Summer, Park Avenue Style

Do you know when I recognize summer in New York? Nope, not when the temp hits 90 degrees and the concrete is steaming, not when Memorial Day Weekend comes along and route 27 is backed up for miles heading out east, and not when I notice my electric bill is over 200 bucks because of the damn AC unit in my apartment. I fully realize it's summer in New York City when Park Avenue Spring strips its spring colors and transforms into Park Avenue Summer. Summer has arrived to the Upper East Side. It's on.

Let me explain a little. Park Avenue Summer is a restaurant by my apartment which changes menu, decor and color by the type of season we're in. So last weekend they closed shop for renovations and came back Monday with bright yellow colors and a sign saying, "Welcome, Summer".  I check out the menu and summer definitely has the best food. Gazpacho, soft shell crabs, baby back ribs, yes please! So I decide to venture in earlier this week. Wow. It's like T-Bar but classier, if that makes sense. This place is way to nice and pretty for me and my Die Hard terrorist type ponytail. But I see what seems like half of the cast of the Real Housewives of New York and a few retired sports athletes so I decide to post up at the bar for one beer. With draught beers running a whopping ten bucks I opt for a Bud for 6 bucks. I think I'm the only person in the history of Park Avenue Summer to ever order a Bud but I don't care. This place is absolutely stunning and its packed to the gils on a Monday night. Pretty impressive. I glance at the menu and want to order every single thing on the menu. But with soft shell crabs a cool 34 bucks and Dover Sole at 52 bucks I opt to just nurse my Bud and check out this scene. This is the most beautiful restaurant I've ever seen with I would probably guess $10,000 worth of flowers throughout the restaurant. After "working" in the flower biz for a day I have a new found appreciation for flowers. I wonder to myself how these flowers were delivered? I'll bet my mortgage they weren't shlepped on the fucking subway. 

I leave the place in complete awe and need to go back. T-Bar and Lavo better watch their backs, I might have found my new love. I just need to remember to have a slice of pizza or something before hand because no way I can afford $31 for Dr. Pepper Baby Back ribs, even if they fall right off the bone. (My favorite.) "Hey, I'm Retired at 28!"