’s nothing better than returning home to dry land. Tonight I was thrilled to stay in and play in my kitchen, making a simple pasta with seasonal English peas and fava beans and then getting around to my latest Netflix: Season 1 Disc 2 of Californication. I have to admit, this week of rain has stirred some serious California dreamin’ in my soul. I think a return visit out West is the perfect perscription for The Wet.
May 12th, 2009 - 12:39 AM
loved your blog about fast food. heard that most food establishments use more salt in 1 meal than a person needs in 1 day. cut the salt lower the blood pressure but do you loose flavor. ciao
May 13th, 2009 - 2:27 PM
I love rainy days.
The polite way in Russian to say move : ???????? ????
Love you!
May 13th, 2009 - 2:29 PM
it was spelled in Russian — but phonetically it is– iz-vin-ee
xo
May 18th, 2009 - 9:03 PM
Ciao Mamma~
Let me correct you on one point: many FAST FOOD establishments use “more salt in 1 meal than a person needs in 1 day”. Salt is a preservative and a big part of what makes fast food so dangerous to our health. SLOW FOODS are another story entirely. Meals cooked with appropriately salted whole foods, which can mean heavily salted (think Mario Batali’s pasta or my Matzoh Ball Soup) are both healthy and deliciously guilt free. Check out this article in May’s Bon Appetit for more expert details: “The Saline Solution” by John Hastings – http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2009/05/the_saline_solution
XO