Sangria Under the Stars

It's that time of year again, when NYC parks are lit up at night with outdoor movie screenings. Nowadays there are a dozen or more al fresco cinema series, but we're especially fond of the ones in McCarren Park (though we miss the old location terribly inside the drained, atmospheric pool) . . . probably because they screen mere minutes from Cafe Drake's front door. Recently we joined Miki S for that old (Generation X) classic Reality Bites, if nothing else a sober reminder from yesteryear that even movie stars age with less than grace sometimes (if you don't believe us rent it and be shocked at the blisteringly young visages of Ben Stiller, Ethan Hawke etc).

Under a sprawling oak tree Cafe Drake and Miki sprawled ourselves across blankets and ground covers and sipped delicious homemade sangria (made by Miki, with fresh fruits and spiked extra with rum) while plowing through chips, cheese tortellini with peppers and parsley and onions, breaded chicken cutlets slathered with grainy mustard and Polish fish cakes and tartar sauce. The night turned very chilly and Cafe Drake curled up for a moonlit nap.