I managed to get to NYC yesterday and got to JFK about the same time Berck flew in. I didn’t think there was much hope of me getting on the Delta flight that left at 8 in the morning as there were 4 empty seats and 14 standbys listed, of which I was ranked 13th, but somehow I did. I had an aisle seat in the front bulkhead, which wasn’t unpleasant at all. I also had an individual TV and got to watch some Olympics! Berck and I met at the airport and headed back to Sydney’s apartment. Then the three of us went out on the town.

We went to a Sicilian restaurant way over in west Brooklyn called Ferdinando’s. Famous Fat Dave recommended their Sicilian rice balls, which were excellent. We also had a stuffed artichoke that was yummy, veal that was decent (Berck is a much bigger fan of veal than I am), some delicious penne in a bollenese sauce with riccotta, and, my favorite, some wide pasta with delicious mushrooms, tender eggplant, and sundried tomatoes (which really didn’t add anything the dish, but someone else ate all of them for me). We split a wonderful bottle of wine, and the whole meal wasn’t even too expensive.

Next we went up to the Lower East Side to our favorite bar, The Living Room. They have free concerts all night long with a one drink minimum ($6 for a Yuengling, is usually our choice). We saw an Australian that wants to be John Mayer and Ben Arnold and his band who want to be Van Morrison. Sydney bought the Aussie’s two CD’s he had on sale with the intention that we would share them. I asked him to autograph them, but he insisted on autographing to someone. So now one of them says “To Sydney and Joanna.”

We’re off to an Israeli brunch this morning, then Berck has a flight to fly tonight about the same time as my flight back home. I think we got up too late for Sydney to come to brunch… she has a Mets game to attend.