There is something to be said for the tranquility that cloaks the city during the last month of summer. Some may feel like “the leftovers”- left behind while the “others” leave in droves, a mass exodus to the various summer retreats. I typically find solace and comfort in the quiet and serenity of it all. It’s the feeling that somehow you are in on a little secret - that the city, which at times succumbs to lunacy and haste, has a softer and more mellow side. It is during the fleeting month that I find myself sauntering into a typically packed and popular restaurant at 8 p.m. on a Saturday night or get lost among the townhouses of the West Village without the droves of tourists trailing at my heels.

In the midst of boxing up our apartment for an impending move, there was always time well spent on eating. This is what my weekend tasted like……

The Sandwich To End All Sandwiches: The one, the only, the Number 11 from Lenny’s was the ideal post-run Saturday morning sustenance. Perfectly layered between two pieces of toasted whole grain bread, lettuce, red cabbage, avocado, tomatoes, spicy peppers, carrots, cucumber, pepper jack cheese, and spicy mustard, its “eating the rainbow” personified.

For a Saturday Slump Bump: I popped into my local vegan haunt, Peacefood, for a gluten-free muffin and a green power smoothie, a vibrant blended balance of greens, berries, and spirulina.

Charlie Bird was the ideal respite for Saturday supper, with minerally oysters and a toasted pistachio and basil-laced farro that I am yearning to re-create.

Sunday mornings are typically spent spinning and perusing the local greenmarket. Although the crowds were fewer, the produce was rich with peak summer pickings. With my loot from my favorite vendors, Windfall Farms, Hot Bread Kitchen, and my CSA eggs, this quick breakwich was thrown together.