"At a great city...a huge city..." ~ Jane Eyre

Summer in the city swelters romance, mainly my love for New York in the heat of July and August.

Granted, I do have the best of both worlds and live inbetween the city and the beach, and I have not had the experience of living in the city throughout the summer, but summertime in New York City is amazing at many moments. I always say that I would rather be walking down a city street in 100 degree weather than in 30 degree weather. Ironically, the city seems most alive in the summertime.

What I love about NYC Summers:

~ Shakespeare in the Park: I have been fortunate enough to see Shakespeare in the Park twice at the Delacorte Theatre in Central Park, thanks to J.Sarah and her mom! We saw productions of Twelfth Night and Much Ado About Nothing over the past few years. The Delacorte is so small, so every seat is a perfect view to Shakespeare's genius. The above statue of Romeo and Juliet is right outside of the Delacorte Theatre. Much Ado About Nothing is one of my favorite Shakespearean comedies (especially to teach), and the production I saw in 2004 was excellent. Jimmy Smits was Benedick, Kristen Johnson was Beatrice, and their excellent banter captured the sexy foreplay that Shakespeare intended the character's barbs to be.
http://www.publictheater.org/

~ Al Fresco Dining: The city empties a bit on weekends, so dining out at popular restaurants becomes a great deal easier! Still, there are some places that become packed even in the hot summer months, but that is part of the excitement of the city in the summer. One of my favorite memories of outdoor eating was dining with J. Sarah on the rooftop of Sushi Samba. We had to wait for a table despite a reservation, and once we arrived on the beautiful rooftop in Greenwich Village, we were both tipsy on mojitos. The Meatpacking District opens up its doors during the summer, spilling diners out onto the sidewalk beside the cobblestone streets. Last summer my father and I went bar hopping there after a photography exhibit on the pier. We did drinks in the open aired bar at Markt, sat on the sidewalk at Nero, and then dined French style at Pastis.
http://www.sushisamba.com/top.html

~ Desserts: There is ice cream to be had everywhere in New York City, but one of my favorite summer nights which had the best of company and dessert was with Cassie and Mish. After dinner on the L.E.S., we got dessert at Rice to Riches, an amazing place devoted to: rice pudding! The retro style of the place was warm and funky, and it was packed! The cold rice pudding came in dozens of flavors, all placed in a funky kind of plastic bowl. I don't think I am doing this place any justice with my words, so here:
http://www.ricetoriches.com/frameset.php?content=/startpage.php

~ Museuming: The museums are kept freezing during the summer months, and there is no better way to escape the heat on the asphalt than to head into one of the museums. There is a Hopper exhibit at the Whitney I plan on seeing within the next few weeks. Edward Hopper is one of my favorite American painters. Being a coffee addict, how can I not love The Nighthawks? A print hangs in my kitchen.
http://whitney.org/www/exhibition/full_house.jsp

~ The Subway Ride to the Bronx: I don't care how packed the trains become, riding the 4 train up Yankee Stadium is one of the best parts of the summer. Of course I realize the fall as well, since the Yanks are constantly winning in the post-season. Nothing beats a hot afternoon at the stadium, and it gets extra hot for me anytime Derek Jeter comes up to bat, but I manage. There is plenty of cold beer, dippin dots, and "waves" to make me cool and content there.
http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/index.jsp?c_id=nyy

Some of my favorite memories are in the city during the summer. I remember one great afternoon almost ten years ago when J. Sarah and I went to the Tenement Museum on the Lower East Side and ate at Ratners when it was still around, followed by Gus's Pickles on Essex Street. Last summer John and I met up in Little Italy for some fun dining out on Mott Street; I still have the image in my head of him riding down on his motorcycle to meet me. I remember as a teenager seeing the Paul Taylor Dance Company outdoors at Lincoln Center; J. Sarah's parents took us since I think we were still in high school at the time. Seeing The Producers with Lane and Broderick with my father was also an exciting summer day in the city. Bryant Park shows a movie every Monday night on a huge screen; people gather on the lawn their to picnic and it is always a huge crowd. During my freshman year of college, I went with three gay friends to see The Wizard of Oz. They went for Judy, but I guess I did, too! I wore my hair in Dorothy pigtails and had such a great time seeing a New York audience react to Mrs. Gulch (lots of boos) and Toto escaping her evil clutches (tons of cheers and claps). Nights out in Astoria in Queens are among my favorites in the summertime. There are so many outdoor Greek cafes, and the Czech Biergarten there is so enjoyable; Cassie and J. Sarah and I are heading there one night next week.

I suppose I can even find the best out of the worst experience in New York City in the summer: the subway. Waiting on the hot, smelly platform is hellish. There are tons of people around, and agitation becomes heightened because of that. Still, stepping into an ice cold subway car after waiting is a refreshing feeling, especially because you know the car is taking you somewhere special in the city.

It would be nice to hear about summertime in other cities/places...