Country Livin'

John, Car and Snow outside of house


Downtown Cherry Valley. Tiny town, 10 million traffic lights. Bored town council?


Aris and John and I drove 4 hours out of Manhattan and had breakfast with their friends Judy and Steve who live 4 blocks away in the City! Country livin' I tell ya!

We met for breakfast at The Black Cat Cafe in Sharon Springs, NY. John and Aris are friends with the owners and it is such a lovely, homey country place. I just love it. When you walk in your hugged and warmly greeted and there are fresh baked goods all around, like land mines made of yeast and flour just beckoning. All bets are off there once the coffee flows. This is my second time at the Black Cat and it is superb. Check it out. In fact the shops in Sharon Springs are great.

Steve, Aris and Judy at the Black Cat Cafe

The group shot.

I instantly liked Judy and Steve. They are such a nice couple and I really enjoyed talking to them. At our Algonquin North table in the Black Cat we talked new media, publishing, children with deformities and San Francisco (Judy went to Lowell HS and I went to SI!!). Judy is a cookbook author and her husband Steve is a food photographer. (What a match, eh!?). They have collaborated on many projects including "Dining at Delmonico's: America's Oldest Restaurant" (Rememver in "Hello Dolly -

"Put on your Sunday clothes, we're gonna ride through town
In one of those new horse-drawn open cars
We'll see the shows at Delmonico's
And we'll close the town in a whirl
And we won't come home until we've kissed a girl.")

and "Jacques Torres' A Year in Chocolate." I LOVE Jacques Torres' chocolate shops in New York. They are amazing and here I am sitting next to the collaborators on his book!

We parted outside and Judy left us with her FANTASTIC chocolate chip and pecan cookies. (Again, road trip - NO cals!!).

As much as this year has already tested me with unemployment and health, I just have to face forward and appreciate what a fantastic life I have with great people in my life (ie John and Aris) and the opportunity to meet new ones ala Judy and Steve. I marvel at the things people do with their lives and it is all out there to be tasted and tested and tried. And done over! I just have to BITE!

Viva country air and life and rest cures and viva city people!