An Ode to Flag Cake | Image: Laura Messersmith — **An Ode to Flag Cake** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

This past weekend a tide of New Yorkers flowed out to the beaches along the East Coast for Independence Day celebrations complete with traditional flag cakes, clambakes, and sparklers.

Mike and I stayed put in the city, our feet planted firmly on the concrete sand, and once Hurricane Arthur passed us by - thankfully taking the sticky temperatures with it - we had three days of blissfully cool air and holiday-quiet streets.

I love New York at its bustling high water mark when the sidewalks are packed, but there’s something so amazing about having it to yourself for a few days too. The traffic thins out making it possible to cab it from the East Village to the Upper West Side in 15 minutes (unheard of!), restaurants are less crowded, and the pace slows to an easy-going stroll. Heaven.

We had two lovely evenings exploring new spots downtown, re-watched a solid portion of Top Chef Season 6 (aka Vegas with the Voltaggios), and I made meandering progress through the Judith Jones memoir I picked up a few weeks ago from a shady spot in Central Park.

Mix in a healthy splash of Rosé and a generous handful of the ripe peaches and berries perfuming the air around the farmers market and you have the perfect recipe for Fourth of July in the city. We’re both feeling refreshed, ready to return to our regularly scheduled programming, and thankful to already be home. No road trip required.

How was your weekend? Did you do something special to celebrate the Fourth?

PS: This is my Ode to Flag Cake: Vanilla Chobani + Fresh Strawberries & Blueberries. Delicious and no oven needed!