About Town: Notes on a Weekend

Here we are, dear devoted readers, writing to you from the middle of a party we’re throwing on this gorgeous 3-day weekend. Excuse us if we have to get up to blend another batch of margaritas, but duty calls!

Nothing was spared for this party—steaks from Fairway, corn from A&P, booze from Hudson Liquors, party people—all from Fort Lee. And there really isn’t anything quite like a “made in Fort Lee” party.

Our day was packed with things to do to prepare for this party. Earlier, we stopped by Metropolitan Plant Exchange, and it was mobbed. We’re talking the black Friday of all holidays! This gorgeous weather brought everyone out, and can we blame them? Considering the long snowy winter and the long wet spring, we’re ready for some sun and fun and gardening.

If you visit Metropolitan Plant Exchange’s website they have a Memorial Day Weekend Coupon that offers perennials for $5.99 or 10 for $50; flats of petunias for $9.99; 30% of all planters; 30% of all patio furniture, lanterns, bistro sets and umbrellas; and a free pack of tomatoes with the coupon and a minimum purchase of $10.

The place was crowded with homeowners looking to spruce up their yards, landscapers buying shrubs and trees for their clients, apartment owners buying planters and plants for their decks and moi buying lots of perennials and planters to spruce up the deck since at this time of year, it is our favorite room in the house. We also bought two gorgeous hydrangeas and two massive pots to plant them in on the deck. They are just so beautiful and easier to maintain in pots.

We left Metropolitan Plants with our van loaded down and as soon as we arrived home, we got down to the dirty task of planting. As the last petunia was pushed into the last pot, we wiped off our sweat, jumped into our bathing suit and headed to the Leonia Swim Club, which we recently joined. The pool was sparkling clear and not as crowded as we expected it might be. The water was refreshing and so was the conversation, but alas, we had to peel ourselves off the lounge chair and head home to prepare for our party.

And here we are sharing a moment with you as the blender whirs, the music blasts and the grill is smoking just waiting for those marinating Fairway steaks. We hope your weekend was as spectacular as ours. We’ll see you back here tomorrow. And who knows, the blender might still be whirring behind us!