Simple Pleasures
February 3. 2026
During the wintertime days feel eternal all blending into one another, I decided to take myself on a date to remind myself that I live in New York City - that in itself felt like a good enough reason to seize the day.
I treated myself by going to some familiar and new places in the West Village.
C.O. Bigelow. The Valentine’s aisle at CVS.
Lastly…..
Caffe Reggio. Founded in 1927. A New York landmark left untouched, next to me sits two eloquent elders. The lady arrived with a beautiful brown fur coat. I don’t think they are a couple because their demeanor feels more like friendly interaction. She has an enchanting look in her eyes listening to him speak.
I feel lucky to sit next to them they make me feel more comfortable in my solitude. Iam currently reading The Spare Room by Helen Garner, I picked it up on a random bookstore trip yesterday. It is about two best friends in their olden years, Nicola and Helen. Nicola has cancer, Helen is not only her friend but caregiver too.
In a cafe surrounded by conversation I sit there reading my book and eating my pasta, I feel exposed…
The language in this book is fragile, echoing the place where we are all ultimately headed, It reminds me of the importance of having people in your life that will love you enough to take care of you; especially when you are old and sick.
Everything in life feels fragile, like you and I.
The detail of the two elders at Caffe Reggio is the best thing in this piece the fur coat, the uncertainty about whether they’re a couple, the way you read their dynamic through posture alone. That’s the kind of attention that makes a solo afternoon worth writing about. And reading Helen Garner in a crowded café feels exactly right that book asks you to sit with discomfort, which is easier when you’re already a little exposed.