This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Submission to Metropolitan Diary (NYT)

Nic Bernstein

Dear Diary,

Last year, following 9/11, my wife Bea and I decided to spend our winter holidays in New York. Being social football fans, and with our team on a run, we sought out a friendly bar near our Soho B&B where we could watch the game.

We went there for the Sunday game, two hours after our plane landed and two days before Christmas, and were soon the toast of the bar; genuine hometown folk! We made fast friends with many, and a neighborhood couple (from San Francisco!!) asked if we had plans for Christmas dinner. When we said no they promptly invited us to join them and the bar's proprietors for dinner at the pub.

Christmas came, Bea made some grocery store cut-and-bake cookies in the B&B's kitchenette, and we walked a mile through the Village -- loaded cookie sheets in our hands -- to our dinner date.

The bartender and patrons at the bar greeted us with "You must be the couple from Milwaukee!" and our cookies were greeted just as eagerly. Mark and Merry soon arrived with standing rib roast, garlic mashed potatoes and a fabulous salad. The dinner was served to us as guests of honor, followed by caroling and grand celebration.

We couldn't wait to tell all of the doubters back home just how warm and hospitable New Yorkers could be!