We bengalis take our ‘baro din’ very seriously, we can’t celebrate it without visiting Park Street or eating cake. Back in my ‘Calcutta days’ the obvious options would have been Nahoum’s or Flurys .Now , life can take the bengalee out of Bengal , but can it put aside my ‘bangaliana’.

Though I had just landed back from my dream vacation at #lasvegas , I had to venture out . Firstly, we had to meet two friends visiting NYC from Chennai , we spent last Christmas together, so when coincidentally we were all in the same city , we had to meet. After all, meeting friends & family , is the spirit of the season. And obviously ,when life has presented me the opportunity to be in New York in Christmas for the first time , can I give it a pass ?

We walked around Bryant Park , followed by Grand Central station and finally Rockerfeller Center. Trust me the enthusiasm on the road was no less than the crowd we are used to seeing in Kolkata. In fact the enthusiastic mass sometimes shed off their usual mannerisms this evening , after all its #Christmas !! All want to take a selfie, a live, a bit of FaceTime , an Instagram moment perhaps (including me) and in the process it becomes ‘pujo hopping’ like scenario.

After fleeing from a mob situation like that, we decided that we had enough for this evening , let’s just seek the comfort of #dwitwiyaardho , the name of my abode I have given in this part of the world. Just then I saw a huge crowd inside a not so big cake shop , my heart skipped a beat and I felt I need to go inside , it’s that Flurys 💓 beat !!

When I stepped in I realized it’s called Carlo’s Bakery ,since 1910 , Hoboken cake shop. I said to Raj and myself , “Voila, I am in the right place tonight.

When I stood in the ‘line’ , there were at least 50 -55 people in front of us and we were in two minds to stay or leave ; whether it’s worth; what to order etc. Then I told to myself the ‘line’ is the process which will educate us and gradually we went along with the serpentine mass of cake enthusiasts and by the time the lady taking the order reached out , we were ready to order 🙂 . It worked !

Et, finally I sit here proudly caressing a lobster tail and chocolate dipped cannoli truimphantly along with a coffee grande , seeing the other 50 or more people , in the same shoes as we were around 30-35 minutes back.

What we will carry back home is a classic cheesecake and a memorabilia (cup) by Carlos bakery . If your bill amount is more than $30 you are entitled for this chalice. So do not forget to ask for it.

Did I forget to mention, I wrote this entire piece , in the bakery , just couldn’t let the thoughts get dispersed in the streets of mesmerizing New York on Christmas evening!!