I love  leisurely, go with the flow NYC weekends.

This past Saturday dawned rainy and cool.

We dodged the raindrops and took a 9am spin class.

What to do the rest of the day

I was up for theatre and David voted for the MET so I relented and we walked across Central Park in a light drizzle.

Fifth Avenue was packed with tourists all headed to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

We bypassed the lines and entered away from the maddening crowds.

Being a member made the process quick and off we went to the second floor to take in the Delacroix exhibit.

Well, I found it boring and uninspired, but the gift shop attached to the exhibit was enticing, featuring Moroccan wares.

We departed the museum after strolling through the Impressionist section.

The day had turned and the sun was shining through.

Next up…I had received an email from Restoration Hardware regarding their new mega store in the Meatpacking district.

We checked the subway route which was ridiculously laborious with 2 transfers so we decided to take a Lyft.

The driver was Brazilian and disliked Trump who he felt has influenced the front-runner for president of Brazil, far-right former army captain, Jair Bolsonaro.

He was long a marginal figure best known for incendiary comments defending Brazil’s military dictatorship and attacking women, gays and blacks…sound familiar?

Moving on to a less contentious storyline, the new RH is huge and impressive.

The aesthetic has changed a great deal since we decorated our LA home.

The furniture is trending quite modern as opposed to the previous incantations which mixed classical style with a contemporary influence.

There are four vast floors of furniture and accessories.

On the fifth floor is a beautiful restaurant, laden with chandeliers, greenery and fantastic cityscapes.

The wait was about 30 minutes so we surveyed every floor.

Our table was worth waiting for as the view of SoHo, Tribeca including the Freedom Tower was compelling.

There is a lovely outside area, but it is for drinks only.

A coffee bar is located on the third floor.

We settled in for almost three hours as we met some interesting people who shared our enthusiasm for great food and travel.

Our meal was excellent, enhanced by a delightful Cremant ($17).

We ordered a divine Gem Lettuce Salad with radish, avocado and feta with a buttermilk herb dressing ($18).

The burrata was top notch presented with sweet, delicious tomatoes…shocking since it is so late in the season.

The ample dish was perfectly seasoned with olive oil and fresh basil and toasted garlic bread with hints of pepper and sea salt which arrived warm and crispy ($23).

We also selected the Hand-Cut Fries garnished with a side of ketchup and garlic aioli ($9).

There was a slight mishap and David’s phone and jacket were submerged when the server spilled his water, but apologizes were made and a plate of warm, delicious chocolate chip cookies found their way to our table.

The service was accommodating and the staff was lovely.

RH is a perfect marriage of brick and mortar highlighted by a delightful restaurant with amazing views.

RH is a real destination for shopping and eating and if no one notices you can take a nap in one of the showcase bedrooms after having a few cocktails and some very good food.

Across the street from RH, the company is building a boutique hotel which naturally will be decorated with the RH inventory.

We walked half way home and I finished the night gorging on baseball and football.

It was a perfect day.

Restoration Hardware and RH Rooftop Restaurant 9 9th Avenue NYC. Open Monday-Saturday 9am-10pm. Sunday 11am-7pm.