buvette {nyc}

We usually visit New York over the winter holidays and this means that not only do we get to celebrate Christmas and New Year’s with friends and family, I also get to spend my birthday in the city. I spent most of my life kind of ignoring my birthday. Since it comes squeezed in between Christmas and New Years I figured no one really felt like celebrating yet another event. Or at least that’s what I told myself, so as not to be disappointed.

But when we started spending this time of year in New York my game plan changed. It started with my wanting a chance to see all my friends in the short amount of time we spent there. A big birthday party seemed the perfect solution. I could see everyone at once, and get a chance to work in one more exotic food stuff I couldn’t get back in Rome (this year it was Korean Fried Chicken).

Once I got over the idea of not celebrating my birthday, all bets were off. I’ve gone from no acknowledgement of the date, to a full day of fun, food, friends and self indulgence.

This year’s day started in the best, most indulgent way I could imagine. Sophie, Emma and I went to have brunch at Buvette.

This post is not about discovering Buvette. The place, very well known, is the exquisite creation of chef Jody Williams. In Buvette she has created the perfect cozy place to enjoy anything all day long. Yes, it’s a restaurant, but it’s also has the feeling of a Parisian cafe. You know, a place where you can stop by for everything from an espresso to a late night drink, and everything in between. The interiors are warm, inviting and have a time burnished patina that makes it looks like it has always been on this tree lined street in the West Village.

But back to my birthday breakfast. Since it was Saturday, the brunch menu was in full swing when we got there. Eggs just about any decadent way you can imagine.  My choice, since it was my birthday and I deserved it, was softly scrambled eggs on toast, topped with rich creme fraiche and a heaping spoonful of caviar. Emma of course went for the caviar as well. Sophie, who can never pass up pork, chose the Croque Monsieur, topped with ham and gruyere.

Because we’d been over-doing it during our trip to New York, we decided to split a small bowl of Haricots Verts. Tossed with a shallot vinaigrette, they were as perfect as everything else.

We lingered a bit, over cappuccinos, then headed back out to continue by birthday celebrations. The perfect start to a perfect day.