Christine was the first foodie I met way back in 2007 before I knew anything about food. I remember the casual potlucks at her apartment where she would cook elevated dishes that nobody appreciated at the time (like cauliflower puree) since her friends' college diets consisted of Popeye's and Chinatown porkchop over rice.

Her Brooklyn apartment was nicer than the closet-sized "apartments" of my other friends and had a proper kitchen with utensils, All-Clad pans, and fancy things like bottles of balsamic vinegar glaze. Lastly, I enjoyed hearing her talk about her favorite restaurants and what places to avoid. We lost touch for a few years but recently reconnected last December when we organized a Scrumphsus Supper at Jeepney, a Filipino gastropub located in the East Village.

Our group was there for Kamayan Night, a family style feast where you get to chow down on two appetizers and three entrees that you have pre-ordered a week in advance.

The weather here for the past few months? New York Shitty.

Freezing temps in April is downright cruel but last weekend, sunshine finally poured forth from the heavens.

Translation = all fresco dining.

Birreria at Eataly has been on my hit list for a while. When it first opened, the wait times were insane and getting a table was out of the question during peak times so I didn’t even bother. Luckily, I snagged a 7pm table this past Monday night before it got too crowded. Michelle met me at the back of the Eataly store and we checked in with the host. After a claustrophobic ride up in the cramped elevator, we climbed up a few more stairs to see something we haven't seen in a while. A huge crowd of people….eating outside….with no jackets...in the sun?

As we made our way to our table, we passed by diverse groups - there was the crowd of younger bankers in blue and pink Brooks Brothers shirts, pounding steins at the bar. There were a few 2tops of SATC girlfriends catching up on gossip, and then a few families with younger kids running around in circles and laughing. One thing they had in common: happy smiles due to the sun and fresh air.

Jeepney: Hands-On Heaven

Birreria at Eataly - Awesome Al Fresco!