Nothing beats a beautiful weekend in New York City.  Except for a beautiful weekend in New York City for a big family wedding where the family members really like each other.

Our weekend started Thursday night at a Tony-award-winning Broadway play with our son Seth (aka The Frugal Traveler), whom we hadn’t seen in months. 

On Friday night the wedding guests, including newly-arrived Jeremy, Katrina and our grandkids, gathered at the Aurora Restaurant in Brooklyn. Cousins from near and far caught up with each other on the restaurant’s flower-filled outdoor patio.  Some came with new spouses or girlfriends, some with little kids who had grown much less little. The groom’s father introduced us to his new girlfriend, but we still got a chance to chat with his lovely ex-wife, the mother of the groom. Good food, great conversation and much joy. 

The wedding ceremony the following evening on the outdoor patio of Brooklyn’s My Moon Restaurant was a hodge-podge of traditions with a Methodist minister, a Jewish groom and a beautiful Sikh bride who happens to be a delightful addition to our family.

All wonderful, yet the most memorable moment for me had nothing to do with the wedding. 

Up early on Saturday morning, and while the rest of his family slept in their large hotel room, Jeremy texted to see if we (down the hall) were up.  We were awake, but still in bed. 

Three minutes later this big hunk of a man knocked on our door. He proceeded to do something he last did circa 1977. He hopped under the covers with us and we gabbed.  Now I ask, what 41-year old would hop into bed to chat with his parents on an early morning in New York City?